Editorial / Opinions

To me there is something enchanting about Century Farms and I love having the opportunity to visit Century Farms around the Ozarks. Over the last couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of sharing the stories of three Century Farms.

A good neighbor dropped by Sunday afternoon for a short visit and a wonderful surprise. Before leaving, he went to his truck and retrieved a paper sack. “You’ll like these,” he promised. He sat the sack down on the front porch and drove away.

To me there is something enchanting about Century Farms and I love having the opportunity to visit Century Farms around the Ozarks. Over the last couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of sharing the stories of three Century Farms.

"Your farm dams are leaking and you must have them repaired immediately.” That order came from the state of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality to a rural landowner claiming that after the last heavy rains his two dams had sent lots of trashy branches down stream and this situation must be immediately remedied. This letter sounded very much like a presidential order to cure this hazardous problem or else.

Many times, over the past 20-some years, I’ve described some of the unique gifts that I’ve gotten my wife for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmases. To be completely honest, a lot of those gifts, such as sending her on a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to artificial insemination school, a new squeeze chute, insulated coveralls, a set of bred heifers and even a smaller cab tractor, were as much for me as her. And, as you might have guessed, these were all things she didn’t exactly request.

I had the opportunity to visit the Dominican Republic last month for vacation. It sure was an experience I’ll never forget. I even got the chance to swim with a shark and stingrays.

Many times, over the past 20-some years, I’ve described some of the unique gifts that I’ve gotten my wife for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmases. To be completely honest, a lot of those gifts, such as sending her on a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to artificial insemination school, a new squeeze chute, insulated coveralls, a set of bred heifers and even a smaller cab tractor, were as much for me as her. And, as you might have guessed, these were all things she didn’t exactly request.

I had the opportunity to visit the Dominican Republic last month for vacation. It sure was an experience I’ll never forget. I even got the chance to swim with a shark and stingrays.

It really will be fall soon. Things in life go faster and faster it seems in my life than it did when I was kid. Especially waiting for things to roll around like turning 16 so I could get my license. After school and on weekends I worked on Milky Way Hereford Ranch up on Camelback Road in north Phoenix where there is a big shopping mall now. When I was a boy lots of farm kids drove vehicles starting at age 12. A buddy of mine drove to the license bureau in west Phoenix and got a beginner permit for his folks to fill out. The man said he had to have this filled out and passed before he could drive a car legally. Gene said, “Oh yes, I know that.” He did too, got in the old family car by himself and drove it back home.

How many old men does it take to load one cow?