Wichita County Wheat Harvest

According to TV, Kansas' 2010 wheat harvest is approximately 55% finished as of this morning. It is definitely in full swing in Wichita County.

This morning, the girls and I counted 12 semi-trucks and several regular trucks full of wheat waiting in line to dump at either of the ADM elevators. We got a chuckle when we noticed that two drivers of two of the trucks that were waiting left their trucks to sit in the shade. Don't blame 'em a bit.

Boy, how times have changed in the past 10-20 years... I remember when lines of regular trucks seemed to extend for miles as they waited for their turn at the elevators!

Last week while I was out paying bills, a harvestor from out-of-town came into the office at Wheatland Electric to have his trailer connected to electricity. He said that he had a bunch of steaks rotting away without power. Fortunately, while he was filling out the necessary paperwork, Kelly was hooking up his trailer. I'm sure that his steaks were jst fine! LOL!

It took me back to the late 70s and 80s when my parents owned a widely used trailer park in Northern Leoti. Back then, harvestors would come to our house. My parents would lead them to the lots that they were to use. My parents rentedout a lot for $5.00 a day. If the harvesters needed 220 to run air conditioning, my parents charged them $7.50 per day. Even at those late rates, some people barked that they were too high. Nowadays, many property owners charge them for the lot. The water is included with the lot rent. If they want to be hooked up to electricity, the harvestor is responsible for that bill himself. I wonder sometimes about how much the daily rent is on a trailer lot now. Something tells me that it is probably a penny or two more than $5.00-7.50...

I miss seeing Daddy waiting in line in one of Ross McCowen's trucks... I miss seeing my uncles as they brought in their grain...

For a few years after the gas prices zoomed to the top, we noticed a large decrease in the harvest crews that went from county to county. This year, I've been told that the crews are on the increase again. Hopefully, that is a sign that our economy is getting better.

Remember that it is mandatory that we drive very cautiously this time of the year. Stop at each and every stop sign and check for other vehicles coming down the road. Major accidents are recorded every year at harvest time.

VLE-B