Monday afternoon, September 8, 2025
Over the weekend, I heard several farmers from the area say, “We’ll get started on Monday.” So, I expect that by this time this afternoon. there are lots of combines working here in Knox County. After touring the fields once again today, we are still convinced it is not quite time to get ours out in the field. Maybe, just maybe... some soybeans late this week, but most likely, our tentative plan of starting with 2 days of corn harvest on the 15th and 16th, switching over on the 17th to soybeans remains. Right now, that still seems like that’s what is going to happen here.
The guys had the combines in the shop again today. A mechanic from Sloan’s in Vincennes came by this morning to do an ‘update’ in each machine. It was something out-of-the-ordinary… that only a service tech could perform. We can normally do these updates OTA, taking an hour or less to perform. After that tech’s update, the little glitch Brandon had in the older S780 that made folding the corn head more difficult… that glitch is gone, and the corn head folds normally! The guys also washed windows and swept the cab floors and wiped down the seats and other surfaces… even treating the leather seats with conditioner. They just sparkle now! I keep a whisk broom in my combine and sweep the floor often (at least once a day) to keep it clean.
The older S780 gets some attention this afternoon.
We will continue to monitor the crop’s progress this week, and begin #harvest25 as soon as the conditions allow. The weather forecast is very favorable, with no rain in sight. Also the temperatures are predicted to increase each day, reaching 90+ by Sunday! That’ll help dry down the grain!
It is a beautiful day! 75ºF. Clear, blue skies. Sure is pleasant to be out and about today. One thing about the delay to harvest… since we are not harvesting today, we may be trading this beautiful day for a wet and cold one in November. Another factor is the low commodity prices. Do we wait and allow the sunshine to remove moisture from the corn, or get it sooner and spend the $ for the LP gas to dry it down? November in SWIN can be just a beautiful as today, but it can also be drizzly and cold and… working in the mud is much less a pleasure. The call is difficult to make. Still, we will get going soon, and use every day we can to bring in this harvest. I hope we don’t have to work any Sunday afternoons, but we will if it becomes urgent. Too soon to know that now, and not helpful to fret about it. One day at at time…
Appreciate these beautiful fall days.
