MB-BOB

Well, I just can't resist, because I spent some time (2-years) in purgatory... er, midstate Illinois in the mid 70's. All you local corn-standers know where Gibson City is, right? LOL!

Now, I worked in Cable TV then. When I wasn't "on air" I occasionally sat in for the office manager at the front desk. Seems most farmers didn't trust the US mail, cause they would all bring their monthly cable TV payments to the office in person, in cash. Just to strike up conversation, I'd ask, "Well, how's your soybeans coming?" And they'd always say, "Crop's dyin' a thirst...planted 'em too low and the water can't get to 'em." Or they would say, "Heck fire boy, I planted 'em too shallow... the water's drownin' 'em out."

I quickly learned two things: 1) never ask a farmer how his crop is doing, and 2) despite all the b!tchin' they all drove new Buicks or Chevys to the Cable TV office to pay their bills.

No wait, I learned a third thing... I recall the only thing that caught more attention than one of them "furren" cars at the local Farm Implement store, was a corn-fed gal from parts West. Michelle, you ain't from Nebraska or Iowa, are you?

Boo2

No one looks at me except for M3's, but that's a given.

Accord

I spent some time in perdician myself, Greensboro, North Carolina.

LOL

MsMercedes

Nope, I'm Illinois born-and-bred......please don't hold it against me!!

I am just dying laughing at your discription of the farmers because that it the epitome of every older farmer I know.

My farmer friend....who is a nice, extrememly bright young man, not some old cooter....is NEVER happy with the weather or the rain. He moans non-stop about the government subsidies and the paperwork he has to do. But in the same conversation he talks about his new truck or his new minivan that he is now thinking of trading on a new 300M. He spends more on his dinner when we eat out than I make in a week ( kidding ) He has all the free time he wants after the crops are in and his wife doesn't work, so on hot summer days his family spends the day at the country club swimming while the rest of us toil away working 40+ hours a week. Then he doesn't understand why my boyfriend & I can't stay out late at thier home drinking on their deck till the early AM!

I don't mean to offend anyone who knows farmers, I adore my friend and wouldn't trade him for anything. I'm just jealous that he can't see how great he has it!!

MB-BOB

It's OK, Michelle. My wife is Illinois born-and-reared, too. From Belleville.

By your description of your "younger" farmer friend, he sounds more like the old ones than you think. All farmers have a complaint about the weather (young or old). Ha!