The Old Man And Cow Manure

[ctltmp]

I felt this story was worth sharing. I seem to reminisce more and more the older I get............

In 1998 I bought a small farm. Not having much in equipment I searched the local advertisements for what I needed at a good price. Mainly a pull type brush hog was what I was after. That week i found an ad for one. It was only a 20 min. or so drive away so I called the number and we agreed on a time to meet.

When I got to the house a man in his 70's met me at the door. We talked for a while and then we took the truck out to a back field to see the brush hog. It was in pretty decent shape and priced right so I agreed to take it, but when I looked around I also saw a New Holland square baler, 10' tandem disc, and a 2 bottom pull type plow. I asked the guy if he still used those and he said no, and that his kids had no interest in farming, and it was just too much on him to farm anymore. Since I was using a Massy 44 and needed all pull type equipment I offered to buy all of it, and we agreed on a price.

We talked for a while, he showed me his machine shed (nice and well equipped!) and his 2 remaining tractors a Ford 8N and Farmall M, both in really nice original condition. Then, he told me this story...........

"My kids don't live around here, so I though I would go and see about one of those assisted living places. I liked it. It was nice and clean and the people I talked to there seemed nice. After I looked around a man in a suit who ran the place took me into an office. He asked me how did I like things. I told him I liked them fine and was thinking about moving there." He old guy hesitated for a second and went on. "Then I looked down at my old work shoes. There was a little cow manure on the sole of my shoe. I asked the man in the suit, "would it be ok if I lived here and my shoe had cow manure on it?" The man who ran the place said that it would not be acceptable to have that type of thing in his facility. The old fellow replied "that's what I thought".

My old friend told me he never went back to the assisted living facility. "If I can't have a little cow s**t on my shoes its not a place for me", he said. What a great guy. I wish I could have got to know him better, but life was just in my way. It's been almost 20 years ago since then and chances are good that he's probably passed on by now. If I had to do over I would make time and effort to get to know a guy like that a lot better.

Just one of those farm stories I though was worth the share.............

[tinnerjohn]

Over the years I've had the privelage of knowing several guys like that, and have to admit I agree with them. John

[ctltmp]

My wife's uncle (who I got my cub from) is kind of like that. Problem is the old guy is stubborn as a $4.00 mule. I have offered on many occasions to come out and help him mow, plow or just do whatever needs done. He refuses every time. Last time I was there he had flower pots to move to mow. When I picked a couple out to help him he took them out of my had with a "I can get this". He has heart issues, and he absolutely will not take help.

The guy is a gem. I'd go out of my way to make time to help him out. $4.00 mule..............