Kylee DeBock / DeBock Harvesting
Goodness, this summer is flying by! It is hard to believe that July is almost over.
We had a great Kansas harvest, this year, with the fields averaging around 50 bu/ac. We finished up on the evening of July 9th.
We had ordered some parts for our grain cart while we were in Alva and, even though we were there for three weeks, the parts did not come in before we left for Kansas. So, before we got too far away, Dillon headed back to Alva to pick them up. He left me and the boys to get equipment loaded and ready to go to Montana.
Usually, we go from Kansas to Sidney, Nebraska. This year, however, the farmer wanted stripper headers. We do not own those type of headers so we had to give that job to a friend. The Nebraska job is a good job. However, we are always very stressed trying to get it done and get to Montana on time.
Every year is different but this year it worked out for the best that we skipped Nebraska because our Montana wheat was going to be ready early. We made our first trip to Montana on July 12th.
We were all very shocked that we made the move from St. Francis, Kansas to Hardin, Montana in one day. We left at 7:30 am and we pulled into Hardin at 9:20 pm. That was a pretty good feat with changing a flat time and having a sit-down lunch, too!
On Sunday, we had plans to go back to get the second load. However, our farmers were headed to the lake that day and asked us all to join them. We were all very excited to do so, we don’t get a lot of “real” summer activities on the road so getting to swim, tube, ski and relax on the lake was a welcome treat for us and the kids!
Being on the lake with the Uffelman Family is always a highlight of our summer.
We got home from the lake Sunday night around 11:30 and Eve (our cat) went outside, which is not unusual. We all took showers and I went out to find her. She was nowhere to be found. I looked for her off and on ALL night!
At 5:00 am, other people were getting up to leave the campgrounds so I went and talked to EVERYONE but no one had seen her. Dillon and I were supposed to leave at 6:30 to head back for the second load but, instead, our whole family looked for Eve until 9:30.
The kids were all staying in Hardin while we went to get the second load, so I knew they would continue to look. I put posters up around the campgrounds and we headed out. My heart was broken and I was so upset!
Because I did not get ANY sleep, we did not make it all the way to Kansas. We stopped in Sidney, Nebraska for the night.
The next day, we made it to St. Francis, loaded the tractor and grain cart and started our journey back to Montana. Unfortunately, the weather turned out cloudy and rainy so we opted for safety and stopped in Rapid City, South Dakota for the night about 7:30. We were just 4 hours from Hardin so we knew we’d get there early the next day. However, that was NOT the case!
During our pre-trip inspections that morning, we noticed we had a flat tire. Because we were not traveling with a service truck this trip, we went to a tire store just a few blocks from where we spent the night. They had us back on the road again and we were going to make good time.
That was until we got to the Broadus, Montana scale house!
We buy our permits every year and I had them in hand, which is usually all we need. They check them and we are on our way. However, this year was different. Since we purchased a new grain cart and trailer, we had never had it weighed and, unfortunately, we were overweight on our back trailer axle.
Well, that started it. The officer then came outside and proceeded do a level 2 inspection on our trucks. He checked our permits, dipped our tanks (making sure we weren’t running farm fuel in our semi), measured our length, checked our chains, made sure our horns worked, lights, blinkers, windshield wipers and so on and so forth.
We were doing really good until he asked us for our log books. Well…we did not have one filled out! That is an automatic fine and you are put out of service for 10 hours. This meant we were not going to get to Hardin that day!
We pulled into the scale before noon and the officer was not done picking on us until 4:30. This happened to be just the time that my friend, Laura, and her harvest crew were pulling in with all of their equipment. So, because we were unable to drive, Laura took us downtown to get something to eat and dropped us off at a hotel.
The next morning, I stopped the first pickup I saw and asked for a ride back to the scale house so we didn’t have to walk the mile and a half.
All in all, it was frustrating at the time but since it had rained, we couldn’t have cut anyway. So, it ended up just being a funny story and a memory made!
Another positive note to mention…Eve was found on Tuesday morning. I told the boys to keep her on house arrest until further notice!
On July 18th, we moved all the equipment up on the bench and took a sample. It was still a bit wet from the rain so we decided to leave it another day. Came back to the farmers shop and worked on trucks and did some maintenance.
Since we had some time, the boys and I went to Custer’s Last Stand. It had been many years since we had gone so thought it would be a good day trip!
Saturday, I had to run to Billings for some parts and was able to have lunch with Dillon’s brother, Laramie, and his wife, Dacia, and daughter, Daisy. They live in Montana so we usually get to see them while we are cutting here.
The next day, Dillon’s Uncle John came for a visit, too. He lives in Columbus, Montana and he, too, always comes to visit us while we are working in Hardin. It was so nice getting to visit with them and catch up on the happenings of their families.
Colston’s combine had a gear box go out so he was down for a whole day while we waited on parts. Since then, however, everything has been going really well.
The bench is dryland and normally only makes about 40-50 bu/ac. We have cut about half the crop and the average is 75!! So again, the truck drivers are VERY BUSY! We are unable to keep up with just our two trucks so the farmer has one hauling with us, too.
I am actually getting to play homemaker now. Dennis got here on Wednesday and took my place in my truck. He has been coming to help us here in Montana and North Dakota for the past three years. So, now instead of hamburgers or pizza from the local restaurants, the boys will be getting a homemade meal!
We still have about a week up on the bench and then we usually help the farmers finish up in the valley with flood irrigated wheat and malt barley.
We are hoping to be back home the first week of August. But, you know how well making plans goes on harvest. You better just be ready to “wing it!”
Hope everyone is enjoying the summer because it is going fast!
God Bless,
Kylee DeBock
Be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58
