I have been to many auctions in my life. I used to go to livestock auctions with my Dad when I was 9, 10 and older. I really enjoyed seeing the animals even though sometimes it was sad to know that they were being auctioned off for slaughter. I always wanted to go to the horse auctions hoping that my Dad would see another horse that he should buy for his favorite daughter. (I guess I should mention, his only daughter too!)
Dad's farm auction was held on Halloween Day. Two other farmers from the area wanted to "go in" with us so it would be a bigger auction and more likely to draw a larger crowd of bidders. It is very hard to pick a date this time of year and have any idea what the weather will be like on the day of the sale. The weather in northwest Kansas this past week was cold, wet and even a little snowy, but the day of the sale dawned clear and chilly and by the afternoon it was almost hot! They always say, "If you don't like the weather in Kansas, wait 15 minutes and it will change."
We started out the morning being very careful not to step into the very slick, deep mud that was everywhere. By the afternoon most of the mud had disappeared. The girls were already chanting "Is it over yet?" "Can we go back to the hotel?" long BEFORE the auction started! When they saw all the equipment and items to be sold they still didn't understand that it would be a long day. I wasn't even sure how long it would be! I just kept reminding them to stay out of the mud!
I also want to mention a great big thanks to the other participants of the auction and all the time they spent moving things around and getting everything lined up for the auction! It takes us over 5 hours to drive there and with school, work, etc. it would have been a stretch for us to run up there to help set things up. Dad had many friends up there that miss him.
As with most auctions, they started out with the smaller items. The auctioneer is in the purple jacket in the back of the pickup while everyone is gathering around the wagon to see what the bidding is on.
Another view of the crowd.
As with most farm auctions, the ladies from one of the local churches provided the lunch stand complete with homemade pies, cookies, hamburgers etc. The homemade pies go quick, in fact some come out just for the homemade pies. I watched one guy buy two whole pies and take them to his pickup! It was also handy that there is a wood burner in the shed the ladies set up in. It took the chill off in the morning!
I had the chance to visit with some folks that I have not seen in a long time. As I look so much like my father, it was not too hard for them to know who I was, but it took some thinking on my part to remember a few of the faces. Many of the men who are near my Dad's age or younger have changed very little in the last 13+ years since I was around there on a more regular basis. The girls kept asking how I knew some of these people.
Both sides of the road were pretty full of vehicles during the middle of the auction. And what you can't see are the many ATV's that some had driven out!
I had many mixed feelings throughout the day. It was hard to think that this is the end of my father's goals and dreams in life. Farming was not passed down from my Dad to me as it was from his to him. Dad and I had visited about my taking over the farm someday. When I moved back home with him to go to nursing school, we had a long talk about if I really wanted to go to school or learn how to work the land. Well, having grown up on a farm and helped farm for years, it was a no-brainer for me! Nursing is not the easiest of professions, but at least we get a regular paycheck!! I have spent many hours behind the wheel of one of these!
It was also bittersweet spending time on the farmstead where I spent the first couple of decades of my life. The barn and the garage are starting to look pretty small and run down. It definitely looks different than I remember since the house has been gone for many, many years now. I did spend time showing the girls around and telling them about how Mommy grew up out here on this farm. I told them how I would take off down to the river behind the house...which worried my Mom gray! I also walked the girls down to the bridge so they could see the river. They in turn gave me a few more gray hairs by leaning over the bridge rail and scaring me!!
At the end of the day, we were just glad to have closure. As with most auctions, some things we practically gave away and other items sold for more than we thought. We can now move on to start finishing up estate things. I will miss having the opportunity to take the girls up during harvest so they can ride the combine or tractor. I guess we will have to find a farm family close to home here that we can go hang around during the summers!
