Since taking over the manager's position at Stronghurst Grain on September 7th, Kevin Box has averaged 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night, 7 days a week.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Manager May Get A Good Night's Sleep
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher
Since taking over the manager's position at Stronghurst Grain on September 7th, Kevin Box has averaged 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night, 7 days a week.
But this week, with harvest almost finished, Kevin may be enjoying a good night's sleep.
"Six hours of sleep was a blessing," Kevin said Friday evening. "It's been a whirlwind of activity!"
"There were a few loads coming in when I started, but after a week, harvest was pretty steady with a lot of unbelievable activity taking place. "
"I was just getting a feel for what's going on, learning the computer system, and the outside facility activity, when everything hit and we're full of activity. It's pretty amazing what takes place."
"I'm finding it a real good experience, and the whirlwind of activity (that hit in September) hasn't let up. We only had one rain delay and a couple of half days due to showers.
"It's really a good harvest with most everyone done this week. There's just a few acres leftÊcoming in. Monday and Tuesday (last week) we were still going strong."
Kevin admits it has been fun, even though its been exhausting. He has run into some road blocks, and plans have had to be changed, "but that's just part of it," he said.
Kevin said the challenges came early when their storage systems weren't completely empty before harvest began.
"We couldn't keep open later because everything wasÊfilled to capacity early in the harvest. We try to keep open from 7 to 7 but sometimes, regrettably, we had to close at 6," he said.
Stronghurst Grain has a fleet of 6 semi's that were seeing 12-18 hour days moving grain.
"The reason for the grain still in storage," Kevin explained, "farmers were holding grain fromÊlast year waiting for higher prices."
"We can't sell it until the farmers sell it to us. Everyone thought the prices would go up."
"But the thing that bothered us the most was (Hurricane) Katrina that held back barge movement on the Mississippi."
"Then the river had to be dredged out because a barge was stuck after it was filled passed the 9' limit messing up normal grain flow on the Mississippi River.
Kevin said all the above affected the ocean ports forÊ overseas grain flow where most of the grain that is moved down the river is sold to.
Although the biggest concern for Kevin was the capacity at the elevators, there were other problems liked a cloggedleg and various situations that come up in the middle of bedlam.
"I still got a lot to learn which will come with time and experience. Last year's crop was huge, just huge, but this year is a good year. For the most part everyone was pleasantly surprised," Kevin said.
"It was better than anticipated considering the dry spell and the heat we had this summer."
Kevin credits the success of his first harvest as Stronghurst Grain Manager to the people he works with.
"They have been wonderful. They are very dedicated talented people at the elevator."
"My goal now is to become more familiar with the "Grain Clerk" computer software. It tracks the bushels, the customers and where every bushel has moved to and who it belongs to."
As for what his next challenge might be at Stronghurst Grain & Mdse., Kevin said "Wait 10 minutes:someone will call, then I'll tell you."
Kevin grew up with three brothers and two sisters on a corn, soybean and cattle farm outside West Point, Iowa home of the annual sweet corn festival the second week of August.
For the past 6 years, he has worked for Bryan Heap Ag. Services.
He is engaged to Meagan Gullberg and lives north of Raritan.
"I like Henderson County and the people," Kevin said. "It reminds me of home."