Why We Do It

I hope Y'all are having a great Thanksgiving Weekend. I know I am.

I often get asked- why do you do it? If farming is that tough why not get out? Those are fair questions.

This year's Agriculturalist of the Year for Fresno County is Jon Marthedal. At his acceptance speech last week he told us of a plaque on his Dad's desk when he was a child. The plaque had the Farmer's Creed from Sperry New Holland. I'll post it below. The Farmer's Creed answers the question of why we do it as well as anyone I know. I wish I had written it.

A Farmer's Creed

I believe a man’s greatest possession is his dignity and that no calling bestows this more abundantly than farming.


I believe hard work and honest sweat are the building blocks of a person’s character.


I believe that farming, despite it’s hardships and disappointments, is the most honest and honorable way a man can spend his days on this earth.


I believe that farming nurtures the close family ties that make life rich in ways that money can’t buy.


I believe my children are learning values that will last a lifetime and can be learned in no other way.


I believe farming provides education for life and that no other occupation teaches so much about birth, growth and maturity in such a variety of ways.


I believe many of the best things in life are indeed free: the splendor of a sunrise, the rapture of wide open spaces, the exhilarating sight of your land greening each spring.


I believe true happiness comes from watching your crops ripen in the field, your children grow tall in the sun, your whole family feel the pride that springs from their shared experience.


I believe that by my toil I am giving more to the world than I am taking from it, an honor that does not come to all men.


I believe my life will be measured ultimately by what I have done for my fellowman, and by this standard I fear no judgment.


I believe when a man grows old and sums up his days, he should be able to stand tall and feel pride in the life he’s lived.


I believe in farming because it makes all this possible.

- Sperry New Holland

I hope Y'all have a great week.

P

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We got the ground bedded up before the rain hit.
Now we will try to get the wheat in in between rains.
We have much to be thankful for. It has been a good year. Below is the text of this week's radio bit on KYNO.

I wish Y'all the Happiest of Thanksgivings!

Reflections on Thanksgiving- 2011

When I was a kid Mom made us send Thank you notes when we got birthday and Christmas presents. At ten I hated it.

Today my illegible, hand written notes are famous among family and friends. I have my fountain pen and sealing wax… When I send a thank you note I want my friends and family to know I appreciate their gift and thoughtfulness.

There is something healthy about saying Thank You.

Considering the daily headlines we sometimes forget we have much for which we can be Thankful. We live in the Land of the Free, Because of the Brave. We forget, that warts and all, we live in a time and place with the most freedom, prosperity and peace for the most people in the history of the world.

We also have someone to whom we can be Thankful for our blessings. I know many people get squidgy about religion and I understand. But, the very freedom to express our religion- or not, is another blessing for which we can be Thankful.

I like Thanksgiving.

The weather has cooled.
The crops are in.
And it is a good time to take a moment out of the rush of daily life, and take a deep breath.
I have much for which to be Thankful and someone to whom I can give thanks for another great year.

Now the Demolition Derby Begins

We finished first pick on Tuesday. Not as good as it looked, but much better than last year.
We are second picking and following with ground work.

The first step is shredding the stalks. Then we have to loosen the roots and start discing.

   I told a few neighbors we had begun the Demolition Derby and they laughed. "Yeah, that pretty well describes it." said one neighbor. The reason I call this demolition derby is that we try to get this all done before the heavy winter rains set in. We have heavy clay soil and once it gets wet it can't be worked without causing compaction that will hurt next year's crop.  It is usually a race to get all the work done before we tear up all the equipment. We have time later in the winter to work on equipment, now is the time to "whoop and scoot."
   We deal with repairs like a NASCAR pit crew. We all gang up on it, fix it and send it back into the race. I admit, not all repairs are to factory specks. Sometimes we hokey joe things so they are good enough to finish the job. Again, we'll have plenty of time later to fix it up to look pretty too.

I wouldn't want to pass up an opportunity to thank our Veterans and their families.
Here is the text for one of my radio pieces for this coming week.

Veterans’ Day- 2011
by Paul H. Betancourt
Copyright, October, 2011
We are approaching Thanksgiving Day in a few weeks. We have much to be thankful for and many to be thankful to.

I would like to start by thanking our Veterans and their families. Ladies and gentlemen as I grow older I have a deeper appreciation for what you have done, not only for our nation, but for me personally.

I have been fortunate enough to travel a little and I have read a bit of history. Through that I have gained a deep appreciation for what we have here. Warts and all we live in an amazing country at an amazing time. We truly live in the land of the free because of the brave. Thank you. If you would allow a civilian- I salute you all with the deepest respect.

I also want to say thank you to the families of our military and our veterans. Our son has served two tours in Afghanistan. Until he left on his first tour we never really understood what the families go through waiting, worrying and praying for our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen while they are gone on a deployment. I want you to know how much I appreciate each one of you.

We really should be thankful every day, but in this season of Thanksgiving I want to give you a special measure of my deep thanks to you all.
I hope y'all have a great week.

P

Indy on the Radio

For those of you who don't get to hear me on the radio, here's the link to my radio bit on Indy.
It's one of my favorites so far.

http://www.940kyno.com/mp3_files/FARM/10-31-11_Indy.mp3

Hope y'all are having a great week.

P