Common Sense Agriculture's Blog

All I can say is….

Who knew horses loved licorice so much?

If you are reading this post, I survived my flight from Houston to Waco. There was another post, programmed to release on Monday, if I had crashed.

Have you ever approached a plane and had the hair on the back of your neck stand up…even a little bit?

I fly a fair amount…enough to probably be considered a “regular” flyer. I am not one to have second thoughts about flying…it’s almost second nature so to speak. However, on the evening of January 27, 2012, that was not the case. Read more…

This morning, due to rain, which I welcome very much, since I haven’t started cutting 2nd yet, I found myself in the shop.

I happened to have a culvert pipe laying outside, inviting me to cut it into functional lengths. The pipe I’m using is coated in a tar paper wrap and is known to burst into flame on occasion while being cut with the acetylene torch. Read more…

This letter was sent my way a day or two ago from a friend and I enjoyed so much that I had to share it.

Dear Ma and Pa,

I am well.  Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man  Minch   by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things.  No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay.
Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there’s warm water.  Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food,  plus yours,  holds you until noon     when you get fed again. It’s no wonder these city boys can’t walk much.

We go on ‘route marches,’ which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us.  If he thinks so, it’s not my place to tell him different.  A ‘route march’ is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The sergeant is like a school teacher.  He nags a lot.  The Captain is like the school board.   Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don’t bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing.  I keep getting medals for shooting.   I don’t know why..  The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don’t move, and it ain’t shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home.   Al l you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it.  You don’t even load your own cartridges They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training.  You get to wrestle with them city boys.  I have to be real careful though, they break real easy.  It ain’t like fighting with that ole bull at home.  I’m about the best they got in this except for that Tug  Jordan   from over in    Silver   Lake   .. I only beat him once…  He joined up the same time as me, but I’m only 5’6′ and 130 pounds and he’s 6’8′ and near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter ,

Alice

The following poem was sent to me yesterday. I enjoyed it so much, I had to share.

Jake, the rancher, went one day
To fix a distant fence.
The wind was cold and gusty
And the clouds rolled gray and dense. Read more…