View from the Cab: Surprise!

A harvest blessing is on the way this October on our farm and we aren’t talking about a new combine or $7.00 corn. It’s much better than that.

Rebecca and I are expecting our third child this fall. The new bundle of joy will be welcomed by big brother Kasen and big sister Kenadee. Kasen is hoping for a boy and Kenadee has her fingers crossed for a girl – but we are happy with whatever we get. The tractor cab is about to get even fuller than it is now and we wouldn’t trade a minute of it.

Thanks to everyone for all of the well wishes so far. It amazes me how many people comment that this baby will come during harvest. That is fine with us as we are pros at having fall babies. In fact, Rebecca and I are fall babies ourselves. We are used to lighting candles and eating birthday cake each year between September and November. By the time December rolls around, we have our cake fix for the year.

Who knows – at this rate, we may not even be harvesting by October. Ok, that is an exaggeration but it sure seems weird to not have any corn in the ground by late April. I can’t help but get this helpless feeling when I watch the days go by with no planting progress and I am probably not alone. It doesn’t help to see a Facebook memory pop up on my newsfeed of planting at this time last year or seeing farmers elsewhere in the country put seed in the ground.

As of this writing, we are experiencing cold wind chills and the possibility of yet another wintry weather system causing snowflakes to mix in with some light rain showers. I guess there is a new saying that if it snows on Easter Sunday, it will snow for at least four or five more Sundays after that. Hopefully all of this crazy weather ends by Mother’s Day. Some forecasters are standing by the belief that our pattern will change from winter to summer in an instant. All I can say is get those air conditioners ready!

It has been great to catch up with area farmers and ag professionals on our new program, “CIFN Friday Live” on the Central Illinois Farm Network Facebook page each week. I interviewed Jesse Mackinson of M&S Dairy recently along with Jessica Murphy of Advance Trading and local farmer Craig Davis. Who will the guest be this week? Stop by the page to find out on Friday morning.

(The View from the Cab is powered each week by Petersen Chevy-Buick in Fairbury)