Sunday, October 9, 2016

Fall in North Dakota!


The crisp cool mornings, frost on the ground, changing of the leaves, harvest time and hunting season. Without a doubt fall is our favorite season of the year and there are two places that really speak to our hearts and bring all this together for us; the woods of northern Wisconsin and the farmlands of North Dakota. What is interesting about this is that Barb and I were both raised in suburban or city settings but soon after we married we moved out to the country and have never looked back.
Although we have not gotten back to Wisconsin during the fall since being on the road fulltime, we have been lucky enough to spend several weeks at our friend’s farm in North Dakota each of the last few years.
With anticipation levels high, we left Salt Lake City, spent one night in Casper, WY, and two nights at our favorite campground; Ditch Creek in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This is a great little campground we have a knack of hitting in the off season. Which incidentally is free after Labor Day. We arrived to find only two other campers in the campground. Perfect!

This little guy was just down the road from the campground


We spent two days driving around the area getting to know it better as this area is on our short list for our future home if and when we decide to get off the road. We are looking for 5-50 acres bordering National Forest property and are open to vacant property or a fixer upper and if we find the perfect place we would probably buy and slowly get it ready for that someday when we RV part time rather than full time.  We are prepared to buy if we find the perfect property. Although we saw some great property, saw some elk, sheep, turkeys and other wildlife, we did not find the perfect property this time around.
Moving on we spent one night in Medora before we arrived at our final destination for the next several weeks at the Finken/Sobieck Farm in Douglas, North Dakota. In addition to getting to spend time with our good friends Bob, Deanne, Chris and Holly, we get to pursue a couple of other passions; hunting and helping out on the farm.
The day arrived I was able to jump right in a tractor and help out while Barb got the rig ready for our long stay.
Our home for the next few weeks
They were in the middle of harvesting soy beans and I was able to “Cart”, something I have never done before. Carting involves driving a tractor and a grain cart alongside the combine when it gets full so the combine driver can dump the beans into the cart. It was a little intimidating at first as you need to drive within a foot or two of the combine lining up the chute of the combine with the middle of the cart, otherwise it was be a costly mess. Once the cart is full I dump the beans into a semi truck. They then go either to the grain elevator in town or a grain bin like one behind our rig in the picture above.
My farm toy this week!

Chris unloading into the cart when we were stopped

Going to get some more beans!
Over the past week the weather has not cooperated with farming, the lows have been in the upper 20’s and high’s in the 40’s the last couple days. This has made for some frosty mornings in the rig! We can see our breath when we wake up and turn up the furnace. We have come to realize that the perfect temperature is one where the dormant flies hiding in the rig can walk around but are not warm enough to fly. Combine this with 20-30 mph winds and it makes for some bone chilling cold that we are not used to!
We were able to get out duck hunting a few days with varying success but it was great to get out in the field.
Opening morning on a North Dakota Pothole!


Could she look any hotter?
A beautiful morning of field hunting
Although the bow deer season is open, I am going to wait a week or two longer before hitting the field as the bucks become more active in late October and early November. Deer sign looks promising however and the cameras are showing some nice bucks in the area. With luck we will be able to but some venison in the freezer this fall!





What's Barb up to you ask? Well, she has been making herself busy with a crocheting project she started in Alaska. (Ask me in 3 years how this project is going). She has also been baking all sorts of apple desserts using the fruit from a couple trees in the yard and last but not least she ahs been taking walks working on her photography. I must say I am very impressed with some of her pictures!


If you look REALLY close you can see a coyote howling on top of the round bale

Here's a closer look




As much fun as all that sounds, our biggest discovery came when we saw a new appliance in Holly's kitchen. We were telling her how hard it is properly cook a pizza in our oven and she pulls out this appliance that she says not only cooks the perfect pizza every time but will also cook toll house cookies and....wait for it......Tater Tots, another thing we have a hard time with in our oven! I was like an instant infomercial in Holly's kitchen!

I am happy to report that we are now the proud owners of our very own Pizza Pizzazz Plus!

Until next time.........

27 comments:

  1. Fun times on the farm! John use to love driving my father's tractor on their Christmas tree farm. Boys and their toys:) North Dakota is such beautiful country. We really enjoy this state having driven the northern and southern routes staying in the coolest little towns. But you are coming to my least favorite time for your blog:( I'll close my eyes as I read...haha!

