Early August is the time of year for class reunions. My wife, Pat, went to school in Huntsville, Ark. When I came to Arkansas in 1960, I taught school in Madison County. I taught my wife’s younger sister, Rita, who was in my biology class. She always took credit, or the blame, for getting Pat and I together.
Former Huntsville High students host individual class reunions along with a large combined reunion in Eureka Springs, Ark. Having worked in the area for many years with Tyson I know lots of folks at these reunions, making each year fun to attend.
The first Saturday in August, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the class of 1961. Of course they brought up the skinny cowboy’s picture from the Annual. Just imagine they got twice as much of me as they had back then. Many folks there knew me from my participation with the county fair and the Huntsville Rodeo. Many folks I remembered, many I did not.
Lots of laughs and good-natured ribbing were shared during the reunion. Some traveled quite a ways away to reconnect with old friends.
One of the men there was Tom Jackson, who besides being a farmer, works for the Arkansas Poultry and Livestock Commission. He had great concerns about folks letting their children, and even grownups, wade and swim in the water holes left in the now dry creeks. These potholes are not being flushed by running water and become very dangerous and contaminated with bacteria and e-coli.
If there is not water rushing in those pools stay away from them.
We are living in a lot more crowded world than when many of you were kids. “Aw that won’t hurt you,” is not the case today. Take heed and suggest to others they do the same.
The conversation about hay supplies came up all over, both there and at the big reunion in Eureka Springs. Hay prices are serious business.
Texans have been buying hay for $50 plus. It must be wrapped and sprayed to legally be hauled. But a load of 56 large round bales costs $50 a bale just to deliver them to north central Texas. But without rain, the price per bale is going to go up. Fescue hay at that price is way too high to feed to most anything.
I don’t have any hay and don’t know anyone who does. Some folks have hay but don’t have water. A single cow can drink from 30 to 50 gallons of water a day in 100 degree plus heat. Imagine how much water that is to haul to a herd.
I saw several farmers using this opportunity to clean the muck out of their farm ponds. This is a good time to do that project. We did that in 1980 and it sure improved the holding capacity and water quality when it refilled.
I want to thank the class of 1961 for inviting Pat and I to their reunion as well as Byron Johnson and Dorothy Dyer and all their committee members for putting on the large reunion in Eureka Springs. Every one of those folks said they read my column. We’ll see.
God bless you all, Dusty Richards.
Western novelist Dusty Richards and his wife Pat live on Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas. For more information about his books you can email Dusty by visiting ozarksfn.com and clicking on ‘Contact Us’ or call 1-866-532-1960.
