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Behind My Picket Fence.....

Monday, August 31, 2009

Green Acres is the place to be…..

Just like in the military, there is a whole lot of hurry up & wait here on the farm during harvest.  Oh, and I have good news and bad news.  The good news is that we FINALLY started wheat harvest and the bad news is that the wet wheat I couldn’t even give away is now dry and you’d have to pay dearly to get your hands on it.  You snooze, you lose!  We’re bringing wheat in about 6 weeks late.  That’s a record and one we don’t care to repeat thank you very much. 

What’s my job you wonder?  I am the head go-fer, the ride giver, truck mover, food person and any other stupid job they can think up.  Oh, I’m kidding.  There’s nothing hard that I do but it’s important that I’m here.  As in not out having fun.  But there are many perks that go along with my job.  All the wheat dust I care to breathe, the opportunity to travel (back & forth from the field) and best of all is my salary.  My employer (Mr. Picket Fence) is so generous – he doubles my salary every year!  (zero X zero = double zero!!!  WaHoo!)  Wait, there’s more.  I get to drive the really old farm pickup.  It does have 4 wheels but the radio doesn’t work, there is no air conditioning except for the model 2/55.  That’s the kind where you have 2 open windows and go 55 MPH.   Power windows were invented about 100 years after this pickup was built.  Truly, I don’t mind rolling up/down the windows.  But  picture me in the pickup alone with the air conditioning on (2 windows open) .  Then picture the combine coming up on the passenger side of the pickup.  Yep, I now have lungs full of wheat dust because I couldn’t reach the window crank.  Not that I’m complaining.  I LOVE FARMING!  :-)

This is Baxter’s 1st year as a farmer and he totally loves it – even more than I do.  My farmer guy can hardly take a step without the little darling right there.  But when it’s time to get in the truck, this is what you see:DSC00541

So, what do you do when you’re too short to get in the truck by yourself?

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HELP!!!!

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(I get by with a little help from my friends!!!!!!!)

And then there’s the bliss of being in the truck:

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And this is WHY we’re in the truck:

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I wish I’d taken a good picture of the huge cloud of dust behind the combine but I guess you’ll have to take my word for that.

That’s enough of the farm report for today.  Stay tuned tho – soybeans are next and then sugarbeets.  I bet you can hardly stand to wait.  Not.

I found a fun place to shop the other day that is just full of interesting things – mostly old things – like myself – I mean, like my mother.  (Whew, almost let that cat out of the bag!).  A few things hopped in my car for a ride to my home:

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I love, love, love that window.  I have a couple plans for it which will be so awesome – IF I get ‘er done!  You know what I’m saying sister?  The step ladder is in front of my house with flowers  and the bench immediately went in front of my woodshed.  It’s a very plain bench and of course it looked very lonesome.  It needed some friends to sit with.  Hmmmm.  Fall is coming.  Why, I asked myself, don’t I build some pumpkins since I didn’t grow any.  Here’s how it looked:

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These pumpkins measure 9 X 17 and are 2 1/2” deep.  I will make these for any orders I get for $25.00.  Shipping would be extra but I gotta warn you that they weigh about 3 lbs. so shipping from Minnesota could be – well, more than a postage stamp.  If you hear what I’m sayin’?  If you live in my neighborhood you would of course save shipping.  Just leave a comment on my blog if you are interested. 

I also made these other pumpkins last year using 2” lumber and added gouges around the edges.  They are plain pumpkins but Mrs. Farmhouse showed them with a punch needle project attached.  Like this:

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These pumpkins are 7” X 14” and 1 1/2” thick and sell for $12.00.  (Does not include the punch needle.)

Just thought I’d try this to see if there’s any interest. 

Have a great week!

Ms. Faye

9 comments:

Tootsie said...

OMG....YOU ROCK!!! those pumpkins are incredible!!! If I have any cash left after I ship a bunch of stuff to the US...I will be back to beg you to build me some!
I love reading you...you make my heart smile...if ya know what I'm sayin? lol
I was stopping over to nag you to post, when all of a sudden...the update slipped in and said you did!!! so now what is a girl to do with the urge to nag???? go to another blog and do it! lucky you...you have no idea how naggie I could be! lol
happy farmin!
oops...forgot to add...your first year farmer there is awful cute!

Anonymous said...

Your right...postage is a killer otherwise I'd have you working night and day on those darling pumpkins!!
While stationed in England we lived in the house on a working farm.....I hear you about the dust, long hours, weather conditions etc. We learned so much from that farmer...even sat in the combine! Amazing and hard work you all do. Baxter enjoys the ride too...fun!!

Anna said...

I can't even remember how I came across your blog...but I love it. Love all the pics & your sense of humor.:) I love watching all the farmers this time of year wondering what they're up to and why. My kiddos and I stop by the side of the road to watch all the goings on...my boys are in heaven watching all that big equipment...so I love hearing about the goings on of a REAL farmer's wife. Love the pumpkins!

Tootsie said...

OMG!! I am killing myself laughing at your comment!!! spray paint a jelly jar???? thanks for making my day! lol
really....lol

Tootsie said...

hope you don't mind if I linked my post to you for Wednesday...I am helpin selling your pumpkins!!! lol

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

Your pumpkins are just adorable! Love the bead board! Hey your salary is the same as mine!! Aren't we lucky??!!!

Alice I. said...

Love the pumpkins, especially the pumpkin framing the needlepunch! That is just too cute! If you're making more, I'd be interested in one.

Sigrun said...

I'm glad I found your blog on Tootsie's site. I've signed up as a follower. Really enjoyed my first visit. We are farming in Central Alberta (actually we rent out our land, but still follow the farming). Our farm efforts are a greenhouse and tree nursery. Till next time.

Marie said...

I love your bead board pumpkins. I keep coming back to drool over them. My husband has some bead board in his building and says he could probably make me some. I told him that I would not feel comfortable doing that without your permission. I only want them for myself--not to sell.