Is there a relationship

Between the state of the rural economy and giveaway pens? I might be crazy, but I think so. (If you aren't an aficionado of farm shows, many dealers offer advertising pens to passers by as a way of getting their message out.) For the past few years milk prices at the farm level have been horrendous. 2935 dairy farms went out of business last year alone and we actually had pretty good prices then. However, many people just couldn't dig out from under the debt of the previous years, particularly 2006, which was a perfect storm of bad weather, low farm gate prices and high costs for inputs. During those years, exhibitors at the farm show became kind of sparse and hardly anyone had pens to hand out to visitors.

This year, after a few months of record milk prices, the farm show was back up to its original five buildings full of farm equipment and supplies. I also came home with a handful of nice pens that folks gave me as we wandered through. There is more to this pen thing than whether the pussy willow cup where we keep pens is full for the moment (a certain high school student feels that the pens there are fair game and it will soon be empty) or whether we buy a bunch of Bics at Wally World. In rural areas and even the cities that adjoin them, when farmers are prosperous, so are the many businesses that depend on them. When they are hurting so is the rest of the rural economy.

This doesn't just affect implement dealers and sellers of farm supplies either...farmers buy the same stuff everyone does.......except when they can't. I think the "gimme" pens, the crowded exhibits and the "sold" signs on a number of implements indicate a welcome up tick in the farm economy here in upstate New York. Sadly, milk prices are predicted to tank again this summer; fuel and fertilizer are at an all time high price. Corn seed is limited. Fertilizer supplies are limited. I wonder what the pen situation will be next year at this time.


When I asked to photograph this sign the lady in the booth graciously allowed me to and even put some peppermint oil on my hands for me. I smelled like a stick of gum all day. I thought Mrs. Mecomber would get a kick out of this.

Prototype Bobcat Skid steer from way back when

You have to look closely at this sign and use your imagination, but docking tails isn't the only thing you can use this intimidating device to accomplish. I missed it myself, but I guess the guys were all cringing and clamping their knees together as they edged away from this booth in a hurry.

Select Sirepower, the service we use most often

***See if you can pick out the baby goat in the top photo. Her owner said mama tucked the baby in under the hay feeder and lay down beside her when they first got to the show. Then she kept her snug and hidden all day. I wouldn't even have noticed her if she hadn't pointed her out.