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PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS MIGHT BE the most important quality in those who make their living on the land. This occurred to me while reading Garrett Dixon’s farm diary beginning on page 26. It seemed something broke down every day on Garrett’s cotton farm, even his brand-new equipment. But, undeterred each time, Garrett slowed just long enough to figure out the workaround. That theme popped up over and over in this issue. First-time farmers Pauline and Tom Hylton turned to YouTube to learn how to plant 1,500 asparagus crowns. You can read their story on page 19. And sheep rancher John Helle and his family created their own clothing company when disappointed by wool prices in the open market. The Helles’ story begins on page 48. All this ingenuity is behind the…
Old-Fashioned Farm Fun I can identify the 51/8-by-½-inch metal item pictured in your February/March 2018 What Is This? column. It’s a draw pin, and it is used to attach a wagon tongue to the drawbar of a tractor. I grew up on a small dairy farm in west-central Wisconsin. I have many cherished memories of farming the old-fashioned way. I shocked many bundles of oats threshed by my uncle’s Red River Special threshing machine. My job was to pitch the bundles onto the wagons. I also drove our 8N Ford tractor and wagon with the hay loader attached behind to load loose hay. We worked hard and laughed hard, and we ate really wonderful meals, too. FREDERICK STEIN ALBERT LEA, MINNESOTA My son, Johnny, is the best chicken trainer. Here…
Ride ’em, Cowkids Hold onto your fleece at the 68th annual Miles City Bucking Horse Sale’s Mutton Bustin’ event. Kids age 4 to 7 fly out of the big chutes on sheepback, holding on for as long as possible at the May 17-20 event in Miles City, Montana. The winner gets playground bragging rights, and the sheep get a moment of rest before being sold the following week. buckinghorsesale.com Old MacDonald Had A Robot Watch ag and tech unite at the La Habra Citrus Fair in La Habra, California, May 4-6, where farming’s next great innovation just might be discovered during the Robot Rally. citrusfair.com Round Up Pups The cattle dog demonstration at the Great Bend Farm and Ranch Expo is something to holler about. Learn to use hand signals…
SOME PIG Patty T. Pig, my 1,000-pound pet pig, passed away in 2016 at age 16. She was a lucky girl, living the life on my family’s land, Springdell Farm. My family has been on this land since 1931, but it has been farmed since the 1700s. Patty played a large role in the community, appearing at many events, and children just adored her. I loved that old girl, too. JAMIE CRUZ LITTLETON, MASSACHUSETTS HEADING HOME My grandchildren race back to the barn on their horses after a long day spent rounding up cattle. Grace leads the way on Vegas, followed by Lexi on Ruby and Mac on Bugsy. My heart swells with pride while watching these kids live the country life. SUZANN MILLER HYRUM, UTAH A DIRTY JOB Muddy…
NAME: Buster BREED: Mixed AGE: 5 years HOME: Moulton, AL JOBS: Bodyguard, buddy STRENGTH: Lifeguarding Before he came to our farm in 2015, Buster, my 5-year-old dog, lived with my niece and nephew in an urban area where he frequently escaped from the fenced yard to wander. Now he runs freely, exploring the entire farm at will. He was meant to roam wide-open spaces. We think he may have some greyhound mixed in with Lab and shepherd breeds. With his varied pedigree, we like to call him our Heinz 57 dog. When I feed the cows, horses and other farm critters, Buster sticks right by my side. He is quite dependable and fearless. On Christmas Day in 2015, we had a huge flood. Buster and I headed out to check…
Tarragon Asparagus I grow purple asparagus, so I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. Recently, my husband and I discovered how wonderful any color of asparagus tastes when it’s grilled. SUE GRONHOLZ BEAVER DAM, WISCONSIN TAKES: 15 min. MAKES: 8 servings 2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup honey 2-4 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon DIRECTIONS On a large plate, toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper. Grill, covered, over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning occasionally and basting frequently with honey during the last 3 minutes. Sprinkle with tarragon. 1 SERVING: 76 cal., 4g fat (1g sat. fat), 0 chol., 302mg sod., 11g carb. (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g pro. Diabetic exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 starch,…
