A serious appeal to America's voters

When you go to the polls tomorrow, please vote for pro-agriculture candidates and ballot initiatives.

America is, in my opinion, "Ag Independent". Even though there are fewer and fewer of us on the farm, we're still managing to produce in such abundance that we enjoy the safest, most affordable food supply in the world.

But for how much longer?

Heaven forbid we ever reach a point where we depend on others for our food and fiber as we do for energy. We're a long, long way from that point, but let's take steps NOW to make sure we don't face that grim prospect later.

As a farmer I can tell you that public policy and those involved in its creation, implementation, and enforcement effect every facet of my business and have a major impact on my ability to viably produce a product my fellow Americans want and need. The same holds true for most every other farmer I know.

We've got a great agriculture industry in this county! Let's all vote tomorrow to keep it that way so we can continue to enjoy safe, nutritious, affordable food.

The DmB's political endorsements

Here we go...

Attention Alabama Voters: the DmB endorses voting NO on Amendment One! It "reads" real nice and of course the education establishment is screaming that we'll suffer through proration if it doesn't pass. That might happen, but when you think of our state government and education system wanting this, consider this analogy: passing Amendment One is like saying "Just take a couple of little sips!" while handing an alcoholic a full bottle of whiskey.

Also to my fellow Alabamians, the DmB endorses the slate of Republican candidates for our statewide races, for Senator Sessions, and for Congressman Robert Aderholt.

And to prove I'm a non-partisan, the DmB endorses, with one exception, the slate of Democratic candidates for Lamar County's positions. The one exception is for District Judge, a race I won't publicly endorse because of family ties within the county's judicial system.

I almost forgot, but I am holding my nose and endorsing John McCain for President. Do I like him? No. But he does at least have enough of a track record to give us a pretty good idea about what we'd be getting. What about the other guy? Well, he DOES deliver a good speech and will proably win the election. He's undoubtedly very intelligent, but to me he's just an inexperienced walking soundbite that's about to be WAY in over his head.

Now, will these endorsements change anyone's opinions prior to the election? Of course not, but I needed something to do during my lunchbreak.

The week ahead

The upcoming week is going to be busy, though I'm not sure exactly how much we'll get accomplished. Here's how it's shaping up:

• Today - AI about 8 cows right off the bat, and then bring a group of breeding-age heifers up to start heat watching. Cut the dead grass/weeds on the "Lynnie Place". It's too thick and rank to run our seed drill through it as is.
• Tuesday - Bale the dead grass/weeds we've already cut on the "Stella Field" and get it out of there. Oh yeah, we've got to go vote Tuesday as well (More on this in my next post).
• Wednesday - Run the hay baler at the Lynnie Place. I'll be taking off that afternoon (more on that in future post).
• Thursday - Finish running the hay baler unless we get rained out. I'll be in Montgomery all day for a State Young Farmers Committee meeting at the Alabama Farmers Federation office.
• Friday - Wrap up whatever needs wrapping up. Dad will be in Montgomery all day for a Dairy Association meeting at the Alabama Farmers Federation office. An early Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house that night (my sister's baby is due in December, and wouldn't be able to make the 3 hour drive home if we waited until the actual holiday).
  
• Saturday - Typical weekend farming schedule...just milk and feed twice a day. We'll also have a couple of birthday parties for my son. We'll do cupcakes and a hayride for his church & daycare friends that afternoon with a family pizza party at our house that evening.
• Sunday - Again, typical weekend farming schedule with church services in between.