I've thought for many years now that speed limits are merely a suggestion. Now I suppose the police and highway patrol don't necessarily agree, but depending on where you live, it is fact.
Here is an example that I still can hardly believe... On Denver area freeways, you can actually get a ticket for impeding traffic if you drive the speed limit in the hammer lane during rush hour. The logic behind this nutty idea is that driving the speed limit will force some aggressive drivers into road rage being stuck behind a law abiding citizen on their way home to supper. If the limit states 65, then the usual speed is around 75. Even the EPA with their gas mileage testing include speeds up to 85 MPH, so our government is aware the reality of driving is often higher than the posted limit.
What brings this up is that last night we were out to supper at the Bartley Cafe for their Mexican Night, and I sat next to the oldest speeding ticket I've ever seen. I'm not sure what year the "ticket" was written, but the driver was cited with a hand written ticket for going over 20 miles per hour in town. Along with the ticket was the official court proceedings as the driver plead not guilty to the charge.
OK... so this is really a plug for the Bartley Cafe, though they don't know about it. The cafe is owned by the town of Bartley, and the walls are covered with old pictures and other historical memorabilia from the towns past. On Thursday nights, they have Mexican Night from 5 PM until 8 PM. I have no idea about the food quality any other time, but on Thursday nights (the only night the cafe is open) it is outstanding. We have spent a good many dollars in Mexican food establishments over the years only to be disappointed with the fare available, but not so in Bartley!
Whoever is making the green chili knows how REAL Mexican food should be prepared in my opinion, not the Americanized imitations available at most places. The shredded beef is outstanding, and though the atmosphere has little to do with Mexico except for the menu on Thursday nights, this little place gets two thumbs up from us.
I hope you will take the time for the short trip to Bartley some Thursday night to sample some really good chow, and if you get stopped for speeding on the way, you might try telling the officer that you thought the speed limit was just a suggestion and see what he says.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tomato Wars - A Dirty Business
September 16, 1985 - Twin Lakes, Colorado
That's the date that CBS News reporter Dan Rather reported on the Colorado tomato wars held in the town of Twin Lakes. It seems that a fellow named Tayor Adams started the wars in 1982 as a protest against Texans in Colorado who were, in his mind, constantly trying to change the environment of the state. A bunch of Coloradans and Texans got together and threw tomatoes at each other until everybody was out of tomatoes. This went on for several years with the winner declared by whoever had the least amount of tomato damage inflicted upon their team. Varying strategies were employed with varying degrees of success, but getting dirty was always part of the plan.
Spring, 2008 - Cambridge, Nebraska
I have no personal knowledge of this occurrence so it may not be, but it is rumored that there is an annual tomato war of sorts right here on Road 409. I was told about some neighbors, whom will remain unnamed, that go toe to toe to see who can grow the first tomato. Perhaps going to the extreme of getting up early in the morning to get the best selection of tomato plants at the store as there might be one with a bloom on it already! Not a dirty war at all, but good natured fun between friends.
Summer, 2008 - Cambridge, Nebraska
Margie is engaged in her own tomato war at the time. Actually this war is being waged over tomatoes, not with them. Since our tomato plants were planted about a month behind most other peoples in the area, we're just now starting to get our first tomatoes. Unfortunately, grasshoppers and other invaders seem to like them too, so a constant battle between her and them is underway. Dirt is involved to some extent.
Fall, 2008 - U.S.A.
With all the dirt on the airwaves right now, it must be an election year. McCain and Obama have not been officially nominated by their respective political parties yet, but everybody knows it's them so they're really into the battle now. I was really hoping for a realistic debate of the issues, but the road to the White House seems to be paved in mud, and there is never a clear cut winner in the slinging contest in my opinion. The real messages of the election are buried below the negative rhetoric, and it's pretty well documented that even though we don't like negative campaigns, they work. One thing Bill Clinton said that is obviously true about presidential elections is that "politics is a contact sport".
