Montana farmer-stockman., 1955-01-15
FAIR
EXCHANGE

MUST BE NUTS! Here I am s.
years old with almost a quarter of a
century of newspaper reporting be
hind me and 1 take ON a brand new
assignment. The Minneapolis Grain
Exchange came to me the other day
and asked If I'd like to do a monthly
column for the farm gaines for
them. For 20 years I've been doing
seven columns a week for The Mime
apoIis Star and Tribune along with
26 broadcasts every week plus seven
teIevision shows week. You'd think
guy would know when he had
enough, wouldn't you? Well, the thing
interested me for two reasons. In the
first place, I'm a kind of farm boy
myself. was born and raised in a
town of 203 population, when they
were all home. In the second place,
the first real, fuII-time job ever
had was working in the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce in those
days
WE'RE GOING TO have some
fun, you and I, in this little space
every mcnth. I've lived in Mime
apoIis fer 40 years, but in all that
time, nothing has ever been able
to take the small town out of me.
And it never will. 1 love to bark
back to the days when 1 hauled
grain in a lumber wagon, when
"pI0wed' corn 1--WE didn't call
it cultivate In those days) with a
three-rOw cuItivator, when
chewed Horseshoe tobacco by the
plug, when I turned a separator
Oe Laval as I remember) for a
full hour after every morning and
evening milking, when ] first
learned to harness a team, when
the hired girl and I used to pitch
a little romance on the way home
from barn dance
DO you SEE how you and I are go
ing to have some fun? It's been
long time since I've been able TO
write to farm folk. In my 20 odd
years of reporting I've had to slant
most of my stuff to people who live
in the city. All of my early back
ground in a small town and out ON
a farm had to be neglected because
most of nay readers weren't familiar
with it. At long last, I've been given
an audience with whom can visit
once month about things with which
/ am very familiar. Some of the
things we're going to talk about in
this space each month I'll wager
you've forgotten about. The Good
Lord gave me a terrific memory.
can skip back to 1915 without batting
an eyelash. Don't ask me what hap
pened two years ago, but LET me trot
back to IS or 30 years ago and I'll
help you relive some very pleasant
memories -.
SINCE THIS Is our Introductory
column, let me tell you what I
have i'm mind. First of all, from
mcnth to month I'm going to tell
you something about your own
Grim Exchange. I worked in the
Exchange for five years, started
out as an office boy at SIS
month, and that was take-hOme
pay in those days, too. was
working for one of the commits
sion houses and Old Dan Connely
who ran the Farmers Elevator
Company in Magnolia, my home
town, consigned a car of grain to
me in care of the Commission
House and got half the COM
mission. Was a Big Shot for
couple of days! Wen, we're going
to visit little every month about
the Grain Exchange and what it
does for you and me and then
have another idea -.
WANT THIS to be your column as
well as mine. want you to write to
me. Send me some little incident,
household hint, trick you've learned
about farming, a joke. a bright say
ing from one of your kids, anything
you think might interest our readers.
Wen have a picnic out of this whole
hing you and I. I want to get to
know you. I'll answer every letter
and I'll use your items, believe me.
Pm an Old Shoe guy. I've been mar
lied for % years, have three sons
always spend a little more than
make. have mortgage on my house,
till chew little tobacco if / can
get it and could stiI strip cow
had to.
Just SO I'll know I'm blessed with
| reader or two, why don't you send
ne postcard with nothing more
han ssheIlo'' on it the first time so
We can get acquainted. Send it to
ne in care of The Grain Exchange.
want you and the Minneapolis Grain
Exchange and me to become good
riends. And we viii, too. you wait
nd see. So long till next month.