So often we hear "thank you to our farmers.....without you we wouldn't eat." Yes I know a farmer plays a very important part in our world today. After all I'm a farmers wife.
But I got to thinking. I truly believe we "farmers" owe a huge thank-you to all people across the world. We all work together... really. So as a "farmers wife" I want to say...."thank you America."
What would we do without the men and women who drive those semi trucks across the hundreds of miles to distribute our products. Or those who work long hours on the barges, the ships, the trains.
What would we do without those of you who are there for us if our tractor or combine breaks down right in the middle of harvest, or we are stopped because of a flat rear tire, or if we need a baler belt NOW? We wouldn't get to far without our local gas man who comes as soon as we call that our tank is empty!
I want to thank those men who spend long, hot hours at the elevtor. As I pull up to the dump area in my air conditioned cab, they are standing there in the 100 degrees, googles over their eyes, a dust mask covers their nose and mouth, gloves on their hands, and most of the time long sleeve shirts. They stand there behind my truck, dust fogging up all around them, as I set comfortably in my cab the windows rolled up. They are motioning for me to lift the hoist a little more, and then telling me when to put it down and I can go. As soon as I drive out another one drives in. On and on these men work into the hot afternoon.
We need our seed dealers who have a bag of corn seed, milo seed, bean seed, whatever we need. Some of you are even willing to bring it out to our farms. What would we do without sale barns, implement dealerships or machine shops? We would be in a real pickle I tell you!
There is something else that I feel I owe a huge thank you to all of you for. Especially this time of year. That is...thank you so very much for being patient with us when you come up behind a slow moving baler, or rake, or combine, making its way down the road, especially a two lane highway! We really don't enjoy being out there, and it makes us nervous. We realize we can not go more than 15 to 20 mph and we will hold up traffic. We put safety first! Thank you for following us at 20 mph up a hill when you would rather go 60! Thank you for being willing to follow my old wheat truck for miles on the gravel road because the dust is so thick you don't feel safe to pass. I know I'm only going 40 mph but I want to keep this thing in control. Thank you for waving at me as we pass. I'll wave back to you! After all....remember we are in this together.
There is one more thing that I'm thankful to you for. Now you may never give this one a second thought, but I do. That is "thank-you for putting up with a hot 100 degrees day!" I know you are no doubt miserable, and don't like it one bit. Well us farmers don't want it everyday either but right now we do need it to dry out our wheat fields. So please, dear friends out there, keep safe and keep cool!
I know you don't enjoy scooping mounds of snow off your sidewalk, or driving to work on snow covered roads. Thank you once again because those snows fill our pasture ponds, put good moisture in our cropland, and make pasture grass for summer grazing.
So see America.....we are working together. We are happy to "feed the world" because you help us!!
But I got to thinking. I truly believe we "farmers" owe a huge thank-you to all people across the world. We all work together... really. So as a "farmers wife" I want to say...."thank you America."
What would we do without the men and women who drive those semi trucks across the hundreds of miles to distribute our products. Or those who work long hours on the barges, the ships, the trains.
What would we do without those of you who are there for us if our tractor or combine breaks down right in the middle of harvest, or we are stopped because of a flat rear tire, or if we need a baler belt NOW? We wouldn't get to far without our local gas man who comes as soon as we call that our tank is empty!
I want to thank those men who spend long, hot hours at the elevtor. As I pull up to the dump area in my air conditioned cab, they are standing there in the 100 degrees, googles over their eyes, a dust mask covers their nose and mouth, gloves on their hands, and most of the time long sleeve shirts. They stand there behind my truck, dust fogging up all around them, as I set comfortably in my cab the windows rolled up. They are motioning for me to lift the hoist a little more, and then telling me when to put it down and I can go. As soon as I drive out another one drives in. On and on these men work into the hot afternoon.
We need our seed dealers who have a bag of corn seed, milo seed, bean seed, whatever we need. Some of you are even willing to bring it out to our farms. What would we do without sale barns, implement dealerships or machine shops? We would be in a real pickle I tell you!
There is something else that I feel I owe a huge thank you to all of you for. Especially this time of year. That is...thank you so very much for being patient with us when you come up behind a slow moving baler, or rake, or combine, making its way down the road, especially a two lane highway! We really don't enjoy being out there, and it makes us nervous. We realize we can not go more than 15 to 20 mph and we will hold up traffic. We put safety first! Thank you for following us at 20 mph up a hill when you would rather go 60! Thank you for being willing to follow my old wheat truck for miles on the gravel road because the dust is so thick you don't feel safe to pass. I know I'm only going 40 mph but I want to keep this thing in control. Thank you for waving at me as we pass. I'll wave back to you! After all....remember we are in this together.
There is one more thing that I'm thankful to you for. Now you may never give this one a second thought, but I do. That is "thank-you for putting up with a hot 100 degrees day!" I know you are no doubt miserable, and don't like it one bit. Well us farmers don't want it everyday either but right now we do need it to dry out our wheat fields. So please, dear friends out there, keep safe and keep cool!
I know you don't enjoy scooping mounds of snow off your sidewalk, or driving to work on snow covered roads. Thank you once again because those snows fill our pasture ponds, put good moisture in our cropland, and make pasture grass for summer grazing.
So see America.....we are working together. We are happy to "feed the world" because you help us!!
Very well written, dear Helen!
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