"In the beginning"

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily the views of the blog management, (on the other hand, they are not necessarily not the views of the blog management).

No effort has been made to stay within the bounds of the truth in this blog as it has always been the view of the management that the truth should never be allowed to stand in the way of a good story.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Thumbnail scketch of the 2009 harvest

This photo taken early in September shows the crop still growing and showing all the signs of a bumper harvest

Time to start some serious planning for this years harvest.

Preparations started in earnest about then, here two new field bins are being unloaded.

The header, minus the 40 foot front, was still in the shed but had undergone the pre-season checks.

Not that it needed much attention... as you can see by the interior its brand new.

The work all starts out in the paddocks of course, here the header is busy reaping the wheat, a lot slower than last year because the crop is so much heavier, we should all have that as a problem.

Emptying the headers box into the chaser bin which is pulled by the "small John Deere tractor"

A view from the header as the chaser bin pulls alongside

This diminutive 5 foot nothing who is my grand-daughter and Vicki and Rex's niece has spent the harvest (about 6 weeks) driving the tractor chaser bin combination, not bad for a "City Girl" who lives in Perth WA.

Here Jenna is filling the back trailer of the road train while Uncle Rex looks on.

Jenna was also allowed a couple of laps in the header, an honor indeed.

From the paddock to market... because of the very good season they have built two new "Grain Bunkers" at Wudinna, these enormous bunkers each hold 100,000 tons of grain and are covered by a heavy duty plastic tarpaulin which is welded on site into one continuous cover as the grain is added.

Here Rex is emptying the front trailer into a mobile pit, from there a conveyor takes it to the top of the pile where gravity shapes the pile as it fills

Here the rear trailer has been pulled onto the frame and is in the process of emptying its load too.

The system is slightly different when the grain is going into the permanent Silo's, it is dumped into a pit from where the conveyors take it to the chosen Silo, it is railed from there to the shipping terminal at Port Lincoln where grain ships take it to its final destination... either in Australia or Overseas.

Grain is not normally received at the Silo's on Sunday so the trucks line up for an early start on Monday morning, there was 4 rows and about 10 trucks per row so they kick off with anything up to 1000 tons when work begins.

While all this has been going on "The Big JD" has been sleeping away the hot weather in the shed, but be assured it will earn its keep hauling the huge machinery that will plant next years crop so it all averages out.

That's a very brief and maybe not 100% accurate (Rex is out working hard so I couldn't double check the figures) but I'll claim poetic license for any that aren't quite true.

7 comments:

wazza said...

Hey, Peter, I've been there at Rex and Vikki's farm, altho' as you know this sort of action wasn't happening.
It's too bad I wasn't able to join you on this visit, but the photos and text makes one feel that they are there. Good blog ole' mate.

Dave said...

Two questions... the crop is?? Wheat?

What's in your grand daughter's hand?

Excellent pictures and commentary Peter!!

willowtree said...

Great post Pete!

Dave: Yes, I'm pretty sure it's wheat, and that's a shingleback lizard.

Puss-in-Boots said...

Glad to hear it's a good harvest, Peter. It's about time the Wuddina folks had a good break.

I wanna drive that big truck!

Walker said...

That's a lot of work but you get to use a lot of cool monster trucks.
I am sure your Jenna loves driving them around and she is big enough to reach the pedals

Cliff said...

Just for fun Peter, I'll point out the difference in our local farm language.
Header= here called the combine, the head will be called the 'corn head' and what you run in wheat the 'platform'
field bins= hopper bottom holding bins.
I can smell the new smell of that JD.
chaser bin= grain cart
girls are the best help. They do what you tell them.
The hold those tarps down with suction fans from under neath. I just found that out.
Here the grain train would be called a double. (illegal in most states except the dakotas. Nearly all trucks here are hopper bottoms.
The front truck you have would be called a 'straight truck' here. They can hook a trailer with one group of axles behind it called a 'pup'. Thus a 'straight and a pup.' My daughter drives my 'semi' and delivers most of my grain.
the grain line is universal. Ours too, start at closing time the day before.
I'd like to have the big tractor. I HAVE A miniature version of it.
I hope you enjoy the differences.
The marriage below looks...well, interesting. I'd love to have a look at the pre-nups.

Jack K. said...

How much work did you do? If you are like me, they wouldn't let you near any of the equipment. I am not a farmer.

Great photos. Glad to know things are going well.