It's Corn-Chopping Time!

Recent meteorological events along the east coast allow me to wonder a couple of things!  Is someone really watching over my life?  Our years at Fred's News saw only one tropical storm, two," hundred year" floods indirectly caused by nature. Whether it was dumped upon the tiny hamlet of Baltic in frozen form or in monsoon like proportions, Mother Nature was to blame.  In hindsight most of the horrific flooding could have been avoided.  "Analysis leads to paralysis" definitely sums up the biggest reason behind the why these events occurred.  Money or the lack of, caused most of the "paralysis."  As with all forms of government mumbo jumbo the fact remains, we spend too much money, people get ripped, officials aren't re-elected, they become part of the unemployment statistics.  However, keep the taxes down, get re-elected, adoration by the masses occurs, everything is "cool beans" until.............Mother Nature gets a "wild hair", dumps her anger on us all, adoration by the masses turns to the "ugly mob", so......the system of checks and balances occurs!  Not the one directly related to supply and demand, but the one of "finger pointing" and I might add, if it is anywhere near an election year, this finger pointing system of checks and balances, might just mean the demise of the official who's "analysis led to the paralysis" allowing Mother Nature's fury to create this "major political cleansing!"

With all that said, we wonder just what the effects this years rains have had on eastern Connecticut.  Late summer and early fall is "corn chopping" time for the local farmers.  Spielman farms in Sprague, a major player during this event.  Did they cut early this year as a result of "Weather Channels" constant reminder of "doom and gloom" or did they adopt the "wait and see" attitude.  Our daily reporters from the area announced some of the fields survived nature's fury while others look as though a nuclear disaster had occurred.

This yearly event of cutting, chopping and hauling of the corn created appetites of ravenous proportions for the little restaurant know as Fred's News.  Thankfully most of it occurred in the early morning hours before the masses filled the place.  As with all "special events" daily chores still needed to be completed.  Milking of the three hundred plus "eating machines" finished, the "chopping crew" heads out.  First stop, Fred's News for a quick breakfast and load of yummy snacks and  delicious over sized sandwiches, carefully wrapped and placed in coolers. Stopping the chopping only to eat or move to the next field, these boys were out until dark, their quick visit in the early morning darkness just a memory, but with the pungent smell of cow poop lingering in the air, a definite wake up call for the senses! Usually as they headed out the front door, the back door was propped open as was the front, fans turned on, quick wash of the floor where they had sat, Yankee Candles lit, Fabreeze sprayed, fresh coffee brewed, warm muffins uncovered, hood fans turned on, the awakening world only recognizing the warm inviting aromas drifting through the crisp early morning moist-laden air, beckoning them to their favorite restaurant.