It Takes A Team

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Wagonteamster

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3/28/10, Littlefield, TX - It was a little windy and cool this morning, but a really nice day.  Before hitting the road, I topped off the water tank and said goodbye to my hosts.  I didn’t need to see the mesquite trees budding to know warm weather is coming; the flowers on this plum and peach tree spell in out quite well.

Almost as soon as I hit the road, folks started pulling over.  Some, only wanted a few pictures, but as the morning warmed up, more were coming over to the wagon to talk and see the team.  One of the first, a farmer named Randy, was kind enough to give me some money to buy horse feed.

Then, a whole string of cars stopped with little girls who wanted to pet and see the horses. The little girl in the red, Sunday dress was really excited about having a chance to sit on Bill.  Her mother said that this was the first time she has been near a horse. When I get someone young like this that is near a horse for the first time, and they have a very good experience, I know somehow it will have a positive affect on her future. Wow, five minutes of time, and a little girl’s future is somehow changed for the better. Can it really be that easy?

Doc and Bob, looking good with my host’s wife and daughters in front of the blooming fruit trees.

As we got closer to Littlefield, more people were stopping.  It was a beautiful Sunday morning and a lot of folks were on their way to and from Church.

A farmer I had met earlier in the day, told me the story of how his grandfather purchased their farm from the XIT ranch in the early 1900’s. This huge ranch was owned by an English/Frech consortium, and once covered much of 10 counties, making it at the time, the largest ranch in the state. The farmer said he was off to a birthday party of a 13 year old girl.  Since the team hasn’t been to a birthday party in a while, I asked if he wanted me to show up,

It was only a couple of miles out of the way, so off we went.

Bill the Talking Horse - I bet he’s saying something to this little girl right now!

Tonight, we’re at Cory’s farm, a couple of miles east of Littlefield.  It was a good old fashioned birthday party, complete with hamburgers, cake and homemade ice cream. The kids and adults had a good time meeting the team.

This little girl needed a boost to pet Doc.

Cory and his dad farm about 5,500 acres, mostly in cotton. That may seem like a lot of land, but when you consider expenses and the risks of dry lands farming, it can also be a tough way to make a living, Expenses such as, machinery, fuel, fertilizer, land rent, spray and seed (Roundup Ready cotton seed is about $300 a bag), and crop insurance, really chew into your potential profit. During bad years, you live on your savings.

Farming is a great way of making a living, but very few people make more then a modest living doing so.

At the birthday party

Tonight, we’re very comfortably settled in at the farm.  The horses are munching on a large field a winter wheat and are very content.  Tomorrow, it might be a little tough, being on the south side of the north bound horses. it’s a good thing I still have the windscreen up.

Nice, young winter wheat.  It taste great, and it’s full of nutrients; however, it will also probably loosen them up a bit.