With all the tomatoes available just on Road 409 this year, I wish McCain and Obama would show up and have their own tomato war instead of the mud slinging affair going on right now. I'd love it if all the negative campaign crap was summed up by the two presumptive candidates being covered in rotten tomato guts, instead of listening adnausium to their double talk, half truths, and scare tactics. They would both look about as clean as they do now... figuratively speaking.
That's the date that CBS News reporter Dan Rather reported on the Colorado tomato wars held in the town of Twin Lakes. It seems that a fellow named Tayor Adams started the wars in 1982 as a protest against Texans in Colorado who were, in his mind, constantly trying to change the environment of the state. A bunch of Coloradans and Texans got together and threw tomatoes at each other until everybody was out of tomatoes. This went on for several years with the winner declared by whoever had the least amount of tomato damage inflicted upon their team. Varying strategies were employed with varying degrees of success, but getting dirty was always part of the plan.
Spring, 2008 - Cambridge, Nebraska
I have no personal knowledge of this occurrence so it may not be, but it is rumored that there is an annual tomato war of sorts right here on Road 409. I was told about some neighbors, whom will remain unnamed, that go toe to toe to see who can grow the first tomato. Perhaps going to the extreme of getting up early in the morning to get the best selection of tomato plants at the store as there might be one with a bloom on it already! Not a dirty war at all, but good natured fun between friends.
Summer, 2008 - Cambridge, Nebraska
Margie is engaged in her own tomato war at the time. Actually this war is being waged over tomatoes, not with them. Since our tomato plants were planted about a month behind most other peoples in the area, we're just now starting to get our first tomatoes. Unfortunately, grasshoppers and other invaders seem to like them too, so a constant battle between her and them is underway. Dirt is involved to some extent.
Fall, 2008 - U.S.A.
With all the dirt on the airwaves right now, it must be an election year. McCain and Obama have not been officially nominated by their respective political parties yet, but everybody knows it's them so they're really into the battle now. I was really hoping for a realistic debate of the issues, but the road to the White House seems to be paved in mud, and there is never a clear cut winner in the slinging contest in my opinion. The real messages of the election are buried below the negative rhetoric, and it's pretty well documented that even though we don't like negative campaigns, they work. One thing Bill Clinton said that is obviously true about presidential elections is that "politics is a contact sport".
With all the tomatoes available just on Road 409 this year, I wish McCain and Obama would show up and have their own tomato war instead of the mud slinging affair going on right now. I'd love it if all the negative campaign crap was summed up by the two presumptive candidates being covered in rotten tomato guts, instead of listening adnausium to their double talk, half truths, and scare tactics. They would both look about as clean as they do now... figuratively speaking.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Barn Envy
Unless you have a crappy barn, you probably don't have barn envy. We've got a pretty crappy barn, so you can probably guess that I have barn envy. Barn envy is the feeling I get whenever I see an old barn that has been saved from the dozer or match. Our barn could have met that fate easily, but I wanted a barn for some reason so now I'm paying the price.
Around Cambridge, there are plenty of old barns, but only a few give me barn envy. It appears that modern day farmers don't use barns much anymore. Pole and steel buildings have almost completely replaced the old wooden structures with the cupola on the roof...if indeed a cupola is present. The barns that really catch my eye are those having a coat of barn red (why were barns usually painted red?) and that have been maintained or rebuilt.
Take my barn for example. The place we bought was a hog operation at one time, and the barn was used for... well, hogs. Unfortunately for me, the hog operations created a rather deep layer of manure that sat against the walls since who knows when, and rotted the sill plates and many of the wall studs. For a modern day farmer to spend the time on the old structure on our place would be out of the question. It is too small for modern farming operations and would quickly become a training exercise for the local volunteer fire department or be buried with all the other unwanted items hidden underground already.
