The U.S. Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame
INDUCTEES OF USCHI HALL OF FAME
Bob & Ann Ogle - (2016)
Born and educated through high school in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Bob then attended Labette County (KS) Junior College and graduated from Washburn University (Topeka) in secondary eduction. His time in teaching and coaching took him to Ozawkie, KS; Galesburg, KS and lastly to Skyline Schools in Pratt, KS before leaving the educational system after 14 years in 1977. In partnership with his brother, he bought a half section of farm ground, a combine, a tractor and some equipment to start farming. In order to help pay bills, he took the 7700 John Deere combine (which was purchased for $40,000) and joined a friend in making the trip to Texas to help with a job. It soon became obvious to Bob that he would be unable to make a living in farming without a much larger financial investment than was possible, but that he could be successful in the custom harvesting area. And, loving everything about harvesting, that became his focus for the next 33 years. He sold the farm equipment and bought a second combine. It wasn't long before he was running three combines, which he continued to do until he retired at the end of December, 2009.
During the years he mined the wealth of high school and college students as a source of finding good, trustworthy hired hands for summer months. His children helped in finding possibilities as well as using former students that he had taught. Each of his three daughters and his son held positions of responsibility in the operation and in doing so were able to put themselves through college on what they earned with a little help from their parents. From the beginning, Bob's wife worked in the field with him, driving a grain truck and later the tractor and grain cart. Their oldest daughter drove a grain truck and ran a combine during her years in harvesting. Their second daughter did the "mother job" at the camper; cooking and laundry for the entire crew, and running for parts as well as taking care of the youngest child. Their only son started out as the "go-fer" and soon ended up as a combine driver and trusted right hand man to his dad. The youngest daughter, who was three years old when they started harvesting, followed her sister (after her sister's college graduation) into the job of cooking, laundry and anything else that was needed. Bob and Ann state that they can't say enough about how valuable their children were in their family operation!
Their first stop was always in Texas, and while they did at times work in Oklahoma, the stop in Texas became large enough that by the time they finished there, crops at home in Kansas were ready. From Pratt, they went to Tribune, Kansas and then on to Ovid, Colorado. They also harvested in Nebraska some, but usually the crops in South Dakota were ready when they finished in Colorado so they moved directly on to there. Their summer run ended up in North Dakota where they harvested wheat, oats and canola until the corn crop was ready to harvest back home. Many times they would make the two day trip home from Hope, ND and be in the field the next day, harvesting corn. Once home for the fall crops, Bob and his crew stayed busy with corn, sunflowers, milo and soybeans which lasted until the end of November or into December. The latest they ever worked was finishing up milo the following March. It had been so wet that year that they had to wait until the fields froze or dried out to be able to get in with the combines.
Bob was meticulous about the maintenance of his machinery, keeping everything repaired and in good working order. He was also very attentive to matters of safety regarding his crew as well as his equipment. As stated in an article in the Pratt Tribune, "....what Bob strives for is a clean-cut, hard working and safety minded group" with his harvest crews. "That kind of impression means a lot when you want to get hired for a job." He was always mindful of doing the best possible job for the customer and making a good impression with well cared for equipment and well mannered crew members. He was well regarded by both those he worked for and those who worked for him.
Their harvesting operation was primarily a means to making a living and provide for their family. However through their work, they made many wonderful, lifelong friends. At most every stop they had, their farmers briefed Bob on their fields and then went about their own work as they trusted Bob and his crew to bring in their crops. While they attended church, shopped at the stores and agriculture businesses, called on shops for parts and repairs and such, they developed relationships that still endure. As they provided harvesting services, these community businesses provided their particular services in return which resulted in an economic boost for everyone.
Even though Bob retired from running his own custom harvesting operation after the 2009 season, he has not stopped working in the harvest fields. Every year since then, he has worked for various neighbors and friends, running a combine and loving every minute of it.
It's in his blood - he still enjoys harvest!
Bob & Ann Ogle
