Around my Senior year of High School, I remember John Mellencamp going to bat for Farmers and later, Farm Aid. I gave it SOME thought but carried on. When I arrived to my Tech School at Chanute AFB, 13 miles North of Champaign, everything was white with snow. BUT....When I was on the bus going to Champaign to go home, it was early May. Along the way, I saw the tractors, combines and other equipment for sale in front of some Farms. I even saw a Farm House for sale.
Fast forward to my Duty Station in Blytheville, Arkansas (The flats along the Mississippi River), I remember griping and moaning about getting the 3 AM to 6 AM Fire watch as they loaded weapons on the Alert B-52s. Around 4:15 AM, I saw lights in the field across from the base. It was the local Cotton Farmer in his tractor, trying to beat the heat of the BRUTAL Julys in that area. Suddenly, I had ZERO complaints about sitting in a Crash Fire truck and just watching weapons being loaded.
