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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Gambler

The Agronomist hasn't been himself lately.
He has been a little stressed.
He has been a little preoccupied.
You see... 
He's a farmer.  A part time farmer.  
But if his heart were a pie colour chart, it would read 99% farmer.

What The Agronomist hoped would be a crop that could possibly fill the record books?
Wasn't doing anyone any good, still out in the field.
Don't  count your chicks and all that....

So despite very high moisture content,  
The Agronomist decided to throw caution to the wind and started harvesting his wheat.
The above picture is the first one we were sent via his blackberry.
Harvest 2011 had begun.

The first night went well into the morning.
With rain a constant off and on companion harvest has been very unpredictable.
Once again rain was in the forecast so they harvested as long as they possibly could.
This picture was taken at 4:30 am. 

Just a few hours later,
this was taken at sunrise while waiting for the combine to return. 
Sleep is not a luxury to be had during harvest.

I've always told The Agronomist, that farmer's are the biggest gamblers out there.
Once they plant the crop and make sure it has the nutrients it needs,
Mother Nature is given a free hand to do as she wishes.

No wonder The Agronomist is often stressed out.
What with all these woman in his life calling the shots, 
I'm not sure how he gets out of bed in the morning.

But I'm guessing he'd say this is a great reason to throw back the covers.
There is a huge smile on the other side of this photo,
This my friends, is what every farmer dreams about.

As Eldest asked her father on facebook...
So this means we're having a Christmas this year?
I'm thinking the answer will be yes : )

Come to think of it... 
I always did love Kenny Roger's...

The Gambler.
...you got to know when to hold em,  know when to...

xoxo,

PS All shots are SOOC sent to us via email from The Agronomist's Blackberry!
There is definitely more than one photographer in this family : )
Did I mention on his Blackberry?

This post will be linking up with 
Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday's Fall Break 
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18 comments:

  1. My uncle was a dairy farmer and it worked a bit the same with haymaking for the over Winter cattle feed. A bad hay crop would mean a lot of expense buying in bales of hay and would wipe out much of the profit for the year.

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  2. Those farmers - we're all so lucky that they get up every morning and keep on gambling!

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  3. I am so glad it is a good harvest. The farmers here have had a tough year.

    I love your farming pictures.

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  4. So admire the work farmers do. Great post.

    Alphabe-Thursday

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  5. I don't think I have the courage to gamble on Mother Nature. What a bounty of wheat!

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  6. Absolutely gorgeous!! My FIL had a dairy farm until my husband was 14 and they had to sell the farm.... my grandparents farmed their whole lives as well as many of my relatives. I just want to say THANK YOU! So few people realize the work involved, the day to day struggles of a farmer, the unpredictability! So for all the hard work, the perseverance, and dedication... THANK YOU!

    (what all do you grow/raise? we grew corn, great northern beans, sugar beets, and raised beef cattle on the plains in Nebraska.... i lived with my grandparents off and on growing up. LOVED it!)

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  7. Gosh, what great photos -- and perfect autumn color photos, too! :)

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  8. Awesome...I know a farmer's wife..in real life! Well blog life that is! Super cool! Congrats to him...and yes, very nice pics!

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  9. Farming is a hard life, but yet I can see how rewarding it is, too. I know how excited I get when I set a few tomato plants in containers on my porch to watch grow and yield fruit. It's an intersting, fun process for the most part. However, I'm just dabbling in it - nothing serious as you folks. Love the post and photos, even with the Blackberry camera. Isn't technology so cool?

    "Autumn Is Here" Poem…Alphabe-Thursday & T2Q

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  10. Hurray! So happy that the harvest went well for your family.

    =D

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  11. ...And, he's been very busy! Great photos!

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  12. I have a new appreciation for agronomists having moved from suburban CA to farm country UT in the past couple years. Loved the photos and the reminder that there is more to a loaf of bread than running down to Costco!!! Thanks.

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  13. Dana, these photos are truly awsome. You are an artist, for sure.

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  14. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. I've lived around agriculture before and know the sound of combines in the night....
    Looks like a good harvest, especially coming from a blackberry:)

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  16. Wow! This brought back childhood memories of my Dad out in the field all night. Back then, no cell phones so I remember sometimes my Mom went to check up on him to make sure everything was okay - otherwise she would worry! And there he would be, just enjoying what he was doing and trying to get the work done just in case the weather was to change... The memory also brought a big lump in my throat as I lost my parents at a young age, but still so happy for the memory!!! Thanks Dana.

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