Table Talk

There comes a time in every homeown- We started in cleaning up sewer water clothes that were my responsibility to deal with. er’s life when something breaks or doesn’t — hauling rugs up the steps and outside; Apparently, I handle mounds of clothing that has work the way it’s supposed to work. putting old towels underneath doors so it seen the back end of a farm animal better than my Some repairs take just minutes, while wouldn’t run out all over the basement; husband handles household ending stocks on his others gobble up our time and leave us as hosing down the room and scrubbing the person. wide-eyed as laborers without pantlegs tied shut on corn shelling day. floor with plentiful amounts of strong bleach water. It took me back to the days when our children were babies. My husband managed to change a

It’s the woman of the house who often That mop no longer lives here. dirty diaper once or twice, but listening from the brings household problems to light. She typically stands next to the man of the house, handing him the tools he needs to wave over a clogged garbage disposal or a broken vacuum cleaner and bring them back to life. When peace and calm had returned, my husband began to clean himself up. He peeled his socks, t-shirt and jeans off, and stood right out in the front yard in his underwear in the middle of the afternoon, hosing the sewer water off of those clothing TABLE TALK By Karen Schwaller other room during the process, you would have thought he had just stumbled home from a college frat party — with the dry heaves, he would broadcast — and all at the very thought of getting some on his hands. He has never been a fan of people doo-doo — espe-

But it sometimes comes at a high price. items. cially as a fashion accessory.

This past late winter, my husband discovered a Our mail carrier must wonder what goes on I do have to hand it to him — this time especially drainage issue in the house. Something wasn’t right; around here. — for taking one for the team. A sewage bath was a and upon the several investigations that followed, it turns out there was some kind of issue that was keeping the sewer line from flowing. When he would talk about it after he showered, he strung those familiar expletives together again before saying, “…I had toilet paper in my teeth.” poetic symbol of how 2020 had gone. I bet he trades places with me the next time I say, “Hey dear, the toilet won’t flush.” Given the job ahead of him, my husband spewed his usual string of curse words and started in on the job of fixing that problem. He checked every place Truth be told, he did not experience that. But his point about grossness was made. But I’ll have six years of baby diaper experience behind me to give me the strength. where he might gain the easiest access to the line, Here’s a guy who raised hogs for 25 years and Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land but eventually it led him to the basement where the never once flinched at the thought of having his from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be sewer pipe protrudes from the wall. jeans splattered or even caked with hog poop. They reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v

And here is where our story begins. just came off at night and went into a pile of chore He grabbed a five-gallon bucket and placed it underneath the end of the pipe and slowly began to Practical Farmers’ farminar season starts unscrew the plug. He turned slowly and the contents ran just as slowly out of the pipe and into the bucket, which he would periodically dump into the sump pit. This tomfoolery continued for a few minutes until it happened. He turned the plug a little too far, he guessed, and the pressure behind it was AMES, Iowa — Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2021 winter webinar series, referred to as “farminars,” are offered through March 16 on issues relevant to beginning and experienced row crop, livestock and horticulture farmers, as well as landowners. Routine Maintenance” —During this farminar, Adam Montri will draw on his experience building hundreds of high tunnels to share tips for building a strong tunnel, and routine tasks farmers should do to keep their tunnels performing as expected. released. All farminars run weekly on Tuesdays from 7-8:30 March 2 — Spanish-language farminar, planning My husband was in perfect alignment for the bath from you-know-where. And it didn’t miss. Of course, he was as grossed out as the person p.m. and are free for anyone with an internet connection to participate. Attendees are able to ask questions in real-time using a chat box while they listen and watch a slideshow. Each farminar is recorded and archived at practicalfarmers.org for later viewing. in progress. March 9 — “Using EQIP to Improve Wildlife Habitat on Private Lands” — Kelsey Fleming, a private lands biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, will talk about how programs like feeling the ‘brains’ at the haunted house, not to Feb. 9 — “The Top 5 Questions About Pastured EQIP can provide landowners with financial assismention furious. Finishing Pigs” — Dayna Burtness has been raising tance for wildlife conservation on their farms. Also pastured pigs since 2015 and will ask Steve Deibele, hear about other technical and financial assistance

NICOLLET COUNTY FARM SALE All in Section 5, Township 109, Range 28 Parcel 1: 56.10 +/- acres North of Highway 14 an experienced pig farmer, her top five questions around finishing pigs on pasture. Steve owns Golden Bear Farm in Kiel, Wisconsin, and has 20 years of experience. Both farmers will discuss planting and feeding perennial and annual forages. opportunities available to farmers and landowners. March 16 — “Pollinators and Climate Change: Making an Impact on the Farm” — Learn more from Xerces Society climate change lead, Angela Laws, about how climate change impacts pollinators; as Parcel 2: 72.04 +/- acres South of Highway 14 Feb. 16 — “Contract Grazing Cover Crops for Winter well as cost-share and technical assistance programs INITIAL BIDS DUE ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 19, 2021 AT 5:00 P.M. Contact Jeremy Berg or Kelly Karels at Blethen Berens in New Ulm 507-233-3900 or kkarels@blethenberens.com for property brochure and sale procedure. Feed” — Father and son team, Jon and Jared Luhman, operate Dry Creek Red Angus in Goodhue, Minnesota. Each winter they contract graze their cattle on cover crops and crop residue – whether it’s on their neighbors’ fields or hauling cattle to Nebraska to overwinter. The Luhmans will discuss their winter grazing arrangements and how they work out the finances to benefit both the landowner and themselves. Feb. 23 — “High Tunnel Storm Protection and that can help you sustain pollinators on your farm. To participate: Go to practicalfarmers.org/farminars, click the “Join in” button and sign in as “Guest.” A schedule of all upcoming farminars – as well as recordings of archived farminars – is also available at that link. This article was submitted by Practical Farmers of Iowa. v