The Last Word Editor’s Note by Ann Clinton aclinton@iasoybeans.com
Rainy Day Musings
I
t’s early morning and still dark out. Like lyrics to my favorite song, rain is falling rhythmically on the old tin roof of the farmhouse. My mind, which usually has a million things under consideration, is peacefully aware of the moment. “This is about as happy as I get,” I say to my husband. “Why?” he asks. “Does the rain inspire you to write?” “Without a doubt,” I respond, starting downstairs to put on the coffee. Like some sort of sensory trigger, the sound of rain takes me back to my youth. Long before I knew I wanted to make a living out of stringing sentences together, I’d fill journals with words. I was always writing. I grew up blessed, and when I read now what I wrote so many years ago, I notice conscious awareness of my good fortune. Life on the farm has always made me happy. Bless the rain this morning for that reminder. I’m not sure how much rain has fallen overnight, but it will surely offer a day of reprieve to the farmers in my area. Under
perfect conditions, you’ve been running hard for weeks. Harvest is ahead of usual, and yields are practically insane. It’s been fun to talk to you guys the last few weeks as antidotal reports have been coming into the Iowa Soybean Association’s office. Lots of you are crediting timely rains, but most of you are still a little bewildered by the high yields. I was riding with my dad as he harvested soybeans off his century farm a few weeks ago. He was calling out the numbers from the monitor, shaking his head in disbelief. We talked about all the factors that could explain the bin-busting yields, but we decided magic was the logical answer. Or, at least, I came to that conclusion. Nevertheless, it’s fun to have good numbers. In this issue of the Iowa Soybean Review, we feature a farmer who recently celebrated his 60th harvest. Warren Bachman’s journey will be relatable to many of you, and I hope his story will give you a chance to reminisce on your own farming legacy. In the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, we
rejoice on behalf of all those who have had the good fortune to enjoy this calling for so many years. In next month’s issue of the magazine, we will talk about what’s next. First and foremost, we plan to examine where this year’s crop will go and how the Iowa Soybean Association will help get it there. We will also start looking at the 2022 planting season. Our in-house experts have some tips and tricks for you to consider while making your end-of-year purchases. One more thing … I had a reader call me with an idea that intrigued me enough to pass it on to you guys. The farmer said he’d love to read about what you’re using as an auger tractor. Are you running good equipment in the field and pulling out an old, crappy tractor to run your auger? What’s your set-up look like? Send me a picture and tell me the story. It’s probably a pretty good topic to use as a conversation starter. Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving. Stay well, my friends.
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