Fowler, KS – Oklahoma will be remembered for its wildly uncooperative weather this year. Constant rains and high humidities lingered to the very end, and storms really beat up the crop. All the delays left the crew’s moral a little battered and bruised, too. Eventually the weeds became as bountiful as the wheat, and the final fields were a real struggle. Even once we finished here the rain still wasn’t finished with us. One last thunderstorm caused us headaches by interrupting our loading of equipment as we prepared to leave.
But eventually we escaped the soggy Sooner state for southwest Kansas, and we’ve been going like gangbusters ever since. Pop up showers have frequented the Fowler area, but so far, they have steered clear of our fields. We’re now on a two week stretch of no days off, and no one has complained. Yields have been very good for the most part, but the mosaic virus has affected some fields. Hot, windy days have meant early mornings and late nights, but the gang has covered a lot of acres in a very short time.
Speaking of gangs, this area was made famous (or infamous) by the Dalton Gang and their cowboy capers during the 1890’s. The Dalton Brothers caused all sorts of trouble robbing banks and trains. These outlaws evaded capture for years by using a secret underground tunnel that connected their sister’s house to a barn. Today that property is home of The Dalton Gang Hideout and Museum. Visitors can still walk through the creepy subterranean passageway, and it’s a crew-favorite attraction to visit while here. If you enjoy history it’s worth taking time to read up on this intriguing story here in the Wild West.
Kansas harvest has really kicked into high gear, and going like gangbusters seems a fitting way to describe the last few weeks. Unlike the Dalton Gang, our crew has been earning their paycheck the good old fashioned way – hard at work harvesting. And that’s probably for the best. In the end the Daltons wound up dead in a bungled bank heist trying to steal gold bars. They say crime doesn’t pay, so maybe our gang will just stick to harvesting golden grain.