Enter us city folk with the grand idea of saving the barn. Well, to make a long story short, our barn hasn't been buried or burned yet and it's a lot more stable than when we bought the place. Most of the bad sill plates and rotted studs have been repaired, much of the damaged siding on the barn has been replaced with salvaged siding from a derelict farmstead nearby. I hope to be mostly done with repairs and painting in a couple three weeks.
It will look just like any old barn that somebody painted when I get done, but at least it will look like we care about the poor old thing. It's too small a barn for much of any real use. I'll put the mechanized assault vehicle (riding mower) in there once I get the shi... er.. stuff shoveled out, and the building is pretty good habitat for barn swallows and a dry place for all the salvage wood around the place. Too bad it never had a cupola, but then I have no idea how I'd get up there to paint it anyway.
Around Cambridge, there are plenty of old barns, but only a few give me barn envy. It appears that modern day farmers don't use barns much anymore. Pole and steel buildings have almost completely replaced the old wooden structures with the cupola on the roof...if indeed a cupola is present. The barns that really catch my eye are those having a coat of barn red (why were barns usually painted red?) and that have been maintained or rebuilt.
Take my barn for example. The place we bought was a hog operation at one time, and the barn was used for... well, hogs. Unfortunately for me, the hog operations created a rather deep layer of manure that sat against the walls since who knows when, and rotted the sill plates and many of the wall studs. For a modern day farmer to spend the time on the old structure on our place would be out of the question. It is too small for modern farming operations and would quickly become a training exercise for the local volunteer fire department or be buried with all the other unwanted items hidden underground already.
Enter us city folk with the grand idea of saving the barn. Well, to make a long story short, our barn hasn't been buried or burned yet and it's a lot more stable than when we bought the place. Most of the bad sill plates and rotted studs have been repaired, much of the damaged siding on the barn has been replaced with salvaged siding from a derelict farmstead nearby. I hope to be mostly done with repairs and painting in a couple three weeks.
It will look just like any old barn that somebody painted when I get done, but at least it will look like we care about the poor old thing. It's too small a barn for much of any real use. I'll put the mechanized assault vehicle (riding mower) in there once I get the shi... er.. stuff shoveled out, and the building is pretty good habitat for barn swallows and a dry place for all the salvage wood around the place. Too bad it never had a cupola, but then I have no idea how I'd get up there to paint it anyway.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Bug Of The Week
So far, the bug of the week is a black wasp like flying insect that is tough to kill even with the infliction of numerous crushing rolled up newspaper blows. I've found that several swats are usually not enough, and the sole of my shoe is often required. These are the toughest bugs I've ever run into which is not to say that I have a lot of experience, just that I've swatted my share.
This is just the latest of a long line of bugs that decided to visit the farm, and it seems like we have a different predominate visitor from week to week. When we lived in the city, our most frequent invaders seemed to be ants and we had no trouble dispatching them, not the 'roided up super bugs we've encountered in Nebraska.
First up in the spring we had flys, followed by (not necessarily in order) Box Elder bugs, crickets, bees, wasps, moths, mosquitoes, some very tiny black flying things, and a large assortment of beetles and spiders. I'm glad we've got a few predators around to help thin out the menagerie as the barn swallows seem to be pretty excited at breakfast and supper time.
With Fall approaching faster than I figured, I've got some work to do around the place, and I hope to reduce the number of overwinter insects with some advance defensive work. Now all I need to do is find the time to research what works, how to apply it, and when. At the rate I've been getting things done lately though, we'll be in for a repeat bug parade next Spring if I don't kick it into high gear real soon.
This is just the latest of a long line of bugs that decided to visit the farm, and it seems like we have a different predominate visitor from week to week. When we lived in the city, our most frequent invaders seemed to be ants and we had no trouble dispatching them, not the 'roided up super bugs we've encountered in Nebraska.
First up in the spring we had flys, followed by (not necessarily in order) Box Elder bugs, crickets, bees, wasps, moths, mosquitoes, some very tiny black flying things, and a large assortment of beetles and spiders. I'm glad we've got a few predators around to help thin out the menagerie as the barn swallows seem to be pretty excited at breakfast and supper time.
