Kortney DeBock – CK DeBock Harvesting
Ants and 50 Bushel Wheat
Today has been a pretty cookie cutter day out in the field, I suppose. Cut wheat, truck wheat. It’s a pretty standard operation. I was able to get away from my combining duties at 1pm to run to town 20 minutes away to get some decals, caps and other fun merch. Much to my dismay, my favorite printing shop was no longer in business! I had used my precious, limited time for nothing! Or maybe not. I use the opportunity of angst to jump over to my favorite burger place to drown my current conundrum with 1000 calories of greasy goodness. It worked. I had to take my belt out a notch but I’m not still convinced it was just a little water bloat.
So back to the field I go, farmer says he isn’t sure the field will make enough to justify cutting but says if we think it will make over 5 bu to go ahead. I pull into this field and am not too optimistic myself but screen is reading 6, so along we go. As I get around it isn’t looking much better, this is where I get to the climax though, I’ll be if I didn’t make a turn and hit some solid 50 bushel wheat! I call Casey and tell him the news and this sucker doesn’t believe me, like it takes an expert eye (which apparently only he possess) to read the little monitor that is telling me this number. Once he gets back and sees for himself (insert satisfied, smug look in the background) he takes off in the combine so I can get dinner together at the house.
Which brings me to my current task: hint, not dinner. First thing when I get home I go to check mail. By my mailbox there is a HUGE red ant bed. I have already fallen victim to this bed on multiple occasions and tried to eliminate the colony many times before, however it appears I am dealing with some breed of super-hybrid ant. They. Won’t. Die. While looking through my mail one of the demon bugs bits my foot. Last time guys. Last flippin’ time. Dinner mission is aborted and all resources go to eradicating this hole of fury. I hobble over (’cause I’m injured and all) to the barn and fill the wheelbarrow with ant poison, wasp spray, diesel and bleach (what doesn’t bleach kill, right?). I take my little wagon to the side of the road where the bed resides, now we kill. I’m like a mad scientist throwing my little confection down this hole. There is running, terror, a little drowning, I am pretty sure some state of emergency outcry was heard. After I depleted my resources I wheel on away, job is done. Plus, cool guys don’t stay to look at the explosion. This seemed to ease the pain of my stinging foot long enough to type up my ever-eventful day for y’all. Now I suppose I should find a frozen pizza or something for dinner.
https://kortneydebock.wordpress.com
Also, please check out a fellow HarvestHer’s blog! Tracy has been a social media pioneer! They are a great, family run operation and I love hearing what her and her family are up to! http://nebraskawheatie.com
Here is a picture of my oldest dog, Allie. She is our licensed header supervisor (though she is really just watching for rabbits).
1. Be ready to go at the drop of a hat...sometimes without a lunchbox.
2. Has removed the word impossible from her vocabulary!
3. Can hold a baby, take care of a toddler and drive a tractor or combine all at the same time.
4. Must be able to cook for a crew - large or small.
5. Must be able to read minds.
6. Must be able to banter with a parts man until he realizes you DO know what you're talking about.
7. Must be the entertainment director for those rainy days.
8. Be a wife, mom, friend, helper, cook, problem solver, taxi driver or extra crew hand at all times.
9. Can handle the call that makes you react, "You need what? When?" Dropping everything you're doing to make it happen.
10. At the end of the day say, "I really do love this life".