Little Francie enjoying some garden time on the farm…the next combine crew!
My cousin Emily came out this week to visit the farm. We worked together for many summers out here on the farm and boy do we have some good memories. She brought her 1 year old little girl for their first combine ride! The whole time I’m thinking, “Yes, the next workforce!” It was so great having her out in the field again, it really takes you back to those teenage years of long summer days out on the combines. Way back when, I wrote a poem to remember our last summer together out in the dust, heat, and fields. So here it is, and please remember this is about the perspective working 14 hour days, sitting on a combine…all from the head of a teenager.
13 hour days going round and round.
Sitting on our booties gaining a pound.
Eating lunch too early, getting dinner too late
Goin 2 mph, no need to concentrate.
Over the radio no interrupting is allowed.
We just sit and pray for that one rain cloud.
Through the day deep thoughts occupy our minds.
Why are the complicated boys the ones we seem to find?
Blond moments happen a lot out here.
From oops! Oh my! To…Oh Shoot! And Oh Dear!
Making endless lists of things we need to find.
Sending telepathic messages from combine to combine.
Talking of headers in her sleep and kicking her blankets off the bed.
Emily just couldn’t’ get farming out of her head.
Then there was Brenda, lying awake with a sigh
thinking too much of the one dumb guy!
Back in the fields for another long day,
Armed with books on tape, paper and odysseys in our bag.
Not forgetting hairy legs, trashy clothes and not cute hair.
We jump in our cabs cuz we really just don’t care.
A smile and rodeo queen wave as we look each other’s way.
Finally we’re done and we speed home in grey.
Excited to be going 30 times what we’ve gone the 13 hours past;
Flooring the pedal cuz it’s so fun to go so fast!
We’ll never forget those “senior moments” and port-a-potty notes.
Or how because of AC we’d freeze if we forgot a coat.
We’re just two farm girls working day to day.
Making memories that will never fade away.
NuttyGrass 