Wheat Harvest

It's that time of year again in Kansas, wheat harvest.  If you're not from around here, which I doubt most of you are, let me explain wheat harvest.

If you haven't already been slowed or stopped on the roads because of combines the last few days, now you're really gonna notice.  You're going to see farm trucks carrying umpteenth amounts of loads into the local co-op for weighing.  If you're daily route takes you by said co-op you might see a long line of farm trucks waiting for their turn, especially in the evening when everyone decides to call it quits around dusk.  Dust is every where, 10 times as worse as normal, especially if the wind is blowing, like it is today.

For me, I've always had this love-hate relationship with wheat harvest.  I know a lot of farmers around our area and it's great seeing them do what they love on their land.  I love how the community pitches in to help out when needed, like making dinner for friends who are involved with the massive operations.  But on the flip side, my allergies are the worst.  I might die this year.

A few tips for the average Joe during wheat harvest:

• I know you're frustrated when you get stuck behind a combine.  Calm down, keep three or four car lengths behind them until you can pass them.  Normally, they'll try to signal you the all clear to go around.
• No one likes getting stuck behind the faster than the combine but still slower farm truck that's loaded full of grain.  I get it, believe me.  Don't tailgate these folks, because remember, they're helping our economy and helping produce those wonderful grain filled products you love to consume.
• Unless absolutely necessary, stay away from the back roads.  If the wind has picked up dust will make it difficult to see those trucks sitting on the edge of the road why the farmers are in the field.
• Don't drive with your windows down.  You're gonna get so much dust and dirt blown in you'll have to go get your car detailed when harvest is finished.  And if you have allergies like I do, you're going to want to seal your vehicle tight.

Above all, just remember if you're around our part of the world, these farmers tend to their fields like their children.  It's their job and it's often times a very sketchy job because Kansas weather is so unpredictable it's hard to know if crops are going to do well or not.  Remember when you get stuck behind a combine or grain truck that these guys work extremely hard for harvest and it'll all be over in a couple of weeks and the combines will go back into storage for a couple of more months.  Be nice and wave at them when you drive by, they like that

Does anyone else have seasonal allergies or allergies year round like I do? What do you do to survive? I take at least two showers a day, quit using hairspray for a month or two, do laundry often and avoid the outside as much as I can!