Living ‘In-Between’ – The price to pay when cutting close to home

Amanda Buus Thomsen – BT Harvesting

Cutting in Cherokee, OK

Day 18: Cutting close to home can be a double-edged sword.

It is ridiculously nice to still be at home (who doesn’t like taking a shower in a real, full-sized shower?) but also difficult, especially when trying to cook out of a camper. I’ve got all the groceries and most of the supplies at the camper, but it never fails that something I need is at the house.

The first day of cooking down there I only had to make three trips back to the house to get stuff. (It’s a good thing the house is only eight blocks away.) While I have supplies that live in the camper full-time, it’s the little things that go back and forth. Salt & pepper shakers, favorite vegetable peelers, and everyday spices for example.  

Some of the guys stop for dinner.

It’s nice to be able to move into the camper slowly, but oh-so-hard at the same time because it never fails that what you need is in the opposite place, because surely *insert slight sarcasm* you won’t need that item before you leave.

Speaking of leaving, the boss gave me the news that we’ll be heading out on Wednesday morning.

Now begins the task of packing up everything we’ll need for everyday life until November. I’ve pulled out fall/winter clothes, coats & snow boots (seriously – last year it started snowing on us in September.)

I’ve slowly been filling laundry baskets with random items to take to the camper, but living in the ‘in-between’ is hard. It’s hard to know what you will need and what you won’t.

Dumping on the cart before moving fields.

Even worse is knowing exactly what you forgot right after you’ve pulled out.

And it’s also hard for the guys. Since we’re still at home, the guys are still working out of the shop (when necessary) and tools and supplies get taken out of the service truck and forget to make their way back.

What’s also been hard is that many have battled the mud to the point of calling in bulldozers and backhoes, neither of which is cheap. Thankfully we have been incredibly fortunate while cutting and only had a few close calls. 

Dear friend of ours, Roxie (Blunk Harvesting) delivered meals to the field with me. Its always nice to have company!

We finished our job in Oklahoma and got moved up to Kansas and should finish up here in the next day or so. The crop in Western Kansas is coming right along, so in-turn, we won’t be far behind.

Goodbye full-sized shower, washer & dryer! See ya later spacious rooms with all our stuff! 

We’re (temporarily) trading you in for a seasonal house on wheels, an opportunity to earn our yearly income, make new friends and visit with old ones and test our sanity.

Adios amigos!

Amanda Buus Thomsen
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