Hey...billonthefarm!

Hello, Bill!
Thanks for the post regarding the tornado in Elmwood. We are thankful that nobody was injured. It must have been something, to see it from your house! Poor Wrigley...first, a skunk, then...a big, scary-looking funnel cloud! We hope your June has begun well!
Merlin & Renee'

Hey Merlin,
Kinda think Bill only gets to use the computer when Wrigley isn't.
Oh well, he's probably out counting bushels of corn, watching his beans pop thru and wondering when he's going to bale hay! Course, he did mention something about going to the sale barn and taking a nap?
Guess you are right - need more pictures!


Jim

I just stepped in the house. I went to check our cows north of Farmington. On the way I decided to go on north about 3 miles to see some of the damage to the farmsteads outside of Yates City which is about 3 miles west of Elmwood. The damage is amazing. Two farmsteads took direct hits. One is completly destroyed. Barn, shed, bins, trees, everything. Maybe they can save the house but I doubt it. The second one the house seems totally undamaged but the buildings which were about 50 feet from the house are all destroyed. Tin and boards are still strung for miles. There is a livestock trailer about 1/8 of a mile from the farmstead on its side. His cattle were running around the countryside untill they got them rounded up and to the salebarn on tuesday since the fences and the feedlot are gone now. There is a strip probably 150-200 feet wide where the ground is virtually bare, corn gone, beans gone, last years crop residue gone, fence damaged, lights poles have been replaced, nothing was spared in that strip but only a few feet oustside of the path there is no indication anything happend. Other farms had damage but these two were basically destroyed. Elmwood is still closed down as they deal with demolishing the downtown now. Alot of people have been seriously affected but with NO injuries I am sure they consider themselves very lucky.
Otherwise things here are good. We are still too wet but the old saying "rain makes grain" is true. We have all but 5 calves now and they are all doing fine. The cows I went to check on north of town tonight seem to be doing quite well. No hay mowing yet. Need to get some spraying done. Lots of corn to ship. Fence to build. Going to put in some fence line feed bunks this summer and about time to start on getting things ready for the bin builder to start on the new bin. Never a dull moment around here.
Wrigley is at my feet sleeping and I have the cubs game on the tv. Life is good on the farm.
bill