– I’ve been working on this combine for seven seasons now and know the machine’s character well, – says Igor Leonidovich. – Every year I draw up a defect report, and I personally take the machine out of storage and put it away. I start preparing the equipment back in May, in my free time from my main job. Then, before each trip to the field, my partner and I always check everything, lubricate where needed, and tighten things up. If necessary, we order replacement parts for any that have failed and change them ourselves. If the combine is in good working order, it won’t let you down at the most critical moment. And when you’re moving across the wheat field, the main thing is to have no downtime and not lose a single grain.

More than just work

Harvesting is hard labor, but it’s also a time when the real results of your work become visible. The management of OAO "Lyubashevo" notes that such crews are the pride of the enterprise. Igor Rudnikovich and Alexander Mukha have shown an example of how a responsible approach to work turns an ordinary job into true craftsmanship. Throughout the entire harvesting campaign, they held the leading positions and, having surpassed the target of two thousand tons, did not let up.

– Sometimes we spent 12–14 hours a day in the combine cab. Dust, heat, constant tension – all this fades into the background when you see the grain pouring from the full hopper into the truck bed, – the combine operators say. – In addition, good motivation comes from the competition between crews and professional reputation. The team you work with also means a lot, as does their readiness to help, to support you in word and deed. Without that, we simply can’t do this job.

They often say that a combine operator’s job is more than just a job; it’s a huge responsibility. And that’s true, because the fate of the crop, and therefore the country’s food security, depends largely on the operator’s attitude and the quality of his work.

We congratulate Igor Leonidovich and Alexander Alexandrovich on their excellent result! We wish them good health, easy fields, and new labor victories. May the equipment never let them down, and may the weather always be on the side of the grain growers.

Oleg GREBENNIKOV Photo by Alla PETLITSKAYA