midwest refugee

I don’t reblog much, but…this is the tractor dreams are made of!

(via blackandwtf)

Farm Accident Kills 92-year-old Man in Rockland

La Crosse Co., Wis. — A couple of seniors, ages 82 and 92, were farming last week when the older of the two (not pictured) was accidentally run over by a tractor and killed.

According to the sheriff’s department, the men were attempting to attach a brush mower to the back of a tractor; the 82-year-old was behind the wheel of the tractor, and the 92-year-old, on foot, was connecting the tractor to the mower.

A brush mower is a relatively heavy-duty piece of machinery that can function as a lawn mower, and is sometimes attached to a tractor to be pulled through rugged fields and farms to clear tall grass and other foliage. In this case, two men who, in retrospect may have been slightly past their prime for operating such machinery, were attaching the aforementioned brush mower to their tractor when the accident happened.

Are you with me so far, people from large coastal U.S. cities?

OK. So the driver’s foot accidentally slipped from the clutch, and the tractor abruptly reversed right over the other man. The 92-year-old was pronounced dead on the scene.

When a loved one dies, it is an unquestionably morose time for the bereaved, and it can often be difficult to comfort those in mourning. Nevertheless, this has to be one of the most remarkably dignified ways for a nearly century-old Wisconsin farmer to leave this earth. 

In fact, it ought to be recorded in a history book somewhere.

Please know that my sympathy goes out to his surviving family and friends. If there is some sort of plane of existence after this life, I hope he makes his way there peacefully and quickly.

Resident badass Will Allen leads nation’s urban farming movement

The concept of ‘urban farming’ has begun to pop up more and more since Milwaukee’s Will Allen was put on the map for positive achievements he, along with his nonprofit organization Growing Power, have made strengthening neighborhoods the inner city with, well…food.

Allen knows that human beings have an inherent desire to sow the food we serve to ourselves and our loved ones. It’s human nature to take pride in nourishing another; and everyone knows that food tastes best when it’s shared with a friend or two. (Or ten.)

Allen, along with Growing Power, examines these basic traits in humanity to better help Milwaukee’s toughest neighborhoods unify, rather than disassociate or faction off in anger or fear. At Growing Power, he’s teaching people life skills to decrease hunger, disease, and dependence on government welfare programs in the community.

Apparently it’s been working, because Allen was awarded the MacArthur Genius Grant to help support Growing Power’s work.

And guess what? They’re not the only ones who’ve noticed. Because of Allen’s hard work, First Lady Michelle Obama has even invited him to the White House (twice, nbd), most recently in May 2010 for a state dinner.

La-tee-frickin’-da.

So if you wanna take a closer look at this forward-thinking social food movement that’s even caught the eye of the First Lady, drop by Growing Power’s International Conference on Urban Farming at Milwaukee’s State Fair Park NEXT weekend, Sept. 10-12.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Five cows are still on the loose in western Michigan, after a truck that was supposed to bring them to Milwaukee crashed. 

Apparently 12 of the 26 cows escaped after their trailer was overturned early Wednesday morning on hwy 131 near Grand Rapids. The truck driver’s OK.

Authorities said the wayward cows climbed over guard-rails, causing at least one additional traffic accident.

The cops corralled 7 of the 12 runaway cows at first, which were heading from their Michigan farm to a slaughterhouse in Milwaukee.

Evidently cows are a lot smarter than we give them credit for because those ones knew to get the hell out of there.

The Michigan State Police say the missing cows will be euthanized once they’re found. 

What a heartwarming story.