Harvest

Harvest is another one of my most favorite times of year. I love just about everything about it. Ever since I was a little kid I have been out in the fields partaking in harvest time. I started so long ago that I can't actually tell you how old I was at the time. I started out just by going out and riding with my dad in the tractor. Usaully when I would ride with him, it was during sugar beet harvest. My dad drove the defoliator. Then as the years went by I would always continue riding in the tractor with my dad. Eventually I started riding with my brothers across the field in our old 3 door suburban. We called it "Old Blue." We would drive across the field just picking up beets we seen that the beet lifter had missed. My brothers and I had many great memories doing this. As we grew up we still continued going out to the field, but eventually my dad had found a different job and no longer was part of the harvest season.
Although my dad wasn't part of it anymore, I still was. During the summer I still worked on the farm. I was doing different work of course because it was a whole different season. Instead of picking up beets and riding in the tractor, I was either riding on the four wheeler pickng rock or I was walking up and down soybeans and beets pulling weeds. I have been doing this for about 4 or 5 years now. As I have grown older I have gained more responsibilities on the farm. I now am doing more field work during the harvest and after harvest. I have now gotten the chance to take my dad's seat behind the steering wheel of the defoliator. I also do a little bit of discing and other ground work.
Of course, all the equipment that is needed to do all this work just doesn't prepare itself. That's another thing that I am doing during the summer. We are fixing broken or worn parts on the equipment. We grease parts that need to be greased and replace parts that need replacing.
I love just about everything about the farm and I love working there. Yes, there are some things that I hate doing and just dread getting up for work to do it, but someone has to. When I see my work finished, I take pride in it. Then I just hope my supervisor/uncle also accepts it. They usually do. I'll be back for another year of farm work this summer. Hopefully it won't be my last, because I am preparing for college.