November 2008 - Posts

Saturday, November 29, 2008 8:24 PM

Harvest Reading the TA Way: What's In Your Library?

As Harvest 2008 wound down and the combine switched to picking dry-land corn, I found myself with a little more time on my hands between loads.  A gal can only listen to the radio for so long, and it is wise not to let the truckers or combine driver catch you napping... they become very resentful and cranky when they catch you taking advantage of a moment's leisure.  The trick is to appear busy at all times.  I keep a plethora of reading material handy in my lunch bag for just such occasions as this.  Usually it includes a newspaper or a magazine or two, something that can be dropped pronto the moment a truck arrives or the combine needs unloading.  This year, I decided to slip in a copy of GWTA's TA Way and the updated GWTA Bylaws. 

The TA Way is is a MUST read for GWTA chapter directors and recommended for all members of the organization.  It's a great way for new members to learn the overall scheme of things and to avoid re-inventing the wheel.  The manual is currently undergoing a revision so that it reflects the 2008 changes to the bylaws and other updates, but why wait... I had the time while the combine picked out a ditch-laden field.  It only took me 1.5 days of "mini breaks" to complete.  It's not rocket science, and reviewing the manual helps keep members, staff, and chapters all on the same road to Destination Friendship.

I also stuffed my bag with Flash Gordon M.D.'s Blood, Sweat & Gears this year.  It's one of those books that you can put down at a moment's notice and then pick up again for reading opportunities that must be kept brief.  The book is out of print and hard to find, but it caught my interest when the sequel Blood, Sweat & 2nd Gear was released and I heard the author (a rider with more than 30 years of road experience) interviewed in a Ride podcast on Blog Talk Radio.  Soon after that, I found the first book in a used bookstore -- a brand new copy, never even opened.  I learned a lot from that book and really enjoyed the author's sense of humor in dealing with the subject matter and his patients.

Here's a Sample of What I learned from Blood, Sweat & Gears:
  • Road Rash -- Timing is everything, attention to the injury within the first 30 minutes results in a vast improvement to the outcome.  Don't wait until you get home to treat it.  He has some neat tips.
  • First Aid Kits for Motorcyclists:  What to include -- my respect for zync oxide, gauze, chicken wire, Neosporin, and Betadine is renewed.
  • Proper Removal of Dirt  or Gravel From The Eye:  Again, don't wait until you get home.  Don't wipe your eye; don't rub with your finger...  A neat trick for getting a speck out from under the eyelid.
  • Evaluating Downed Riders For Injury:  Out in the boonies?  No trained medical help?  One step at a time.
  • Carpel Tunnel Tips:  Keep your wrists straight!
  • Roast Calf:  Treating burns  and when to get professional help.
  • 'Rhoids:  Your Gold Wing will outlast your body's ability to travel long distances in a single sitting.  Get fiber!
I found so much stuff in the first book, that I can't wait to dive into the sequel.  No wonder Sound Rider magazine considers both these books MUST reads for riders.  They're easy to read, funny, informative, and worth a gander.
posted by U2Farmer with 0 Comments
Thursday, November 27, 2008 9:59 AM

Happy Thanksgiving! It's In The Bin!!!

Harvest 2008 is over, the crop is in the bin, and we are truly thankful to be done!  This year was extremely trying due to weather conditions all throughout the growing season.  Spring rains, washouts, hail, unmatured cobs, corn that wouldn't dry down, and confused combines that refused to adjust to this year's field conditions  (this does not compute!).  But we're done.  No more sleep deprivation.  Now, we can spend the day in rest and thanks... and in prayer -- that our friends will soon complete a safe harvest also.

For this year's harvest I made three changes and they really seemed to help my energy levels... I'm wondering if I should carry these changes over to my motorcycle cruising trips.  My three goals this year were:

  • no pop -- I didn't even pack it in my lunch bag
  • no big meals -- I nibbled throughout the day and added a Gnu Flavor & Fiber bar or Fiber One bar
  • stretch -- when possible I got out of the tractor & tried to get my heart pumping; fresh oxygen to clear my head
These 3 things really improved my quality of life in the field ... no afternoon sleepies, no energy crashes, and the fresh oxygen really did make a difference in circumventing "the 4 pm stupids" -- you know what I'm talking about... the late afternoon brain-fog decisions.  Also, I chugged water throughout the day (my MTM podcast guy told me once that if you're grumpy or foggy-headed, think about your water intake... you're probably dehydrated... get H20!  He's right!).  Warning -- increasing your water intake does have consequences which are especially challenging for female field workers.  Nuff said. 

During harvest, I spend 12 - 16 hours in my tractor pulling a grain cart at the mercy of the truckers and the combine driver.  During the last few years, I've started worrying about blood clots in the legs from all that sitting.  Last year, I switched to TravelSox for the field... they really helped.  The added stretch breaks kicked it up a notch; my feet and ankles didn't seem to swell as much this season.  (Yes, you can do push-ups leaning against a tractor tire... just don't get caught or fellow grain cart drivers and truckers might think you're weird.)

This year, food-wise, I also discovered four new things:  Flatouts (healthy with a great flavor, and they make it so much easier to eat a sandwich while driving a tractor!), Gnu Flavor & Fiber Bars (one bar contains 1/2 of your daily fiber requirements; great for people who must sit long periods of time, Orange Cranberry is my favorite!), Breakstone's cottage cheese and pineapple fruit combos, and Hammy's salad... Hammy loves to invent things and she put this salad together for me based on a recipe shared by another Frenchman Valley Rider.  The flavor made a great change from sandwiches, and the complex carbs kept me going all afternoon without a post-meal energy crash or afternoon munchies.  Here's her recipe:

Hammy's Salad

  • 1 package broccoli slaw
  • chopped almonds or walnuts
  • dried cranberries or Craisins
  • cooked chicken pieces or strips
  • Poppyseed Dressing

Combine the above ingredients, eyeballing quantities according to personal preference (that's Hammy's mad-scientist mentality for most of her creations -- just throw it in and forget the measuring cups).  Just don't get carried away with the dressing.

Enjoy.



posted by U2Farmer with 1 Comments