This is the farm's new acquisition. A Wilrich DCIII disc cultivator. 8 degree disc, field cultivator spring shanks with small sweeps, spring tooth harrow, and rolling packer cages. This will be what we use for our light plowing and seed bed preparation.

Pepa had purchased a plow a few years ago, a Wishek offset with 28" discs. The offset is an excellent piece of equipment and probably one of Pepa's best purchases. The disc cultivator is built by the same company, and I am expecting the same results and quality.

We had a big forty shank Sunflower hoeme plow that we have not used in three years. In fact, we no longer have a tractor that could effectively pull the mammoth plow. I had visited with Pepa's estate appraiser about what a limited market this plow fit into.

On Wednesday, when the dealer brought spray nozzles and nozzle bodies, he looked at and took pictures of the big plow. He asked me what I would like trade in value and I gave him a number. Yesterday he called me and agreed to meet my number, in a few minutes we had a tentative deal. I cleared it by Memama, Pat and Hag, and late yesterday I called the dealer and told him we had a deal.

I told him we were not in a great big hurry for the plow but I would send him his money this next week. By the way, the price was delivered to the barn in Roscoe.

You'll have to forgive a farm boy, but I am excited.

More and more of the farming practices seem to lean towards combining passes, less aggressive and obtrusive implements, conserving diesel ($$$$), less labor, and doing more with chemicals.

I was late yesterday arriving at a cooperative meeting. For whatever reason I thought it began at 11. It began at 10:30. I would have been late had it began at 11. They were having a gripe session about what needed changing at the coop and what we liked. They also had John Fox from the classing office (for cotton grades) address module averaging for grades. They also had Josh Helm feed us rib eye steaks! Yum!

I enjoyed visiting with some of the people in attendance. Some interesting conversations.

I was asked the question if I am enjoying being back on the farm. Of course I left the farm in 1994 out of necessity and went into the trucking business to help an over loaded Memama.

The farm I returned to in 2010 was not the same farm I left. Equipment improvements, gps guidance, chemicals, genetically altered seed. It is a whole new ball game.

But, after discussing changes, my response was "Yes, I have enjoyed being on the farm". I guess through my ties to Gon Gon, it was and always be my first love. Something about the smell of fresh plowed ground, the smell of a rain, a oneness with nature. I would love to have a few cows, but don't think that is a good idea living in Abilene. Nothing like missing a Mother cow and walking the pasture and finding a newborn calf. Nothing like bringing a crop from a bag of seed to a cash crop and taking it to the bank.

It is a way of life.

Others may make more money, may have more possessions, but they haven't really lived.

My only reservations are concerning Memama's financial well-being. I have gambled with my own livelihood, but I don't like doing it with hers.

I often think to Memama's childhood and their move to Roscoe. Gon Gon and Aunt Jo driving the tractor, Memaw, Memama, Robbie and Betsy working in the field, the trailer they rode to the field on sitting on the turn row and Wade as a small child playing and laying in its shade.

Of course this is when Memama honed her culinary skills as she would be sent walking to the house an hour before quitting time to prepare food for the rest of the family.

The farm Gon Gon purchased for $35 an acre was paid for in three years. Ultra conservative, he could have acquired much more, he chose not to.

It is also very difficult to believe that there is talk of oil and gas leases going for what land was selling for just a few years ago.

I talked to a friend yesterday who is involved in the oil business. He is not from around Roscoe, but he had heard of the Black Shale formation and called me. He said his son who is a directional drilling specialist has already been told to prepare to relocate to our area, probably for the remainder of his career. He summed it up by saying, "The black shale reserve is being called the oil boom of this century".

He said the only thing he sees to prevent or slow down the development of this resource is if the mid east suppresses oil prices to sub fifty dollar pricing.

Who knows?

Have a weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for all YOUR blessings. I pray that this new possibility for my family and friends will come to reality. YOU are in control. Reveal YOUR plan for us.