This and That

This is just a little of this and that---

We have now entered the pheasant capitol of South Dakota! We are in a town called Huron, South Dakota, we moved here last Monday--due to some technical difficulties we were not able to stay in "The little town on the prairie" Des Smet, South Dakota that I had previously mentioned in the prior blog. This part of the state has a HUGE pheasant season--October 19 thru December 31, so everywhere you look, there is something about a pheasant. This pheasant in the picture is located right on the outside of town at another motel. As you are coming into town--you can see him for many many miles--he is huge! Since we have moved North, the country has really changed--lots flatter and some hills and every 10 miles, another recreational lake, and lakes with no trees around them--all surrounded by prairie grasses. Very different for us!

We have done several corn appraisals here as well as learning my new job. I have been officially hired on as an auditor for John Deere Risk Protection Services. I am really looking forward to it!

We traveled near 400 miles on Thursday, appraising corn fields. The young man in the picture to the right had the best dry land corn we have seen so far. He was very interested in visiting with us and learning some of the West Texas ways. In conversation he had ask us how our winter months were, we replying that if we had 1 week of single digits we were freezing--we went on to tell us that last year they had 23 days of 30 degrees BELOW zero!! Glad I get to come home and miss that one. It has been very cool here, we had to drag out the jackets every morning this week. Fall has definitely hit this area, the trees have all turned and all the crops are at harvest peak.

Last week we had an appraisal in a little town called Dante, SD. Back in August this town was hit by a very dangerous hail storm. The hail storm did literally no damage to crops but destroyed the roofs in about a 5 mile radius. Having no crop damage was due to the hail stones being so large. The farmer that we were visiting with told us that his home was hit with hail stones that would not fit in a five gallon bucket--you read it right--a five gallon bucket. It said it killed cattle, and the stones had ended up in many living rooms. I have a couple of pictures showing the damage to a barn and then a garage. He explained to us that one home had 2 stones hit side by side on their roof, and a person could crawl through the hole that was left from it!! UN-imaginable, huh?

Traveling a little further North on Tuesday, we were setting in a nice quiet insurance agency office talking over my new duties--when all of a sudden the walls started vibrating and music started playing. We literally could not carry on a conversation-- Julie, the agent, explained to us that main street was the practice field for the high school band. We left her office and stood outside and watched the band march their formation right there in front of the office as well as right in front of Warner South Dakota National Bank. It being so unusual but also brought a smile to our faces. She went on to explain that they had been state champs several times and the band director does know what she is doing. She marched that main street 3 times right with those kids, just while we were there.

We hope to visit Laura Ingle Wilders homestead today. Hopefully I will have some pictures of her prairie town next blog..

Until Then......

Getting the Job Done

I loved this barn! As we completed an appraisal on Friday, we chose to take a new route back to Yankton and we crossed this barn right against the river. As I saw it, I thought, oh that would make an awesome picture and before I said anything, Curtis had pulled over and stopped--asking what he was doing--he replied--you have to get a picture of this barn. No home in sight but the cattle were grazing effortlessly.

I had said in the last blog that I wanted to explain a little of what we are doing here. We are in South Dakota for corn appraising. Of the 10 farms that we have visited, only one was in an insurance loss. The yields here are so amazing for dry land farming. We have appraised anything from 35 bushels per acre to 158 bushels an acre. Pretty awesome considering that our home farmers have irrigated farms that don't produce even 150 bushels per acre. I also stated previously that most are self family farms--everything they grow they use, meaning that they have cattle to feed in the winter. With that being said, they silage their feed and put it in on farm storage bins. Their are no elevators here. Everything is stored on their premises, if they do sell any feed or grain, they haul as contracted by dates to deliver. Very interesting for us, we really know no other way but to sell as soon as it is harvested. Anyways, if the farmer cuts feed for his own silage usage, then our job is to go measure the remaining crop, take samples of the crop, and the sample has to be weighed and moisture checked for the insurance company. The company has to know what they left to grain harvest and what the most accurate production on that crop is going to be. We measure and work on 1000Th of an acre, and then figure by formulas to get the final production. The first process measure---I volunteered to walk the wheel to take the measurement of what is left in the field---great idea to get exercise--BUT, I didn't take in to consideration of the hills involved--after almost passing out and taking several little breaks, I completed the first 10 acres (whoopee do). That hill, I promise was 10 times the hill on Ave D in Muleshoe, Texas. lol The guys will measure out a certain length of a row to pull all the cobs from several different spots in the field. After gathering the cobs--it has to be shelled(after all three of us have blisters on our hands, I realized I would pay alot more attention to those antique shellers, and would have given lots of money to have one with us), the shelled corn is weighed, then it is moisture checked. After all the figures are gathered, you complete the appraisal by the companies formulas and get the final numbers.

