View from the Cab: What's in there?

By Kent Casson

I am reminded of warmer weather when I peak inside my mailbox to find daily ad mailers promoting the latest product to help my crops in the coming season.

Even during snowy weather in Central Illinois when those of us living in old farmhouses shiver every time the east wind blows, we always look forward to what may be in the mailbox. Did I win a million bucks? Am I getting a free trip to Florida? Nope. Just a brochure touting the benefits of a certain seed brand.

That trip down to the mailbox can be brutal by foot this time of the year, especially when the wind is at your back on the way down and in your face during the walk back up to the house. Some of us are just lucky to have standing mailboxes during snowy weather as snow plows have been known to take them out.

I just received an informational flyer on Commodity Classic which will be held in Texas later this winter. A trip down there sounds wonderful, but some things called life and work seem to get in the way once in a while. Throw in some local meetings and sporting events to cover and my winter is pretty much filled up.

Those ad mailers aren’t all bad as they get me thinking about green grass and growing crops. Nothing quite beats a 5:30 a.m. sunrise in the middle of spring with birds singing and corn popping up in rows. I am reminded of time on the lawn mower, summer calf chores, spraying roadsides, vacations and family fun.

This season of cold and darkness will give away to the season of light and warmth in no time. We just had the conversation in our house the other day about how fast time seems to fly by. I always thought it was the older you got, the faster it goes but even young people like my son are noticing.

Kasen couldn’t believe how his Christmas break from school went by so fast. I just told him to get used to it – life seems to go by in the blink of an eye.

Before we know it, those tractors and planters will be out in the fields of Central Illinois working furiously to get corn and soybean seeds into the ground for another year. The dust will be flying and these days of dark, winter weather will be a distant memory at least until the next winter.

Let’s not get too anxious for spring because I have a feeling there is plenty of winter weather left. Since we didn’t have a white Christmas are we due for a white St. Patrick’s Day or even Easter? I’m afraid so. Especially since Easter falls early this year.