Samantha Johnston – Johnston Farm and Ranch LLC
This little lady is the epitome of a farm girl. Anything and everything ranching she does, chases and works cattle, spends long hours at the sale barn, and LOVES to ride in the bombine (Combine).
In this image, 9-14-18, she was helping her daddy load the seed wheat in the drill and get the crop in the ground.
Today, almost exactly 9 months later, you see her “driving” the good ‘ol 1680. Harvesting the first field of wheat. At just (almost) 3 years old!
My favorite time of year on Johnston Farm and Ranch LLC is just this, Harvest. Reaping what you sow. It’s the hardships, the prayers for rain, the prayers for sunshine, endless hours of mechanic-ing, parts runs and everything in between.
Now that Harvest has officially begun, we wait until the moisture is just right to cut the field. This can sometimes be a waiting game, but allows time for servicing, checking cattle, or other farm related chores.
We test it by hand, cut a sample with the combine and then make a trip to the local co-op to have our samples tested. Once we call farmer to give him the green light, it’s go time!
The endless hours catch up with even the littlest HarvestHER. Sometimes a nap on the way into the co-op with the sample and a load to be sold is just enough to refresh!
Whether we’re servicing the equipment, taking trucks to town or washing windows, she is right there to help!
Finally, after several storms, too much moisture, one stuck combine, 4-5 parts runs and a few fields later, we have finished #WheatHarvest2019 on Johnston Farm and Ranch LLC.
A little background:
My husband is the sole proprietor of our operation. I help as often as possible, but I, too, work a full-time, off the farm job. If it weren’t for this good man, making me a HarvestHER, I wouldn’t be able to share these stories and images with you all. I can only hope one day that our little HarvestHER will follow in her daddy’s footsteps and be successful, accomplished and proud of what she has done for herself and by herself.
The Johnston side has been farming for many years now, and this girl is the start of the 4th generation. My husband and I own Johnston Farm and Ranch, LLC; however, the generations before him have also played a role in the drive that he had for starting his very own operation in 2007.
His very first purchase was this combine and, of course, it is a piece of equipment near and dear to my heart. It happens to be where our first “dates” occurred! (I’ll write about that story in a later article) Thanks for reading!
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".