It took a while but harvest 2013 is finally complete as of Oct. 29. Frost in the mornings and ice on the sloughs. Hard starting cold engines but the last swath went up the feeder house and now I just have to pile and burn the straw. At least it was comfortable working with the heater keeping the cab warm . No grain dust to endure. A far cry from the 1942 harvest here on Winstanley Grove when they had to deal with snow, engine breakdowns and other problems.
I had good intentions of getting the crop sold before winter set in but as usual, the best laid plans of mice and men, etc. Flax price is good but the best I can get is December delivery. Seeing as I am still waiting to deliver my September contracted canola I guess I will not be surprised to be moving the grain in January. All the fun of clearing snowed in yards and grain bins in freezing cold temperatures comes to mind.
In other news tractor number 2 has a breakdown. Water pump appears to have sprung a fairly major leak on the tractor. Not unheard of on a sixty year old tractor but a little unexpected as I am pretty sure I just replaced the pump a couple of years ago.
With wheat straw retailing for $7-$9 around here, I'm sure they won't be burning any of IT. The "residue" appears to be more valuable than the crop! It's a shame there's no way to use the canola straw, or whatever you're burning.
ReplyDeleteWell Gorges, flax straw is not worth a thing as far as animal feed or bedding. Wheat straw is a little more useful. If I am lucky sometimes I can give flax straw away for free if someone wants to bale it and use the bales to put up a windbreak. Does not happen often though.
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