Hows my little corn harvester?

Today I got an exciting opportunity to climb aboard a real live combine, in action, harvesting corn, right by my house. Honestly who isn't at least a little bit intrigued by those giant machines seen at state fairs, on the back of semis, or if you're a rural dweller, on the road in a no passing zone, the one day you're already late for work.

This is what the ground looks like after a field has been harvested, shreds of corn husk, leaves, stalk, and cob all over the place.

I live just 4 blocks south of that combine.

This is Kevin driving past at nearly 4 miles per hour. The stuff coming out the back is everything but the corn kernels.

The window view of the hopper on the back of the combine, while emptying.

After the combine fills up he dumps his load into a different tractor who drives that trailer to a semi who then takes it over to the elevator.

A view from the cab of the combine. Those big teeth go between the rows and a chain thing grabs the stalk, and rips it straight down. Then some other grinding teeth de-husk it. Underneath the cab and hopper is where the kernel is magically separated from the cob and moved into the rear. Everything that isn't a kernel is shot out the back in a cloud of dust and debris.

Our gorgeous countryside here in IL.

There he goes, harvesting into the evening. Since it was a nice day today Kevin was planning on harvesting his corn from about 8am to 8pm.

It was impressive to see how sophisticated the interior of those are. The one I was in didn't drive itself but if Kevin found an extra $10k lying around he could make the upgrade. The downside is it still won't turn for you at the end of your rows. I'm not jealous of farmer's harvest, but I am pretty thankful I got to experience one for just a little bit.