As I write this, the sultry Minnesota dog days of summer did an about-face to remind us that fall is nearing. Harvest will soon be upon us, and we will all learn if the crop projections were close to reality.

Regardless if the yield prognosticators were right, wrong, close or way off on the yield estimates, you still have to get your crop safely to the bin site or to your local elevator or processing plant.

For that, it takes well-oiled machines and a well-coordinated team. No one on the team is more important than the other. During harvest, I would pitch in when I could, and that usually landed me in the tractor running the grain cart. My dad, who always ran the combine, said running the grain cart was the toughest job.

Not sure that I would agree with that assessment, as I would pull alongside the combine waiting for Dad to unload his hopper into the grain cart. I would merely maintain the proper distance between my rig and the combine. Meanwhile, my dad was watching the flow of grain from the auger, ensuring an even load on the grain cart, all while maintaining the harvest speed and monitoring the corn head and all the controls. Two-way radios were a godsend, as Dad would offer instructions as to proper speed and distance, as well as if he’d attempt to get a little more grain in the cart before we’d reach the headlands.

Sure, I always got nervous when it came time to unload into the trailer parked on the end. But this could be handled while sitting still and just making sure that the auger didn’t overshoot the trailer or come up short. You spill, you scoop.

In the sports realm, the team’s quarterback is often called the “field general,” but in this instance my dad truly was the field general, making sure the corn harvest was a well-orchestrated dance.

Maintain stars of the show

In a cornfield or in an orchestra, every instrument or piece of equipment (and its operator) is integral to the overall performance. Instruments and pieces of equipment don’t operate themselves, although autonomous farm equipment is becoming available.

Musicians and equipment operators are the stars of the show, and the show cannot go on if key players are down. Everyone hopes and prays for a smooth harvest, but there will be breakdowns, as well as possible rain stoppages and those can lead to stress and strain.

Tractors and combines need to be refueled, but so do the operators. Regardless of what piece of equipment you operate, you cannot contribute to the team effort of harvest if you are sitting on the sidelines. Be careful not to succumb to the pressures that even the smoothest of harvests can bring upon an operation.

Take care of yourself this fall. Every piece of equipment needs to be properly maintained, and that includes you. Sometimes that can be the toughest job on the farm.

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