The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois.
I'm a hope'n everyone had themselves a relax'n and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.
Some rain here and there, with strong winds, dampened the festivities for a spell or two but for the most part everything was carried off in a fairly good manner.
More and more folk are start'n up on pick'n corn. The early corn has light test weights and most reports are that, so far, yields are off a bit from last year's predictions, but about in line or between with the feller harvest'n the corn as he was a think'n.
Many now feel USDA, Pro Farmer and informa over-estimated this year's crop yield.
If'n that is so and the national average yield backs off a bit from earlier predictions, then expect better prices.
University of Illinois folk are predict'n the possibility of Chicago Board of Trade prices hit'n $5.00/but before this market'n season is over.
Even if'n it does,much will be marketed before $5.00/bu. As soon as a $4 figure entered the picture, many farmers began aggressively pull'n their marketing trigger.
What ever the possibilities, remember the old adage:
"The Bears make some profits-the Bulls make some profits and the hogs often time come up short."
Beans around these parts have not started turn'n color aggressively yet. More and more sudden death is beginn'n to show in various fields.
East of here, near the Indiana border and on further east, the beans have lost much of their leaves.
Some of those folk claim they will begin harvest'n soybeans the later part of this week and the early part of next week. Hard to believe by the looks of things around here.
That area eastward from Indiana thru Ohio was very dry in August. Most received less than 2 inches of rain.
Their yards are brown and they quit mow'n them several weeks ago. Those farmers are a look'n for a short crop at this time due to dryness late in the summer and wetness earlier in the summer.
Prime Beef Festival, up north into Warren County, is the latter part of this week thru next weekend. It is highly unusual to have much harvest'n started before then. But after that weekend is over many folk usually are chomp'n at the bit to get after it.
Buster Jenks said a Conservation Tillage Field Day is set for Sept. 14th at the Hancock County Extension at the north edge of Carthage. It's from 4 to 7 p.m. and includes free food and a field demo. How's about that! It never hurts to learn somethin' and get fed at the same time! Buster says officials are come'n and discuss'n residue management, tillage, conservation and compliance. The food is some of them delicious grilled pork chops. Hope'n to see you all there.
Fess McGee's saga has pretty well run its course. She went from sleep'n in the van to utilize'n a friend's tent in the woods for a short time. In short order she found an apartment to rent and was able to get her children back.
She has promised to ease off a bit on the liquor and has vowed to back off of mean mouth'n those she happens not to agree with. Patty Murphy even moved back in with her and they seems to be at peace with one another.
The boys has met her several times at the grocery store and she has been down right civil and polite.
Except for an obvious bad case of poison ivy in body places unmentionable, you would never know she spent a spell in the woods in a tent.
"Down here in our neck of the woods lived Aunt Isabel.
Her nephews thought old Isabel was worth her weight in money.
"Just wait till she dies" folk heard them tell, "And we will feast on honey".
And oh, to her they were always nice. Clark used to visit her weekly.
Manzo harked to her marriage advice, nodd'n his head so meekly.
John would praise her spinach bread and Jeff would send her flowers.
(Luke wrote her letters), but quiet Henry would scrub her porch for hours.
They patted her old cat, Genevieve, though they hated the beast beyond say'n.
And they never admitted they needed to leave, when their aunt suggested them stay'n.
They spent many an even'n or holiday at her house in Oscar's Holler.
"It's amaz'n", the neighbors would wink and say, "what a man will do for a dollar".
But Isabel? She would smile her smile, and intimate, oh-so-gently,
That they would never regret the while they spent with their "Dear Old Aunty."
So her nephews weeded her flower bed, her nephews swept her cellar.
And the days they may have wished her dead, they carefully didn't tell her. And-she finally died a while back in the night, in her house in Oscar's Holler.
And her will was found in a dusty eave, and read by a lawyer-scholar. She had fed all her wealth to Genevieve, and her nephews each got a dollar."
I'm a hope'n you and your young'ns take time to regularly visit relatives for the right reasons and not be check'n what's hidden between mattresses while you're there.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch you later,
Barnyard Bruke