Witness the dance of fall harvest
Tuesday night I watched three combines harvest the soybeans from our fields, and it made me feel like a little kid in a candy shop.
Read More
It’s harvest season!
Tuesday night I watched three combines harvest the soybeans from our fields, and it made me feel like a little kid in a candy shop. During the spring, I worried and waited for small green shoots to push through the earth. Once they started pushing through the ground, the waiting game began. First, lines of small green shoots appeared growing in straight lines. Then these lines began reaching for the sky, growing by inches until their green leaves canopy over and create fields of solid green.
Throughout the summer, these green fields sway with the wind, absorb the rain, and hog all the sunshine. As summer begins to wane into fall and the leaves start to change, the fields go from emerald green to buttercup yellow.
Soon, just like the leaves on the trees fall, those buttercup yellow soybean leaves begin to fall as well, leaving brown stalks with their fuzzy brown pods. On a cool fall evening, if you’re lucky, you can stand out in the field and watch the deer graze, hearing the pods rustle like the sound of beads in maracas as the deer swish by.
Then, one afternoon the sound of machinery begins to arrive. First, it’s the big combines themselves running down the road with a rumble of heavy machinery. Then it’s the trucks with the long trailers, pulling the headers. Then it’s the grain cart and the tractors and finally, it’s the semi truck and trailer. Suddenly, the once quiet field is bustling with men, equipment and activity as combines, tractors and men begin their harvest dance in the field.
And a dance it is; combines move in straight lines to harvest rows and rows of beans, while a tractor and grain cart move into position so those monster combines can unload their golden beans. Then once empty, the combines continue their straight lines, never once breaking stride while the grain cart cuts across the field to empty its precious cargo into the semi trailer. This dance continues for hours as dust flies from the combines bathing everything in a sepia light and the trees lend their color in the background. A distinct whirring sound with an unlying rumble provides the soundtrack to this dance; a distinct sound that symbolizes success for farmers.
It feels like an old-time photograph.
As evening falls, the dance becomes hidden by darkness but doesn’t stop. Instead of seeing the machinery, white and yellow lights, solid and flashing pick up the dance as the rumble continues. Late into the evening, under the dissolving full Hunter’s moon, the rumbles stop and the lights slow down, beginning to finish up.
The last bushels of golden beans flow into the grain cart, destined for the semi-trailer. Combines pull up to the trailers, dropping their headers, and heading down the road, destined for a small rest before the sun rises tomorrow to begin again. Men get into the trucks, heading to drop off equipment, and then home for a few hours of sleep and an early alarm that signals it’s time to go again.
The next morning, the fields are bare, and the 2026 harvest is complete. Now it’s time to hope that the commodity markets cooperate and these beans earn a good price for the farm. Soon, those fields will be covered in snow and quiet once again. Through the long winter months, while the fields appear empty important work is actually happening. The freeze/thaw cycle creates air pockets that break up compaction and also pushes rocks and crop residue toward the surface. Microbes continue to work, but slowly, dissolving leftover crops while earthworms dig deeper into the ground, breaking up soil. So while the fields may seem tranquil and quiet, the work has moved underground. Soon, the cold winds of winter will begin to warm and spring will arrive, With the arrival of spring, the fields will once again be bustling as we begin the cycle over again.
Submitted by Christen Clemson, a member of the Trumbull County Farm Bureau who completed her Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University. She and her family have a farm in Mecca Township.
OFBF Mission: Working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Featured Articles
The benefits of soil testing
Taking the time to analyze your soil’s pH and fertility levels now can save both time and money during the next growing season.
Read More
Fun facts about dairy cows
The dairy farmers across America send many thanks to consumers for buying milk, cheese and other dairy products!
Read More
Check in on each other
Check on your kids. Check on the friend who has been unusually quiet. Check on the farmer who hasn’t been at the coffee shop lately. Check on the person who is always the strong one for everyone else.
And when someone tells you they are struggling, listen.
Understanding your cattle brings benefits
Knowing how a certain cow acts or responds can often indicate something about her health and well-being as well.
Read More
It’s finally fall on the farm
This fall, as you’re picking up a pumpkin spice latte or an apple cider doughnut, don’t forget to bring home a squash.
Read More