Gilles - a local farmer - started harvesting the wheat crop in the fields immediately adjacent to our house at about 18h00 and as I type this just before midnight, about three-quarters of the crop is safely gathered in. This photo of the combine-harvester at work was taken at 22h16 at about the half-way point of the harvest.
This photo was taken from our bedroom window with a 35mm (50mm F/F equivalent) lens so you can tell how close the house is to the field - about 8 metres.
As Diane said, farmers have 'to go for it' when the weather is right and this includes a minimum of 3 prior dry days. The agricultural contractor, like Diane's son, knowthat they'll have to work all hours to bring in the harvest within the 'weather window'.
At the moment, these huge, contracted machines are commonplace, moving around our countryside, with a lead vehicle as warning to other road users. This particular machine, approximately 3 cars square, is minuscule compared to those used in the U.S. where there are prairies rather than fields. Thus farmers don't such a machine, but the Farming Cooperative does and the farmers hire it. So not only is there a weather window, but also the Coop's need to harvest crop for all its members whilst the weather holds. Needs must work all the hours necessary.
Gilles was in his tractor/trailer with his young son, 8...late night adventure...waiting out of shot until the combine harvester had filled the hopper. At this stage, the contractor signals, who drives parallel to the until and transfers the grain into G's trailer.
They finished in the early hours, job done for them, no problem for us. Food chain is assured!
@janiskay Feel sorrier for his wife Richard is a night owl and would have been up anyway. Isn't it smart the way small farmers are learning to get together and share expensive machinery. I saw a thing on tv about a company that provides sharing of expensive equipment for hospitals. Okay the accountant in me came out then. Love this photo. It is just so much fun to capture these big machine but at night just super cool.
Absolutely love this shot, big fav. Growing up on a farm I know only too well the mad rush for crop while the weather holds, during this time of year I'd spend time with my Dad on a combine like this just to see him some days! Great way of life though
August 15th, 2015
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Great shot.
As Diane said, farmers have 'to go for it' when the weather is right and this includes a minimum of 3 prior dry days. The agricultural contractor, like Diane's son, knowthat they'll have to work all hours to bring in the harvest within the 'weather window'.
At the moment, these huge, contracted machines are commonplace, moving around our countryside, with a lead vehicle as warning to other road users. This particular machine, approximately 3 cars square, is minuscule compared to those used in the U.S. where there are prairies rather than fields. Thus farmers don't such a machine, but the Farming Cooperative does and the farmers hire it. So not only is there a weather window, but also the Coop's need to harvest crop for all its members whilst the weather holds. Needs must work all the hours necessary.
Gilles was in his tractor/trailer with his young son, 8...late night adventure...waiting out of shot until the combine harvester had filled the hopper. At this stage, the contractor signals, who drives parallel to the until and transfers the grain into G's trailer.
They finished in the early hours, job done for them, no problem for us. Food chain is assured!