Linda and I took a week off to hike in Colorado last month. More precisely, Linda took off a week to relax, shop, sightsee, and critique massage practitioners while I burned up calories bonding with nature. To each their own. 

Leaving North Iowa this time of year is not easy for me. Summer months are the most conducive for work and play. In addition to our normal crop production activities, summer is the perfect season to undertake building and land improvement projects.

It is also the time of year that allows for the most guilt free play days. Due to the time sensitive nature of planting and harvest, spring and fall days suitable for outdoor activities are reserved for field work. During the summer months, we're able to get our work done during the week, freeing up evenings and weekends for fun.

Most people understand the importance of occasionally getting away from their daily routines and welcome those opportunities. As a recovering workaholic, (Linda would argue the recovering part), it is an effort for me to leave work for leisure. However, I have learned to take my medicine. Like following through with a particularly unpleasant medical procedure, taking time to get parish directory pictures, or attending a 45th year high school reunion, the longer-term benefits exceed the short-term discomfort. 

This trip was especially memorable. In addition to resummiting half a dozen of my favorite peaks, I met a collection of fascinating souls who share my passion for walking in the woods. From Savannah, the expletive fond millennial to Jason, the professional 48-year-old through-hiker to Nina, the native San Franciscan, who was in the process of breaking the women's speed record on the 567 mile Colorado Trail. My internet search a few days ago confirmed her success.

These brief but intense interactions are revealing and often result in surprisingly candid self-assessments. In Jason's words, "When you spend your life living in the moment and pursuing extreme adventure, it ruins you. A traditional suburban life seems mediocre and trivial by comparison." I am not sure if nature or nurture explains why some of us find purpose and fulfillment in our professions while others find work an evil to be avoided at all costs. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful I like my job.

On the topic of work, harvest is off to an early start as we cut our first bean field this weekend. Thanks to a pair of triple digit heat waves in the last three weeks, crops are maturing at a record pace. This development does not bode well for yields or profitability, however there are advantages. A corresponding reduction in fuel, labor and repair expenses will buffer the net effect on our bottom line. Sorry. I cannot bring myself to whine about less than perfect growing conditions while being aware of the suffering that exists elsewhere.  

As we typically do not start harvest till mid-September, final preparations are ongoing. Mayer's Digging finished the addition of two new parking lots. This will help us organize equipment more efficiently. Team assignment and harvest strategy meeting is Thursday. Grain delivery should wrap up in the next two weeks which means the bins are empty. 

This will be my second harvest without a specific assignment. If making myself less important was the goal, it appears we have succeeded.  Maybe Linda and I could sneak in another hiking trip before the snow flies?  

I Hiked with Nina for a couple miles near Tabeguache Trail. If you want to read about Nina Bridges story, click the link below

https://gearjunkie.com/news/colorado-trail-fkt-nina-bridges-6-hours
https://gearjunkie.com/news/colorado-trail-fkt-nina-bridges-6-hours#:~:text=The%20record%20for%20the%20supported%20and%20overall%20women%E2%80%99s,just%208%20days%2C%2014%20hours%2C%20and%2015%20minutes.

-Jim