Farmer2Farmer

We had our furnace ducts cleaned this fall, and somehow in the process a damper on the run that feeds our bedroom got pushed shut accidentally.  The duct cleaner ran his camera into the duct from both sides, but could not see the problem.  In an old two story farm house the duct routing is unpredictable.  We believe the damper in question must be in the finished ceiling in the basement.  It may take a carpenter to take down the ceiling to find the problem.  Anyway, as a result, our bedroom doesn't get any heat.  On some cold nights, despite the house thermostat being set at 68 degrees, and leaving our door open, our bedroom will be 63-64 degrees.  So the old farmers wife pulled out our old set of flannel sheets that we used to use for camping.  Now we sleep a little toastier!

We drove to Omaha this week for a 3 day get away and to attend the Farmer2Farmer Conference.  The theme was taking an entrepreneurial approach to farming by using all the data we collect on the farm now days and aggregating it anonymously with other farmer's data for decision making.  I really enjoyed the speakers they had lined up for us. They included:

Dr. Tom Osborne, three time National Champion former head football coach of the University of Nebraska, and former congressman.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, former COO of TDAmeritrade, and board member and part owner of the Chicago Cubs.

Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander, star of Duck Dynasty, and an unashamed and outspoken Christian.

Steve Case, the founder of America Online (AOL), the first company that made Internet access available to the masses.

I also enjoyed meeting, visiting, and networking with the other farmers in attendance, including some I knew from Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota.  I was surprised by the large number of farmers there from the Dakotas and Montana.  It was very interesting learning about their operations.  A couple of farmers from western Montana shared the troubles they have with the growing grizzly bear population destroying their chickpea crops and the nuisance that wolves now pose to livestock operations.  The Dakota farmers complained about farming around rocks the size of a table top, along with farming around the piles of rocks that previous generations made while clearing the fields.  They could hardly fathom having 30-36 inches of annual rainfall on topsoil that was several feet deep.  We farmers in the Midwest are blessed!

For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
Exodus 22:27

Empty Nest

The old farmer and the wife of his youth are officially empty nesters now!  Son #2 took an engineering job with HawkeyePedershaab in Mediapolis, Iowa.  He moved out and started the new job last week.
The gold key found its way ahead of him to welcome him!  (Inside family joke!)

The motherboard died on our laptop computer.  I decided I wanted to replace it rather than buying a new laptop (which was recommended).  Son#1 ordered one for us and then on Thanksgiving Day at our house, he and SIL's disemboweled the laptop and replaced the board.  It has been working great!

With five grandchildren now, I think I spent most of Thanksgiving watching/playing with kids!

We did go on a couple of date nights in the last couple of weeks.  One Saturday night we went out to eat at McDonald's (her choice!) and then spent some time in Menard's (my choice).  This week we drove down to C-U to watch nephew Ned perform with the U of I Symphony Orchestra.  They played Wagner (Vagner!) and Stravinsky, including one of our favorites, Firebird Suite.  Afterward, as is our custom, we took him to DQ.

We went to Uncle Bill's one night last week, because our Alaska cousins were in town.  It was a nice evening, and I heard a new joke.

What do you call three rabbits walking backwards?

A receding hairline!

And winter has arrived on the farm.

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Proverbs 27:8