Bill's is the best

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

My “close relative” told me the other day how much he enjoys the weekly column written by “Bill.” It is his opinion, and everybody has one, that “Bill’s” is the best.

Because my most recent writing was about living more and thinking less, I am not even going to dwell on that little bit of jealousy I might feel that mine isn’t his favorite! Oh, well. It is what it is. My husband likes farming and most things related, and that includes “Bill’s” writings.

Actually, I like them too, because “Bill” touches on important issues and always sprinkles in a little humor. His articles have even helped settle some disputes for us.

The one that comes to mind first off is about the discussion he and his “close relative” had about where to park unsightly farm equipment. I was glad he brought that up.

The main reason our farm needs outbuildings is so there are places, in or behind, to store things I prefer to have out of sight. Otherwise, farm stuff would be scattered here and there andmight even threaten to take over my side of the garage! It is my opinion, and everybody has one, that this is unacceptable.

I have expressed my thoughts several times before, and “Bill’s” article helped my cause a little on that issue.

Thanks, “Bill.” Keep up the good work! I hope your “close relative” will keep helping you come up with topics for future columns.

Speaking of articles about farming, last week a nice lady who writes for a publication called “Ozark Farm and Neighbor” came to visit us. According to the phone call we got ahead of time, the publication wanted to get more information about “Rowe Cattle Company.”

At first I chuckled. That name, which made us sound a little big for our britches, I thought, was something my husband used on a registration form when he joined a cattle association not too long ago.

Would they still want to talk to us when they learned that our “cattlecompany” consists of only 39 acres of land and a small herd, and is far from a Texas-sized ranch? Yes, they did, and thought their readers might be interested in the particular breed of cattle Earl has started raising.

So, the reporter came to our home and, with pen and notepad in hand, spent a couple of hours sitting at our kitchen table. She asked my city-raised “close relative” all kinds of cattle questions which he answered quite knowledgeably, I thought.

After several years of playing around with an expensive hobby, he seems to have morphed into an actual cattle rancher, albeit a smallscale one, who continues to park old farm vehicles too close to the house, discuss cattle reproduction at the dinner table, store ear-tagging supplies in the laundry room and read “Bill’s” column before mine!

I guess that is all part of farming and I will try not to think too much about it.

Annette Rowe is a freelance writer from rural Gentry and a speechlanguage pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by email at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 5 on 01/04/2012