About
“Let’s quit talking about what we should do in the future or what might happen in the future years down the line. Yesterday’s future just passed us by, and what was accomplished? The future is currently the present.” - Eric Herm
Being a fourth generation West Texas farmer, I’ve heard and seen lots of things. But every year brings with it something different with new challenges. While I fled the family farm many a year ago, something brought me back, and I’m glad I’m here again. All four of my great-grandfathers were stewards of the land, along with both my grandfathers, and my dear ol’ Dad. Like I had a choice? That earth gets into your fingernails enough years, it seeps into your blood.
There is a connection between a farmer and the earth. We’re gatekeepers of sorts. Guardians of the land. The problem is there is not many of us left. My generation is almost non-existent, and we’ve got to change those numbers soon. Prices of large corporations and ignorance of politicians in Washington (who are in cahoots with the corporations) are doing nothing to save the family farm, nothing to save the American farmer. Ask yourself, what will we do in this country without farmers, without ranchers?
We’re learning more every day in agriculture. And the hardest fact most farmers have to swallow is we have to change our ways, ideas, and methods…and fast. Like Charles Darwin said, “It’s not the smartest or strongest who survive, it’s the ones willing to change.”
Last year was an all-time record cotton harvest for West Texas.
We also experimented for the first time with sunflowers on our family farm. More experiments and evolutions are on the horizon for us.
So far this year, West Texas is in yet another drought. But we finally received our first good rain on June 22nd and 23rd in over two months. One thing is for certain around here – and that is you can never be too certain. As a dryland cotton farmer here, you plant the seed and take your chances. You say a little prayer and take a shot of tequila. Some years, more tequila is required than others.
The 2005 crop was as good as it gets!
Watch subject. Bush and the Republicans were not protecting us on 9-11, and we aren’t a lot safer now. We may be more afraid due to george bush, but are we safer? Being fearful does not necessarily make one safer. Fear can cause people to hide and cower. What do you think? Why has bush turned our country from a country of hope and prosperity to a country of belligerence and fear.
If ever there was ever a time in our nation’s history that called for a change, this is it!
The more people that the government puts in jails, the safer we are told to think we are. The real terrorists are wherever they are, but they aren’t living in a country with bars on the windows. We are.
Comment by Antibush — February 16, 2007 @ 6:10 pm