|
Farm
life is funny for farmer-writer
By KATHLEEN DOOLEY
Staff writer
Joe Peck started writing a humorous column about
farm life more than 10 years
ago.
He's done more than 100 columns, many written free
of charge for Cooperative
Extension's agricultural news magazine that circulates in
several Capital Region counties.
Those musings of life on his dairy farm in the
town of Saratoga have been collected
in a 230-page book called "A Cow in the Pool, & Udder
Humorous Farm Stories.'' It's
filled with funny stories, and is available at Borders
Books on Broadway, Saratoga Springs and Olde Saratoga
Books in Schuylerville. It costs $14.95.
"It's all about life on the farm,'' said
Peck. "I'm a dairy farmer with over
100 registered Holstein cows. I sell over two million
pounds of milk a year.''
His short humor stories were meant to be
inspirational to farm people, and are
written to reflect what farming is all about.
And yes, a cow actually did fall into the pool
once.
Peck and his wife Patricia had thought for several
years about putting the anecdotes
into a book. When she retired two years ago, the couple began
the process of self-publishing. Illustrator Andy Taoromina was found
at a Saratoga Springs Public Library program. His caricatures fit
the publication perfectly.
Over the years, Peck became a sought-after
speaker. The Cornell University graduate was
invited to banquets and other events in Saratoga County and beyond
to speak.
Farming can be a difficult, he said. "It
helps to have a sense of humor to work on a
farm.'' He still farms today.
David Peck, his son and farming partner, works the
farm while he writes or speaks. In addition to
other chores, his wife is chief bookkeeper.
"We're busy. Everything has to be done on
time, all the time. The cows have to be milked twice a day. You
don't leave them waiting,'' said Peck.
People are so busy they don't take time to see the
lighter side of farm life, he said, such as the heifer falling in
the pool in the middle of winter.
It was especially funny to a neighbor, who watched
it happen from her kitchen window.
"There's a cow in the pool!'' she shouted.
"Now, that's what I call bad news,'' he said.
Should he dial 911, call a vet or try CPR?
The cow came out unhurt after being hoisted
by a tractor. She was exceptionally clean and
white, Peck said.
After the incident the family put a fence around
the pool and keeps the gates locked.
Peck describes cows as "big animals, not
necessarily stupid but not awfully bright.
Creatures of habit.''
"As long as you do things at the same time
everyday, they'll go along. They're generally
pretty good-natured, but they are big.''
Sometimes they don't understand what he wants them
to do and it's hard to convince
a cow. "It's easy to lose your temper but more fun to see
the funny side,'' said Peck.
Whatever can happen on a farm will happen, said
Peck.
"If we could cross
cows with cats, we would develop a cow that would bury its own
manure,'' he said laughing.
Peckhaven Farm dates back to when the first Peck
came to this area from Dutchess County in
1803. The family has been farming the property ever since,
he said. It used to be farms had a few cows, potatoes, pigs and an
orchard.
Today, the only way to survive is to specialize,
Peck said, so he chose cows.
He also grows 100 acres of corn, 130 acres of alfalfa.
© 2001
Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation, Albany, N.Y
|