It always amazes me what I find when going through papers my mother saved over the years. She was a very organized school teacher and valued so many special things whether they were objects or the written word. Growing up in the farm and owning my family farm now, I am well aware of how farming has changed over the years. Among her papers this week and was fascinated with a prayer I found. There was no date on it but thought I would share it. I think it might be from the “70s or 80s. Source unknown.

“The Farmers and Ranchers Prayer”

As farmers and ranchers, dear God, give us the patience and wisdom to understand why a pound of steak at $1.80 is “high” but a three ounce cocktail at $1.50 is acceptable.

And Lord, help me understand why $3 for a movie ticket is “not bad”, but $3.50 for a bushel of wheat that makes 50 loaves of bread is considered unreasonable. And a 50-cent coke at a ballgame is “OK”, but a 20-cent glass of milk for breakfast is inflationary. Cotton is “too high” at 65 cents a pound, but a $20 cotton shirt is viewed as a bargain. And corn is “too steep” at 3 cents worth in a box of flakes, but the flakes are sold for 50 cents a serving.

And also, Lord, help me understand why I have to give an easement to the Gas company so 6hey can cross my property with their gas lines, and before they get it installed the price of gas has doubled?

And while you’re at it, dear God please help me understand the consumer who drives by my field and raises his eyebrows when he sees me driving a $30,000 tractor that he helped put together so he could make money and drive down that right -of- way they took from me to build a road so he could go hunting and fishing.

Also, dear Lord, try to help me accept the fact that for years I have labored and tilled the soil and paid my income taxes; and then after death me and ma are gone our kids will probably pay more in inheritance taxes than the farm cost in the first place.

Thank you, God, for your past guidance. I hope you can help me make some sense out of all of this. And please, God, send some rain.

The life of a farmer today is becoming more desperate each year. Are you aware that a new combine today costs about 3 quarters of a million dollars and the grain prices are what they averaged in the 70s and 80s?

In the 70’s a ton of fertilizer cost $100 but this spring it is $900 a ton. Back then that $30,000 tractor today costs between $400,000 and $600,000. Oh yes, and that 50 cent coke is likely to cost $2.50 today. The value of the 1973 dollar was $100 and today it is $743,00. Farmer’s have to buy certified seed at extravagant cost. If they plant the seed they might save from last years crop, like they could do 70 years ago, they will be faced with very, very heavy fines. Farming is big business and most don’t have a clue the challenges farmers face. If things don’t change sooner than later we are headed for a national food desert crisis as farmers have to quit the job they love.