The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everone in western Illinois.
I'm a hope'n, as you might be work'n outdoors in this unusual early warm weather, ya takes it a little easy at first.
No use in a overdo'n it and make'n your muscles complain the next day in an unforgiven manner.
A lot of folks that normally put in gardens have already got some seed tubers and bulbs in the ground. Even some yards has been mowed.
A few folk in these parts has planted some field corn and in some parts ya can row the newly emerged seedl'ns already.
Soil temperature is well over 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the recommended start'n target for many an agronomist.
As far north as Minnesota, a few fields of corn have been planted. I'm a think'n them fellers has lost their calendars and forgot their geography.
With the best seed in short supply this year the majority of farmers is a hold'en off on plant'n.
Should the first plant'n fail it might be most difficult to find equal replacement seed. Besides, federal crop insurance is ineffective on crops planted this early.
A few fields of soybeans has been planted and I knows of one field of beans ya can row.
Wow, how early is that! I figures that feller is a bigger risk taker than me, by a long shot.
Some of those folk plant'n corn early is a hope'n to get a jump start on harvest, come next fall.
That-a-ways they hope to make some grain sales before ever one else typically starts shelling corn with likely harvest prices dip dipp'n down to lower levels as a result.
Next Friday a government report comes out that could affect prices one way or another.
If'n the weather holds good for a spell, allow'n farmers to be in the fields, I reckon farmers will not pay as much attention to the reports affects as they will to get'n field work done.
Much of last year's corn crop is held in farmers hands and he is hold'n tighter than normal.
As fer me and the boys, in our neighborhood we don't pay much mind to government reports as they seem most often to be politically motivated.
Those government statisticians seem to have too good of an eraser on their pencils to be very reliable.
We'd rather rely on a weegee board for predict'n rather than giv'n much credence to government forecasters.
Unless ya likes gamblin' big time, don't let good prices get away from ya once they presents themselves. Anything else is a "sucker's game" with the cards stacked in the dealer's favor.
They might let ya win occasionally, but for the most part once ya is sucked in big time, they'll take your potential money away from ya.
My neighbor, Elmer Fudpuker, off to my east, told of his son, a college freshman, who came home last night and boldly walked into Elmer's living room and announced to his dad:
"Dad, cancel my allowance immediately, rent my room, throw all my clothes out the window, (include'n his "backward billed hat" and "short britches") take my TV, stereo, i-phone, i-pod, my laptop, and trash them all!
"Give my jewelry to the Salvation Army or anyone else more deserving than me.
"Then, sell my car and give the money to any bum come'n down the road.
"Take my front-door key away from me and throw me promptly out of the house.
"Then disown me and never speak to me or of me again.
"And please, don't forget to write me out of your will and leave my share to my brothers and sisters!"
"Oh, wow", I sez to Elmer "your son actually said all of that?"
"Well," Elmer sez, "he didn't put it quite that way." He actually said, "Dad, I've decided to work for Obama's re-election campaign!"
I declare. Elmer caught me "flat footed," on that one!
Have ya ever noticed that lately, folk in the papers protest'n one thing or another, usually has their picture taken with their mouth opened wider than ever seems possible.
Those camera people seem to be good at catch'n people in ugly moments. They even catch athletes and coaches a yapp'n big time at something or another that don't seem to be a go'n their way. Ya can see clear back to their tonsils.
Me and the boys around here was a taken note of that peculiar circumstance when Glen Lukenbinder pointed out what the fruit of the spirit is.
He sez it is gentleness, temperance, goodness, faith, meekness, joy, peace, love, and long-suffering.
With that fact firmly in mind, pointed out by Glen straight from the "Good Book", it seems our secular newspapers might be a pointed toward a "short" orchard crop of "fruit" these days.
Maybe we all could use a little help in those areas. Especially when it comes to our reaction to things we might not agree with.
The buddin' of spring is shor enough put'n the mind into playin' hookie, going fishin' or berry pickin' or even just sittin' in the yard a spell. A few fellers are findin' mushrooms, already. A couple gents over yonder west is a plan'n a fun trip, I hears, near some golf courses down south. Now, I'm a thinkin' that's why farmers love what they do. They don't need a trip some far away place to be outside and enjoyin' nature.
Last Monday, as the wind blew, it seemed rather chilly to be outdoors. Some of the fellers said they was chilled to the bone.
I spotted a thermometer and checked it out to find it was yet in the 50's.
The wind simply made it seem colder than it was. I guess we've been spoiled these last few weeks. After all it remains yet the month of March.
I can vividly remember work'n fields, sow'n oats, and with the March winds blow'n-get'n chilled clear through.
We stuck with it but we was a might younger in those days and we didn't know we had any other alternatives.
Tractors without cabs exposed ya to the elements but did good things for the appetite come dinner time.
No trouble sleep'n come nightfall in those days.
Well, I had better let ya get back to what ever ya was doing before ya started read'n this column. I've enjoyed share'n with ya in a light hearted manner.
Have yourselves a good week a come'n up, don't take yourself too seriously and enjoy life and your family. Hope ta see you'ns in church come Sunday morn'n.
Keep on Smilen
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke