HARVEST 2025

The harvesters made a start on June’s field Tuesday evening (Aug. 19) and worked just half an hour. This was a family operation this year – our lessor and his three teen-aged sons – and on Tuesday evening they had to quit early and return home for a family event.

They were back Wednesday morning and finished by suppertime. I figure that two combines finished our fields in eight or nine hours.

I took a lot of pictures, many of them not very interesting. In fact, I didn’t think it was an interesting operation this year. The wind was blowing in the morning, so they worked the southernmost field first, away from the house, and when they came in close, they mostly came down the hill from the west. Sometimes the combines were hidden in a cloud of dust. And of course, they don't pause for picures. At any rate, I’m glad that I got to watch.

Wednesday morning as I walked Bess around the pond, I came upon a rattlesnake in tall grass between the barn and the pond. I scurried to the yard to get Mike, and by the time we made it back to the spot in question, the rattlesnake was crossing the path, heading to the pond. Once a rattler is discovered, it doesn’t stick around. This was our seventh rattler sighting this season.

Now that harvest is over, we look forward to better hiking options. Thursday morning, we walked across the field to the canyon. We came upon a large covey of chukars, but Mike says not to worry. They will disappear when the season opens. (Maybe that's why they call it "hunting.") KW

 

MORE 2025 PRE-HARVEST PHOTOS

Upon returning to the farm on Monday (Aug. 18), I was delighted to see that I didn’t miss harvest after all. The spring wheat still stands in our fields. “Don’t get too excited,” says Mike; “we may yet miss harvest.”

I watched as the neighbor’s field across the draw was plowed. I don’t think it was really plowed up, but they at least knocked down the stubble. We don’t know the reason for this. Is it fire prevention? Is it better preparation for next year’s crop? The farmer tells us that he will plant these fields in the spring.

I did a load of laundry this morning – not more than I could quickly remove from the line if the harvesters showed up. They didn’t.

I picked two zucchini, one tomato, and a handful of strawberries yesterday. We had a BLT for lunch. Delicious!

A couple of hummingbirds are still here, so I put out more nectar. However, some little buzzing insects are making it difficult for the hummers to get to the feeders. The wasps (or whatever they are) also plague Bess.

At dusk last night, two relatively small whitetail bucks with largish racks entered the yard and commenced to eat pears off the old tree in the orchard. They’ve been here before and have already consumed the fruit off the lower branches. I tried to get a picture through the window in the bathroom, but it was too dark They didn’t stay long once they saw us, but our presence is not much of a deterrent.

Mike left on his bicycle at 7:30 a.m., so I walked Bess and took more pre-harvest photos. KW

 

FINAL 2025 PRE-HARVEST PHOTOS (PROBABLY)

 

You should see Earl rise early, work and manage here. He insisted on harrowing the bean ground and using the big cultivator, etc., till it only took 4 ½ days to “lay by” 62 acres. In former years it would have taken a crew of 6 to 8 men two or three weeks at big wages to do it. – Ina Dobson, 7-30-1933

Combine on top of hill

The harvesters were working in the ‘hood as we left the farm Friday afternoon (Aug. 15). We hear them working on the next place over whether or not we see them. We expected them here sooner, so we’re disappointed that this stay at the farmhouse concluded before they arrived. By the time we return, they likely will have finished.

So, why did we leave the farm if we were looking forward to harvest? Well, Mike wanted to ride with cyclists Saturday morning, and as long as he was working out of our town base, he arranged a motorcycle ride for Sunday morning. AND – we were out of milk. We can’t get along without milk.

We still anticipate harvest, but the hustle and bustle of the season just isn’t what it was “back in the day” when workers were hired and fed. Even when I was a girl and harvest was managed by my dad and a helper or two, it was still an exciting time. I experience some carry-over from those days. Mother cooked on the old wood stove, but sometimes she cooked in her own town kitchen and carried the mid-day meal to the farm. Cooking in a modern kitchen was much easier – and cooler.

I remember how dirty harvesters used to get. My dad’s face was covered with dust except for the clean ring around his eyes caused by his goggles. Thank goodness for his goggles! Daddy did not leave the farm during harvest, so he “washed up” before bed in the old kitchen. In those days, he started early and quit at suppertime. These days, the harvest operation starts mid-morning and sometimes continues after dark. Those big machines have lights. 

Mother lamented the passing of the small family farm. “It was a good life,” she said, and our neighbor the late Neil Miller concurred. “It WAS a good life,” he agreed. The day came when Neil’s heir had to give up the farm operation and lease to a larger operation. We all did. KW 

CASE UPDATE PLUS PRE-HARVEST REPORT

Hallie’s letter regarding failure of authorities to release the investigative report on Milo Warnock’s murder appeared in the Lewiston Tribune of Sunday, Aug. 10. In substance, it’s the same as the letter from the Idaho Statesman that I posted last week. She also has a guest post (her longer essay on this issue) on the prison blog, Book of Irving #82431 – The Captive Perspective (here).

