Got Grit

This past week at a seed meeting Dana complimented his dealers for having grit. The seed business was complicated this year due to seed supply, timing, returns, and replants. He said grit is defined as firm character, a can't be overcome spirit, courage, and resolution in the face of difficulty.

I like grit. Farmers needed grit this spring as they had less than a dozen fieldwork days in close to three months to get their crop in due to the weather. Last Sunday Jan and I went for a Ranger ride and ended up at my cousin Stanley and Lila's house. I think Stan must have an AC tractor for every piece of equipment he uses.

Stan has a D17 tractor named Walter. Stan and his father Sam bought this D17 at Walter's farm sale in early 1974. I was Walter's hired man from 1971-1973 and put many hours on this tractor as a teenager. I want you to know farming hills with a D17 as your main horse builds grit.

Pablo, Paula, and Justina welcomed Lori into their family this past week. Lori lived in Jamaica. After three years of paperwork her adoption was finalized. Welcome to America Lori.

This is just a shot of some good looking gals at Lori's welcome home party last Sunday at the cabin.

Some of you may have heard about the mammoth bones discovery and dig in our community. After an 8 inch rain three years ago a local farmer saw what he thought was a black bowling ball while picking blackberries for his father. After further investigation he discovered his find was attached to a very large bone.

The local farmer went to country school with Jan so we were privileged with a tour. The dig has confirmed at least three mammoths at this site. When I asked how large they think these guys were the farmer compared their size to his double corn crib. Below is a tooth. The back side has amazing roots. The front side has a gritty surface for eating grass and trees. Scientist estimate the bones to be about 6000 years old. Makes you wonder if they were too big for Noah to get in the ark and the flood got them.

Below are 11 of the grandkids eating dinner at Grandma's house last Monday. They all seem to have plenty of grit.

Ethan had sheep and chickens for 4-H projects. It takes a family to get through fair week. Ethan did well and enjoyed his week. You can't hardly see him in my pickup but I took my 90 year old father-in-law to the fair one day. He had plenty of grit over the years.





Gideon brought his heifer Moon to the fair. Rachael, John, and Adi are helping take Moon back to the barn after weigh-in. I wasn't able to go to the cattle show on Thursday and my phone took poor pictures in the pavilion of the sheep show so you'll all have to go to the kids blog sites for more fair pictures.

These hard workers helped their Uncle Karl separate barrows(boy pigs) and gilts(girl pigs). Karl got in 4400 weaners(21 day old pigs) last week in his hog shed. Barrows and gilts are fed different feed rations. 

There are no two ways around it, baling small square bales of hay is still hard work. So you do some every year because small bales are very sellable, always come in handly, and unloading a hay rack early in the morning during the cool of the day before fair chores teaches grit. 

Rosie used to tell me this saying, "All work and no play makes Johnnie a very boring boy" so we play hard once in a while also. Below Amelia is giving her 4 year old brother Elijah some advice before his race. 

Mark and his two boys, Ethan and Elijah, raced motocross at the Washington County Fair. It was Elijah's first race and this was his classes(4-9 year olds) starting lineup. Notice all the Dad's helping and encouraging their sons. Good stuff.

Dad and sons all had fun and did well even though it was hot. Congratulations and thanks for letting me borrow this picture Stacy.

Kurt and Emily went to Emily's family cabin by Unionville, MO this weekend so at the last minute Kurt decided to take his Can-Am Ranger along, call his friend Andy, and race in a two man Ranger race at the Centerville Fair on the way to Unionville. They were in three races, had a good time, and did well also.

Well as crazy as it may sound after such a wet spring our crops are begging for a rain. The corn is tasseling and trying to pollinate. The beans have stopped growing and are short. Any leftover weeds that did not get killed early are hardened off, are dormant, and are not dying when sprayed. Farming takes grit and trust.

After a sprinkle last Friday evening this rainbow showed up over the McCracken farm. Farming also again and again shows promise. Past experience has taught us that whether we have a bountiful crop or a short crop we have a Creator in charge that promises to take care of us. Have a good week.