StillWatersIowa: Holding Harris

Harris Jordan was welcomed into the world by his brothers about 3 hours after he was born. He weighed 10 1/2 lbs and was hungry the minute he arrived. These four boys belong to Brian and Becky.

The older three brothers stayed over for a couple of days. They enjoyed Grandma's cooking and helping Grandpa, always asking if we could use the Ranger during our jobs.

Grandma still loves and gets along well with babies. Harris is our 16th grandchild. We are so blessed to have our children live close and see their families every week. We couldn't have prepared, planned, or even dreamed of the changes, opportunities, trials, and blessings we've experienced since our first was born 37 years ago next month.

Brother Bill and his wife Julie are grandparents for the second time. Daughter Hannah and husband Tony welcomed Evelynn Tiah into their family this past Wednesday.

The grain markets are thinking we have a big crop coming. The corn market dropped 30 cents/bu. this week and $1.30/bu. since spring. Eddyville corn bid for last half October is $3.50/bu. The soybean market dropped over a dollar/bu. this week.

More often than not the grain markets break from their spring highs sometime between the 20th of June and the 10th of July. Hopefully farmers have forward priced some of their 2014 crop and/or bought put options to establish a floor price. There is a risk in selling ahead of the combine or even the planter. There is also a risk in waiting.

It's been a week of looking back and looking forward. So much has changed. Life seems faster. How we farm. How we communicate. How we get from point A to point B. When I was born 58 years ago my parents lived on a dirt road in a two room house. I think they got indoor plumbing the year I was born.

When Jan and I got married we lived on gravel in a small rented house we paid $75/month. This bridge close to Tracy reminds me of the one that used to be below Bellfountain Hill on Hwy 92. For some reason I still remember buying a IH 715 combine in Knoxville the first year we were married. Jan went across the Des Moines River on a bridge like this to stop traffic so I could get across. Today we live just a mile off of a 4 lane divided highway.

Speaking of bridges, this crew put one in this week. We are changing up our 4-wheeler and Ranger paths a little that some of you have been on when you've visited StillwatersIowa.

Last Sunday the 8th grade class of 1969 from Osky Christian Grade had a 45th year reunion at the cabin. These folks were a year ahead of me in school. I stopped by their get together for a cup of coffee, a picture, some cool stories about the old days, and what they are all up to today.

We occasionally stop by and visit Edgar. He lost his wife this past spring. The original room of the home he lives in was a cabin built in 1844. Wow. I think that was even before Iowa was a state.

He passes the time by feeding chipmunks that live under his home. The Ritz cracker can he had his sunflower seeds in was metal. That can must be 60 years old.

Despite all our modern changes, conveniences, and faster life pace, our culture has gotten sidetracked. Our countries leaders are trying their hardest to do away with acknowledging God and the values He put in place and what our countries founders built our country on. Family, freedom, life, and marriage.

I'm thankful the racing industry still acknowledges God by praying before every race. As a society we no longer allow God in our public schools and civil buildings.

It's not rocket science to figure out we have problems when we as a country protect unborn wildlife, yet legally allow human babies to be killed up to the time of birth, and publicly pay for it with our tax dollars.

So what will life be for Harris? How will he travel 50 years from now? What will he do for a living? Will he still have the freedom to have as large a family as he wishes? Will he be allowed to own property? Will he be allowed to acknowledge his Creator and worship freely? What are we as a generation of grandparents doing to keep our freedoms and values for our grandchildren? Are we making things happen or are we watching things happen? Or will we someday wonder what happened?