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By Mark Davis
Senior Editor
Many people think of harvest as the
end of the year.
But for farmers, it's the time of year
when the real work begins when
some must worry about food for their
families and livestock and when all
must find time for equipment repairs.
Jean Robertson doesn't have much
time to talk these days. He a:d other
Midwest farmers have been busy with
long days of harvest.
"I have 1,200 acres and I have to get
down that road and back before dark,"
Robertson said, pointing south.
For farmers like Robertson, the hard
work of harvest means little profit.
"There's a lot of stress this year,"
Robertson said. "What with the weather
and the prices it's a lot of stress, so I
just take my aspirin and my beer and do
it."
Despite stress and low prices, Mike
Mitchell of Roca remains optimistic.
The 20-foot "smiley face" painted on
his barn roof stands as proof.
Mitchell said he, his father and his
uncle painted the giant symbol of
optimism because they "like farming."
"Hopefully, I can farm the rest of my
life," he said.
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But if farming fails, he said, he-will
have his eduation to fall back on. Mit
chell graduated from UNL in 1633 with
a decree in agronomy and animal
science.
Although Mitchell probably will in
herit the family fcrm, other formers'
children hav. left the fieid.and hary
csts to find work in the city, Robert
sen's fcrr.i! h cr,2 d ll.cse.
'"It's che:.y .r to hire a can to help
thzn keep tltem here," Kobertsousald.
"One of my soia works in Washington
with (U.S. Rep. Doug) Ecreutcr."
' "Ah-n "zy, another Lineoln-trca
fcrmer, sal i his d.ter si?d hrrhtis
: ..bspd ccssiicred leaving tznuizz be
ci:.:,a prcfis are low. -
."A let of kids are leaving the fern,"
he said. "It's just too hard to get a start
anymore."
Despite a growing number of failing
farms, people like Mitchell continue
harvesting and looking toward the
future.
Like the Mitchells, other families
involved with harvest will continue
farming and trying to make the best of
things.
As Mitchell said as he stood beside
his barn, "There's no use painting a
frown up there."
'7. - - &
Photos
by
Mark
Davis
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