Sherry: A little corn, a lot of rain, and plenty of waiting
Hi y’all! Fall harvest has certainly been interesting this season! We were able to get a little corn harvested before the rain moved in and put us out of commission for a few days. While we were waiting, we took advantage of the downtime to work on a few things that needed fixing around the equipment. There is always something on the list that needs attention, and when Mother Nature gives us a little downtime, we might as well put it to good use! Once we got everything taken care of, all we could do was wait for things to dry out.
Finally, the dry weather showed up, and we were able to get back to picking corn for a few days. But, as seems to be the theme this fall, it wasn’t long before MORE rain came!
We’ve now been sitting for about a week. A low-pressure system decided to park itself right over us, bringing rain throughout the day and night, along with winds gusting up to 45 mph. Let’s just say we were rocking and rolling in the camper! At times, it felt like we might need to tie the camper down just to keep it in place. Fortunately, the forecast is looking much better, and it appears we could be sitting for another 3-5 days, patiently waiting for it to dry. Patience is definitely being tested this fall!
As far as yields go, the dryland corn we’ve harvested so far has been all over the board. We’ve seen anywhere from 10 to 40 bushels per acre, with a few areas reaching as high as 130 bushels per acre. We’ve had some good spots mixed in with some not-so-good ones. We’ve also harvested a few irrigated circles, and those have been yielding between 130 and 160 bushels per acre. Every field seems to have its own story this year, and you never really know what you’re going to find until you get into it!
For the most part, our equipment has been running well. The biggest headaches we’ve had over the past couple of weeks have involved Wailynn’s front tire. Brian and Wailynn put a boot in it twice, and each time it would hold air for a day or two before giving us trouble again. We finally decided enough was enough and replaced the tire altogether. Wyatt also had his feeder house chain go out, so we replaced that one as well. It’s always nice when everyone can pitch in and help with these little repairs. Many hands make light work, and around here, there’s always something that needs fixing!
As for cotton harvest at home in South Texas, we’ve been hearing a few reports from home. Yields are ranging anywhere from 1.5 to 2.25 bales per acre. These are ginned bales, weighing approximately 500 pounds of lint each. It’s always interesting to hear how different areas are turning out and see how the crop is doing across the region. For now, we’ll keep watching the weather, hoping the rain moves on and the fields dry out. Until then, we’ll make the most of the downtime and be ready to roll as soon as Mother Nature gives us the green light. That’s just part of farming — you work when you can and wait when you have to!
