Chapter 25 Faith Carries Us Through

"You know honey," Mark said to me one evening as we came into the house after the chores, "It sure looks bad in some of the pastures as far as water supply is concerned. Especially the south one. There just isn't much left and it isn't raining."

"Oh great...not again! What are we going to do. That's serious!"

"I mentioned a while back, if you remember, that I asked the rural water district at the last meeting if it would be possible to hook up with them. Well they called the other day and said that they had ran a line past that south pasture and we could hook into it. I know we will be putting out some money but I don't know what else to do."

It was August of 1989. Bret had started his first year of high school and Kate was in the sixth grade. We were facing the worst drought in our farming history. It just would not rain.

Well I guess I can't really say that. Last spring had been dry. So dry, in fact, that the wheat crop looked thin and had turned that ugly blue green. Then right at harvest time the heavens opened up and it rained for ever. By the time Mark was able to get the combine in the field, the weeds had taken over most fields. We didn't haul one load to town but we were able to salvage enough for wheat seed.

Now we were facing the problem of pond water. There was still a "puddle" of water in what was a large body of water. The poor cattle had to wade through mud and muck to get a drink. Mark was becoming very concerned that we could lose the smaller calves in this type of situation. They could easily get trampled in all that muck.

"Would you mind running into Orschelns this morning for an 8 feet stock tank and a hydrant? I'll run down to the hardware for some pipe and couplings and hopefully we can get some water for that south pasture."

After seeing the kids off on the bus, I grabbed my purse and made my way to the pickup. Mark left it running in the driveway hooked to the red stock trailor. That will be an interesting situation! Me and backing up a stock trailor can be entertaining! Well, we just have to hope that I can drive straight into somewhere and no backing.

Sure enough, bless their hearts! I paid for an 8 foot stock tank and the hydrant and was told to drive to the back of the store and someone would load it. So, straight back, through a gate, load the tank and hydrant, and straight out again. They sure know how to help a woman driver!

It was close to noon by the time we both got home so we grabbed a quick lunch and headed to the south pasture. It was a hot day with the sun beating down. Mark's shirt was socked by the time we got the hole dug and hooked into the rural water. The grass looked really pitiful. We had sold some of the older cows to make a lighter stress load on what grass was there.

"Will this grass hold them over Mark or will we have to start feeding them out here?" I asked.

"We will have to wean the calves early I'm sure. Probably next month. Then watch it close and pray for rain. It could be we'll have to take the cows home early too," Mark answered as we opened the back end gate and rolled the tank out and over to the hydrant, and turned it on. There was a sound of air, then nothing and then water...clear, cool water started to fill the tank. We would be ok for now. Just going to cost us.

We did wean the calves in September and ended up bringing the momma's home in October. We were happy that we had some left over bales from the year before, plus the little we got durning the summer. We had been able to swath grass and bale along the ditches of the Interstate highway. This gave us a lot of extra brome bales. It was rough as a cob and a bit scary with semi's and cars going past at 70 mph, but hey, it was feed!

There was little snow that winter and the temperature was mild. Mark was a man of faith though. Our pigs were looking real good to us right now. They were paying lots of the expences and keeping us going. Them and Mark's love for the farm. Lots of cattle were being sold as there just wasn't feed.

In the middle of Febuary, baby calves started to come. They all were still up at Grandpa's, so that meant a trip up there at least twice during the night. On weekends, Bret could help some. Kate and I took the responsibility of the pig chores. One evening she found the red spray marker that Mark used to mark the pigs he was going to sell. She used it and drew a stick man and wrote "Pigs are my life" on a board in the shed. That was so true! More like "life saver"!

"It may seem crazy, but I'm going to start building some corrals and a loading/ working facility down here for the cattle," Mark announced one morning at breakfast. "I think we have enough saved up to buy what we need. You guys game to help?"

"Anything to get them down here," I said "What is your plan?"

Mark proceded to tell us that he planned to make two good size pens across the creek. One to hold the yearlings and one for the cows. Then just east of the farrowing shed we would make the working pens and loading chute. Wow! And doing all this when cattle were being sold right and left, and our own outlook wasn't exactly cookies and cream! That was Mark's way of being optimistic.

Once again we headed to Orscheln's for wire, pipe, and welding rod. Mark and I spent every extra minute working on it and the kids helped after school and on weekends. They loved playing in the wooded creek that was just next to our corral project.  It was winter time,  and the creek was blanketed with dead leaves and branches,  which they meticulously used in their fort. But, unfortunately,  there must have been some poison ivy leaves in the mix, because they both broke out in a horrible itchy rash that covered most of their upper bodies!

Our corral project took us the whole winter and most of the spring, but it was so beautiful when completed! Mark's positive attitude must have paid off, because in the spring we got a couple of nice rains. They went a long way in making it possible to at least have a load or two of wheat to haul this year. Also Mark planted some sudan for feed that we would bale. The grass in the pasture was a little more promising when we turned out the cattle, but the ponds were still tiny so the stock tank was once again turned over and filled with water.

