The U.S. Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame
INDUCTEES OF USCHI HALL OF FAME
Al Friesen - (2017)
The beginning of what later would become Friesen Harvesting started in 1938. Alfred Friesen was just 12 years old when an older gentleman taught him how to run a pull-type combine with a tractor and how to cut square corners leaving no wheat heads. This gentleman also offered Al S100 if he could find all the grease zerks on the combine - a challenge Al carried on with his own hired workers every year, yet no one ever earned the money. Then at the age of 16 Al followed the harvest "by thumb". He hitchhiked along the harvest run working as a hired hand for $8 a day. Al looked mature for his age and was nearly put in jail because the authorities thought he was dodging the draft. Since he didn't have a driver's license to prove his age, he used his sugar rationing card which showed his birth date.
In 1946 at the age of 20, Al purchased his first truck and a partner bought a new Minneapolis Moline pull type combine with a 12 foot header. To move to different locations they loaded the ZMM tractor onto the truck bed and pulled the combine behind. Preparation to move took all day and 40 MPH was top speed when they were finally on their way. Al slept in his truck bed at night and used a pail of water or a nearby stock tank to bathe and to wash clothes. A restaurant meal cost only .99 cents, drink included!
The 1950's ushered in Massey self-propelled combines with fourteen foot headers at a cost of about $4,000. By this time Al was married to Hilda Kroeker. Together they followed the harvest from Texas to Montana. Their first travel trailer was only 18 ft. long, had no toilet or shower, and was shared with another couple! By the mid 1950's, a brother-in-law partnered with them and they expanded the operation to five combines, five trucks, two service pickups, two trailer houses, and a bunk house with an automatic washing machine. Seven men were hired as well as a young lady to help cook and care for Al and Hilda's 3 children: Jeanne, Lyle, and Connie. Al was always looking for ways to make harvesting more efficient so he installed a welder, air compressor, generator, and water tank on his a service truck.
Alfred downsized his custom harvesting operation in 1960 in order to start farming. He sold all but one combine and formed a partnership with three local farmers to continue harvesting on a smaller scale with stops in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado.
In 1978 Al expanded to two combines once again and his son Lyle and wife Peggy, became partners with him. They switched from Massey combines to John Deere 8820's with 30 ft. headers. Now Al supervised the "South Run" from Oklahoma to southwest Kansas, and Lyle supervised the "North Run" from northwest Kansas to Colorado.
In the 1980's the gas trucks were traded for diesel ones which pulled pup trailers. A motor home was used to live in, to haul meals to the field, and even to pull a header when moving to different locations. Alfred's wife Hilda, died of cancer in 1983. During his grieving process, Al designed "Big Red", a Kenworth 6-wheel drive, self-propelled grain cart. It would pull a combine down the road from one location to another then serve as a grain cart in the wheat field. "Big Red" was used in this capacity for many years and is still used today around the farm to haul seed wheat and cattle feed. In 1985, Al married Mary Fast who bravely and superbly stepped into the role of harvest cook and occasional combine driver.
After the 1995 wheat harvest, many former hired hands and clients came from all across the U.S. for a surprise celebration honoring Alfred for his 50 years of harvesting. Al and Mary retired after the harvest run in 1997, but continued to work part time driving combine or grain cart when needed. In fact, Al has been involved in every harvest since his start in 1938. Even this year, at the age of 90, he drove grain cart for five days when short on help.
When not busy in the harvest field, Al is very active in his church and community serving on many boards: church trustee, Farm Bureau, Federal Land Bank, SW Kansas Pork Producers, and was a founder of KJIL and KHYM Christian radio stations. He also became a member of USCHI in the beginning years of its inception.
The farmers Alfred harvested for became more than just clients - they became friends. He continues to stay in touch with several of his client's families. Recently he had the opportunity to travel to Chattanooga, OK to once again check the progress of the wheat in the very first wheat field he harvested as a custom cutter. Friesen Harvesting still harvests this same wheat field for the same family
Al's custom harvesting operation has been featured in several publications. The most famous publication was the August 3, 1959 edition of U.S. News and World Report. The most recent publication was the Spring 2016 edition of American implement/John Deere CROP magazine, on the "On the Farm" page and on their YouTube Channel.
Al Friesen
