GRAIN HARVEST AT GILBERT, 2013
Our
property at Gilbert is totally in garbanzo beans this year. Our land is leased
and we aren't in the loop. This year we find
ourselves in the midst of “garbs,” a new experience for us.
Fields
planted in garbs don’t provide the effects that we’ve come to enjoy through the
grain fields. Grain fields reflect the sun – deep red golds in the morning, sun
and shadow on a cloudy day, back to shades of red with the sunset. It’s just
not the same with the bean crop.
The
garbs won’t be harvested until October, and so when it felt like harvest time,
it didn’t happen for us. But I did take these pictures of the harvest operation
on adjacent property on Wednesday (August 28). These three pictures show the grain harvest to the north beyond the draw with the garbanzo field in the foreground.
Pictures don't do justice to the size of the equipment. When I see them working, I can't help but think of the old-time operations that went on for two or three weeks with many hands working. Now a few workers operate the machines and trucks -- and that's it.
These last three pictures show them spraying the garbanzos, which happened simultaneously with the grain harvest. The truck parked in the our front yard beyond the maple tree and waited until the sprayer needed a refill.
I closed all the windows and the dogs and I stayed in the house for the duration, but there's only so much one can do to keep the dust out of the house. I don't know anything about chemical contamination with the spray -- don't even know what it is. I can't imagine it's good for us, though. KW
Our
property at Gilbert is totally in garbanzo beans this year. Our land is leased
and we aren't in the loop. This year we find
ourselves in the midst of “garbs,” a new experience for us.
Fields
planted in garbs don’t provide the effects that we’ve come to enjoy through the
grain fields. Grain fields reflect the sun – deep red golds in the morning, sun
and shadow on a cloudy day, back to shades of red with the sunset. It’s just
not the same with the bean crop.
The
garbs won’t be harvested until October, and so when it felt like harvest time,
it didn’t happen for us. But I did take these pictures of the harvest operation
on adjacent property on Wednesday (August 28). These three pictures show the grain harvest to the north beyond the draw with the garbanzo field in the foreground. 
Pictures don't do justice to the size of the equipment. When I see them working, I can't help but think of the old-time operations that went on for two or three weeks with many hands working. Now a few workers operate the machines and trucks -- and that's it. 
These last three pictures show them spraying the garbanzos, which happened simultaneously with the grain harvest. The truck parked in the our front yard beyond the maple tree and waited until the sprayer needed a refill.
I closed all the windows and the dogs and I stayed in the house for the duration, but there's only so much one can do to keep the dust out of the house. I don't know anything about chemical contamination with the spray -- don't even know what it is. I can't imagine it's good for us, though. KW
4 comments:
No, not good for you. It is a spray to make the crop dry down quicker. Basically since the "beans" are physiologically mature (they can be picked, dried & used for seed again or eaten) they can kill the plants so the beans will dry down faster & be ready for harvest.
See, there is a reason you know an agronomist, LOL.
Interesting --and we appreciate the info. It's good to have knowledgeable friends.
Are we to believe that this spray does not at all make its way to the part that we'll eat? I wonder if Dr. Molly uses organic techniques at her place...
Hmm, very interesting about the beans. And I, too, love the wheat fields and the constant changes they present over the summer. So beautiful!
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