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IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE, you’ll meet Andrew Barsness, the young farmer on our cover who didn’t grow up on a farm but is making a go of it in Minnesota. Like any grain farmer, he battles broken equipment, mishaps (combine fires!) and ever-changing crop prices. And last year he battled the weather: A hard frost damaged two-thirds of his soybeans before he could get them harvested. Who but a farmer could take a hit like that, chalk it up to bad luck and keep going? Not many, I’d guess. For all who care about farming’s future, the statistics on young farmers are cause for concern. According to the USDA Census of Agriculture, the number of farmers under the age of 45 dropped 26 percent between 2002 and 2012. Data from…
LUNCH IN THE FIELD My nephew, Matthew Bearrows Jr., is ready to head out to the field with his dad. He just had to have his lunchbox! STEVE BEARROWS ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS MYSTERY TOOL We add a Mystery Tool Monday post to our Facebook page every week. This photo, submitted April 9 by reader Jeff Tucker, received several guesses online. Do you think it’s a gate hook, scale or part of a square baler? An Armadillo Surprise It’s normal for some critters to make a home under the slab of our shop/storage building, but we rarely see them. It was quite a surprise to see these young armadillos out grazing in broad daylight. Living in the country is great. JOSEPH AND DIANA MELE QUITMAN, TEXAS Tractor Paint Q&A Question: The John…
The Dogs Will Have Their Day Brenda Williams of Rathdrum, Idaho, shared this photo of her Chihuahua, Kassidy, and her German shepherd, 9er, both 4 years old. “Kassidy isn’t your normal Chihuahua,” Brenda says. “She loves the outdoors—and she follows her big brother everywhere.” For National Dog Day on Aug. 26, we suggest following Brenda’s example: Grab a tackle box, pack the car with snacks and give your hardworking farm dogs the day off to go fishing. Some Like It Hot Each September, the village of Hatch, New Mexico (population 1,600), sees its numbers increase more than tenfold as folks pour in for the Hatch Valley Chile Festival. The region is also ripe for pecans, onions, wheat, lettuce and cotton, but in New Mexico—where the official state question is “red…
SHOWING THE ROPES This is a photo of our friends’ daughter Faith showing her pig in the Larimer County Fair 4-H show ring. She is in our 4-H club and is an awesome example of what 4-H does for kids. She’s a hard worker and a great role model for her peers. Although Faith is competitive, she is the definition of good sportsmanship, always lending a hand to those who need help—even if that means cleaning a pen or washing a hog for someone else. AMBER HERSH CARR, COLORADO 1 BREAKFAST BUDDIES My 20-month-old daughter, Lexie, loves her calves so much! Here she is watching them eat. They are her best friends. KARI PIERCE AVA, MISSOURI 2 CAUGHT RED-HANDED McCoy loves to help himself to his aunt’s fresh garden tomatoes.…
JOSEPHINE (“JO”) BREED: Australian Shepherd AGE: 10 years HOME: Avondale, CO JOB: Therapy dog, retired STRENGTH: Locating lost chickens Her name is Josephine, but we just call her Jo. That was my line whenever we walked into the therapy visits we went on. Jo was certified by Therapy Dogs International, and together we visited nursing homes and assisted living facilities. A few times, we went to the local college so students could visit with a dog during finals. Through the years, Jo has held many jobs, from therapy dog to 4-H dog to all-around farm dog. She is 10 now and retired from therapy work, but don’t tell her that. She’s taken care of kittens and helped me find many lost chickens, always knowing what I mean when I ask…
Favorite Bread & Butter Pickles I made these pickles while growing up, and I love them because you can eat them with just about anything. The tradition continues: Both of my children love them, too. PREP: 45 min. + standing PROCESS: 10 min./batch MAKES: 11 pints 20 cups sliced cucumbers (about 12 medium) 3 cups sliced onions (about 4 medium) 1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced 1 medium green pepper, sliced 3 qt. ice water 1/2 cup canning salt 6 cups sugar 6 cups white vinegar 3 Tbsp. mustard seed 3 tsp. celery seed 11/2 tsp. ground turmeric 1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 1. Place cucumbers, onions and peppers in a large bowl. In another large bowl, mix ice water and salt; pour over vegetables. Let stand 3…
