The Greenwater Report for
September 19a, 2006

September 10th, 2006: It’s a short report today. We no sooner got home from our little trip than I got a call to go combining at Grimson’s, so by noon Tuesday I was hard at it.

What they managed to get seeded last spring is yielding pretty well. Excessive straw is causing some problems – seems to go with a good crop. “Yup, it’s a good crop alright – but it’s sure hard on the combine!” The Bertha Army Worms that have caused so much trouble in canola crops seem to have missed their place completely, but there has been some wheat midge damage.

Fantastic harvest weather! A little wind would let the combines get rolling earlier in the day, but I guess you can’t have everything. That full moon on the 6th was spectacular, with not a cloud to hide it. Finally, we got a bit of a shower today, just enough to stop combining for the day, but we should be able to get back at it tomorrow.

The potential for photos is great at harvest time; unfortunately, by the time the combines get rolling I am driving one, and by the time I quit, it’s dark! I haven’t yet got up the nerve to carry a camera with me on the combine. Don’t think the dust would be good for it.

The Grimson kids were home for the weekend (except for Dave, who is in Connecticut). Our only grandchild, Taryn, entertained us at supper times. She is almost two, and talking a blue streak. She is also the happiest, smilingest kid I have ever seen. Also, Bev and Ted Gelech came up from Balcarres, so Ted got drafted into driving one of the combines.

Granddaughter Jill took over my combine Saturday, and drove it until we shut down about eight PM. I was relegated to trucking grain and napping. Today, she drove it again so I could take some harvest pictures. It occurred to me that Jill, at about 120 pounds, is just as capable of driving a combine as I am, at somewhat more that 120 pounds. In fact, women are supposed to be better at repetitious jobs, possibly because they have a longer attention span or better attention to detail. There must be an awful lot of women out there that would just love to have a short-term job, and just as many farmers that would love to have a short-term employee during harvest. Training takes about ten minutes, and the rest is practise.

Gordon Pomedli pointed out that custom combiners start in Texas in early June and work their way north all summer and fall. What an adventure for a woman who wants a change of scenery! The work is pleasant, satisfying, and reasonably clean (Unless the mean ol’ boss makes them grease the combine!)