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    1. We love our tractor time! I think of you specifically as I write and post pictures and will try and take it easy on you this year with maybe a warning so you can have John read it to you and spare you some of the pictures! We got a beautiful picture of a nice buck yesterday for the next blog.

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  2. Great pictures Barb. Sounds like you are having a great time although a little chilly! We are now at Mesa Verde. This has been on Ray's bucket list for years. It is cool in the mornings but about 67 F in the afternoon. Perfect temp to explore the park.

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    1. Those would be great temps, as a matter of fact it is supposed to get up to the mid 60's here today and then go back to highs in the 40's. Hopefully the snow will stay away!

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  3. Finally a post! We were about to send out a search party. 😜 Looks like you have some cool toys to play with and must be in your glory with all the hunting opportunities there. We put our rig into storage tomorrow in preparation for our trip on the 20th.
    Enjoy your stay!

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    1. I know! When we were in Alaska there was so much going on that we were sometimes posting twice a week. There is plenty to do here and lots of toys to play with!

      I bet you guys cannot wait to start your next adventure, we are looking forward to reading it. Do you think you will park near the same area when you get to Q this year?

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    2. We will try to be in the same area if possible. Hope to see you there!

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  4. We've been watching the harvest as we've traveled across Canada, ND, SD and into Iowa. Cool that you get to help out with it. Good luck with the hunt.

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    1. I bet you guys are getting your share of the farmland views with that route!

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  5. Fall is a great time of year. The farm is the perfect place to be to enjoy it. I can't wait for you to find that property in SD. We are on the river in Alabama. It's so nice here this time of year. Enjoy your playtime on the farm!

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    1. Say hi to Jimmy and the family for us! You guys are making great progress on your cross country trek with Mom.

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  6. Just remember that where ever you buy a place, the driveway has to have sewer, water and electric next to it. It sounds to me that Barb is nesting. Is she crocheting baby booties? Only you would buy a tater tot machine. Please keep all that cold weather up north.

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    1. Oh don't worry, we will have a spot for our RV friends to stay! No, Barb is not nesting, she is crocheting your Christmas present which you can wear next time you are in Quartzsite!

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    2. Okay, I will send you a truck load of yarn then.

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    3. I think she is already done but it might be too big.

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  7. Al used to go duck hunting in North Dakota BUT now loves his duck hunting in TX where the early morning temps are in the 40's and 50's much more to his liking. Good luck on the hunt for the perfect property. Our hunt continues as well. Nice shots Barb!

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    1. We don't mind the cold temps so much, it is the wind, that is the killer!

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  8. Oh man the "toy's" on the farm have changed since I was growing up on a farm in Iowa. The days of the old canvas heat housers have long given way to glassed in heated cabs LOL!! My old John-Deer B would look pretty small next to those monsters. Have fun, I love the camp site.

    Dave & Diane

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    1. It is amazing how tractors have changed and what they can do, you hardly have to even steer them!

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  9. Sounds like you guys are happy in your new locale! Good for you! Great pics Barb! Can't wait to see pics of Dino wearing his present! Ha! We can relate to the "cold" thing - I can't wait to get to warmer temps!

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    1. It is not for everyone but Barb and I certainly enjoy it. Glad to hear you made it back to the states and hope you continue to avoid snow on your journey south.

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  10. That tractor looks like FUN to drive! Great pics Barb! Cute in Camo! Can you make jerky on that pizza thing? Hunting looks promising! See you in Q!

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    1. I don't think it will make jerky but it cooks most everything else!

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  11. I have to agree with your perfect temperature indicator. Easy fly killin'. Having fresh venison in the freezer is one of the things I do miss from our old life. How wonderful that you have friends with land, farm and a spot for your rolling roof so you can camo up and harvest some organic goodness.

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    1. Chris harvested the first deer for the group last night, looks like we will be having venison this weekend!

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  12. Very interested in the pizza pizza plus. I am also a connosouer of the tater tot!! Loved the wolf on the hay bale. Very cool pic

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    1. That was a great picture, we hear them calling almost every night!

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