Washington Recess

Many senators and representatives are now heading back to Washington, D.C. after their early June recess, but I'm headed in the opposite direction. 

Mid-June is when wheat harvest begins on my family's farm near Stafford, KS.  However, when I telephoned home this morning, my 80-year-old mother informed me that Dad had pulled the combine into the field two days ago and found the wheat was testing dry and ready to cut.  Oops!  My Washington recess should have ended forty-eight hours ago!

With my flight to Wichita scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on June 14th, I have sadly miscalculated my arrival this year.  Typically, wheat harvest begins around the 15th of June, but with this year's drought conditions (hot and windy with no measurable rainfall over the past 3 months), the wheat has matured much faster.  Still, despite my tardiness, I'm looking forward to my annual pilgrimage back to McClure Farms, Inc. 

 McClure Farms, Incorporated near Stafford, Kansas

We McClures have turned wheat harvest into a partial family reunion.  This year not only will I see my parents and the family of my younger brother Jon, now the farm's CEO, but my daughter Jillian, nephew Miles and older brother Doug will join us.  See every one's job below:

My nephew Miles is our main combine operator.

Jon is teaching his 14-year-old son Derek how to operate the combine.

Jillian is an experienced "dumping-on-the-go" grain cart driver.

 Doug and our farm dog Duke ensured that all the wheat destined to become next year's seed was dumped into the pit and vacumned into the grain bins for storage.

Willard, my dad, is our best mechanic and also occasionally drove the semi, allowing Jon to oversee other tasks.

Once the wheat is cut, Jon plants soybeans to harvest in the fall.  Pictured above, Ian is helping Jon auger the soybean seeds into the planter while Jillian spreads innoculatant through the planter's bins below.

Even though Phyllis, my mom, is taking a break here with Jillian, she is the farm's chief financial officer who handles the recordkeeping.

Rhonda, my sister-in-law, provides steady income by working at the local hospital.

My job is to deliver "Meals On Wheels" when needed in the field...

or on the dinner table. 

Ian, Doug, Jon, Dustin, Willard & Jillian are pictured here.

Work days are long, sometimes lasting from dawn until midnight, but we had lots of fun, too, as our family team worked together to harvest this year's crop.  We were very thankful that, despite the this year's drought, we had good yields.  

Here is the crew, minus Jon and Ian, after Sunday worship services.

Doug, Miles, myself, Jillian, Derek, Rhonda, Dustin, Phyllis & Willard

Even though my recess away from Washington is over for this year, I enjoyed my visit home immensely!