Back in the 1970’s I remember riding my bike to a new subdivision that had been recently built next to my family’s farm to see some friends from school. My mom made sure I wore clean and good, clothes to school, but after school I had to change and put on “play clothes.” I should have learned something that day that could have made me rich and famous. Instead, I have to work hard each day in the farm fields and spend one night each week penning this column.
First, I think I should follow up on the field of 4th cutting alfalfa that I referenced in last week’s article. The field of 21 acres produced 11 bales to the acre. That is a pitifully low amount of hay, but it is some of the most gorgeous hay I have ever baled. It looks like green leaves that are magically packed into cubes. I dare not calculate what it cost me per bale to make it. When I factor in the cost of the equipment (wear and tear/depreciation, repairs, fuel), rent, fertility and labor, what do I have to charge per bale to make a profit? Time will tell if any customers will pay me what I value it to be worth.
I know several people that claim a farmer’s labor is free. Is it crazy to make such a statement? Many farmers do indeed work 80-100 hours per week and can never charge for overtime. What is my time really worth? That statement might be plausible if I had extra time on my hands; however, I was baling hay many times this fall while my neighbors were harvesting corn and soybeans. Is it possible I may regret all the hours I spent in hay fields instead of my cornfields?
More than once I have seen some extreme crop losses in my fields. It may indeed pay big dividends to complete the harvest early this year. The corn plants are very mature and appear to be decaying more each day. Stalk strength is practically non-existent. Many fields have downed/lodged corn from earlier winds and storms. It is very hard to make broken plants and ears of corn defy gravity to go up into the combine for harvest. Not to mention how much harder it is to harvest when the favorable hot and dry weather becomes cloudy, wet/drizzly and damp. Will farmers, and myself, be able to finish corn harvest in favorable weather without leaving too much of the crop in the field?
I would not have to worry about my corn yields if I had taken notes and capitalized on what transpired that one day back in 1977 when my friends ridiculed me for my clothing. The pants I wore that day were ripped above the knee. This was a common occurrence with the pants that I wore for play and helping my dad on the farm. My friends scoffed at my ripped pants. It amazes me that what brought scorn back then is now the utmost in fashion. Why would anyone buy pants and in some cases pay a ridiculous amount of money if they are already ripped?
If I had become the next Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren by marketing brand new jeans with rips in the leg, I probably wouldn’t care about rogue ears of corn lying in the field. Here is the kicker; I am still out of style. I do not own a single pair of jeans with a rip in them. In the last 15 years I have spent almost every minute from April to November wearing shorts and I am definitely not wearing ripped clothing in winter. However, if anyone makes fun of the shorts I am wearing lookout! I may be able to get rich with the next big fashion craze and never have to go into a cornfield again.
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