Friday, January 23, 2026

Some things are more reliable than even death and taxes. Take the Farm Credit System for example. Since it's farm bill-writing time again, the giant, government-sanctioned, cooperative ag lender is again asking Congress for favors to boost itself in the farm lending marketplace.

This is the season of celebration, and we are enjoying every minute of it. With high school graduation ceremonies behind us, we focused on hosting a party here to mark the occasion for our son and our daughter.

She is Winnie. And she is Ori and Little Sister, and she is Pelly and Polly and Duchess, and she is Sally and Spotty, and she is Missy and Shamrock and Olivia, and she is Maggie and Barney and Brud.

I can understand how the recent heat wave might have caught the corner store unawares in the frozen treat ordering department.

I telephoned. "I'll be out to get some more flowers ... No Dad, I don't need any of the yellow old-fashioned roses or purple iris," I explained, "I just need to get some more tiny violets.

Are you wondering how much to invest in fertilizer this year? We will soon be approaching the period of the forage growing season critical for stockpiling pastures.

On the southern Illinois farm of my youth, the beginning of summer marked the kick-off of a season of great food.

Remember the trepidation of having to climb up the ladder to the dark hay mow very early in the morning after having stayed up late watching a scary movie the night before? It's been years and years ago, but I still feel that tingling in the toes and chills up my spine just thinking about it! Scary story.

Long before there was David Letterman, the University of Tennessee's ag college came up with its own Top 10 list that's worth reviewing.

This spring at our house, we've sampled a couple packages of shipped-in strawberries. They garnish a pretty plate, aren't bad on cereal , but we're still waiting for strawberries fresh from our local patches.