The Watering Hole

I was out north east of Abilene KS this morning doing some research in a 100 acres wheat field taking Seed head samples. While walk up the edge of the field by the road I bumped a small covey of quail. They flew about 100 yards back into the wheat near a tree line. Did my heart good remembering hunting quail with my dad and grandpa up until I was a senior in college.
the wheat looks great.

No bike ride today. A bit wet, damp and chili. Cloudy and rainy most of the day with an additional 25 points of pula. Currently 58°A with a low foreguessed to be in the lower 40s tonight. Back to mid summer like temperatures return tomorrow and Friday with highs well into the 80s. More rain and much cooler temperatures after that so say the weasels.

We had a week or so without rain and I thought the back yard was drying out, but apparently not by much as the 25 points today resulted in a bit of standing water. Glad I got the lawn mowed when I did a couple Monday night. Neighbor a couple doors down was tagged by the city for too tall grass. 8.5x11 bright florescent orange violation notice stuck to the front door for all to see. No one has been living there for some time. Neighbors moved mid state for werk and has been staying at their daughter's place. Was told last winter they were moving back in a few days, but haven't seen anybody there since.

Got a call early morning that my step mother-in-law passed during the night. She has been in a care facility most recently as she had been suffering from Alzheimers. Services next week. She was the last of that generation in the immediate family. R.I.P. Grammy Carol.

Hermit Wolfe

mdew said:

if they have a good harvest they should do good with prices as high as they are now.

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If! If is a big qualifier when farming. One hail storm can wipe the crop out, and it has happened. One of my farming aunts once told be that when farming, you live poor, and die rich, but she wouldn't have it any other way. All your capital is tied up in land, equipment, and operating expenses for a once a year paycheck that may not arrive that year.

My grandparents survived the dust bowl era and kept the farm going. They were fortunate that in their particular area was not hit as hard many places, but they still had their challenges during the depression and dust bowl era. Very self sufficient which for them wasn't a trendy lifestyle choice, but a life necessity. They had a vegetable garden, hogs, chickens, cattle, and a milk cow or two. Butchered, smoked, canned, and preserved their own food. Made their own soap, I remember a tube of it in the basement when I was a kid. Grandpa mostly raised wheat at times ran some cattle, rounded up by horse. Raised a few market hogs as well. Grandpa werked hard all his life, reinvesting in the farm. When my grandparents passed, each on of their children inherited a section of land. My uncle who was werking the farm at that time eventually purchased the sections from his siblings. Wish I had my mom's section. My cousin eventually returned to the farm and werks it now, keeping it in the family.

I really admire my grandparents, my other farmer relatives, and farmers in general. Hard but rewarding work with many challenges beyond your control. I'm proud to be a farmer's descendant and relative. American Farmers feed American and a lot of the world.


By the way, my other grandfather started his ministerial carrer as a circuit riding preacher in the wilds of Dalhart, Texas and Tucumcari, New Mexico area. First on horseback, then horse and buggy, then by train. My great grandmother never forgave him for whisking my grandmother off to the wild west, keeping her barefoot and pregnant.



Wolfe