The Farmer's Share

 Do you ever feel like your computer or phone is listening to every word you say and then tailors your ads to fit what it interprets you talking about? Sometimes, I swear to God, it can read my mind. Like when I was thinking of getting a new computer, even before I mentioned anything to Barb or started my first search, I was getting pop up ads for new computers. 

It is almost like the Great OZ is manipulating my computer, like he knows my hinge was scheduled to break and started sending me ads days before it even broke. 

Most of my pop-up ads are pretty predictable "Best rifle for deer hunting" "Can't miss waterfowl decoys for 2023" "Top 10 Victoria Se... (well, that one's not important). Anyway, you get the idea. Well today my pop ads have me a little concerned. And this is no lie, as I scrolled through the ads, 2 were for easy lift stair chairs. You know the kind you sit on, and it rides you up a chair? Another three were for mobility wheelchairs! 5 out of my 10 ads?!!? I think the computer Gods must have me confused with Dino.

I do not know what the Great Oz has in store for me this week, but I am going to be extra careful. Frankly, it has me kinda nervous!

During harvest, every day starts with me fueling up the service truck. It is a one-ton Dodge dually with a 450-gallon auxiliary fuel tank on it. It also has an air compressor, generator, toolbox and a welder. Most everything one would need to repair equipment in the field. 

The auxiliary tank is filled with "red" diesel. Also known as dyed diesel and can only be used in tractors and other "off-road" equipment as the cost does not include the $0.23 North Dakota fuel tax associated with road vehicles.  Before you go thinking they are saving a ton of money not paying this tax, consider this..... When I fuel up the combines, it is not unusual to put 200 gallons into each combine every day. So, 400 gallons between the two combines, then there is the tractor, and the two semis. Thousands of gallons each week. 

In addition to the fuel, I also fill the DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) in each combine every other day. See that white tank on the back of the truck? That is DEF, they order it in 265-gallon totes. The expenses farmers incur would boggle the mind of the average person. It is not unusual for a farmer to have $200-$300 expense into each acre every year after planting, and $500 per acre is not unheard of. (seed, fuel, fertilizer, land and equipment expense....) Many farmers, but not all, must get loans each year to cover these costs. Interesting thing about a farm operating loan is that there are often no payments required until the fall or winter after the crops have been harvested. 

On the flip side, they get very little of the $'s the end user pays for say, a loaf of bread. On average, the farmer only gets $0.18 of the cost of a $4.49 loaf of bread, $0.64 of a 5# bag of flour, $0.09 for a box of cereal, and $0.02 of a bagel. The more hands that touch it, the less the farmer gets from their crop. If you want to see a complete list, follow this link to an article from the National Famer's Union title The Farmer's Share. 

With huge expenses and low margins, few farmers could make it without government subsidies.  Farm bills are vital to the success of the American farmer. As a matter of fact, Farmer Bob was in D.C. this week meeting with legislatures discussing some of the challenges and initiatives of today's farmer. 

This week has been somewhat slow on the harvesting front. Rain has brought the harvest to a halt. Just the briefest of rains could stop the harvest for 2-3 days while the grounds and crops dry up enough to get back in the field. Instead, I have been cutting back tree rows whose branches have crept their way into the field. 

I have also been cutting down and moving whole trees to make room for the farm equipment which seems to be getting larger and larger. 

For those of you who have followed my farm posts for several years, you will remember that this area is littered with dozens of missile sites. When they move one, they are accompanied by about a dozen Humvees (machine guns and all) and a couple of helicopters to look for threats from above. Well, this helicopter circled me twice deciding if they should blow me up as I was moving this tree along the road as they were moving a missile. A somewhat unsettling feeling.

We did eventually get back into the field to finish of the last of the canola fields. Canola is an interesting crop and not one a lot of people think about. If you have ever driven by a vibrant yellow field in the summer, it is more than likely a canola field. This is what they look like in the fall when they are ready for harvest. 

Each plant grows to about 3' and has numerous pods that contain canola seeds.

Number of seeds in one pod

Imagine how many seeds it would take to fill just one bottle of cooking oil. While most people associate canola with cooking oil, did you know that it is used in margarine, breads, crackers, cooking sprays and even biodiesel? It is the second largest source of protein meal in the world. 

In this week's segment of Dirty Jobs, I bring you the air filter off a combine. At about 24" tall and 10" in diameter, this is one huge air filter! I blew it out and I swear it was a more than a pound lighter when I was done!

Back in South Dakota Barb has been busy cutting and splitting more firewood getting ready for winter. Kevin and Cheryl also came over one afternoon to help Barb grout the stone on the outside of the house. They got about 35' done, 90' left, but it is a start!

Lastly, here is a picture of the girls. Barb put a small fence around the gazebo to contain Zoey so she can actually relax out there instead of constantly keeping one eye on her. 

So far, we have the peas, wheat and canola off the fields. The only thing left is the soybeans, which are not quite ready yet. We have about 10 days to do other things until we get them off the fields!