I should have known better

Aug 20, 2025
Aug 20, 2025

Glenn Brunkow

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Chalk this one up to the category of I should have known better. Actually, I should have known better a couple of times.

kAm{6EVD DE2CE 2E E96 368:??:?8] %9:D J62C x 564:565 E92E 3642FD6 @7 E96 A@E6?E:2= AC@3=6>D 2?5 7:?2?4:2= 4@?46C?D 2C@F?5 D@J362?D[ x H@F=5 A=2?E 2 76H 24C6D @7 DF52?8C2DD]k^Am

kAm|J =@8:4 >:89E 92G6 366? 7=2H65[ 3FE x 564:565 E92E x 4@F=5 2=H2JD 7665 E96 92J @C D6== :E 2?5[ 56A6?5:?8 @? H92E >:89E 92AA6?[ :E >:89E 36 92C5 E@ D6== D@J362?D] x 8F6DD :E H@F=5 ?@E 36 92C5 E@ D6== E96>[ 3FE :E >:89E 36 5:77:4F=E E@ D6== E96> 2E 2 AC@7:E23=6 =6G6=] xE D66>65 =@8:42= 2E E96 E:>6]k^Am

kAmx 92G6 2 =@G6\92E6 C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 DF52?] x =@G6 E96 :562 @7 9@H >F49 7@C286 :E 42? AC@5F46 2?5[ H96? 5@?6 C:89E[ >J 4@HD 2?5 D966A E9:?< :E :D 8@@5 DEF77] ~? E96 @E96C 92?5[ 96C6 :? 8@@5 @=5 9F>:5 ?@CE962DE6C? z2?D2D :E 42? 36 5:77:4F=E E@ 92CG6DE :? 2 E:>6=J >2??6C 2?5 E96? 32=6] %92E H2D E96 7:CDE @7 E96 “x D9@F=5 92G6 <?@H? 36EE6CD]”k^Am

kAm$FC6 6?@F89[ H96? :E 42>6 E:>6 E@ DH2E9 E96 D652?[ H6 925 D6G6C2= 52JD @7 C2:? 7@C642DE] %92E :D <:?5 @7 9@H E9:D DF>>6C 92D 366?] (6 D66> E@ 92G6 2 492?46 6G6CJ E9C66 @C 7@FC 52JD] {2E6=J[ H6 92G6 366? 42D9:?8 :? ;FDE 23@FE 6G6CJ @?6 @7 E9@D6 492?46D] x 2> ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 4@>A=2:? 23@FE E96 C2:?[ 3FE x 2> DE2CE:?8 E@ 8CF>3=6 ;FDE 2 =:EE=6 3:E]k^Am

kAmx? 2?J 42D6[ x 7:?2==J 42F89E H92E D66>65 =:<6 2 D6G6?\52J DA2? H:E9@FE C2:?] x >@H65 E96 DF52? 5@H?] xE H2D 2 3:E E2==6C E92? x H2?E65 3FE DE:== ?:46 92J H:E9 7:?6 DE6>D] %96 @?=J AC@3=6> H2D 2 76H A2E496D H:E9 A:8 H665D] %96J H6C6 92C5 E@ >@H[ 92C5 E@ C2<6 2?5 x 2> DFC6 E96J H:== 36 92C5 E@ 32=6 6G6?EF2==J]k^Am

People are also reading…

System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Beware turkey bits, pieces
Modern farm shops feature high-end components, aesthetic appeal
Buckhouse cowboy known for strong work ethic
Get better hay, returns with small changes
From the Backroads of Wisconsin's Past
Laws restrict foreign land owners
Farmland values relatively stable amid volatile world markets
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term
Illinois town weighs data center
Functional storage with easy access serves acreage owners
Industrial hemp reemerges as alternative
Columbia Grain Pulse Processing Plant holds grand opening in Valley City
PBR: Unleash the beast veterinarian

kAmx >@H65 @? 2 |@?52J[ 2?5 >J A=2? H2D E@ 32=6 @? $2EFC52J @C $F?52J] x C2<65 E96 92J @? %9FCD52J[ 2?5 :E H2D 5CJ:?8 H6==] w@H6G6C[ E96 H62E96C>2? AFE 2 492?46 @7 C2:? 324< :? E96 7@C642DE @? $F?52J 2?5 E9:D >256 32=:?8 @? $2EFC52J >@C6 @7 2 ?646DD:EJ] x 4964<65 :E uC:52J[ E9@F89E :E H2D 5CJ:?8 H6== 2?5 564:565 ?@E E@ 7=:A E96 H:?5C@H] %9:D H2D E96 ?6IE[ “x D9@F=5 92G6 <?@H? 36EE6C]”’k^Am

