Misc pics

It's hard work getting to fly a helicopter

success

Dennis..our first visitor...with Mabel and Nick

this was a river...too dry this year

storm brewing...I was really watching the clouds. Did get rain and hail out of this that kept us out of the field for 3 days

wishing he had been an employee years ago!!!

our last night at Syracruse

beautiful

I don't sit around ALL day...I do make these guys their suppers and deliver to field. Great bunch of guys to cook for

Oklahoma 3 hr tour

We had time to take 3 hours to say we were in Oklahoma

A man outstanding in his field!!!

not sure this will show up well for you to see...but its a directory of who lives where in the country

this was a bunker silo for corn for a huge feedlot....they are big here...and very smelly

green part is irrigated, brown is not....shows how important water is

a very typical midwest scene...towns are where the elevators are

this dairy farm had about 7 barns this size....but they were all empty

I should have cropped this one....but here in OK there are many pigs barns...10 -12 barns on each site

harvest pictures..in Syracruse

wheat as far as you can see

is dusty!!!!

another crew working next field

0ops...double

Goodland Kansas

Good morning all, We arrived here in Goodland...or at least the trailers have. They "roaded" the combines and cart the 80 miles, so we expect them here by noon. We are now camped out at a campsite...along with other harvest crews right beside a truck stop on the side of the interstate. There goes our solitude and quietness..BUT... we do have free internet here. I hope to get a bunch of harvest pics up for y'all to see...and maybe if you have skype you can check out when I'm on...keithheatherburns. It is expected to get up about 105 degress over the next few days...that is hot! The guys won't be starting to cut until the 4th...so we have a few days to R&R??? Maybe I will work on my tan some more. We have 1000 acres to cut here and then we travel to Flagler, Colorado.(straight west of where we are)  I'm not sure how much we have there to do.After that stop we will be driving up toFort Benton, Montana and will be there till mid August.(apparently usually do about 18000 acres there). So that's it for now...may work on the pics this afternoon(Keith has the camera with all the harvest pics)

update

ok...so I haven't been that diligent in keeping this updated. I hope to add pictures by end of this week. We will be moving to destination 2 where I will have internet(WIFI)...so more updates on the way!! We have finished up our first "job", having combined about 2700 acres. Yield has not been great because of the drought here...and some hail damage. I have really enjoyed my time here in Syracruse...going for walks around town in the morning, having tea with a retired rancher at the local donut shop, attending a very friendly church, reading several books, trying to learn some Spanish...from a dvd....I should have been braver and asked for some real live lessons as there is a big mexican population here! We are amazed at the wide open spaces...miles and miles of wheat and pasture ground. I took supper out to field one day and drove 10 miles off the highway to get to the guys...and no buildings in that 10 mile drive. Today was a very hot day....was close to 110 degrees(close to 40)....I am now in love with air conditioning....I am not cold here!!!!The other thing that is amazing is the number of harvest crews out here....there must be at least 15 crews just in this area. In a town not far from here there are 25 combines sitting waiting on crop to ripen. We will be up at Goodland, Kansas next(80 miles) north of here. after that we are heading into Colorado, but will have some time to sightsee as the crop is behind normal schedule(good time for any visitors to come...hint hint) So....that is us for now...thoroughly enjoying ourselves. hope all is well with you all

arrived in Syracruse, Kansas

hay bales under water...in south saskatchewan....lots of water

our "train" of vehicles...8 total...3 campers, 1 serrvice truck, 4 semi's(I'm last camper in this pic...following Keith)

water in the Dakota's too...some roads closed

cattle preferring to graze around turbines

the alternative...coal plant...which looks better??

having to irrigate..this is lower Nebraska

we pop up everywhere!!!

wheat in upper Kansas..very dry here in Kansas.

no one on the other end....phone is much quieter!!!He's just used to it being there by his ear.

We are here..where it is WARM....90 degrees F when we arrived late in the afternoon yesterday. The trip down was great...only had to change a one tire, switch who was hauling the tractor. Saw lots of amazing scenery...home home on the range has a whole new meaning....and what the early pioneers must have faced in the midwest ages ago!!!

some pictures

the fleet of trucks

my kitchen

our dining and living room

who we are working for

2 of the 4 air drills..ranging from 61' to 84'

arrived

We have arrived in Tisdale...where according to the sign...Home of Rape and Honey. For all of you who don't realize it...rape is canola! We flew in to Saskatoon, found our truck with no problems and drove 2 hours to our friends Paul and Anita in Big River. They graciously hosted us for two nights, took us to where our 5 wheel trailer was and fed us. This morning we drove 3 hours to Tisdale, met our boss, parked our trailer. Keith went right to work...and I got to set up "house" Tomorrow I will work on getting pictures posted. Was awesome to see land for miles and miles....mostly all planted in wheat and canola.

This is it!!!

So..we have arrived to June 4...and now starting to pack up...and leave this afternoon. The rain is good timing, so that we can focus on all the last minute details and actually pack up our suitcases. We will figure out how to post pictures so that you can see what we will see!!!