Progress

Despite the fact that we could not haul wet corn to the Cruger elevator, we still made good progress on corn harvest by hauling home and to other local elevators.  We started harvest at least two weeks earlier than last year and corn has dried down rapidly.  We didn't have to pick any over 24%, and most under 18%, so drying costs will be down this year.  One week into harvest, the old farmer and the wife of his youth had a date night to the Quad Cities (the JD parts distribution center is there) and ate out at Montana Jack's.  We only lost a half day of harvest for that breakdown.  We finally could haul wet corn to Cruger on September 22, so our field options increased.  We got the early soybeans combined early this year and the wheat was sown ahead of the fly free date.  I noticed on the way to church today that it is starting to emerge.  We have surpassed the fifty percent mark for harvest.

The wives have been logging a lot of time helping us out this year. And they have been doing a good job of it. It has not rained enough to keep us out of the field since we started harvest, so we haven't had many breaks.  I appreciate that God included the weekly day of rest!

Two little farmers sitting in the combine wheel.  They seem to like this spot!

They have been logging some combine time too.

A beautiful harvest sunset!

This evening we drove to Galesburg for a family meet up to celebrate Son #2 and Granddaughter #1's birthdays.  Pizza Ranch had a private room which worked out great with the little ones.  It's always a blessing to have the family together.

Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:3

KC

We hadn't spent a weekend in KC for four years, so we decided to take a long one and do some sightseeing on our way and near there.  Our first stop was in Fulton, MO to visit the Winston Churchill Museum.  In 1946, after WWII was over and Churchill was voted out of power, the President of Westminster College decided to invite him to campus to speak.  Since President Truman was from Missouri, and the college president knew Truman, some strings were pulled and Churchill accepted.  While there, Churchill gave his famous "iron curtain" speech.  To commemorate the occasion, the college moved a bombed out Christopher Wren designed London church to Fulton piece by piece and fully restored it to its former glory.  Underneath the church, they made a museum of Churchill's life.  I was pretty impressed with the breadth and quality of the museum.  On the grounds, there are statues as well as a section of the wall that made up that "iron curtain" that came down in 1991.  We may also have stopped at a used bookstore while in Fulton.

Our next stop was in Boonville, MO at Warm Springs Ranch, the breeding farm for the Budweiser Clydesdales.  The brewing company owns the largest Clydesdale herd in the world, numbering around 200.  Warm Springs Ranch has around 70 Clydesdales ranging from colts to stallions.
We took a tour of the 25,000 square foot facility as well as the grounds.  Definitely a first class place!

We arrived at Randy and Karen's Friday evening and enjoyed a delicious dinner of grilled Salmon.  On Saturday we drove up to Independence to the President Harry Truman Museum and Library.  Again I was impressed with the museum ( but then I do like history and museums) and learned a lot about President Truman.  Like the fact that he was born in Lamar, Missouri, he was part owner of a haberdashery that failed, and that the KC machine/mob gave him his start in local politics and got him elected Senator from Missouri.  After his two terms as President, he came back to Independence and maintained an office in the Library until his death.  He and Bess are buried on the grounds.  We also stopped at his home, the only one he lived in once he moved off the farm.

We enjoyed a picnic with the Kansas City church at a park Saturday night, blessed fellowship in church on Sunday, and an excellent  meal at Jack Stack BBQ in the evening.  After breakfast out on Monday morning, we made our way back home.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7