Do Or Die

We started working yesturday for the beetharvest. Well the pre pile not really the harvest just the farmers getting their fields ready to harvest. We were to train thats all they told us in the phone call on Friday evening. Okay training, some one is going to show us or tell us what to do, no such luck they put you on a piler and you figure it out on your own., do or die. Trucks come in and drop the beets in a hopper, from there the beets go on a conveyer belt. When the trucks are done dumping we have the trucks back up to put dirt in the box, they bring dirt with the beets and we send it back to the farms. We take samples check in the trucks and shovel dirt off the concrete. At the end of the shift you clean the dirt out of the hopper, which is in there like cement. cleaning is the hardest part of the job.

The bathroom is 1/4 mile from the beet pile, so I have to start the walk even before I have to poddy. We get two 10 min. breaks and 20 min lunch, well it takes longer then 20 min. to walk back to your car to eat your lunch. We got home a little after 9pm a 13 hour day. Needless to say I had to take a 6 hour nap today. I got up made breakfast and went back to bed. Just a little sore. Standing on concete 12 hours is not easy and the shovel weights a ton by noon. I guess you can do anything for 2 weeks.

Not sure how much I will be posting once we start the harvest. Pretty sure if I'am not working I will be sleeping.

Went to Canada

Warren is only 60 miles from the Canadian border and it seemed like a good day for a little trip. Had lunch in Altona Manitoba, the sunflower capital of Canada or the world. They have a 17 foot tall picture of Van Gough's Sunflower.
We had no problems at the border crossing going or coming. Just showed our passports and went right through. Some people were being searched, but I guress we are just to old to cause them problems.

On our way to Canada we passed our work place. The first picture is of the area with the piler in the back ground. The second one is of the piler. Our jobs will be to keep the area free of dirt and mud which I believe will envolve a shovel. Oh Boy! My favorite tool to use. We also will be filling bags with beets to be sampled at the lab. Mike had wanted to work nights, but we are on the day shift 8am to 8pm seven day a week. If we are lucky there will be a few rain days, sure do not look forward to working 14 days without a day off.

Border Crossing

Warren MN

I made it to Grand Forks ND Tuesday. Went thru my interview and the saftey movie for the surgarbeet harvest. Then I drove to Warren MN about 40 miles north of Grand Forks, this is
were we will be for the next 2 or 3 weeks. We are parked at the County Fair Grounds, the work site is only a mile from here. Just waiting for a phone call to start work. Found out we will be working the day shift 8am to 8pm.

Warren is a small town, very clean and friendly. There is an old cemetery just a couple of hundred feet from the were we are parked. A nice place to take a walk.


Got a kick out of the signs at a hotel in town. Click on the pictures and they will enlarge.

Getting Ready To Go Home

We had a busy week so far. Tuesday Jackie and Gordy took us and another couple out to dinner to a nice resturant in Marcel about 40 min. north of the resort. The other couple Larry and Gracie live not to far for here and Gracie worked at the resort cleaning cabins with me this summer. Gordy kept telling us we were having way to much fun, we would laugh all day.

I have been getting the motorhome ready to travel. I leave Sunday and Mike will be staying until the 18th. He will drive the MH to East Grand Forks, and I will meet him there on the 23rd. We are working the sugarbeet harvest, and have to be there between the 21st and 25th. It will last about 2 weeks. 12 hours days 7 days a week. We choose to work the 8pm to 8am shift. Not sure if I will like that, but Mike thinks it will be better then days. It gets cold at night. Not sure what our jobs will be until we check in when we arrive. The job site is 30 miles north of E. Grand Forks in a town called Warren. They have camping all set for us with full hookups at the fair grounds in Warren.

Mike is still working on cabin 5, building a cabinet for the sink to sit in. I have a few cabins to clean before I leave. Jackie and Gordy left today for a family reunion in Marshall MN. Gordy will be back the 17th or 18th. Jackie is spending more time with her sisters so will be back the next week.

The sun is shinning and the fish are bitting so I guess we are going fishing in a bit.

I will practice more on posting pictures I have a bunch I took and want to get on the blog. Hope I get better at it soon.

Cool And Wet

The weather has turned, fall is coming. We had rain again last night, and the sun is trying to shine today. Yesterday was beautiful cool and sunny. This is my kind of weather. I had to find my sweat shirts just a little chilly in the evenings around the campfire.

Not much going on, very quite in the resort. Only 2 cabins are occupied. Mike is still working on cabin 5. He had to pull all the old plumbing and put in new. He spent 2 days under the cabin with the bugs yuck.

We had Gordy and Jackie and John and Mary Jo for dinner the other night. Mike do a pork roast on the grill, turned out very juicy and tasty.

Less then 2 weeks here, I think we will be home on the 17th. I sure will miss the lake, but it will be nice to get home and see family and friends. Lost going on in the lives of our Grandchilden and would like to get involed some. We want to see Amandas dorm at the UofM, and check out the campus.