Wednesday, May 15, 2024
I have very good memories of what little time we spent together . He was always interested and supportive of whatever ideas I or anyone might have to boost crop yields . If I wanted a specialized fertilizer formula that was not readily available , he would spare no effort in getting it for me .
He was very innovative . At a time before modern air seeders were common , he managed to cobble together an air seeder from ‘off the shelf’ parts . For an air blower he managed to get hold of a cheap Russian diesel engine , outfitted it with a huge fan , installed a heavy duty alternator to run the sensors ,and mounted it to a big cultivator that would hitch to the seed/ fertilizer tank . He ‘jumped to the pump’ to get your business.
He always seemed interested in my ideas no matter how strange they sounded . I was always working on the next ‘greatest invention any farmer had ever seen’ , and he made it seem like I just had to get this thing built . Maybe he just wanted to see it , but he was nonetheless a great inspiration.
Although I had only crossed paths with him once since he left Macklin , in the back of my mind I had often thought it would be so good to see him again . So it is a pinch to hear of his passing . But I have not a shred of doubt that Elmer is shrouded in the comfort that comes with life’s battles behind him and a life well lived .
