Finishing and Starting

This past Friday evening our oldest grandson, Gideon, graduated from 8th grade at Osky Christian. As Gideon finishes grade school he starts the rest of life that God has planned for him.

 Grandsons Cody, Ethan, and Gideon stood together in their choir performance. Cody and Ethan are in 7th grade.

Congratulations to Brad and Julie on welcoming Brooklynn into their family this week. Brad and Julie are neighbors and Brad works with us farming.

 Rosie has been part of our families life for 40 years. Her and her husband rented their farm to Jan and I when we were just getting started farming. This week we helped Rosie move from White Oak Estates to North Mahaska Nursing.

 It was fun to see and visit with cousin Bill and his wife Noreen last Sunday. Bill is taking up fishing as he enjoys retirement. Bill started his career trucking livestock. Then he got in the insurance business and finished up his working days as a bank president.

 Kurt, Emily, and Jackson also came by last Sunday. After a Ranger ride Kurt helped Jackson start fishing.

We did a fair amount of custom spraying for CPS this week. Yesterday Karl and I pulled into a field where the farmer was just starting to think about getting a crop in.

 You never want to be in a hurry south of Eddyville around the double railroad tracks that go through southern Iowa. This is the route the Amtrack as well as many coal and freight trains use all the time. A freight train came by just as I was approaching the tracks on a gravel road with no lights or bars.

 I was a little slow in getting the sweetcorn sprayed and grass had started emerging so I worked on weeds the old fashion way.

 In some ways we are finishing up as most of our crops are in and emerged. In other ways we are just starting a crop season as we look forward to harvest.

Those folks that took a chance on the weather got some decent hay baled yesterday. Starting and finishing the hay crop in Iowa is usually a challenge with our diverse moisture, temp, and humidity.

 The dike on the new pond project across from Karl and Kristin's house is complete. It just needs some finishing touches with the black dirt around the edges and on the toe.

 Mike and Suzanne had some graduation get-togethers to go to this weekend in NW Iowa so Mike put in some overtime late in the week pushing clay with rain in the forecast for next week. Once you start the dike on a pond it's a little tough to finish if there is water in the bottom.

 This is a start of a new day outside our motel window in downtown Peoria, Illinois Thursday morning. While visiting with folks from all over the country Wednesday evening and Thursday, two things came to mind. At a corn milling conference most participants include business, science, and government, however just about all had and appreciated a connection with the farm. And relationships have more value than occupation.

Pastor Bill from the Nazarene church lives on a farm northeast of town next to a place we farm. He did a great job talking to 8th graders about God's plan for them in life as they finish one stage of their lives and start another.

Next week is Memorial Day when we remember. Whether we are graduating from school and just starting our lives or moving to a retirement home and are close to finishing, God has put us where we are, has a plan for us, and wants us to finish strong for Him.