kAm$2EFC52J 52H?65 H:E9 52C< 4=@F5D @7 K6C@ A6C46?E C2:? :? E96 H6DE6C? D<J] u@CEF?2E6=J[ E96 C2:? ;FDE 32C6=J >:DD65 FD E@ E96 D@FE9] w@H6G6C[ E96 9F>:5:EJ[ 4=@F5 4@G6C 2?5 86?6C2==J A@@C 92J 5CJ:?8 4@?5:E:@?D 5:5 ?@E >:DD FD] %96 $F?52J C2:? 925 2=D@ 366? 3F>A65 FA E@ 2 7=@@5 H2E49 2?5 D6G6C2= :?496D @7 C2:?]k^Am

kAmx H2:E65 ;FDE 2D =@?8 2D x 4@F=5 92G6 @? $2EFC52J 27E6C?@@? 2?5 x AF==65 :?E@ E96 7:6=5 2?5 DE2CE65 32=:?8] p== E96 >@?:E@C H@F=5 E6== >6 H2D E96 92J H2D H6E 2?5 J6D[ x <?6H 36EE6C] %92E 5:5 ?@E DE@A >6 7C@> ECJ:?8 2 H:?5C@H :? E96 >:55=6 @7 E96 7:6=5[ >J E96@CJ 36:?8 E92E >2J36 E96 H:?5 925 9:E :E 2 =:EE=6 36EE6C] xE H2D H6E E@@[ 2?5 x A=F8865 E96 32=6C FA[ x 492=<65 E9:D FA E@ 2 5@F3=6[ “x <?6H 36EE6C E92? E92E]”k^Am

kAm(6 5:5 ?@E 86E 7=@@5:?8 C2:?[ ;FDE 2 =:EE=6 @G6C 2 92=7 2? :?49] }@E 6?@F89 E@ 7=@@5[ 3FE 46CE2:?=J 6?@F89 E@ E9C@H 2 HC6?49 :?E@ >J 92J A=2?D] $@ 96C6 x D:E H:E9 BF:E6 2 3:E @7 92J :? D@88J H:?5C@HD] p82:?[ H6 92G6 2 DEC6E49 @7 D:I @C D6G6? 52JD H:E9 ?@ 7@C642DE65 C2:? 3FE H:E9 2 5:D4=2:>6C 7C@> E96 H62E96C>2? E92E A@A FA D9@H6CD 4@F=5 92AA6? 2E 2?J E:>6 5FC:?8 E96 962E @7 E96 52J]k^Am

kAmx H:== AC@323=J 8@ @FE 2?5 7=:A E96 H:?5C@HD 2 4@FA=6 >@C6 E:>6D[ 2?5 ?6IE E:>6 x H:== 32=6 E96 6?E:C6 7:6=5 ?@ >2EE6C E96 >@:DEFC6] %96 ?6IE 4FEE:?8 @7 92J :D 4@>:?8 FA 2?5 x ;FDE ?665 E@ 86E :E @77 E96 7:6=5]k^Am

kAm%9:D D66>D E@ 36 E96 A2EE6C? x 92G6 925 6G6CJ E:>6 x ECJ E@ 8C@H DF52?[ 7@C286 D@C89F> @C >:==6E 7@C 92J] *@F H@F=5 E9:?< x H@F=5 <?@H 36EE6C] }@A6[ x ;FDE <66A ECJ:?8 E@ A@F?5 2 DBF2C6 A68 E9C@F89 2 C@F?5 9@=6 2?5 6?5 FA 32=:?8 DF3A2C 92J]k^Am

kAm%96J D2J J@F 42??@E E6249 2? @=5 5@8 ?6H EC:4<D[ x 8F6DD E92E 8@6D 7@C FD 28 EJA6D E@@] x 2> DFC6 x H:== ?@E =62C? 7C@> E9:D 6IA6C:6?46 6:E96C 2?5 x H:== >2<6 E96 D2>6 >:DE2<6D 282:? ?6IE J62C] $@>6 J62C :E H:== 92G6 E@ H@C< @FE]k^Am

kAmx E9:?< x H:== ;FDE 36 A=2?E:?8 92J[ 2?5 :E H:== 36 >J C6E:C6>6?E A=2?] }@[ :E :D ?@E 8@:?8 E@ >2<6 >6 E92E >F49 >@?6J[ 3FE E96 7:CDE E:>6 x 32=6 DF52? 92J H:E9@FE 86EE:?8 :E H6E[ x 2> 8@:?8 E@ 42== :E BF:ED] x? @E96C H@C5D[ x H:== ?6G6C C6E:C6]k^Am

Glenn Brunkow is a fifth-generation farmer in the Northern Flint Hills of Pottawatomie County in Kansas. He was a county Extension educator for 19 years before returning to farm and ranch full time. He can be reached at editorial@midwestmessenger.com.