Is the Sun Setting on the Stafford Depot?

Sunset, July 15, 2016

Is the sun setting on the Stafford Depot?

An email campaign to  BNSF Railroad is underway to save the depot. In recent weeks, the windows were removed from the building, and the rumor mill was swirling that the depot would be torn down. Stafford native and historian F. Clare Moore started investigating. This wasn't Clare's first foray into trying to save the depot. Ten years ago, he also led efforts to keep the depot from the wrecking ball. This time, he says, the railroad personnel were helpful in trying to connect him with the right person.

On Thursday, Clare posted this to his Facebook page:

SAVE THE STAFFORD DEPOT! OK, here's your chance to make a difference. A huge email campaign would impact the saving of the depot. Send an email to Andy Williams, Kansas Public Affairs director for BNSF Railroad, and indicate your support for saving the Stafford ATSF Depot in Stafford, Kansas. Tell him you support for saving the depot and anything else that you want to say. It is vital that you bombard him with emails. It WILL make a difference if anything will. He needs to know of community support. His email address is andy.williams@bnsf.com Please share this and get to as many people as possible whether they have a Stafford connection or not.

Clare proposes pursuing a Transportation Enhancement grant. If a grant were awarded, 80 percent of the money for restoration would come from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the remaining 20 percent would need to be raised from the community and supporters, Clare says.

The depot has been a landmark in Stafford for more than 100 years. An article on the front page of the August 25, 1910, Stafford Courier announced the news that a new $14,000 Santa Fe train station would be built at Stafford.

It is with the keenest sort of pleasure that The Courier is able to announce definitely that the new depot is soon to be a reality. For about five years, this new structure has been one of the things that Stafford has desired and needed above all else.

E.C. Smith, agent of the Santa Fe here, received word from Topeka Tuesday that the construction of the new Santa Fe depot in Stafford would start in about three weeks. ... Just about five years ago, the people of this city took up the matter with the Santa Fe Company. Letters were written to the officials about all of the business men of the city and as a result of this bombardment of literary missiles, Superintendent Ayers and some other of the big men of the company came here to talk it over with our citizens.  ..."

From the August 25, 1910 Stafford Courier

I suppose it's ironic that "literary missiles" will again be part of the Stafford Depot story. This time, they are being sent through cyberspace. The people of 1910 would find the technology hard to fathom, I suppose. And they likely wouldn't believe that the depot - which was so vital to their commerce a century ago - hasn't been used for decades.

Stafford has for years enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best paying shipping points on this great system. The tonnage in and out of Stafford has far exceeded that of many towns of much greater size. Stafford has had the reputation with the company of being a genuine 18-karat live-wire town, and the new depot we are soon to have will prove an added stimulus in keeping it so. We have worked hard and we have waited long for this thing, and we appreciate it the more for our working and waiting.

August 25, 1910, Stafford Courier

I found an article about standardized railroad stations in Kansas at the Kansas State Historical Society website. On page 13 of the 14-page article, there was a photo of Stafford's depot. (I couldn't find the date of publication.)

In the article, it said that the Stafford depot was patterned after one built in Girard, Kansas. (See page 4 of the document.)

As far as I remember, the depot hasn't been in use for the 35+ years I've been part of the community. But it has been the subject of more than one photo during that time - from me and from other photographers. I took the most recent ones in July during the Stafford County Fair. The sky was so beautiful that I walked across the road from the 4-H beef show to snap a few photos. I had others at sunset, but I also found this 2010 shot when the scene included scattered snowflakes.

While the depot hasn't been used for years, it is a landmark part of Stafford's history.

Stafford was a major grain depot for the county with two grain elevators, one at the north and the other at the south end of town. In 1887, two railroads came to Stafford:  the Chicago, Kansas and Western, which 10 years later became the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, and the Denver, Memphis and Atlantic, which became the Missouri Pacific. Their depots were located at either end of Union Street, the Santa Fe at the north end and the Missouri Pacific depot at the south end ... The Missouri Pacific depot was demolished in 1984 and its brick was used for planters lining Main Street.

Taken from The Henderson House website

The Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

C. Melvin Fritzemeier, 10th Infantry Division, U.S. Army

My late father-in-law, C. Melvin Fritzemeier, served in the U.S. Army following the Korean War. He didn't talk about his service with me. But on this Veteran's Day, I wanted to pay tribute to him and others who have faithfully served our country during wartime and times of peace.

Maybe I just needed to take him on a road trip by Fort Riley. As a kid, Randy remembers hearing "war stories" in the back seat as his Dad drove by the fort, where he had trained before being shipped out to Korea. 

C. Melvin Fritzemeier in uniform; upper right, Camp Casey, Korea, 11-Sept.-54, Saturday night was on the back of this photo; lower left photo was not captioned; lower right, caption says, "Ready to ship out to Korea from Fort Lewis, Washington."

