The beginning of August found us still making bales in the ditches and a few sloughs. Gregory and John were also working summerfallow and trying to get ready for harvest.
During the week of Aug. 14 to 18, Saint James Parish in Wilkie held its yearling Vacation Bible School. Joseph and James were able to both attend this year and I helped out with the youngest kids. Ian stayed home with Grandma. He wasn’t too pleased about it at first because he knew he was missing out on something. Joseph and James greatly enjoyed themselves.
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On Aug. 15, we got back from bible school and quickly made dinner and took it out to the field where Gregory had started combining. John and Barb were in Saskatoon making a run for parts and supplies. I took over running the combine and Gregory caught up on the trucking. Unfortunately, the combine decided we were not going to finish the field that day. Gregory ended up having to take it home to work on the flex header.
On Thursday Gregory had the combine put back together and went out again while I took the boys into Wilkie. When we got home, I took over combining while Gregory trucked. While I finished the field, Gregory brought the tractor and baler down to bale the neighbours’ slough.
On Aug. 18 the weather wasn’t very good for combining or swathing in the morning so Gregory and John hauled some ditch bales home from the RM of Reford. There are still quite a few bales to pick up but we are slowly starting to get things home.
The next week it was raining and cool. On Monday, John was able to swath the wheat on the home place while Gregory worked on putting a tractor back together. I went to North Battleford for a doctor’s appointment. Gregory and I are happy to announce that we are expecting our fourth child in early January.
By the end of the week Gregory and John were able to start swathing again. Sunday, Aug. 27 we had a nice family day. After Mass we took the boys to check the pastures. Usually Gregory and I ride the pastures and check for fall calves from our registered Herefords and check the wells. However, John and Barb were not home,so we took the boys with us. Joseph got to ride Gregory’s mare on the first pasture, James got to ride her to check the second pasture and then Ian rode with me on the third pasture. They all love the horses and the cows. When they weren’t riding, the boys were having adventures with Dad checking out old rock piles and playing in the dirt.
It got quite warm on Aug. 28 and 29. John and Gregory were swathing with the open tractors and got quite hot. John isn’t able to handle the heat as well as he used to, so on the next day they changed their plan. While Gregory kept swathing, John started straight-cut combining the last of our organic wheat.
We hope that the weather holds out for the rest of harvest but we are also praying for fall rains for our pastures. GN