With Fall approaching faster than I figured, I've got some work to do around the place, and I hope to reduce the number of overwinter insects with some advance defensive work. Now all I need to do is find the time to research what works, how to apply it, and when. At the rate I've been getting things done lately though, we'll be in for a repeat bug parade next Spring if I don't kick it into high gear real soon.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Home Delivery
After spending the winter attacking 4 acres of mostly weeds that were 8 to 12 feet tall, we decided this spring to NOT plant anything that needing much care including a garden. For one thing, we were concerned about how we were going to take care of to us what seemed like a park sized yard. How much trouble would we have trying to get the yard and property spruced up would help us decide how big a garden to plant in the future.
Enter my mother...
While Mom was here in June, she decided that we needed a pepper and a couple tomato plants. Never mind that she wouldn't be here to enjoy them at harvest, she just had the perfect place in mind and that's where they went. All summer, Margie nurtured those plants but the pepper didn't do much except occupy space. The tomato plants on the other hand went nuts! The two plants now look down on my 5'2" wife, and there are blooms on them everywhere. Only problem is we've had blooms like this all summer it seems and only yesterday did Marge pick her first tomato from our farm(stead). There are some other tomatoes getting close to being ripe, but there are less than a dozen on both plants so far.
Shortly after our initial "harvest", one of our neighbors showed up with a yellow 5 gallon bucket in his hand. Now I figured he was bringing some more sweet corn as he had stopped just a day or so earlier with the same yellow container full of what I have to say was some of the most delicious corn on the cob I've had...ever. Anyway, it turned out it wasn't corn, but tomatoes. 5 GALLONS of tomatoes. We got one tomato and he's got 5 GALLONS he's giving away.
Needless to say, it stole a bit of Margie's tomato thunder, but she got right to work and we've got a pretty good supply of tomato soup available for use this winter already. The unexpected benefit of country living is reaping the benefits of our neighbors gardens, and it turns out they provide home delivery as well!
I think I've mentioned we've got great neighbors before, but if you don't know, we've got GREAT neighbors! Folks are so generous around here providing us home grown goodies including rhubarb, cut green beans, pitted cherries (ready for a pie!), sweet corn, and now tomatoes.
Next year we're going to have a garden. Now I don't know what we'll plant that the neighbors don't already have, but we hope to repay a bit of their kindness with some home delivered produce of our own.
Enter my mother...
While Mom was here in June, she decided that we needed a pepper and a couple tomato plants. Never mind that she wouldn't be here to enjoy them at harvest, she just had the perfect place in mind and that's where they went. All summer, Margie nurtured those plants but the pepper didn't do much except occupy space. The tomato plants on the other hand went nuts! The two plants now look down on my 5'2" wife, and there are blooms on them everywhere. Only problem is we've had blooms like this all summer it seems and only yesterday did Marge pick her first tomato from our farm(stead). There are some other tomatoes getting close to being ripe, but there are less than a dozen on both plants so far.
Shortly after our initial "harvest", one of our neighbors showed up with a yellow 5 gallon bucket in his hand. Now I figured he was bringing some more sweet corn as he had stopped just a day or so earlier with the same yellow container full of what I have to say was some of the most delicious corn on the cob I've had...ever. Anyway, it turned out it wasn't corn, but tomatoes. 5 GALLONS of tomatoes. We got one tomato and he's got 5 GALLONS he's giving away.
Needless to say, it stole a bit of Margie's tomato thunder, but she got right to work and we've got a pretty good supply of tomato soup available for use this winter already. The unexpected benefit of country living is reaping the benefits of our neighbors gardens, and it turns out they provide home delivery as well!
I think I've mentioned we've got great neighbors before, but if you don't know, we've got GREAT neighbors! Folks are so generous around here providing us home grown goodies including rhubarb, cut green beans, pitted cherries (ready for a pie!), sweet corn, and now tomatoes.
