Megan & John Deere

Okay, for some reason these pictures posted backwards, but we are going to roll with it. Today was my day with Gary, the farmer (and proud John Deere owner/operator). It was totally fantastic! Gary really went the extra mile to make us all feel welcome and explain everything that was going on. Before we even started, he lifted up the side panels of the combine to show us the inner workings and tell us how everything worked. He also told us about what the corn could be used for when they sell it (corn syrup, ethanol, livestock feed, and so on). The combine is a truly amazing machine! It takes in six rows of corn at a time at 4 miles per hour and takes the ears off the stock, takes the kernels off the ears, shreds the stock/cob/husks, and deposits the clean kernels into the hopper. All while the farmer sits in a fully air tight-air conditioned-surround sound equipt cab. When it is full, you push a button to swing out an arm and the corn goes shooting into whatever you are transporting it in! In this first picture you can see me with Gary cruising in the combine!


After watching about four passes, Gary let me drive! I harvested corn! Me! I insist you all call me "Farmer Megan" from now on. Gary said I was a natural. This machine is well over $100,000 and amazingly complex. It has alarms and monitoring systems for everything. It tells you everything you can imagine. Gary loves his job and was a total joy to listen to during the ride. He owns insurance agencies in the area and sells insurance so he can afford to farm.


There is a guy "riding the ladder" here with us. He is a senior in high school who helps Gary on his farm. He caught a ride with us on a couple passes to get from one end of the field to the other so he could position the trucks that we emptied the hopper into when we were full.


This was me getting settled in the "instruction seat" of the combine. There is a little side seat that is intended to be for folks learning how to harvest! Like me!
This was getting into the combine. I thought this was a good perspective shot that showed how big this thing was. It was gigantic!

I must say this was a great experience and I think everyone should try it someday! It gives you a real appreciation for our farmers and how we get that food on our table. Of course, I think you would have to find a farmer as friendly and generous as Gary to truly enjoy it, but we can't all be that lucky!