Harvest time can be an opportunity for new blood to come into their own.
Many of the families that farm the ground in Kansas hope to pass the tradition on to a child. In those families, the kids will start at an early age helping out.
During harvest that could mean driving the grain cart or a combine, maybe helping fix a breakdown, or manning the truck to help move from field to field that also has the extra fuel and the cooler of “refreshments”.
When one of those children get old enough to farm on their own, it is a time when their ground is added to the list of fields to cut.
On a Sunday Afternoon, I took some time to join Michael Maneth and his sons Bryce and Colton. They were cutting some ground that Bryce recently took over.
Bryce drove his combine in addition to an uncle cutting with a second one. Colton took the important job of driving the grain cart, under the watch of his grandfather, Dale Brady.
The yields were good, but you could see Bryce planning on how to get more out of the field with each pass.
Below are some of the pictures I took in the field:
The tines on the header sweep the wheat plants towards the sickles on the header. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
An air freshener hangs near a yield monitor computer. This computer can display an estimate of the bushels of grain harvester per acre in real time. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
Bryce empties wheat from his combine into the grain cart pulled by Colton as it drives along side. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
A side mirror shows part of the folding auger used for offloading grain from the combine. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
Bryce looks down on the wheat as he works through a patch in the field. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
The fuel nozzle waits to be used to refuel a truck or combine in the field. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
Boxes of pizza from a local restaurant, tea, cucumbers, fruit, and other items make up the supper for the crew this evening. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
Everyone take a moment to relax, eat, and talk in the evening shade. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
A tandem grain truck drives off fully loaded down with wheat. The truck will take the grain to a local farmers cooperative association. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
With supper over, it is time to start working on the next patch of wheat. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
Bryce and his father, Michael, make a quick adjustment to the rear of the combine. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com) 
Michael adjusts a part on the rear of Bryce’s combine. Members of the Maneth and Brady families work to harvest their winter wheat along the Rush and Pawnee County line near Rush Center, Kansas on June 30, 2019. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)