We started harvesting filberts today. I ran to switch Matt out in the harvester and as he was jumping out and I was jumping in he said, “It’s so nice that it’s not even that dusty today!”
A few minutes later I took this video as I started harvesting because I agreed that this isn’t that dusty and thought it funny that how ridiculous it is what “not even dusty” looks like to a filbert farmer.
If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, you’ve seen videos and photos of how absolutely insanely dusty harvesting filberts can get. So when you watch this video if you’ve seen the others, you’ll agree this isn’t even that dusty!
Don’t worry though we haven’t escaped the insanity completely. This is just day one, so there is still some moisture in the ground. As the days pass it will get more and more dusty. But for today, we’re enjoying this very (in our opinion) not even that dusty view.
We started the first step of harvest on our farm right about seven weeks ago. I’ll be honest, I had to look back at the calendar to confirm it had really been that long since we started swathing. But yes in fact we have been harvesting at some stage in some crop for a little under 50 days.
Somedays it felt like day 863. But when we finished up that last acre of grass seed combining it also felt like it had gone really quickly.
This summer has been different in many ways. For farming specifically we didn’t have great yields which always makes harvest a bit grueling and the pricing of grass seed is sort of in a limbo mess. We had rains that slowed us down, but not enough to hurt anything more just drag things out. We aren’t completely done with all our crops for the year but finishing grass feels and is a big milestone for our operation.
Personally it was a summer where our kids were gaining lots of independence and living their best (what I refer to as) “regular kids” summer life. Summer camps never tried before. Trips with grandparents to fish. Camping trip with friends. Wiffle ball days and fishing at favorite ponds. If Millie wasn’t with her friends on adventures you could find her here….living her best life.
The kids did find time in their (ahem….busy) schedule to get some mini bales & erosion bales baled up for their own continued business endeavor. Soon to be for sale for all your fall decorating and garden covering needs.
In future summers that will be here before we know it they will farm alongside us every day. I grew up doing that with my family; but I also know that we had time in the summer to just be kids. I also remember my dad calling the actual Nordstrom department store landline (because we had no cell phones) to find his baling crew (aka me and my best friend) because the grass had dried enough to start baling. “Yup, on our way dad! Just trying on one more outfit!”
This summer is going by quick, soon it will be back to school schedules and cooler days, but when I look back at what we have accomplished on the farm, the fun times we have had and are still to come, I just really love the balance we found this summer.
After a few thunderstorms caused us a short rain delay yesterday, today the sun finally peeked out and we are back to harvesting grass seed.
Moisture is not your friend when you’re combining (aka separating the seeds from the straw). If it’s too wet then the seed won’t come off, which is why when we actually cut the crop into rows we often do it at night when the moisture rises and the straw holds the seed on.
While this job is tiring a little bonus is the beautiful sunrise. Which happens right before the super bright sun comes up and makes you want to close your eyes and fall asleep for eternity. But that one moment is sure nice.
We parked the combines in the barn Wednesday night. Let it rain Thursday. Said a little thank you prayer that it only rained in the morning. Then waited for the sun to come out Friday.
Luckily the straw is dry and so is the seed. It’s coming off just like it should and we are happy to be out in the field again.
This has seed still attached to it in an un-harvested row. Here is the straw out of the back of the combine where the seed has been stripped out.
As for where we are in harvest season as a whole. We have finished harvesting our crimson clover. Then we took a short break not due to weather but to cheer on our boys winning a state championship in baseball (wahoo!!!) .
And now we are back to it with tall fescue left to finish, perennial ryegrass next, some green beans that will be harvested in the next week, and radish and hazelnuts down the road aways.
NuttyGrass 