I have learned so much and this experience has really brought back those farm girl roots. It has been very enjoyable and the experience to meet the people has been awesome.

We were notified last night that we will be moving to DeSmet, South Dakota on Monday. Never hearing of this place ( I didn't think) I googled it to see if they even had a motel. To my surprise, this is the home town of Laura Ingle Wilder. So we literally will be visiting the "Little town on the Prairie". It will be the smallest town we have stayed so far, 1200 people, I called for reservations, developed a new friendship on the phone, so excited to see her in person. I will be keeping you updated.

Until then........

Family Farms do still exist!

We finally got to work today, because it dried up and the sun came out. I do have a picture of the corn that just goes on and on in the fields. About 2 miles from where we worked today, we passed a country church and it is so beautiful. Notice how the corn grows right up to the yard of the church. These people let nothing slip without a crop planted there! We also worked a family farm this afternoon that was cutting their own silage for their winter crop. These folks have a 2 row sileage cutter, and do all their own cutting. They have a set up that is very homemade, but it gets the job done. I have a picture here showing how their harvest is and then right below it---a picture of our friends set up for cutome sileage harvesting---quiet a difference. Our Kansas friends have a 12 row header and have built their own cutter to run this monster. Same crop--same harvest---but technology---what a difference it makes. South Dakota seems to be the old timers of family farming. I am so impressed to visit with families that were born and raised right there in the homes they are living in, families being on that same land for over 100 years. As we arrived this morning, the mother and daughter, canning tomatoes, the dad working, waiting for our arrival to do our work. As we worked he began telling how is wife is getting ready for winter--said that she had killed the farm chickens last week to put in the freezer--all farm raised by him---also stating that they butchered all their own pork and beef for the winter. Their entire family would be there for the killing and butchering! I could have stayed there all day just listening--would love to know what it cost them to live for an entire year.
Later this week my plans are to post exactly what our work is. I know I say crop adjusting but it is very interesting to see the steps of getting what the company is asking for. Be watching for it!
Until then......

South Dakota

We're off to South Dakota!! Sunday, September 16, we left Oklahoma and ventured 606 miles north to the town of Yankton, South Dakota. We traveled 5 states before making our arrival time of 7:00 p.m. It was an extremely long day, but one that went very fast, trying to keep up with all the states that we were going through. Yankton sets on the Missouri river and is right on the historic trail of Lewis and Clark. Yankton is actually in South Dakota and go across the river and you enter Nebraska. Our work will take us to both states. We are adjusting corn that has suffered from drought. It is everywhere here---rows and rows and on the hills and right beside the river, beside the camp grounds, right up to the trees. I have never seen so much corn in my life! Yankton is the home town of Tom Brokaw, so lots of memorabilia in this city. We had some time today and visited the Gavins Dam which is about 6 miles from town. I think the pictures even show some corn growing. Looks like we will be visiting here for 2 weeks or so, our boss informed us this morning that we could end up in North Dakota before the work here was finished.

We do have some local home town folks here with us. So nice to see the familiar faces again. We have been so fortunate so far, having someone we have known be a part of our work.

We were sad to leave Ramon Johnston from Lubbock in Oklahoma--see picture---we truly enjoyed making a new friend working and laughing together. Hopefully someday our track will cross again and we will have the honor of working with him again.

Work starts tomorrow morning bright and early--so

Until Then...........

Labor Day Fun

I know it seems its been a while since I have posted anything new. We actually got to go home on August 24 and stay until September 6th. We had a much needed break and lots of fun seeing and visiting with numerous friends and family.

We loaded up 4-wheelers, food and a WHOLE of of laughter and spent 3 wonderful days in Cloudcroft New Mexico. Sam, Lisa and Dal Whalin and Don and Tonda Wood along with Curtis and I road 107 miles thru the Lincoln national forest. It rained on us on Saturday afternoon for about 15 minutes---and that being the worst weather---it was absolutely beautiful. Shirt sleeve riding is the dream and not only a dream, but a dream to ride all day in the mountains without a jacket---the ultimate!!! Its hard leaving such a wonderful place, but one must come back to reality!

We loaded up on Thursday morning for another jaunt to Oklahoma. We are still working for crop company, but they moved us to work around Tulsa. We actually are staying in a little suburb named Glenpool. Looks like we will be working here for at least 2 weeks. We have one more adjuster here from the Lubbock area, so its been nice having someone else as a familiar face. We started work this morning and drove 300 miles today!!! I am tired!! The area here is much prettier to look at, would remind you of the Texas hill country. Lots and lots of horse farms! Nothing better for me than to see the countryside, that is my most favorite thing about job!

Until then......