Do you celebrate April Fool’s Day? Do you ever wonder if you are a fool? I suspect I have been a fool many times. But, I must clearly state, I will always have fond thoughts of that day coveted by jokesters, April 1.
I am not an environmental activist. However, I try to be cognizant of all the things I do in my life and how they affect the planet. The only vehicles I own are pickup trucks. That means whenever I drive my fuel economy is not good, usually 5-15 MPG. I lament the few times a week I have to drive and truly do not need a truck. It happen so seldom I cannot justify buying a fuel-efficient car with more repairs, insurance, and registration to only save a couple hundred gallons of gas per year.
When I drive, I notice many other motorists driving pickup trucks. I suspect many of these motorists rarely need a truck. I rarely do not need a truck. With the current price of gas, does anyone other than me feel like a fool when they drive their gas-guzzler unnecessarily? How high does gas have to get before we have a “fire-sale” on inefficient fuel vehicles like we did in 2007-08? If that happens, would I be a fool to buy a newer truck at discount prices?
There is a lot of speculation about how supply chain disruptions and exorbitant costs of fuel, fertilizer and certain herbicides may affect agriculture. Will all the nitrogen fertilizer and weed killers be available when we need it this growing season? Will we be able to afford it, or justify using it? Will farmers change farming practices and/or manage their inputs to conserve valuable resources and money?
I speculate that if I fertilize my hay fields to the correct agronomic rates for top yields I will have to sell my hay for more than the customer may be willing to pay. Am I a fool to grow hay if I know the buyer is using it to feed horses and not animals that will be human food? During the last major recession that was also partly fueled by high crude oil costs, pun intended, many horse owners quickly liquidated their horses when finances became tight. Lower hay demand usually translates into oversupply and lower prices. Should I make the decision now on which hay fields to destroy and convert to corn and soybeans? Should I even grow hay in lieu of crops that will be vital calories for humans instead given the current state of international affairs? Am I foolish to not concentrate my farm 100% on food production?
I was taking a long break from writing this column when my farmer friend and mentor from eastern Will County, Lee Deutsche passed away. Lee was a pioneer in conservation farming practices. He believed that the soil and our agricultural lands were vital and needed to be preserved for future generations. He fought the urban sprawl of the proposed third airport and exhibited great compassion for his fellow man. Lee always nurtured me to make decisions for future generations and to cheer for the Cubs despite being a White Sox fan.
Lee was born on April 1, 1940. Make no mistake; even though he was born on April fools day, Lee was no fool. April 1st will always have a special meaning to me for the rest of my days. I wish I could consult Lee now, I suspect his insight would prevent me from doing something foolish.
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