It’s funny that despite it being December, I still found myself somewhat surprised with the recent arrival of snow, marking the physical start of winter.

Especially when I think that only a mere six months have passed since the white stuff disappeared from the prairies. It’s of little wonder really, that the rest of the world thinks that Canadians live in igloos.

Fortunately with some strategic marketing, strong demand and decent prices, I managed to secure a cash contract for immediate after-harvest movement of our soft wheat. It went to a distillery in Calgary, where I believe it gets turned into vodka.

Consequently, the mundane tasks of digging grain bin doors out of snow drifts and then standing next to a noisy auger in buttock clenching -25C temperatures, waiting to fill a seemingly bottomless lorry with 44t of wheat will be avoided this winter. By the way of contrast, I will enjoy moving the remainder from the comfort of a heated telehandler cab.

I recently climbed up the many steps aboard the new flagship 617hp S690 combine at a John Deere promotional launch. The extent of my combining experience extends to a season or two as a harvest student manning a TX68 plus, which I believe to be a decent combine. It’s unfair of me to even think about comparing the two machines. However, I think that John Deere ought to include practicing the “royal wave” in their operator training for these combines, as they will undoubtedly draw considerable attention.

Readers of a certain whiney, doom and gloom loving tabloid newspaper might be settling down for what they consider to be their last Christmas. Well, having looked at the NASA Near Earth Objects Program website, I can reassure those readers that they will still have the opportunity to eat mince pies this time next year. For those that are still convinced of impending doom, might I suggest the S690 combine cab as a spacious and comfortable place to depart from existence.

Merry Christmas readers.

Arable Farmer Focus: Seth Pascoe