Life on a Colorado Farm
Life on a Colorado Farm (All Rights Reserved)

How the Header Works–and a Flat Tire

Here is the header in action….down go the stalks and in goes the corn

The-Last-of-the-Corn-001

And of course things always have to have a down side.  One of the back tires when flat. 

 

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Surprisingly the back tires are like the front tires of the car, they do all the moving of the combine.  The BIG tires on front support everything.  This always gets me confused, makes me feel like I’m backing up a trailer all the time.

Harvesting-Corn-006

But in the ’spare’ combines was the perfect tire!

Last year one of the front ones went flat.  It’s nice to have parts.  (These tires cost bunches and bunches of money)

changing-tires1

 


23 Responses to “How the Header Works–and a Flat Tire”

  1. You did a great job on this corn series..I enjoyed it! Corn is not ready up here yet..still too wet:)

    Far Side of Fifty - October 29, 2009 at 2:13 am

  2. I could only imagine trying to change one of those tires!!

    I have a lot of catching up to do:)

    T - October 26, 2009 at 4:35 pm

  3. Classic if it’s not one thing it’s another… Tires. We got lots of flat tires too. Luckily I don’t have to change any. :)

    Good to have a tractor to move those heavy wheels around too.

    Julia - October 26, 2009 at 4:45 am

  4. I’ve been slacking on my comments as I have been reading via the BlackBerry!! Sorry!! but I have been keeping up with the latest!

    Daryl said he a good time with you all!!! :)

    Kath - October 26, 2009 at 3:30 am

  5. Glad you had a spare on hand! That made things a LOT less expensive and less time consuming. Guess the stuff that guys stash away comes in handy after all…I’ll try to keep that in mind. ;o)

    Brenda @ Split Rock Ranch - October 25, 2009 at 9:04 pm

  6. I’m glad I don’t have to change one of those monster tyres.

    diane - October 25, 2009 at 11:06 am

  7. What’s the moisture running? Here in the panhandle of Nebraska it’s still mid to upper twenties…..and with local feedlots full-up with high-moisture corn there’s nothing to do but wait for drying weather. (It rained again this afternoon)

    The men, as usual, are cranky about the delay and are ready to wring Mother Nature’s neck.

    Love the pictures…country there looks much like here. We farm along the North Platte River just four miles from the Wyoming state line in an area called ‘The North Platte Valley’…or sometimes ‘The Nile Valley.’ (and that’s a minsnomer if I ever heard one!)

    Keep the faith…..Do you suppose anyone will miss us when we’re gone?

    Karen

    Karen Ott - October 25, 2009 at 9:40 am

  8. I hope people realize how lucky they are to get corn from you guys that is NON GMO!!! You’re in the only 20% of all corn grown in the USA. Many blessings on you for hanging in and giving us REAL FOOD!!!! :)

    Robynn's Ravings - October 24, 2009 at 11:15 pm

  9. Oh, my, Yes! Those tires cost a bundle. Did you find a use for the flat ones? They always seem to be handy for something.

    ~Faith

    Faith - October 24, 2009 at 4:19 pm

  10. Wow, I cant even change the tire on my solara…

    Jessi - October 24, 2009 at 3:22 pm

  11. I can smell the dust in the first picture.

    Sigh… I miss the ranch. Thanks for sharing. :)

    Meadowlark - October 24, 2009 at 3:21 pm

  12. I can only imagine the work entailed in changing one of those tires. Very cool post though, always wanted to drive one of those :)

    Mikey - October 24, 2009 at 2:44 pm

  13. There are cotton farmers in our area and right now they are harvesting the cotton with their big machines. You certainly have a lot of hard work to do! blessings,Kathleen

    Kathleen - October 24, 2009 at 2:23 pm

  14. When I read the beginning about your tire, I held my breath. Having had to replace a tractor tire last winter just about did us in. I’m so glad you had the perfect one.
    The pictures are gorgeous by the way.

    MountainWoman - October 24, 2009 at 12:13 pm

  15. That back wheels do the steering would confuse me also. A flat in the field, what alot of work!

    Jody Blue - October 24, 2009 at 3:00 am

  16. (o: (o: (o: (o:
    not 9o:

    Pam - October 24, 2009 at 2:36 am

  17. Oh man! As if he wasn’t working hard enough anyway. So glad he had one he could use. My hubby is a diesel truck mechanic, and talks about those big gianr tires they use and the bunches of money they cost (o: Glad you got around it for now 9o:

    Pam - October 24, 2009 at 2:35 am

  18. Oh my gosh I can relate to a “downed combine”…especially when you need to keep going to stay ahead of the weather.
    My husband used to do custom combinning. And he had to travel a busy highway traveling about 10 miles to get there. I always drove the pickup w/blinking caution lights behind him to warn other drivers to be aware of ‘SLOW MOVING TRAFIC’……so to speak!! :-)
    I was a nervous wreck, because it’s not easy driving a combine…with those skinny smaller “driving” tires” in the rear of the combine. I was so sure he would get off the road into the berm and not be able to get back on the highway.
    Thankfully everything always went well!
    That’s great Terry has the extra combines for spare parts! That makes so much sense. Just like when I do grocery shopping……I still purchase 2…maybe 3 of basic items……..just to be on the safe side……and store it in my pantry. I call it: “A PAIR & A SPARE!”

    Liz - October 24, 2009 at 2:31 am

  19. Oh my gosh I can relate to a “downed combine”…especially when you need to keep going to stay ahead of the weather.
    My husband used to do custome combinning. And he had to travel a busy highway traveling about 10 miles to get there. I always drove the pickup w/blinking caution lights behind him to warn other drivers to be aware of ‘SLOW MOVING TRAFIC’……so to speak!! :-)
    I was a nervous wreck, because it’s not easy driving a combine…with those skinny smaller “driving” tires” in the rear of the combine. I was so sure he would get off the road into the berm and not be able to get back on the highway.
    Thankfully everything always went well!
    That’s great Terry has the extra combines for spare parts! That makes so much sense. Just like when I do grocery shopping……I still purchase 2…maybe 3 of basic items……..just to be on the safe side……and store it in my pantry. I call it: “A PAIR & A SPARE!”

    Liz - October 24, 2009 at 2:30 am

  20. I totally understand this philosophy. It was for this reason alone I bought at yard sales 3 of the same food processor. At $5 each I couldn’t lose. It took 20 years before I needed to buy a new food processor. Broke my heart to spend the money though.

    Michele - October 24, 2009 at 1:39 am

  21. This is so interesting Linda. Is this corn for feed or cornmeal or what? Been showing the boys how you harvest it and they are fascinated as well. Thank you for sharing.

    hi-d - October 23, 2009 at 11:40 pm

  22. Farming is a tough job. Glad you had the parts to keep going without a trip to town.

    Leenie - October 23, 2009 at 10:11 pm

  23. No Linda, there are no corn farms in our region. It is sub-tropical so most farms grow either pineapples or sugar cane. There is a stretch of more than 600km up the coast of wall to wall sugar cane.

    Bill - October 23, 2009 at 8:56 pm


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