Julie Vogts – Spring Valley Farms Inc.
Our Monday started out to be a cooler day than most of the previous ones and cloudy. So, harvesting our last bit of wheat was put on hold until about 4:30 p.m. My husband had our daughter, granddaughter, and myself help him get situated east of the draw. He had to take the combine from one end of the field across a small “draw” that runs water through our fields. I must admit, watching him maneuver it from afar had me holding my breath for a few seconds. That machine isn’t cheap ya know! But he made it across with two little girls watching his every move!
And our last few acres done in no time. It was nice to finish the evening with supper around the table together. Our granddaughter had never ridden in the farm semi to the elevator, so she jumped in after supper to ride with Grandpa. She came home with a sucker so she was thrilled! 🙂 We finished the night out by practicing some softball with our daughter and about 11:00 p.m., Milton went out to check the irrigation pivot.
Here’s some of the details from our 2017 Wheat Harvest:
- 702 acres
- 9 days
- 84 loads
Wheat harvest, this year, went smoothly and was done in a timely manner. We are grateful for that and the three men that helped us along the way. We had three truck drivers that never complained and drove our equipment as if it were their own. Good help is sometimes hard to find in the farm industry but these guys stepped up to the challenge! God blessed our harvest and gave us grain to sell and although the price of wheat is low, we will continue to be grateful. God provided once again, thank you. The landlords we rent from help my husband to continue living his dream and having a career he loves. Thank you for trusting us to continue your family legacy. To his parents that have spent years guiding him, working right beside him, teaching him, and loving him, we are also beyond grateful. The opportunity to farm isn’t one that is easy to come by. The hours spent farming, the commitment is like no other, and the love of it is something that only comes in certain people, I’ve come to realize. To my husband, thank you for working so many long hours, physically hard, and supporting our family even when we do not appreciate it. To the people who buy products that are created from what we grow, thank you.
Until next time, thanks to all of you for reading our harvest story and to HarvestHER for allowing me to share it on their platform!
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".
