Glasgow, Ky | Lived in Hardin County near Elizabethtown, Ky back then. Best I can remember we had no rain at all for well over a month with temps in the mid 90's, low humidity and windy. My upland corn made 15 bu an acre at best. Hadn't been farming that long and the drought plus high interest rates dug a financial hole too deep for me to farm my way out of. In 1986 I got a public job to help with the digging while continuing to farm.
The adversity wound up to be a blessing. I got a good paying job with benefits and was able to buy land that I could not have done without the job. Initially planned on working the job 5 years or less but wound up staying 20 years. Tough on the old ego to go from full time farmer to part time but you got to do what's best for your family. . . |