The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in Western Illinois.
I'm a hope'n everyone is a keep'n good spirits with all of this bountiful rain and unusual spring weather that is goin on.
Tornadoes in various places along with over 8 inches of rain in 3 days for some of our neighbors-it's might soggy in spots never experienced before.
One feller claims he has recorded, on his farm, over 14 inches of rain in less than 3 weeks.
This very same farmer took pictures of his earlier spring erosion to demonstrate to the conservation department why he needed tillage to fill in some wash outs, in case he was challenged.
Now, he is use'n the pictures as a reminder of the good top soil he once had and has now sent down the river to his neighbors to the south. This is land he'll never get back. It has left a terrible sick feel'n down in the depths of his belly.
He has practiced good conservation practices, as well, thru out his years of farm'in.
These included terraces, waterways, no till farm'n, and strict cooperation with the conservation department. He simply received too much rain in too short a time frame.
Mind you, me self I'm not a gonna complain on the rain. I tried grow'n crops with out rainfall back in "87", "88", and "89." It don't work so well!
In "87" we proved if'n you don't get timely rains dur'in the summer months on the good muscatine soils, you can still raise a decent crop.
In 1988, we proved if'n you don't receive timely rains dur'in the summer months in two successive years on good muscatine soil you're gonna have yield loss.
In 1989, we proved if'n you don't receive timely rains dur'in the summer months in three successive years on good muscatine silt loam soil, you'll be send'n a maximum of one wagon with a sprinkle'n of corn in it's bottom to the elevator at the end of a full day's harvest-dump'in into that single wagon, just to let the elevator man know you still exist, and have not switched loyalty and business to another elevator.
There can be no more gut wrench'in feel'n than operate'n a combine, waste'n fuel, without the sound of grain go'n through it.
It makes a firm resolve to a feller never to complain agin on rain. At least with rain you can mud the crop in, for the rice farmer has been do'in it for years.
Ole "Bill Jones" did his last 40 acres of soybeans that-a-way this spring and with all the additional rain it don't look all that bad.
A might rutty, but at least something is grow'n besides water weeds and cattails.
Of course, he spent the next full day, after finish'n plant'n and leave'n the field, clean'n the huge clumps of mud off the road left by being flung off the duals of his plant'n tractor.
He picked up with his loader tractor, large mud clumps huge enough to demolish todays smaller cars.
He got them back into his fields soon enough to help control, somewhat, erosion before the next cloud burst came along. Large boulders don't erode that well, ya know.
As if things weren't bad enough with Buster Digs grandson and his dead toad, I told ya of last week, now Cornelius Farkwads granddaughter has a fox take'n a keen like'n to her pet chickens.
That critter, on three different occasions, has come near their house, into the chicken lot, grabbed the feathered friends by the neck and ran off with em, right in front of the granddaughter's eyes on each occasion.
Well, the good thing about it is, one more little female tyke has joined the ranks of those learn'n to shoot a gun.
As angry as she is in lose'n her home raised, personally loved and handled chicken pets, I'm a bet'n that fox is in for a big surprise soon!
Anger has no match as to that fury of a 7 year old farm girl out to get even for her pet chicken losses.
But, as sweet as the little girl is, I'm sure she will kill that fox with love. Wouldn't you wonder though, if'n a doll would be less troublesome?
With the heavy rains, dead pet toad of Buster Jigs' grandson, and now Cornelius Farkwad's granddaughter's marauding fox, it only proves a point that me Grandpa taught me many years ago and now its time to pass it along to these young'ns.
If'n you're gonna be a "farmer" you've got to be able to withstand a good solid kick to the jaws from time to time, and smile with whatever snaggle teeth what remains.
If'n that don't suit ya well, then go to town and get yourself a union job somewheres, fer ya ain't gonna make a survive'n farmer without that ability. It's just the way life is on the farm.
I'm hear'n by the grape vine that this Thursday, the Carthage pumping station in Henderson County is getting a million dollars to buy a new pump they've been needin' badly. I'm a wonderin'n just how much a million dollar pump will pump. Hope'n we never'll have to find out, but keep your umbrella handy, and ya boots at the back door.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
Barnyard Bruke