The harvest season is finally starting for many of us. From the beginning of the year, every farmer looks forward to this season of bringing in the crops. There have been many worries this year, mainly water related regardless of the area in which you farm. Wells going dry, casings shifting, pump shaft, tubing problems, and electric motor problems have all been common. There is also the escalating inflation and short supplies of inputs such as water, fertilizer, and labor. Most of us constantly wonder if there will be enough left over so that we can live and farm another year. In many years things “look good” coming into harvest but when everything is done it turns out to be a mediocre year. There are too many variables, prices, yields, markets and other factors that affect the final outcome. Everything can be projected on paper, but you never know until everything is harvested and delivered. In August/September most of us are just concerned with getting the crop off and out of the field, keeping harvest equipment running and scheduling where and when to harvest various fields, it’s definitely a hectic time of year. As the August heat wanes and September begins the possibility of inclement weather becomes of higher concern. These days everyone is short of help and our harvests are stretched out more days, so these types of worries become more of a possibility.
Over the harvests that I have gone through, I’ve always noticed the energy we have at the beginning. After a few weeks, everybody is tired and just wants to get everything finished. Most of us work a lot of hours during this time of year often without a lot of rest, it finally catches up with you. The final day of harvest is always something that comes with a sign of relief. Although harvest is stressful there are always those things that we can appreciate, being able to have a harvestable crop is an accomplishment especially considering the difficult year we are having. I always enjoy the cooler, crisper nights in mid, late August that signal summer is coming to an end. Hope everybody has a safe, bountiful harvest.
Reminder-Madera Farm Bureau’s Ag United Annual Meeting & Harvest Celebration has been scheduled for October 24, 2021 at Eastman Hall Chowchilla Fairgrounds, tickets $60. It will be a great event.
