Harvest Crews

[SASKFARMER3]

Harvest on any farm is the most fun time of the year. Yes even better than Christmas.
Its what we do this for. For some the 2014 crop will go down as their worst ever produced.
My peas I cant wait till they are harvested and put out of their misery, Every thing from flooding to hail and back to life.
Make the ground black with high speed tillage and its over till 2015.
Some will have fields that are awesome then a mile away the next is WTF happened here.
And some will have the best crop of their lives, these are the ones that we all strive to harvest but mother nature usually determines who wins and loses.
So on harvest crews what do others use and how are they dealing with the challenges of farm labour.
On our farm we have two additions this fall that are running machines from Monday to Friday. Then on weekend the kids take over and family.
We have a full time grain cart operator that arrives at start of harvest and leaves when were done.
The semis are run by who ever has their 1A usually one of the owners.
But like all falls and as we all get older and slow down harvest help is always a big challenge.
So Basically a crew for Monday till Friday and then family on weekends.
What do others do for farm labour during harvest.

[crusher]

Dad runs one combine during daylight hours, he's 81. Brother drops his regular job and runs the second combine, but he's getting pricey. Hired man sprays and trucks. Another retired guy swathes and runs grain cart. I truck plus swath and combine in the evening. We have lots of combine capacity to take some stress off.

[SASKFARMER3]

Dad said he's doing one more harvest in daylight he's coming 86

[agchat]

Saskfarmer, how sharp and alert is your dad? My dad love to run combine, but last couple of years when he ran was questionable, so we had someone with him just to make sure. Yup that someone was my mom or my sister, it made me feel a lot better when i was gone from the field to dump. It got to the point he he could not get up the steps any more, thank the lord, or it would of broke his heart to tell him no.

[freewheat]

I get stressed out at harvest time. I have a love/hate relationship with harvest. These last several years, when the grain just isn't there, ( yes last year was not great), it is tough to take. But this year, my crops are better and I grew barley and peas which should spread harvest out, and make it less intense. It is always so late, usually damp, and is compounded by me doing it all by myself pretty well. Sometimes my FIL comes and helps. My two sons are 5 and 10, and soon I will need more land!!! lol!

Actually this year I have a line on a guy who may be able to come casually, which would be amazing, when one is used to being alone.

[BFW]

This thread sums up perfectly the state we are in when it comes to labor in agriculture. Cobble together a rag tag crew to get the job done during the week and give the family the job when no one else will come. I am laughing this is my situation to a "T" and why the mega farms will never rule the universe!!! As they say on twitter, #gofamilyfarm

[BFW]

This thread sums up perfectly the state we are in when it comes to labor in agriculture. Cobble together a rag tag crew to get the job done during the week and give the family the job when no one else will come. I am laughing this is my situation to a "T" and why the mega farms will never rule the universe!!! As they say on twitter, #gofamilyfarm

[Hopperbin]

Harvesting is enjoyable. Get people that can workextra hours and things fall together.need smart people.

[Hopperbin]

How the hell do you hire an owner operator to truck at harvest. Wbat do you pay.

[rockpile]

Labour was exactly why I stopped expanding. That and with several large multi-generational neighbours and 7 Hutterite colonies in the area, who could compete? I was extremely lucky. My wife was the best grain truck driver I ever had and she babied that thing. And she had her own 4wd tractor that she just loved.
But the best part of harvest was shutting down about eleven or midnight, dead calm and cool out, everything silent, and starring at the clear sky above, the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon. One of the few things I really miss.

[farmaholic]

I know I'll be told, well get out then" but there isnt too much I like about what I'm doing. With the blown out knees and stress and all the (as SF3 would say) B.S., it has just lost its appeal. We have some nice crops and wheat looks really good but I told my 80 year old father, there is little satisfaction in growing a good crop. Things can sure change as time goes b y

[cottonpicken]

"farming the easiest job if you love it,the hardest if you hate it"-that ones mine

[rockpile]

Exactly right on, Cotton. When the fun part leaves, get out, before you drop from a coronary. Life doesn't end after farming. I'm having a hoot teaching city kids about farming and where their food comes from, and being the 'boss' over several employees who continue to amaze me. So much fun, I don't even get paid for it.

[farmaholic]

Insert any career choice in the place of "farming" and it would be a true statement. Attitude determines allot. Maybe when goals and aspirations have been met, and you're not interested in setting higher ones (more of the same), it may be time to refocus. It used to be a passion....

[SASKFARMER3]

My father either is with my youngest in the buddy seat at 12 he would love to go hard all day but mom says no. Or my mother rides with him. He is very alert for his age. Their will come a time when we have to tell him no. This year his health is great so probably a full season.
I agree with Cotton but some days make you wonder. Fridays storm hit me on some more quarters with hail. Just who did I piss off 8 years ago.
But the main focus of this whole thread was about farm labour and its problems.
Our Mega farms in the district have the same problems getting guys. Its a vicious circle. Oh new thing is guys with course from Yorkton on Running farm equipment. Attitude pay me big bucks I took the course. Really my 15 year old knows more.
Labour the next big problem.