We continue to be deeply concerned about the issues that led to Milo’s untimely death. We live in devastating times for many people, and some might think that what happens at our prisons is of small importance. However, what comes out of our prisons affects our individual and collective future, and we consider that we have inherited a quest to seek and support better options for non-violent offenders. 

I don’t have Netflix, but Hallie says the 30-minute documentary, “The Quilters,” about a prison quilting program, is worth watching.

Still some green in the wheat

Here we are at the farm again, and apparently it’s no worse for wear after last week’s storm. The spring wheat still stands erect. The heat is excessive again – 95 yesterday afternoon. When I was a youngster, we thought 90 was hot – and it was! And we used to have pleasant summer rains from time to time, but today, even my drought-tolerant meadow “weeds” have to have some water in order to survive. At this time, excessive heat alerts and fire watches are in effect. Since we were in town over the weekend, the house was hot and stuffy when we arrived yesterday. The cooler overnight temps have made the house much more pleasant.

I thought the hummingbirds might have left, but when I saw two of them buzzing around the empty feeder. I quickly refilled it. Gotta keep the hummingbirds happy. Meanwhile, we continue to trap the wasps.

I picked two tomatoes, a handful of cherry tomatoes, three zucchini, and two yellow crooknecks. I also picked a few nice strawberries, oddly enough from one of my original plants that made a comeback. Other plants are sending out runners, and I let them. You know, it’s just pretty hot out there for the vegetation. I’m grateful for any produce we get. KW

THE AUTUMN DAYS OF AUGUST

Two whitetail doe, looking back to see if I was looking back to see if they were looking back . . .

A storm hit at the farm on Thursday evening (July 31), delivering more than half an inch of rain and providing a welcome break in the summer heat. Fortunately, we saw it coming and closed the windows. I congratulated myself that I didn’t have to mop water off the floor. We enjoyed a brief break in the summer heat.

Still curious to see if I was still curious

Some town activities were calling to Mike – returning a package, the monthly motorcyclists’ meeting, bicycle work, and unloading the Scotch pine from the old pick-up, so on Friday (Aug. 1), we traveled back to town through intermittent showers. For my part, I left things in town on the last trip, so I was happy for the chance to reorganize. And of course, Bess loves going to the beach on a hot afternoon. She doesn’t forget about retrieving balls from the river.

And now, during this past week at the farm, the days have been pleasant and decidedly fallish. I wonder if it will be really hot again, but apparently we have more heat in the forecast. Even so, fall is in the air.

Pre-harvest spring wheat

Much of harvest is done here, but the spring wheat remains and isn’t ready. It rained almost a quarter of an inch during the early morning hours today, and it looks like it could rain again. I suspect the farmers aren’t happy with the moisture at this time, but my vegetables in raised beds have enjoyed the relief. I used three young zucchini to make zucchini bread yesterday, and I picked tomatoes (still on the green side) and a few strawberries.

A few hummingbirds still visit the feeders, but they don’t make much demand on the nectar. It could be time to store the feeders. I just don't know. We have wasps in traps, but it seems to me we have fewer than in past years. Fine by me.

Oh! And how could I forget! Yesterday Mike rode us out to the black hawthorn tree on the other side of June’s field, and we picked haws for an hour, coming back with more than five pounds. I now have two quarts of haw juice in the freezer. It’s so hard to know how to cook the country berries and make the jelly since it’s not a common practice. Recipes and tips can be found online, but the problem is the variation in the berries from region to region – and perhaps even from year to year. But – the elderberry crop that looked so promising while in bloom has not developed well, nor did the serviceberries, so we picked the haws. 

The photos below were taken this morning (Thursday, Aug. 7).

PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW

The following letter written by daughter Hallie was published in the Idaho Statesman (Boise) on Sunday, August 3. Hallie is our "team leader" as we seek justice for son Milo's wrongful death while incarcerated. KW

Moscow police released hundreds of unsealed documents related to the Kohberger case, just hours after the sentencing. While disturbing to read, the public has a right to access such information.

Milo Warnock

In April, James Johnson was sentenced for murdering his cellmate, Milo Warnock, at Idaho State Correctional Center. Afterward, I requested investigatory reports from Idaho State Police but was denied, citing exemptions for law enforcement and correctional records. In actuality, those records may be subject to release, but will require petitioning the denial.

At best, the state imposes obstacles to prevent releasing information. At worst, it hides its own incompetence, corruption and culpability. Either way, it is disrespectful to the citizens that it serves. The right to records isn’t about sensationalizing a tragedy but ensuring transparency and accountability. Even if no one ever requests a report, the possibility encourages thorough investigations.

When individuals entrusted in the care of the state are harmed, it is of utmost importance that the public has visibility into those transgressions. Incarcerated individuals are a vulnerable population, unable to exercise choices to maximize personal safety. We cannot wholly trust that the system will do the right thing in the absence of oversight and influence of public opinion. HWJ