I love the opportunity to be part of harvest time each summer. After last year's complete drought (NO crops due to no rain), we had rested soil and some great rains. Couldn't pass up the opportunity to take some pics of the amazing grain crops!
Great yield + waiting on semi trucks = having full combines that often dump into the same cart
Pawpaw!
In an average year, the grain usually grows as tall as waist/almost chest level to an adult.
I love that when we get to spend time at Mimi and Pawpaw's, they put the kids to work. There's nothing like some (age-appropriate) hard labor in the outdoors to instill a work-ethic and provide some satisfaction from seeing your work completed.
Grain harvest down here in our neck of the woods begins in late June to early July and lasts about a month, depending on whether there's a storm in the Gulf headed our way. Anna got to take it all in for the first time this year!
So we've had an overabundance of rain this year in South Texas. That's not a problem if all I'm seeking is lower temperatures and a green yard. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), though, this farmer's daughter is all too well acquainted with the faith walk that is dry land farming. We depend on the Lord to bring rain in the growing season and keep things dry for the harvest...or to provide in some other fashion if that scenario doesn't play out in His will according to the needs of the crops. The latter is exactly where we find ourselves this year.
After the timely spring rains, the farmers in this area were looking at some of the best grain sorghum and cotton crops in 30 years. After July's, August's, and September's rains, however, the farmers are praying they can get a non-rainy moment and fields dry enough to avoid getting the heavy machinery bogged down -- with the hopes that they will be able to salvage enough to break even this year.
From a spiritual perspective, we fully understand that the Lord will provide for all our needs according to His riches in glory (as we follow Him). We are confident that He will provide in times of hardship. We still pray that the rains will stay away, though!
This summer, between showers, I was able to video a little bit of the grain (sorghum, aka milo) harvest. Would you like to see it? The video shows the combine (COM byne) harvester and the tractor pulling the grain buggy, which collects the grain once the combine gets full.
Did you notice a familiar face on the tractor driver? :) We were thankful for our track-tractors this year, because they pack down the soil less (packed down soil hampers next yr's growth), and because they don't get stuck in the mud as easily. We always had a tractor (minus the buggy) ready with a long chain, since the combines got stuck often...especially with a hopper full of freshly harvested grain!
Here are a few pictures to show the combine-to-grain-buggy unloading process...
