Same old, same old

Weather refuses to give us a break as we enter the last week of October. A time when we should be finished harvest and preparing for winter. The figures I am hearing say anywhere from 60 to 75% or our crops are harvested. Thats about right for my acres. In two out of the last ten years I have harvested into November. It can happen but the odds are against it.
Remembering the late harvest of 69 when my Dad sat out into the early hours of November 11 morning on an open 542 Cockshutt combine in below freezing temperatures to finish the harvest after an October similar to the one we are enduring now.
In this photo (not winter) you can see just how little protection from the elements there was on that machine. At least today, if we can ever get back in the field it will be in the comfort of an all weather heated cab.

Missing in action

Been absent here for the whole summer so time for an update. After a good start to spring seeding, things went downhill with poor crop emergence, frost, flea beetles, etc. A cold summer made for slow crop development and prospects looked pretty hopeless for getting even an average crop. But things turned around in September with record high temps that helped ripen the crops. Still later than normal though and the nice weather did not last long enough to finish the harvest. Sask. is about 75% completed (more like 66% on my farm) and the snow and cold temps have not let up for several days now. When (if) the weather does warm and dry up it will take quite a few days of drying before harvesting can begin again. Every day gets shorter meaning less drying time and less combining time. Can't start early in the mornings and probably won't be able to work after sundown. Good thing we are an optimistic bunch here.