Sunday, November 04, 2012

Plowing FORWARD

Four years ago a farmer in Hillsdale NY, near our Copake Lake house, used his thresher and cut the word OBAMA in huge letters 30 yards high into his hayfield. It was so unexpected and delightful in largely Republican upstate New York. For the past four years we have referred to him as the "Obama Farmer." As in, "Hey, stop at the Obama Farmer on your way home and pick up some corn."

Rural Columbia County has been devastated by the recession and sadly, although I check every time I drive past his field, our agricultural ally has not yet declared his allegiance. I finally gave up watching for his declaration, fearing that like many others, his elated, hopeful feelings from 2008 had not carried over to this election year.

That is until today. I was driving along Route 23, slammed on the brakes and turned the car around. Sure enough, there was the Obama Farmer in his thresher in the gathering dusk, carving out the very beginning of those same big letters in his cornfield! Perhaps he was one of the undecided up until now, or maybe he just had a busy harvest. But our ally is back, and we've got his vote. GO-BAMA!!