Next year we're going to have a garden. Now I don't know what we'll plant that the neighbors don't already have, but we hope to repay a bit of their kindness with some home delivered produce of our own.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thanks!
Just a word of thanks for everyone that supported the Furnas County Relay For Life. We had a good turnout and over $30,000 was raised to help fight cancer and provide funds to wipe out this dreaded disease. It rained and the event closed up about 3AM, but I can still feel those miles in my legs so I won't complain about not walking further.
Thanks again everyone!
Thanks again everyone!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Too Late
I suppose it's too late to back out now. Today is the Furnas County Relay For Life and our team is in town and we'll get set up for the Relay this afternoon. We've bothered just about everybody we know for a donation, but I wish we could have done better. It's tough asking people to donate to charity when they have plenty of things going on in their own lives.
For example, my brother-in-law got laid off his job in Denver a month ago, yet sis and bro in law somehow managed a big contribution. They have 2 kids so making a donation had to be a real stretch for them, yet they felt compelled to help out.
I know McCook had it's Relay last week and many of you donated to that worthwhile cause, but for those of you that didn't, forgot, or maybe never thought about contributing to cancer research, it's really not too late to help.
Tonight starting at 7PM at the Cambridge track and football field, those of us that feel very strongly about helping find a cure for cancer will be out putting some miles on our shoes until 7AM Saturday morning. There will be games, food, basket autcion (there is some really cool stuff up for bid) and numerous activities for the whole family.
It may be too late for us to back out of the Relay as I'd rather sleep than walk all night, but it's not too late for you to help our cause. If you can't make it to the Relay, you can still help beat cancer at Hoag's Heroes Relay for Life Web Site.
If you can, please come on down, have some fun, and celebrate life with the Furnas County Relay For Life. I can't speak for any other teams, but at midnight Hoag's Heros will be holding a frozen T-shirt contest with a $25 prize for the first person getting their frozen shirt on. It won't be easy to be the winner of this one and a limited number of frozen shirts are available. Stop by Hoag's Heros campsite (you can't miss us, we got us a sign!) and meet the team and have some fun. I hope to see you there!
For example, my brother-in-law got laid off his job in Denver a month ago, yet sis and bro in law somehow managed a big contribution. They have 2 kids so making a donation had to be a real stretch for them, yet they felt compelled to help out.
I know McCook had it's Relay last week and many of you donated to that worthwhile cause, but for those of you that didn't, forgot, or maybe never thought about contributing to cancer research, it's really not too late to help.
Tonight starting at 7PM at the Cambridge track and football field, those of us that feel very strongly about helping find a cure for cancer will be out putting some miles on our shoes until 7AM Saturday morning. There will be games, food, basket autcion (there is some really cool stuff up for bid) and numerous activities for the whole family.
It may be too late for us to back out of the Relay as I'd rather sleep than walk all night, but it's not too late for you to help our cause. If you can't make it to the Relay, you can still help beat cancer at Hoag's Heroes Relay for Life Web Site.
If you can, please come on down, have some fun, and celebrate life with the Furnas County Relay For Life. I can't speak for any other teams, but at midnight Hoag's Heros will be holding a frozen T-shirt contest with a $25 prize for the first person getting their frozen shirt on. It won't be easy to be the winner of this one and a limited number of frozen shirts are available. Stop by Hoag's Heros campsite (you can't miss us, we got us a sign!) and meet the team and have some fun. I hope to see you there!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Farming 101
Living in the city for years didn't teach me about farming. Not many city folk have need for a tractor, combine, or other farm implements, and the public schools I went to didn't spend much time on Ag education, or I wasn't paying much attention which could be entirely possible too.
I had some farming relatives when I was a kid, but my time on the farm was limited to a visit of a few hours and were not much of an educational experience. The things I clearly remember from those visits was the butchered chickens and the resulting headless parade, the cream separator, a hand water pump in the kitchen, the rain barrel, and the gravel roads to get there. So now that we live in farm country, I really want to understand why my neighbors do what they do in the fields, the timing involved, and how they go about accomplishing their goal.
