The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois. A few folk around are a putt'n on NH3 and make'n their neighbors all nervous.
Those that are calve'n now have no time for mud'n the fields for plant'n time. They are just thankful for decent calve'n conditions.
The straight grain man, with time on his hands, gets mighty nervous when he recalls the last two previous wet springs and especially the results of last fall.
Eventually, he can't take it anymore, especially if'n he's got one half the county to farm, and out into the muddy fields he goes with his 4-wheel drive tractor and huge equipment.
Some farmers have been known to state, "If'n they've got to mud their crops in, they'd rather not farm".
Then, as spring develops especially late, they find themselves begging for field conditions one-half as good as those they mocked and turned down earlier.
Oh well, that's the fun and excitement of farming. No one knows for sure the true answers until its too late.
This years mistakes, in farming, are often made on last years lessons!
Which brings me to this weeks poem,
"A Toast to a Fellow I'll Never Know" by a person by the name of Collins written years and years ago.
A Toast To A Fellow I'll Never Know
Here is a toast I want to drink, to a fellow I'll never know-
To the fellow who's going to take my place when it's time for me to go.
I've wondered what kind of a chap he'll be, and I've wished I could take his hand,
Just to whisper: "I wish you well, old man!" in a way that he'd understand.
I'd like to give him the cheering word that I've longed at times to hear;
I'd like to give him the warm handclasp that shows that a friend is near.
I've learned my knowledge by sheer hard work, and I wish I could pass it on
To the fellow who'll come to take my place, some day when I am gone.
Will he see all the sad mistakes I've made, and note all the battles lost?
Will he realize what the failures meant, and the heartaches that they cost?
Will he gaze through the unhappy fruitless toil to the underlying plan,
And catch a glimpse of the real intent in the heart of the vanquished man?
I dare to hope he may pause some day as he toils, as I have wrought,
And gain some strength for his weary task from the battles which I have fought.
But I've only the task itself to leave, with the cares for him to face,
Though I'd like to speak a cheering word to the fellow who'll take my place.
Then here's a toast to your health, old chap, and may Good Luck be your guide!
I couldn't do all I wanted to, no matter how hard I tried.
I've dreamed my dreams, as all men do, but the dreams didn't all come true,
And my prayer today is that all my dreams may be realized by you!
-Collins
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke