In every life a little rain must fall ... and wind ... and chill ... and just about anything else nature can concoct to put this year’s harvest in park for a day or two.
The miserable weather on Thursday didn’t dampen the spirits of Bruce Elke and his farming friends and family on Thursday, especially followed by a Meal in the Field delivery from Bolt FM and Discover Humboldt.
Rather than partaking in a pasta feast - expertly prepared by Boston Pizza – out in the harvest field, the Elke crew parked in the farm shop for a well-deserved breather following some rain-induced machinery maintenance.
“We’re just under 20 per cent do here now with some barley and peas off,” Bruce observed. “So far, things are going pretty good.”
Elke and his family farm are strictly a grain operation including canola, barley, wheat and peas, produce on about 500 acres in the Jansen/LeRoy area.
Despite a later start to this harvest, Bruce said they’ve dodged most of the late August and early September showers, with the exception of a quick downpour during the supper hour that cut a small swath and moved on.
“We had the timely rains through July and August that helped things along, but in harvest, this is the first time we’ve been shut down.”
Thus far, notwithstanding some disappointment with the pea yields, the barley and oats having been yielding higher than expected, Bruces assesses. The canola is the key, and those yields remain to be seen.
Still, on this Thursday night, the family enjoyed the company of sponsors from FCC and Horizon Fertilizers who brought some Meal in the Field supplies. Sponsors Hergott Farm equipment sent on an assortment of great wearable gear.
And with enough pasta, garlic toast and dessert to keep the harvest crew fuelled up, it won’t be long until Bruce, Dylan and the rest of the crew are back in the combines for this year’s harvest.