Life in a Farm Town

Well, it's about 95 degrees and 45% humidity in the rural town of Arthur, ND. I am about 20 minutes west of FARGO. Good times! This week, I'm staying with the Moore family (Dawn, her husband Joe, and their son, Kevin- who is Marcel's age. They have a daughter my age, but she moved out after graduation). Joe manages the busy grain elevator in town and Kevin is currently interning at the elevator in the agronomy department (the study of soil). The Moore family has been so awesome, and willing to show me life in a farm town. Before this week, I really had no clue how the weather really effects farming. Unfortunately, it's been a horrible year of flooding, and therefore the planting schedule is behind.

Monday, Dawn took me on a tour of several farms in town ranging from a really successful commercial farm (where took the picture of me on the tractor), to a less successful cattle farm, to a farm w/ pigs and pheasants. Above the pigstye, is a huge barn where they hold barn dances. The place fits about 600 and kids from the local colleges come out in the fall for Barn Dances!

Last night, Kevin brought me to see someone planting Soybeans. A man named Art ran the tractor, and gave me a ride across the field, explaining the process to me. It's amazing how much technology is used in farming if farmers can afford it. The tractor I rode on was guided by GPS, and Art didn't even have to steer. While on the ride, Art asked about Rhode Island, and said he had once been there (a former semi-truck driver). Halfway through the ride, he realized he knew a Portuguese woman from Rhode Island that had married a man out here, eight miles away... What a small world!

This week is going way better than last, and tomorrow is Show Day! The kids have been very well behaved, and are willing to work hard. We have been able to add light changes, since we have four great Assistant Directors. I will try to take a picure of me in my bear suit, as some of you have been asking. I hear next week will be tough, but atleast after that we have a week break. Oh, also, again if anyone has friends in Colorado (Denver or Boulder) please hook me up!

INTERSTING TIDBIT: Some farms are green farms some are red. Meaning, they either buy John Deere equipment (green) or Case (red). Farming is getting very costly.. most machines are hundreds of thousands of dollars!