Hello, hello, hello Brett.
What’s going on in your world? What does the landscape look like? Are there mountains all around? Being in the army in Germany has got to be quite an experience. How long is your term there? I don’t know where you are stationed right now so I’ll take this note over to your mom. I know she will find your new address.
It’s the beginning of fall here and you know what that means; the harvest is in full swing. Everybody’s busy doing something for the corn harvest and of course there are other farm chores that need attention too. The combines, trucks, and tractors are making noise that you can hear in town but nobody pays attention, it’s music to our ears.
This is the time everybody in the community has been waiting for since planting season. When they get the corn out of the field it is shipped to the Mississippi by truck, stored away on the farm, or sold to the grain elevator. It's amazing how the grain operator receipts turn into cash at the bank.
We have thousands of acres of corn to get out of the fields. That’s a big part of Iowa’s economy and the biggest part of our local economy. The soybeans are not far behind, their leaves are beginning to turning gold now.
In Idaho, they close the schools so the kids can help in their harvest of potatoes. There is a lot of labor to their harvest. It’s something like that here now as the kids usually have a farm job after school till 9 or 10 at night. A lot of the high school kids are seasoned combine drivers.
On top of that, many of the farmers are putting in 18-hour days. I’ve heard that some sleep in the combines when there is a rainstorm coming just so they can work until the last minute.
Well, so far, the weather has been cooperating, but there has been a problem or two and everyone is being especially careful. This is the time when accidents happen. Take for instance yesterday when Larry Martin’s combine flipped over with him and his grandson in the cab. He was at the edge of the field where there is a steep grade going down to the creek. The combine hopper was full of corn and he made a sharp turn. Over it went. Larry got away with a broken arm and some bruises but the machine is out of commission for the rest of the harvest. His boy just had a few bruises. I’ll bet he’ll be repairing that machine all next winter. Neighbors are organizing a schedule for picking up his harvest as well as their own. That’s the way we do it here.
Besides that, the Sheriff’s Davis’ office sent word to keep an eye open for rustlers. That’s right, cattle rustlers. Brian Meed lost two beef cattle and John Heffelman three. Seems like someone is driving around spotting cattle they can get into a stock trailer. Almost all the critters are tagged now but there is probably a way around slaughtering rustled beef.
Since the word is out, the young guys are carrying guns in the cabs of their trucks. They’re talking tough.
And, I might as well add that since the harvest began, the noise and activity drive deer from one field to another. There is a predictable increase in auto and truck accidents.
A few years back I got two deer in one hit with my Ford Ranger. I was able to get the meat processed but by the time I got the truck fixed it ended up costing a whopping ten dollars a pound for that meat. Too high for my budget. Guess I’ll just drive a little slower. Isaac’s boys always have extra venison that they process and freeze. I’ll be fine there.
And while I’m on the topic, Nadine’s Freezer and Meat Shop in Milton burned to the ground a week ago. That’s going to put a dent in everyone’s custom butchering this fall. The nearest person doing butchering is over by Lancaster on the outskirts of Harry Nation. She also processed deer during the hunting season. Christian, who lives over in Milton told Max that it could be next year sometime before the insurance is sorted out and the place is rebuilt. A lot of people had meat in their lockers there.
You wouldn’t guess what I just heard yesterday. Rodney is planning on getting married. Don’t think he’s asked the girl yet but he’s hopeful she’ll say “yes.” He’s making big plans that include moving to where she lives – a little town south, and a bit west of Kansas City, Kansas. Says there are lots of jobs in that area. I don’t know her but Rodney says they have been talking back and forth on the internet for some time.
You probably don’t think anything of that, but as for me, courting on the internet is mind-boggling. Anyway, he already drove down to meet her and plans to keep the road hot every weekend for a while. She’s coming up to visit the family in a few weeks. Guess I’ll meet her then. I hope his plans work out.
Mike’s been very busy over at the tire shop since he’s been carrying the big tractor tires. He told me he was really hard-up for help. Alex and Brayden have been giving his boy Todd a hand in the shop after school until real late at night but he needs full-time day help. When the tractor or combine tires need repair out in the field they have to be fixed and put back in service as quickly as possible. Mike has a new truck and equipment to do the job but those tires are huge and take two men to handle them. He is advertising for help in Ottumwa.
Allen Kemp says he’s having trouble getting our local Trade Paper delivered. You know, the free paper that goes all over the county. There are eight full-time jobs in town just to put the ads and stories in the paper, then it’s printed. And, of course, his regular drivers are out running tractors, grain trucks, and combines. Happens every year. Well, they are getting the paper delivered, but his skeleton crew is working mighty long hours.
Pastor Martin’s goats won first prize again at the State Fair. He’s had a monopoly on blue ribbons at the State Fair for years now. Heard he sold prize winners to a farmer in Canada who’s planning to build a big herd. His goats are meat animals. I think Kylee showed the goats at the fair this summer. Pastor’s kids are growing up. Kylee is teaching in Ottumwa now.
Isaac’s brother over near Milton has a goat operation. He milks his goats. Sells all the milk to the Cheese factory. They’ve done well. They are expanding again.
The backyard gardens are getting the last of the summer’s yield out, put away, or canned in preparation for winter. You can smell the change of season in the air.
Well, Brett, it’s just the same old, same old here, but it’s exciting to us and a time where all the hard work pays off. Not that the farmers are getting rich or anything, but the planting, praying, and hard work of the spring and summer is in our face. Then, as we move toward Thanksgiving, and when the snow starts to fly, everything slows down. We have a lot to thank the Lord for.
We’re thinking of you and pray for you every day. Come home safe.
That’s it for now
From where the corn grows tall and the pigs fly.
All my love
Grampa Jim