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Thumb of Michigan | Late fall 1971, a truck showed up at our place. Had 2 grain bins on it. We unloaded them by hand (my Dad had 4 boys. Don't need a loader or fork truck when you have 4 boys). Next summer, got the wheat harvested. Thats mid July for us . Took a week vacation afterwards, and when we got home, Dad decides its about as hot as its going to get. So, we start pouring concrete. Put both bins up when the concrete was set. Worked so well, did the same thing in 1973. And again in 1974. By 1975, I was a junior in high school. Unloaded a bin in January of that year. Had friends who had either been to Texas or were going to work.
By March, I'd made the decision that at 17, I was going to go to Houston to work in the swamp laying sewer and water pipe. Because it couldn't be any hotter than it was putting up grain bins in August in Michigan. And it wasn't. Worked all summer in Houston, got home in time to finish my senior year. Seemed like half the Thumb of Michigan was working in that area at the time. Company I worked for had close to 30 working from my county, or the one next to it. Experienced a few things that you just don't get to experience here.
On July 4th weekend, buddy of mine I'd grown up with and I elected to hitch hike to Dallas to see the Eagles, Montrose, and the Rolling Stones. Still don't know why we hitch hiked; had a van we could have taken. Slept on what was the front lawn of the Cotton Bowl entry way that night. Not sure why, but they'd decided to rip the lawn up the week before. It was very rough. I think thats maybe where I became a fan of no till. Anyway, saw a very memorable show the next day. Got a ride back to Houston with one of the guys that had picked us up on the way to Dallas. Made it to work the next day just fine, but was feeling uncomfortable. I'd acquired a very nasty sun burn, the boss sent me home for a day or 2 to heal up. Still have some scars from that.
And, when I got back to Michigan, the latest bin was put up. Dad had hired a crew to do the concrete and put it up. | |
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Youthful interesting decisions made in our lives.