Not long ago, I was digging for photos and came across several from Melvin's military service. After Randy's folks died, we cleaned out their farmhouse. By the end, we were all tired of sorting, so we ended up putting family photos in plastic tubs. We got elected to be the repository for all the tubs. 

Also in the box was this Indianhead insignia, the symbol for the Army's Second Division since October 1917 at Bourmont, Haute-Marne, France, from troops in World War II. The color markings (red, white, and blue) used to identify the division and their equipment in France were chosen  by the commander of the division as the colors for this insignia.  The star and Indian head signify the American origin of the division.

 Melvin was drafted three months after the Korean War officially ended. He served as a truck driver. Randy says he talked about sleeping outside in tents.

Melvin often told a story about Army food. He would never eat dried beef gravy after serving in the Army. He also never touched fruit cocktail. Randy says that he and a buddy each ate a gallon of fruit cocktail that they'd cooled in a nearby stream. He ate so much of it that he never wanted it again. 

As is the case today, servicemen and women leave behind their families as they go to serve their country. I found several little yellow books of photos, which Marie must have sent to Melvin overseas. Marie stayed with her mother in Stafford while Melvin served, and she worked at the Farmers National Bank until he returned and they moved to the farm.

Melvin served two years. By the time he returned to Stafford, he had traded his Private 2nd Class stripes for a Corporal designation.

On this Veterans' Day, I'd like to thank all the veterans for their service. Our little community of Stafford has a number of young men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. I thank them for keeping America strong, and I thank their families for the sacrifice of being apart from their loved ones, often in dangerous places. 

This nation will remain the land of the free 

only so long as it is the home of the brave.

  ~Elmer Davis

Happy Veterans' Day! 

***

Note: This is a reprint from my archives. 

Between Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise tree, November 2, 2016

On Election Day, I saw a post from a farm wife, suggesting that everyone post a photo of sunrise the next morning. At the time, the polls for Election 2016 were still open. People were still filling in the little ovals next to their choices for president and their Congressional representatives.

She didn't know what the outcome would be. She just wanted to make the point that the sun would come up the next morning - no matter what. And you know what, it did. (True confessions: My sunrise and sunset photos here weren't from yesterday. They have been hanging around on my computer for a little bit, but that's kind of beside the point.)

I don't know how you voted. I'm not planning to reveal how I voted either.  Some of you are happy that Donald Trump is the next president. Some are mourning that the White House won't be occupied by Hillary Clinton come January.

Sunrise, November 2, 2016

But I really believe that it is our own actions between the hours of sunrise and sunset that matter the most - no matter who is sitting in the Oval Office. The president doesn't dictate how I treat my family, my friends or my neighbors. Do I see God's creation in each face I encounter - whether it's a beloved family member or the grocery store cashier or the person coming to get help from the Food Bank? 

Yes, the president impacts our nation. Yet no matter what, God holds us in the palm of His hand. We see it in the sunrises. We see it in the sunsets. We see it in the communities where we live and work and play. 

One of my recent email devotionals from Guideposts had these words:

A Time to Act

Look at the world with a vision magnified by the power of faith deep within you.

Zenith branch, Kanza Co-op, sunset, October 19, 2016

When the sun sets on my day, have I made a difference in the world? With God's help, we're the ones who can change the world for the better. Let's fill our days from sunrise to sunset with all the good things:

Galatians 5:22-23New International Version (NIV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Stafford branch, Kanza Co-op, sunset, October 19, 2016

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I'm linked to Tell His Story at Jennifer Dukes Lee's website. Visit her blog for more messages of hope and faith and to take the Happiness Dare.

Listening for Unity

Sometimes, we need to turn down the volume on the world. Candidates for the highest office in our land seem to believe we can hear them only when they are shouting. Negativity and name calling are the modus operandi.

And it's not just those running for office. I watched a segment on 60 Minutes Sunday night called "The National Mood." A CBS News/New York Times poll had found 82 percent of likely voters were more disgusted than excited about the election. So 60 Minutes asked public opinion analyst Frank Luntz to put together a focus group to talk about it. He chose 23 people representing all aspects of the political spectrum, all aspects of economic life and all age groups.

I was looking for people that could have a legitimate conversation about these presidential campaigns and not just totally smear this candidate or this candidate. And here is my problem. ... It took two minutes for them to explode. It took five minutes to actually get to the point where I lost control.

--Frank Luntz

I can relate. People on my Facebook feed have "shared" nasty things. These are people who are normally kind, compassionate people. So I've pretty much gotten to the place where I just scroll by anything and everything political. It's my version of putting my fingers in my ears and humming, "la-la-la."

