Dirty Harvest

My husband and I met late 2007, my first harvest with him was 2008.  I drove my tractor and grain cart like I'd been doing it my whole life.  :)  I didn't give up my tractor and grain cart, full time, for ememrgencys only, until 2010, when we had our son, and I got demoted?/Promoted? to crew cook.  But I've been around every day, since 2008's harvest, and I've learned a few things.

1.  They like to say, "In a Normal Year, we finish combining about the first week of November", I've yet to see  a normal year.  The first year, we finished two days before Thanksgiving.  The second year (the year I was pregnant, and didn't want to stay out late, or spend all day bouncing around in my tractor), I packed a blanket with me, lots of music with me, and many snacks, because we were out there until December 7.  Two nights of Snow Combining, and very, very long days.  Since then, we have finished before Halloween.

2.  The directions they give you are sketchy.  "Turn left, where that old barn was that burned down 15 years ago."  What?

3.  They don't like vegetables, but what they don't know, won't kill them.

4.  My son will ditch me in a heartbeat to go ride with Daddy, Grandpa, Grandma, or Christy, in a combine or tractor.  And he is much better behaved for them, than he is for me, when I'm driving a tractor.

That said, today is the first day of harvest ( a month early, and we are starting with Corn, when we usually start with beans), and it is GROSS out there!  I've never seen black dirt cover our combines.  Sure, they get dusty, but not like this, and not within the first hour.  Here are some pictures: