Outstanding In Their Field
I am a big fan of a quote from Mark Twain. He is credited with, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that ain’t.”
I used to hate to be wrong, even to a point that I would not admit it. I’ve also learned that being wrong can sometimes be embarrassing and/or costly.
So far this year, I have already had to learn a lot. For instance, how to tell the difference between a carpenter bee and bumblebee. How to trap and eliminate rats from the farm without poison or hurting my wife’s cat. I am also improving my skills in my battle against thistles to hopefully turn the tide in my ongoing fight with this nemesis.
I am still waging the war on the weed waterhemp, and its continuing onslaught in my fields. So far this year, I am winning. I hesitate to say that my fields are the most weed-free they have been in years, but alas, I must remember the previously mentioned quote from Mark Twain. There is still a long way to go in the 2025 growing season, and one should never underestimate their opponent.
Speaking of a long way to go in the growing season, Mother Nature turned on the dry weather early this year. We were fortunate that the early dry spell was not accompanied with extreme heat. The few rains that have fallen lately have kept our region from advancing into severe drought, but, at this writing, a hot and dry spell is forecasted as we approach the Independence holiday.
The dry spring hurt the yields on my hay fields; I will soon find out if my other crops are also negatively impacted by the previous, and perhaps future, lack of rain.
I am learning new things in my hay business, like how to control wild oats. I have also become aware of another problem that there may be no solution to even with a Google search or AI, artificial intelligence:
At the age of 61, I can no longer muster the strength and agility to easily stack the 5th layer of hay on a hayrack while baling. I would like to believe I am able to stack 5, 6, or even 7 layers high for many more years to come.
The perception in my mind of abilities conflicts with reality. Touche, Mr. Clemens.
AI is useless in helping me with manual labor jobs on the farm. Perhaps I could use AI to inform me how much longer I can successfully bale hay without using automation since AI cannot physically do the work for me.
Maybe I do not want to know the answer. Perhaps I should embrace a new motto: “Ignorance is bliss.”
John Kiefner farms in Manhattan, Illinois as the 3rd generation to earn a living off the land in Will County. He believes you are never too old to learn or laugh.