Friday, August 28, 2020

Harvest 2020

Well... The heat is on!!


41C is just too hot to be working with metal 
and
the A/C in the tractors can barely keep up.

If it doesn't, you can't possibly work in the tractor 
as
it's like an aquarium!


I recently came across this picture on Facebook 
on 
Nostalgic Bromhead.

It is Arnold's Grandpa and his nine sons probably taken in the 1950's

That is quite the crew.

The two daughters are not in the picture!


Our harvest crew consists of a lot of dogs....

they are not  much help but always bring a smile to your face!


They love to go in the grain truck. 

 This cab can hold 4 dogs and two people
(the jack russell is under the seat)

or

One large Lab! 


Diesel is our oldest son's dog who has been spending time 
at 
the farm
 since 
Jeremy works a new job and is gone for 14 hours a day.


Diesel is a city dog and has discovered how fun truck rides are
so
most of the time you find him
 in
 one of the pickups
waiting
 for a ride!

With this heat, 

We have had some crazy clouds and storms randomly pop up!
(ignore the dirty windows)

Thanks to neighbors for the heads up with their eyes on the skies!

We seem to only get a notice of bad weather after the fact!


But we managed to finish harvest on Monday!



The wheat was ridiculously itchy this year.


It nearly put me over the edge!

I think I changed three times a day
 as well as showered
 just to keep from scratching my skin off!


Cleaning it in the heat and dust,

was more than we could handle!!




Wheat is never an itchy crop 
but 
we asked our friends and they had the same complaint!


So one day they picked us up 
and 
treated us to a new restaurant in Yellow Grass, Sk
called
Don Padre's

It's a new little Mexican(and Canadian food) place.

I tried the stuffed pepper, taco, and enchilada.

It was delicious!


Our friend tried Pineapple pop.

She said it was good!


That was such a nice break from the heat!

I can't believe it is not even September yet
and
We have a lot of our fall work done!


Even the square bales are in!


We farm with older equipment but if it works....

Why not?!?!?!

I always say...... #paidfor

It 's the only way to make money in farming!

I took a little video of how our square bale pop up works.


I think they were invented in the 1960's.

We have had this one forever. 

I am sure each one of Arnold's Grandpa's boys have used this very contraption!

It's definitely a back saver!

The barn is full! 


Justin had a great Facebook post 
about
 how these bales were made for BBQ season 2022.

How's that?

These straw bales started in May 2020 when the wheat was planted,
 then harvested and baled today.

Picked and stacked in the shed to stay dry and fresh,
awaiting
 the new calf season coming in March 2021.

Those babies will be given the best start

and

 moved on to pasture to grow and be ready for processing June 2022.

So all the work put in this year, 

won't bring returns  for a farmer until we well the crop 18-24 months from now!

The planning never stops, the work is endless, and the pay check is always unknown

but

we get up everyday and do it all over again.

Proud to do what we do, 365 days a year. 

Thank a farmer is you ate today!

Very well said, Justin!



At the start of every season,

Justin and I get a new pair of gloves.

My gloves have seen some work 
and
 I just can't stand to put my hands in them anymore!

New pair vs old pair


I broke out a new pair!

These gloves have done some working....

This year, while harvesting I started listening to podcasts.




It was quite interesting to listen to the most recent

 and

 work my way backwards.


It was like a small window of time 

and

yet so much has happened in the months since the end of December 2019.

It was like listening to a story you would not ordinarily believe.

They had hopes and plans for the coming year like the rest of us.

Trips planned...

we cancelled going to Houston.


Shows arranged...

we postponed it indefinitely.


It was going to be soooo good!!

As the pandemic started to hit the world,

you could hear how it was effecting them.

They rolled with the punches like the rest of us,

to find a new normal and continue doing what brings them joy.

Every night, 

I would come home and look up who they interviewed.

It was a great way to stay inspired while getting harvest done!

I highly recommend listening...

I am not a modern quilter but discovered this pattern.

Check out the link here...

Fresh Quilts


It's on my NEXT list...

LIKE I NEEDED ANOTHER PROJECT!!


I haven't had a bunch of time to sew.

I have played with  my HST blocks a bit

 

But I am hoping to get back to my regular schedule soon!


Our quilt group has decided to start quilting EVERY week on Fridays.

Maybe I can get some projects done there!

Happy harvest to our fellow farmers!

Stay safe...and I don't mean covid!

Christa 



Wednesday, August 12, 2020

A Break Before Harvest

OMG....

Where has the month of July gone to???

Well, Mom and I went to my niece, Kate's micro wedding in Bragg Creek,AB


Kate and Dylon had an evening wedding 
as
they wanted night photos.

Can't wait to see some of them!

I made them a couple of masks for these special times...



We stayed at my sister, Larissa's

She had a quilt on her couch I DID NOT make!!

I asked her where she got it.

When she was living in High River 
and
the floods took her house,

People donated quilts and this is the one she got!



I flipped it hoping to see who had made it.

I was so surprised
 to
 see it was Judy MorningStar
and
Audrey Fandsteelandt
of Manitoba!!


I told Larissa I know Judy and have taken classes from her!!

So glad to see it was labelled!!

Arnold and I have fit in a few camping trips to Cypress Hills and Willow Bunch.

We have trialed the fireplace and the a/c.

Both work amazing! 

Yup...

we are still married.

Parking a rig can be tricky but try farming!!

One day in the corral with your family will make or break you!

Justin finally got surgery on his finger 
to
 get the tendons loosened from his post pounding incident back in October.

I spared you the pics of the stitches up and down both sides of his finger!


It's coming right along!

It is getting plenty of work out in the field as harvest has begun!


The  hay bales are all hauled.

We took our first LONG weekend in August to go camping and just chill!!

Usually, we just work longer and harder on a long weekend.

We headed to Riding Mountain National Park

They have these cute little Micro Cubes you can rent 


or these tents....


We took our Fifth wheel.

Parking was a breeze getting it into the trees.....

MINUS the canopy touching the tree!!


Manitoba is so beautiful with rolling hills and trees everywhere.


We are loving our camper.


Clear lake hosted the Third and Bird Artisan Market





They did a great job of keeping people socially distanced.


They only allowed half the number of people they were allowed in at once.

I loved their positive messages as you waited for your turn to get in!






My Friend Lori and I were especially excited to see our fellow quilter friend, Karlyn Leslie.

Her company is called Charlie Bear Quilts



She makes one of a kind quilts for babies and other quilty stuff!!

Next to Karlyn was Roxie of Rox Textile Art


We had a great visit about all things 'sewing'!

I bought some delicious Chai Honey from Farmer's Daughter



Will be purchasing more of these for sure!


I loved Sol's purses.

If I carried one, I would have bought one!



Very well made and styling!



It was a nice morning to check out the Artisans.

I hope they did well!

This was our first visit to Clear Lake.



It felt like a Micro mini Banff.


Lots of little shops and restaurants


We explored the area stopping at the Old Church Pottery Shop


Loved all his antique stain glass windows!


This antique star blanket was very cool too!


It was hand quilted and I loved the prairie points



I love old buildings. 

I wish they could talk.


The storied they could share.....



Arnold golfed(I caddied) two of the courses in the area




They were beautiful courses.



My most favorite thing about Clear Lake was the gelato!!


The Chocolate Fox made the best gelato.


We know.... 
we went back three times and filled that little cup with three kinds every day


It was such a nice little get away!

Now to deal with harvest!


Wheat is in the bin....

Next up is flax!

This is our dogs favorite time of the year!!


Grain truck rides!

Its a full cab!

Have a safe harvest everyone!

Christa 

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