The Hardest Job of All
On July 14, 1992 a funeral was held for Stanley Larson of Claremont,
MN. Instead of a hearse the casket was moved by a Minneapolis-Moline tractor
and hay-rack. Stanley bought the model GT new in 1941 and used it until
1969. In 1984 he and son Jeff rebuilt the tractor. Stanley was 80 years
old and farmed with braces or crutches the last 73 years because of polio.
This is dedicated to his memory.
Dad's Tractor
Martin Hagen farmed here in Worth County and raised 5 sons who live
around here yet. This is the true story about 5 boys and a John Deere B.
Richard's Truck
Several years ago I was working on something and my son told me not
to sell my pickup. I was not paying a lot of attention to what he was saying
at the time and I responded with "Sure" and kept on with what I was doing.
It took me a few months to figure it out before I was able to write this.
Nightwork
Sunset is a wonderful time of day. As the sun sets the world changes.
What we could see during the day we can't see at night. Yet we see things
at night we couldn't see during the day. This is a description of watching
the day end from inside a tractor cab. Even if you haven't been in a cab
at day's end, you have still experienced this from your car as you are
traveling. You can see several hundred feet in front with your headlights.
Then there are black spaces but you can see several miles as you look across
the lights of the countryside. And on a clear night you can see for millions
of miles as you look into the sky and see the stars shining. All
this happens at night when we say we can't see anything. The next time
you are driving at day's end I hope you think of this.
Ghost Farmers
Cowboys have the best music. They have Tumbling Tumbleweeds. They have
Cool Water. (Yes, I'm a fan of the Sons of the Pioneers and Bob Nolan.)
They have Ghost Riders. Well, I thought it would be nice if farmers had
some good music like that. Here is Ghost Farmers. It even works to the
melody of Ghost Riders.
A True Story About A Tall Tale
A few years ago I bought an issue of Country America magazine because
it had an article about my hero, Waddie Mitchell. I read the piece about
Waddie and then looked through the rest of the magazine. Down at the bottom
of a page it said, "We're having a tall tale contest. Send us your best
tall tale." I only had one tall tale so it was my best. I sent it it in
and this is what happened.
The Machinery Lover's Lament or If Only Suzzanne
Had Dual Wheels
Suzzannne and I were married a few years ago after I had been "de-married"
for over 10 years. After being single on this farm that long I knew there
were lots of changes coming my way. I wrote this between the time Suzzanne
and I decided to marry and the wedding day.
Farm News and the North Iowa Farmer
I contribute articles for 2 newspapers, Farm News which is published
by the Messenger of Fort Dodge, IA and the North Iowa Farmer published
by the Mason City Globe Gazette. It is fun to meet people and ask
questions as I get to know them. Here are some of my favorite stories.
Milton Riedel of Burt, Iowa
The Tri-County Antique Machinery Club was cutting oats with horses
late July of 1997. One of the observers pointed out Milton Riedel
to me and told me Milt lived with no electricity. December of 1997
I drove to Milt's farm and interviewed him. Milt Riedel is a very
plain-spoken man who lives life his way.
Junior Hurlburt of Lone Rock, Iowa
Junior Hurlburt is a Kossuth county farmer whose family baled hay to
support themselves when he was growing up. Now in his late sixties,
Junior Hurlburt still has ties to baling. He now has restored an
antique Case baler.
Floyd Johnson of Clear Lake, Iowa
A devoted John Deere collector, these are Floyd Johnson's recollections
of being a Deere hunter. Finding the tractor he used in his early
days of farming was the best find and restoration.