makin' rice

Aug 6, 2012- The River Boys visited their grandparents in Louisiana for a week.  It was rice harvest time so my dad called up his farming friends to arrange a combine ride.  Brazos who loves everything tractors was eager and excited; when we arrived and he saw all the activity in the field he exclaimed "Makin' Rice!"  But he was a tad bit overwhelmed with the size and stature of the combines.  Pecos said he had a great time and wanted to do it every day.  Maybe we can line up some summer employment for him when he gets a bit older.

I tagged along to document it all in pictures {and video}.  I was inspired by my friend Tori who made a video from our trip to the Tractor Show in Fredericksburg back at the beginning of the summer.  And since I have this fancy iMac computer I thought I'd give the iMovie software a try.  Here's what I came up with...hope you like it!

My dad knows just about everything there is to know about farming without actually being a farmer.  Looking back, I really wish I had paid more attention or had taken time to ask questions and observe but I was too busy growing up.  But I did enjoy watching my dad share it all with the boys.  They made more than rice that day.  They made memories.  And that makes my heart happy.

The River Boys descended upon Thornwell, LA. It is most definitely on a backroad and you don't get there by accident.  Population 62.  Home to the Berken Family who happen to be very good family friends. 

This is Mr. Kevin Berken driving the rice truck.

This is his brother, Clarence, and our combine chauffeur for the afternoon.

This is the combine he drove.  Massive- yes.  Uncomfortable-  not really.  These things are outfitted with many comforts like air conditioning and live satellite TV.  That's right live television, although sometimes it gets interrupted with bad satellite signal which just makes him drive a bit faster to make the turn to get better reception.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the screen just for proof.  I think we interrupted his watching of the Olympic women's beach volleyball match.

This is rice up close.  Such big machinery to thrash out these tiny kernels.  

Loading up the grain cart.

Thank You to the Berken Family for letting us Make Rice...and Memories!