In June, the skies were a dark blue, with little fluffy clouds day after day. The rains had shut off once again. It turned hot and lots of days there was a strong south wind that dried out the ground all the more. The wheat was still hanging in there, but the pasture grass was losing ground.

"Well, I'm afraid  we are going to have to start feeding the cattle out in the pastures," Mark said in late June. "Guess the best thing to do is move some bunks out there and grind up some grain."

It was quite a picture to see it. We had about ten bunks lined up by the tank. When we would bring out the grain, the cattle would come on the run down over the hill, dust just a fogging behind them. It was just scary. It just had to start raining, and soon.

It was a hot windy day in June. Mark had hooked the rake to the White and the baler was hooked to the Oliver. Bret and I were heading over south a few miles to rake and bale a rather large patch of brome. Mark was planning to cut the few patches of barley that were ready. We had taken Kate to spend the afternoon with Harold and Jeannie. She really enjoyed their company.

Bret and I pulled into the field. I helped him fold out the rake and he took off ahead of me, raking two windrows together. I let the teeth down on the baler, turned on the drip oiler, and checked the twine. I hopped into the cab, put it in gear and was off. I turned on the radio and sang along as I made it around the field following the rake.

After awhile, Bret got far enough ahead of me that he was coming up behind me. I had to stop and tie the bale and let it out. I had just started a new one when Bret came  tearing around me, waving his arms in the air. I couldn't figure out what he wanted.

He was waving for all he was worth. He was mouthing something. What in the world was he trying to tell me. Oh no!! He can't be telling me want I think he is!! I stopped and jumped out. Sure enough, the baler was on fire! And this wind and the dry grasses! A farmer's nightmare.

Bret came running over to me. "Do you have a fire extinguisher?"

"Yea... it's in the cab," I hollored running to the cab.

I grabbed the extinguster, ran back to Bret and handed it to him.

"Be careful! The smoke! " I hollored beating it away from my face with my hands. We started to cough and beat at the smoke.

"I can't get this thing to work," Bret screamed at me as he desperately worked at it.

By now there was a black cloud of smoke filling the air. All the belts were on fire.

"Maybe you have to throw the thing into the fire, and it will just go off," I suggested, frantic by this time.

"We have lost the baler for sure and we will loose the tractor too if something doesn't happen soon. Did you call dad?"

"I forgot!" I said coughing between words now. I grabbed the two way radio and called him. "Get back Bret. We can't do anything anyway."

"Mark come quick! The baler is on fire!"

"Use the extinguisher! It's in the cab."

"We tried, but it won't work! Just come!"

By this time, the old man who lived in the house just a little to the north came out in his pickup. "I've called the fire department. They are on their way."

"Oh thank you, thank you! We have no phone."

Bam...Bam... "There goes the tires on the baler," Bret said. Black smoke was billowing up into the sky by now, hiding the tractor and baler from view. I was really nervous because with the south wind so strong, the house and buildings were becoming threatened. Mark P L E A S E get here!

The sirens sounded so good! The fire trucks looked so good. There was another explosion and we looked and the back window of the tractor shattered all over the place. Oh Mark was going to be mad at me! I just felt totally sick to my stomach.

It didn't take long for the fire to be put out. Mark had come and was devastated! I felt so sorry for him. How much can a man take anyway? I just hurt all over for him. I was so proud of Bret. He had grown up right there in front of me as he helped fight the fire.

"Well, Missy...it looks like you can take your tractor home," one of the firemen said pointing to the White. It was still running, can you believe it! The back window blown out, the whole inside of the cab black with smoke, and the upholstery was gone and some of the air conditioning control knobs melted, but it was still running!

I can't tell you the ache I felt as I stood there watching Mark unhook that black, burned, hollow shell that was our baler. My stomach was sick with guilt as I watched him climb up into the cab of his tractor with its smoked stained windows, melted upholstery, and black steering wheel.

He lead the sorry procession out of the field and down the road toward home. Next came Bret with the rake, and I followed in the pckup. After I was alone, I let the tears fall. I couldn't believe God made a man like my Mark. He had come running up to Bret and I and threw his arms around us. I had told him, "Oh honey, I'm so sorry. I know that I should have done something. I'm so sorry."

All he said was, "First off, I'm just glad Bret and you are ok! You could have turned the tractor into the wind, but I'm not sure I would have thought to do that myself. We can fix up the tractor I'm sure."

When was all of this going to stop? First no wheat harvest. Then very little hay. Then no water in the ponds. We were feeding our cattle out in the pasture. We had taken some to the sale to help the feeding problem. And everyday was hot, dry and windy. When oh when was it going to stop!!

Then I remembered! Mark had built a whole new loading/working area plus two pens to hold the cattle. I said to myself, "Self you need to be positive for your man. He needs it right now. You can have your tears behind the scenes, but have a smile and a "we can do it" attitude in front of your man. He is depending on you."