The U.S. Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame
INDUCTEES OF USCHI HALL OF FAME
Carl Rieger, Culbertson, NE - (1999)
"USCHI Hall of Fame" inducted Carl Rieger from Culbertson, Nebraska.
Carl began harvesting in 1934 at the age of 21. At first he traveled from state to state with his equipment the hard way, - pulling it behind a tractor and later he loaded it on his, (small), trucks. In the early days the farmer's wives did the cooking for his harvest crew. In 1942 he hired a couple and pulled a trailer along to use as a cook house, feeding the help in shifts. During those busy times he employed many hired men and he felt that he also fed people that were not his employees.
Carl said the "Harvest Brigade" did not start until 1944, and that was the year he bought his first two self-propelled combines. During that time he and his help slept in the farmer's barn, gargage, outside under the stars or wherever they could find a place. They always carried their cots and bed rolls wherever they traveled.
He started his harvest each year in Kremlin, OK and followed the harvest up to Montana cutting wheat all the way. He didn't start doing the fall harvest until 1960-62 when farmers started planting Milo and Corn that they could harvest with a combine.
1959 Carl said he owned sixteen Case Combines without cabs or air-conditioning, unless you count the air and dirt blowing through your hair as air-conditioning. In 1960 he bought his first combine with a cab. The other fifteen combines still had no cabs. During that period Carl owned and traveled with sixteen combines, sixteen trucks, three pickups and three house trailers and thirty-two employees. The hardest thing about harvesting was moving all the equipment across country. The best thing about harvesting was making money, and enjoying people. He cut the most years (49) for F.W. Zolduek, from Krimlin, OK. Every year we returned to the same areas to cut. And it was good seeing old friends that treated you like family.
Carl met Ann in 1962 when she was running a service station. She was a widow with two children. Carl bought his fuel, for his harvest operation, at her station, and in 1965 they married. Ann said after they married they ate most meals on harvest in restaurants. Naturally, after awhile Carl hired full time cooks, mainly because the cafes would not stay open late enough for them to eat at night. Ann said she became jack of all trades. The best part of harvesting for Ann was the people she met along the trail. After the organization was formed, she said her and Carl always looked forward to the USCHI Conventions.
Carl owned about 150 machines, including Massey, Case and Case IH during 58 years of harvesting.
Carl met Camiel Beert in 1981 when he bought his first Case IH combines. He remembers Cam as a mighty fine fellow that would do anything possible to help him and others in the harvesting industry. Carl said, "Mercedes, is also a wonderful person."
He and his wife Ann retired from harvest in 1992. On March 17,1999 Carl turned 86 years old, Ann was 80 on January 22. Carl said he is proud to be inducted into the "USCHI Hall of Fame." He said to tell everyone hello and that he missed seeing them.
