Early this morning I made a quick trip to one of my favorite out-of-town church services. While on my way, I happened to notice how there were two layers of clouds in the sky. One small fast moving group which was hanging very low, and the other being very high. One stretch of those upper ones had the look of a wide band of a jet trail. For sure, I’d never seen anything like that before. I had my camera with me, so I pulled off several times to take a few of the sun and clouds. North Iowa does possess some of the most striking rural landscapes.
Speaking of rural, I couldn’t help remembering how many of those old farmsteads there used to be in North Iowa, and now so very few of them remaining. Seems everyone wants to save old barns, but what about those century old homes that seem to be vanishing all the faster. As far as I’m concerned, there are too few farming families left. Much of the land is either corporate owned or part of a family’s holdings which I’m sure have also been incorporated. Yes, I do understand that the margins for profit on smaller farms isn’t enough to make a decent living, but why do nearly all the farmers have to plant corn or beans? With our soil being some of the richest in the world, one would think an number of our remaining farmers would branch out and begin planting specialty crops.
You’d never believe me if I just threw it out there, but I actually read in a very old farming book that was printed back in the 1870’s that listed the types of crops most Iowans planted during that time. You’d never guess that wheat was the major crop back then. Soybeans are relatively new to Iowa farmers, and now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not so sure if they started planting it back in the 1960’s. I’ll have to investigate.
Now just think what would happen if for some reason we had to become self-sufficient in say a year’s time. We certainly don’t have enough farmers who’re willing to switch from row cropping to livestock. There are even all the fewer city dwellers who haven’t a clue how to raise animals and certainly ignorant to the ways of processing them. I’m hoping this 75 year migration of those children from farm families to city life isn’t going to come back and haunt us some day. I’d like to see a return of a more balanced way of life in our fair State, and then be true to our slogan, “Iowa. A place to grow.”
Tomorrow morning I’m going to have make a stern phone call to a Realtor who left the front door unlocked on one of my listings. I cringe every time when getting a call from a seller regarding a door standing unlocked or lights left on. No matter how much I remind agents, they still don’t seem to understand the importance of making sure a home remains in the same state, just as it was before they opened the front door. I’m convinced much of it is from being distracted by buyers, which is why I nearly always go back and make sure all lights are off and doors locked.
The above photo is one of those I took while on my way to church this morning. I hope you like it as much as I do. I’m naming it “Sun Breaking”.
