Today I went to a couple places on what's termed an All Breeds Cattle Tour. There were eight different breeds represented on fourteen ranches over the two day event. I'm not a cattleman but still enjoy being around them, and besides I was invited to come take pictures with my camera at the Schaff's and Ellingson's (relatives of mine through marriage).
The northwest wind still blew cold this morning and my winter jacket felt good. While out mingling with the crowd around the cattle pens holding those slick Angus, a man walked by whom I recognized immediately, Ray Bartholomay from Sheldon. He was a long way from home, but he's mostly retired from his own cattle and farming operation and has time on his hands. He said Janice, his deceased wife, had been gone three years and said it's harder every day being alone. I was glad for our visit and believe he was too.
Later, I introduced Ray to my father-in-law and listened in on their great conversation. Adam is just days away from his 90th birthday and is quite a bit old fashioned. Ray said he thought there would be some 200 bushel per acre corn crop around Sheldon. Adam asked if they still used Minnesota #13 corn seed. Ray cocked his head kind of funny and said, "No, Minnesota #13 and Square Deal, those days are over. You used to be able to go shell it out and plant it all over again." He was speaking in reference to the modern hybrid seeds with which you can't do that. I was reminded of Grandpa Bueling's garage that had dozens of headless nails sticking into the open rafters and had corn cobs stuck on them waiting for shelling and seeding. That seems a long time ago.
