Jerry Crownover – Staying close to home

just a thoughtWhat’s On Your Mind, Ozarks?

Life Is Simple By Jerry Crownover Life is Simple By Jerry CrownoverJack and Joe (not their real names) have been the best of friends since childhood, even though they are both looking at 40 in the rearview mirror. They both farm in southern Missouri, but Jack had recently found a deal online on a used tractor in Wisconsin that was exactly what he was looking for. Thinking that he and Joe were still 20, he devised a plan Jerry Crownover farms for them to leave late Friday evening, take turns driving all in Lawrence County. He night, be in Wisconsin early on Saturday morning, load the is a former professor of tractor, and be back home by bedtime that night. Agriculture Education at

Jack driving, they departed Missouri as soon as Joe’s son’s Missouri State University, ballgame ended that Friday night, and headed north. About and is an author and 1 a.m., Jack realized they needed to refuel the truck and professional speaker. started looking for the next exit. Luckily, there was an all- To contact Jerry, go to night truck stop at the very next one, but, being a frugal ozarksfn.com and click farmer, Jack knew that if he drove past the trucker’s par- on ‘Contact Us.’ adise, he would surely find a locally-owned convenience store with cheaper diesel in this small Illinois town. Sure enough, a couple miles down the road, there was a convenience store with fuel that was 10 cents cheaper. Unfortunately, it was closed.

Upon doing a circle turn in the closed parking lot, a local policeman lit them up. Immediately, Jack stopped his truck and waited for the officer to walk up to their window.

“Whatcha guys up to?” asked the cop as he shined his flashlight throughout the cab.

Jack explained where they were headed and why they were going there.

A little suspicious, the policeman asked, “What are those vials and syringes there in your console?”

Joe took the lead on this question and quickly answered, “One is Draxxin and the other is Bantamine. They’re both for cattle. We’re farmers.”

Joe didn’t know if the officer knew what the two drugs were, but the policeman quickly took Jack’s driver’s license and headed back to his patrol car. About three minutes later, four other police cars showed up, representing local, county and state authorities. The state trooper asked Jack why he didn’t have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Politely, Jack told

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About the Cover

Bryant Vaught stresses that genetics and forages are what make cattle productive. See more on page 14.

Photo by Stephanie Beltz-Price

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor accepts story suggestions from readers. Story information appears as gathered from interviewees. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor assumes no responsibility for the credibility of statements made by interviewees. © Copyright Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, Inc., 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.