In my quest for information, my neighbors have been very willing to share their farming knowledge such as why there is silk on corn, and showing me the operation of farming equipment. I kinda feel like a kid wanting to learn something fun and new, but bothering my neighbor with "childish" questions probably makes them wonder where in the world I came from.
With that in mind here is a list of topics that I think could be included in a Farming 101 advanced education class for people like me...
Vehicle operations. Covers multiple vehicle types from typical passenger and off road vehicles through all types of heavy equipment including off camber and slippery condition operations as well as vehicle recovery. Sometimes the tractor gets stuck!
Diesel Mechanics - Fix your tractor, combine, or other diesel power equipment.
Auto Mechanics - Fix your farms pickup truck.
Building Construction/Maintenance - Includes concrete, roofing, carpentry etc.
Animal Husbandry - How livestock do their thing.
Horticulture - How plants do their thing.
Meteorology - Is it raining and if not, when?
Entomology - How bugs do their thing.
Chemistry - Compounds designed improve crops, kill weeds, or destroy insects.
Plumbing - Those center pivots pump it and livestock need it!
High Tech - GPS, computers, and robotics OH MY!
Crops - What can be grown.
Crop Rotation - Sustainable farming principals explained.
Basic Electricity - It's nice to have a light in the barn!
The Commodity Market - Selling Ag products to the highest bidder.
Business Management - Keeping the books straight and making a profit.
Legal Issues - What can get you into trouble?
This is just my first few thoughts about farming and farmers knowledge level. You really can't teach a lot this stuff as OJT (on the job training) is probably the best teacher, but getting a better basic understanding of what goes on just outside my front door is high on my priority list, and a Farming 101 course is just what I could use.
I had some farming relatives when I was a kid, but my time on the farm was limited to a visit of a few hours and were not much of an educational experience. The things I clearly remember from those visits was the butchered chickens and the resulting headless parade, the cream separator, a hand water pump in the kitchen, the rain barrel, and the gravel roads to get there. So now that we live in farm country, I really want to understand why my neighbors do what they do in the fields, the timing involved, and how they go about accomplishing their goal.
In my quest for information, my neighbors have been very willing to share their farming knowledge such as why there is silk on corn, and showing me the operation of farming equipment. I kinda feel like a kid wanting to learn something fun and new, but bothering my neighbor with "childish" questions probably makes them wonder where in the world I came from.
With that in mind here is a list of topics that I think could be included in a Farming 101 advanced education class for people like me...
Vehicle operations. Covers multiple vehicle types from typical passenger and off road vehicles through all types of heavy equipment including off camber and slippery condition operations as well as vehicle recovery. Sometimes the tractor gets stuck!
Diesel Mechanics - Fix your tractor, combine, or other diesel power equipment.
Auto Mechanics - Fix your farms pickup truck.
Building Construction/Maintenance - Includes concrete, roofing, carpentry etc.
Animal Husbandry - How livestock do their thing.
Horticulture - How plants do their thing.
Meteorology - Is it raining and if not, when?
Entomology - How bugs do their thing.
Chemistry - Compounds designed improve crops, kill weeds, or destroy insects.
Plumbing - Those center pivots pump it and livestock need it!
High Tech - GPS, computers, and robotics OH MY!
Crops - What can be grown.
Crop Rotation - Sustainable farming principals explained.
Basic Electricity - It's nice to have a light in the barn!
The Commodity Market - Selling Ag products to the highest bidder.
Business Management - Keeping the books straight and making a profit.
Legal Issues - What can get you into trouble?
This is just my first few thoughts about farming and farmers knowledge level. You really can't teach a lot this stuff as OJT (on the job training) is probably the best teacher, but getting a better basic understanding of what goes on just outside my front door is high on my priority list, and a Farming 101 course is just what I could use.
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