I am hopeful that by the time this article is in your hands farmers like myself will be busy in the fields. As April ends, most farmers want to be busy planting and performing many other tasks in the field and not be “outstanding” in the field looking for Mother Read more…
Imagine John Kiefner as a special agent licensed to kill. What would my agent name be? Would the members of Spectre: Dr. No, Blofeld or Jaws and Goldfinger be in danger? Would I have to drink vodka martinis? That is enough fantasy for now; I am going to finish this Read more…
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, Read more…
I am back, and just in time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of my writing for this paper. Thanks to left shoulder arthroscopy with debridement of the superior labrum, glenoid cartilage, humeral head cartilage, interval capsule and subacromial space combined with open bicep tenodesis I missed 8 weeks of writing. Read more…
What should be outstanding in the field this time of year? When I was young, it was a common practice to use fencing made of wire and wooden pickets to create a temporary snow fence. If you are over 50 and lived in northern Illinois, you should remember the snowstorms Read more…
The year is over and many may be looking forward to 2022. I wonder if many farmers are happy to see 2021 in the rearview mirror or are they dreading the New Year. Despite some stories claiming that inflation is not much of a concern, I think many of us Read more…
Do you remember the public bathroom with a stall that required a nickel to open the door? It is reported that most Americans are chronically dehydrated. I am not one of the 70%-80% that are in that category. I drink water like crazy, which also means I go to the Read more…
The dearth of technology and communication due to my broken cell phone continues on my farm. The few phone calls that I have answered were usually met with much static and frustration. There is some good news about not using the phone; I have not been told that my car’s Read more…
New technology is a blessing and a curse. A recent farm magazine cover showed the multiple faces of Ag technology and included an in-depth article about the future implications of new technology in agriculture. I certainly was not pictured or quoted in the article. Have you ever heard the phrase, Read more…
Do you know how much diesel fuel costs? Do you know how much carbon/carbon dioxide an old diesel engine produces per hour? What farm implement was John Deere’s first claim to fame? Do you remember the iconic antilittering commercial featuring Iron Eyes Cody as an American Indian? Wow, this is Read more…