Table Talk

As a woman of the farm, I’ve cleaned up overs now and then, glass to pick up from mer and chisel; corn shucks, mud and snakes to my share of messes. tractor windows that break, tools follow- sweep out of the garage; basements to dry out after No matter who is running the farming operation, be it known there are plenty of messes which need to be tended to — inside and outside of the house. ing a major equipment overhaul, paint cans that fall off of a project and end up coloring the floor, bales that break open when they fall off of the bale elevator, piles of grain on the ground from a cart the washing machine breaks or the access plug to the sewer pipe blows (don’t ask how I know that). There’s the degreasing of clothing, hands and towels, and sometimes even the messy job of untangling family members who have gotten into a spat they

I can’t even count the number of times I operator who hit the wrong button in the can’t seem to solve on their own. dark (once again, there’s five bucks in it if you swear that I’ve never done that to my husband or anyone helping us…); and sometimes there is a marriage to clean up when husbands and wives work together, hours are long and tempers and patience run short. have stepped into the mud room in our basement and been confounded by the manure-covered farm fashion accessory tornado I had apparently missed. I have yet to hear of a room in a farm house officially titled on house plans, “the manure room.” After all, on a livestock farm, that’s TABLE TALK By Karen Schwaller But with all of the different messes there are to clean up, there is one mess I don’t even mind happening … and that’s the mess of wrapping paper and all the gift trimmings on the floor on Christmas Eve/morning. It’s brilliant with color, pregnant with joy and anticipation, sprinkled with wonder and laughter, and founded in the love of people we never mostly what’s in there, isn’t it? And even with all the stress that comes from even knew from generations before us, who are the

Those from a generation or two before us on the those things, it’s no less stressful in the house. If reason for today’s room full of people who are all farm might even think differently about what actu- you had ever stepped into our basement and seen connected to each other in one way or another. ally constitutes a mess. My husband tells of a time when his grandparents were visiting, and during that time he and his sister had paid a visit to the local taco venue and brought their delights home to devour. As they were opening them up to add more heat to them, his grandfather just blurted out what he was thinking as he laid his eyes upon the prized the laundry piles down there when our family was growing up, you would know what liquid was really in the stain remover bottle. There were piles of ‘regular’ dirty work clothes for farm, school and office jobs; filthy hog farm work clothes; and clothes that needed a high-pressure hose and an exorcism before they were brought into the house. Some messes are worth cleaning up, if only because they mean we have a family to love, and who loves us. It’s the greatest gift — and the greatest mess — of all. But I’ll still give you five bucks if you swear that dent in the shed door wasn’t my doing. taco filling that was so highly anticipated by my There are sick days that necessitate the washing Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land husband and his sister. of sheets, clothing and carpets (which may have at from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be

“I’ve cleaned up better looking messes than that,” least appeared clean beforehand). There are canning reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v he uttered. days after which the top of the stove needs a hamOutside, there are messes in the barn from the nature calls of all those animals living there; messes from birthing or even when someone left the Think about equipment safety this spring hydrant running during chores. Now is an excellent time to think about what you As you prepare for planting season, here are sev-

If my husband asks you if I did that last week, I’ll can do to prepare for a safe planting season. eral suggestions to keep in mind: give you five bucks to say I didn’t. There are hog buildings and semi trailers to power wash, snow to move and messes that weasels Remember, safety on the farm needs to be practiced every day no matter the task you, your family or your farm employees are doing. Before operating, fully understand the equipment’s capabilities and hazard potential. Don’t use equipment for tasks that it was not designed for. Use all and rats can seem to generate just by their very According to the National Institute for Occupational modern safety features such as rollover protection presence. Safety and Health, agriculture continues to rank structures, personal protective equipment and seat

There are oil spills on the shop floor, fuel run- amongst the most hazardous industries. Approximately, 416 farmers and farm workers died belts. Also remember, one seat equals one person. Not only do extra riders distract the operator, but there is from a work-related injury in 2017, resulting in a also no safe place in the majority of farm equipment

EARLY DEADLINE for THE LAND on June 4, 2021 fatality rate of 20.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. Transportation incidents, including tractor overturns, were the leading cause of death for farmers and farm workers. Approximately 100 agricultural workers suffer lost work-time injuries every day. for an additional person. It is important to understand all laws of the center of gravity and centrifugal force to prevent rollovers. Follow all manufacturer’s recommendations for pulling equipment with the hitch and/or using the DISPLAY ADS - Ad copy due The University of Minnesota Extension, in partnership with American Family Insurance has launched hydraulic lifts on the equipment — including proper bucket position and hitch points. Use handholds and Wednesday, May 26 a new series of farm safety videos. The purpose of care when getting on and off equipment to avoid slips this project is to share crucial farm safety messages and falls.

CLASSIFIED LINE ADS - Ad copy due Thursday, May 27 at Noon and reminders with the agricultural community. The videos are all shorter than five minutes and provide a mix of information, demonstration and discussion. Also, ensure the equipment is properly maintained and cared for.

THE LAND office will be closed The first video in the series covers roadway safety and includes information about pre-trip inspections, equipment for roadway safety, and safe driving habThis article was submitted by Karen Johnson, University of Minnesota Extension. v on Memorial Day its. The video can be found at AgRoadwaySafetyVideo. https://z.umn.edu/