Harmon was back home and since he escaped real damage he was enjoying the extra attention and having his own farm story to tell. If you asked him how he was, he would usually reply that you should see the other guy. Yeah, he'll fit in.
Brother Danny and my sons Scotty and Rich were all out early today - checking over the big rigs and making sure everything was ready to roll.
My job, along with Danny, was to ferry supplies out to the tractors in whatever fields they happened to be working. We carry water and snacks, but also the supply of seeds and help the boys get it loaded into the bins over each of the individual planter.
At least a couple times during the day, Danny and I would have to climb into the cabs and give the kids a break for a while. Truth be told, Scotty and Rich weren't so sure it was a good idea to be handing over the keys to such expensive machines to such old guys, but what choice did they (or we) have?
The season was getting late in a hurry and these seeds need to get in the ground before the next round of soaking rains comes through the area.
Both boys were planting corn since the beans could wait another few weeks before they needed to go in the ground. There is 500 acres to be planted, so if there isn't wet ground and no rain in the area, one or more of us will be in one of the big Deere until the job was done.
Rich took a few days off from his job down at the Insurance Office to help out. He said it helped to clear his mind from all the numbers, algorithms, and projections to bounce across the land in a moving office.
Scotty appreciated the help, but brothers can't say that sort of thing out loud, so instead he'd make a big show every spring looking at Rich's clean fingernails. Rich would laugh and rib Scotty right back before they'd climb the steps and into their rigs.
Danny's kids, Marie and Mike, would stop around noon to help where they could. They just finished Final Exams a couple of days ago, so we let them rest a day or two before re-acclimating to life on the farm.
Marie is studying agricultural science, specifically biology and doing major work in the University's field programs. Mike was studying the family business too - combining an agribusiness major with a lot of courses in trading - so he could help the farm play the commodity market before hauling it down to the town's elevator.
The two of them know all about the hard work that makes a farm go, but everyone knew it was their book smarts that could keep this place flourishing and a family farm for years to come.
Scotty's wife, Julie, brought Harmon out early afternoon with a thermos of Tea for the guys in the tractors. He had a great big smile as he watched those green and yellow monsters cruise across the land. Despite last week's accident, he hadn't lost his excitement for farming.
I still wasn't so sure. I forced myself into the cab when I need to give one of the boys a break, but I haven't touched the 520 since it tipped over a week ago.
I will.
I have to.
One thing we told the kids was if they get bucked off, they have to get back on.
It's not that I'm afraid of the tractor, I'm still recovering from the guilty feelings associated with Harmon's injuries. I've prayed about it, but it's still bugging me.
After church this Sunday, I think I'll ask Pastor Bob if maybe the two of us can meet for coffee and Mt Dew to talk things over this week. That man always knows just what to say.
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