Once A Year In DecemberBy David Kragnes:
The dentist is like Christmas, With sights and sounds and smells That dig their way into your brain Where deepest memory dwells.
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PosturingTo stand or kneel or lay down flat
I’m not sure what to think of that. There’s lots of folks who want to shout, The President has tweeted out, ![]() By David Kragnes For you growers in Brawley California, a snow blower is standard equipment up here in Minnesota for clearing out driveways and yards. It is a mix of augers and fans that chew up the snow and throw it to one side. Metal objects hidden in the snow make a most objectionable mess out of the inner workings. ![]() By David Kragnes Healthcare is a mess in the US. In Minnesota, we decided to spend $400 million on a website so “All Minnesotans could have access to affordable healthcare.” I had bounced along renewing with Blue Cross, which I had had since the ‘70s. This year they decided to drop all individual policies leading to this; ![]() As background for those of you not from the Red River Valley, it was a miserable spring here. It was cold and wet, causing late planting. As July 4 rolled around, the Red River was once again above flood stage. As I write this, there is much need for a dry spell to get after weed control on the acres that are still alive. Then, to top it off, bean prices crashed just yesterday. The June meeting for CoBank was in Boston. My wife, Peggy, came along and one afternoon went on a tour of the Witchcraft Museum in Salem. January of 1692 was a tough winter in Salem, where a strong church following believed firmly in the presence of the Devil. There had been a smallpox epidemic nearby, and there was fear of warring tribes. Tensions were running high. When things go bad, we look for someone to blame. Before the Governor stepped in and put a stop to the witch trials, one person had been crushed to death, seven died in prison and 19 had been hung. Like I said, when things go bad, we look for someone to blame. Read our entire issue and back issues. Click here. ![]() There are some things the Government does that I don’t agree with (no surprise there). Then there are some things the Government does that I don't understand. Daylight savings time is one of those. The times of year when I need to get up early, well, I do. I have faith that most Americans could be trusted with that responsibility. There are so many unintended consequences from arbitrarily moving the clock. What does “High Noon” mean any more? Do we need to change the name of the movie because “high” now comes at 1:00 p.m.? It doesn’t have the same ring to it. If our military folks go into battle and someone yells, “Bogies at 12 o’clock high,” where do they look: straight ahead or 30 degrees to the left? I just don’t feel this was well thought out. Read our entire issue and back issues. Click here. ![]() It’s full of paperwork time. The heap of forms in my office is deeper than the stack of seed catalogs. The frustration is piling up faster than the W-2s and 1099s. Shouldn’t farmers be able to follow the example of Congress and file our 2012 and 2013 papers with the same urgency they have shown passing a 2012 farm bill? Read our entire issue and back issues. Click here. ![]() As I write this, Christmas is close enough to smell. I mean that in mostly a good way. Most of the big holidays have foods associated with them that are so intertwined with the celebration as to almost overtake the holiday itself. Turkey Day is the most obvious. Different ethnic backgrounds and national heritages carry with them special dishes served only on those occasions. Since there are many of Norwegian heritage in my area, much is made about the annual serving of lefse (a potato-based tortilla) and lutefisk (a fish that has been dried, preserved and reconstituted). Editorial: Lefse is served with butter and sugar. What wouldn't a beet grower like about that? Lutefisk is best served with noseplugs. Read our entire issue and back issues. Click here. ![]() Change can be hard. When we get comfortable working with someone to the point where the relationship has been not only professionally rewarding but also has evolved into a long-term friendship, well, it is tough to see it end. This year, Rick Morgan, my instructor in the Moorhead Adult Farm Management class where I’ve participated for 30-plus years, retired. I am sure I will find a way to make my books balance, but it will take some self-discipline. Worse yet, my ag advisor, Virgil Jons, is calling it enough. I have come to rely on him not just for advice about problems in my field. Virgil under- stood, and cared about, my operation — yet was just enough detached to give great personal advice. I would not have been comfortable being so involved with boards and organizations, and therefore gone so much, without his help. I went to the Beet Show
In Fargo at the Dome. It’s handy when it’s there And only twenty miles from home. |
Write Field column is written by David Kragnes. David farms near Felton, MN. He is a former Chairman of American Crystal Sugar Co., and currently serves on the board of directors of CoBank.
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