Farming in the 21st Century

There are times when I feel as if I live in an episode of the Twilight Zone. One of my lives is that of a middle aged, college educated, minivan driving, soccer mom where I put makeup on and am clean and somewhat stylish. The other life consists of heavy equipment, dirt, farm, manure, and animal husbandry. When I pick up feed once a quarter it is actually a journey back in time.
 
If you google Gomer Pyle's filling station you will have a visual of the tire shop and the mechanic who repaired the trailer tire that blew out on way to pick up feed Tuesday. The man at the feed store said, "Go up, about a mile, along that curvy road and you'll see the tire store just past the Grill". Following the directions blindly since there is no cell signal that far out, I pull off the road with 3 pickup trucks and a tractor outside the shop. My twenty year old truck got compliments (I think it is because it still has the front bumper!). The fellas are sitting around inside chatting. After a few minutes one of the older gentlemen asks me if he can help and goes to get the mechanic...the only mechanic in the 2 bay roadside station.

Gomer sure enough can fix it if I can back the trailer into the second bay without knocking into the pole that holds up the bay's carport. I assure him that I can back the trailer and proceed to put it into the bay. While he is re-seating the tire onto the rim, another tractor comes for repair. The tractor driver tells the older gentleman that if "she won't start, just reach over and give the solenoid a few good whacks and she'll purr". The next customer is an older lady, driving a Prius, there to pick up her repaired tractor tire. My tire is the only thing that actually gets worked on the whole time I'm there. I pay my $15 dollars and head back to the feed store.

After the 2 tons of feed is loaded, the forklift driver and I strap the bags down. He says, "You are pretty strong, farmer lady." Then I drive back to the 21st century thankful I can live in both worlds and not take myself too seriously in either!

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