View from the Cab: Non-existent farmer
By Kent Casson
Who is that guy with the five ‘o clock shadow and messy hair staring back in the mirror?
Oh, that’s Kent Casson apparently. I’m pretty much unrecognizable this time of year as we rush to bring in the Central Illinois harvest. I get out of bed half asleep at 4:30 a.m. for a day full of auger cart driving, combining and an occasional semi trip to the grain elevator.
Like any farmer in the fall, I am pretty much out of touch with reality for a month. Trips to the supermarket, bank and post office are out of the question and if you want to meet with me, it better be in the combine or tractor cab. Those of us in the farming world are non-existent to the general public every April and October but we show up other times of the year when field work isn’t involved.
When it is time for lunch, it is usually on the go as we chow down in the cab. The great thing about auto steer in the combine is enjoying a nice meal while the machine drives itself down the corn rows. In fact, I rarely spill anything in the combine it runs so smoothly.
I am blessed to have a job where my wife and kids can come visit me. The kids may be getting bigger, but we can all cram into that cab still. After everyone gets tired of too much togetherness, Kasen will occasionally head over to the combine to ride with Dad and keep him company. Kasen even drives the combine once in a while.
Though it is hectic this time of the year, we do try to make time for family. We took the kids to Rader Family Farms near Normal last Sunday for some fun on-farm activities thanks to our local 4-H club. I was also able to take in some youth football games this fall where my daughters are cheerleaders and I took off from the field early the other night to hear my son’s junior high pep band performance.
This has been a fall harvest unlike others in recent memory as conditions have been so dry that many of us haven’t received a break for several weeks. The non-stop work has led to other stuff being put on hold in our lives as we bring in the crops. I think we had one rain delay at the very start of October, otherwise things have been smooth sailing for the most part.
The dry weather has sparked a few field fires in the area but I don’t believe there were any injuries and nearby equipment was saved. There is nothing worse than a combine fire or field fire that rapidly spreads to who knows where. It doesn’t take long for a field fire to spread – especially when those south winds gust up to 20 miles per hour or more.
Here’s to a safe and successful ending to the 2024 harvest!
