Dotting the landscape of the greater Midwest are what I like to refer to as equipment bone yards. It’s the shallow gravesite for many a used, worn-out, retired truck, spray rig or cattle trough. They tirelessly decorate the hills as though saying, “Someone was once here. We worked hard, and now it’s time to rest.”

In this day and age of reuse, reduce, recycle, it’s hard to fathom why and how these bone yards have grown to be the size of an implement dealers’ yard. Isn’t there some way to dispose of the metal? To reuse the parts? Or sell it as an antique? Those cattle troughs would be a pretty unique petunia planter along the side of a house, don’t you think? And a stock tank, a perfect swimming retreat.

Or maybe it’s the mindset of a farmer: let nothing go to waste…I might need that again sometime. How often I’ve just tosses something aside because of my 2-year rule (if it hasn’t been used in 2 years, throw it out).

Maybe I should start my own bone yard. I’m sure the neighbors would love that.

Until we walk again…