Editorial / Opinions

Farmers and ranchers have always suffered from job-related health problems. Most of them over the age of 50 (myself included) have some sort of permanent hearing problems from spending a lifetime being around and/or operating loud machinery. It would be much more “cool” to my sons if I could blame my hard-of-hearing problem on the rock music of the 70s, but in reality, I know it’s from 57 years of running everything from feed grinders to chainsaws to every kind of unmuffled motor that exists. At least my wife’s yelling doesn’t sound so shrill anymore.

How about this weather? Do these record-setting, freezing temps mean we’re experiencing “global cooling” now? The new verbiage I hear on the radio has been “climate change,” since newscasters can’t talk with a straight face about “global warming” when Florida’s winter crops of strawberries and oranges are threatened with record lows.

Although I was disappointed with the price of milk in the early 60s, I was greatly encouraged when Kennedy was elected president. “Jack will take care of us Democrats,” I thought, “and the price of milk will be good.” So we borrowed $4,000 to build a new walk-through milking parlor and milkhouse.

Farmers and ranchers have always suffered from job-related health problems. Most of them over the age of 50 (myself included) have some sort of permanent hearing problems from spending a lifetime being around and/or operating loud machinery. It would be much more “cool” to my sons if I could blame my hard-of-hearing problem on the rock music of the 70s, but in reality, I know it’s from 57 years of running everything from feed grinders to chainsaws to every kind of unmuffled motor that exists. At least my wife’s yelling doesn’t sound so shrill anymore.