Last Friday afternoon, the veterinarian got done working calves, and there was an hour before we needed to get the feeder calves into the pens for the night. We could have gone home to watch the news. But we opted for a trip to nearby Quivira National Wildlife Refuge instead.

That's not to say it was totally quiet. As we walked beside the kids' fishing pond, the mosquitoes were dive bombing and buzzing in our ears. Birds called to one another as the day faded into dusk.

But it was certainly more peaceful than listening to more political rhetoric ... or trying to get cattle to move down a lane.

Even with the unseasonably warm temperatures, I was surprised to find a few of summer's sunflowers still decorating the landscape ... while at the same time, autumn-tinged grasses captured the fading "flowers of fall" that had fallen from the trees.

Some were a little worse for the wear: They seemed battle worn, kind of like I felt after an afternoon of working cattle.

But another leaf looked unscathed. It seemed the color from the goldenrod - now dry and brown - had leached into this perfect heart-shaped leaf. See? There is beauty, even as a season fades.

We go to the polls today. And even though I would prefer different presidential candidates, I hope my votes on all candidates and issues will ultimately reflect my gratitude for this way of life.

 

Even though I'm tired of all the political posturing on the national level - and, to a lesser degree, on the state level - I'm thankful for the opportunity to vote. I will go to a Senior Center in a small town and cast my ballot. I'm not worried that someone will stop me. I'm not worried that the election is rigged.

And no matter who wins the presidential election, I pray we'll come together as a nation. Let's not leave that to somebody else. May we all be gracious in victory or in defeat. And may we come together in ways that leave no doubt that we are, indeed, the UNITED States of America.

Fort Riley Day, Bill Snyder Family Stadium, K-State, Saturday, November 5, 2016

God Bless America

Irving Berlin

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free.

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:

God bless America, land that I love,

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans white with foam.

God Bless America

My home, sweet home!

It's a Boy? It's a Girl? It's a Calf!

I remember opening the wrapped package that revealed whether our first grandchild was going to be a boy or a girl. Right after we opened that pink-framed sonogram, I went to the K-State Union bookstore and bought the first of many purple dresses.

Our heifers recently had their first "obstetrics" appointment. And while we don't know whether they'll be having bull calves or females, we do know which heifers are carrying "little bundles of joy." Well, they won't be so little when they are born in late January or early February. They'll likely be 80 pounds of boy or girl calf.

Veterinarian Dr. David Harder recently did a "preg check" of our 25 heifers. These were the female cattle born on the County Line in early 2015 who are supposed to be expecting their first babies. All but two of them were pregnant. We will fatten the other two and use them for meat in the freezer.

To determine how far along the heifers are, Dr. Harder did a physical manual examination. To do that, we run the heifers through a lane into a squeeze chute to safely restrain the animal and also to keep the people involved safe.Then Dr. Harder estimated how far along the pregnancy was by the size of the baby.

The assistant recorded the ear tag number of each heifer, made a notation about how far the pregnancy had advanced and recorded the shots given to each animal.

I know there are people who don't believe any type of shots should be given to animals grown for human consumption. However, we do have the veterinarian give shots to the heifers, cows and calves as they go through the chute.

The heifers (and later this week, the cows) are given a blackleg booster shot. Blackleg is a highly fatal disease of the skeletal and heart muscle of cattle. We also give a combination shot that prevents leptospiriosis and BVD. Leptospiriosis is an bacterial infection that may cause abortion or stillbirth. BVD stands for Bovine Viral Diarrhea - 'nuff said. Dr. Harder also gave a shot as a dewormer to control parasites like worms, lice and liver flukes.

Dr. Harder gave the heifers a shot of Scour Bos. The vaccination helps prevent scours (diarrhea) in their babies. Cattlemen want to produce healthy cattle. It's better for the cattle, and it's also better for the bottom line. Just like we gave recommended vaccinations to our children, we believe it's important to give our cattle every medical advantage to have a healthy life.

This is the second year we tested for anaplasmosis, a disease that is on the rise in Kansas cattle herds. Dr. Harder took blood samples from under the tail on a representative number of our herd.

Greg Hanzilcek, the head of the Kansas State University Diagnostic Lab, said in a Kansas Livestock Association newsletter that there were as many confirmed cases of anaplasmosis in Kansas cattle last year as veterinarians had ever seen.

Anaplasmosis is a a vector-borne disease, which means it's transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. It causes the destruction of red blood cells in cattle and other ruminants, so it can cause anemia. It can ultimately cause death, and it can also result in spontaneous abortions in cows. Last year, after the tests came back positive, Randy had to stir up a concoction of mineral, grain and antibiotic to mix into the cattle feed in a ration directed by Prairie Vista Veterinary Clinic. He fed the mixture once a week for 60 days in an effort to rid our herd of the anaplasmosis.

We don't have this year's test results yet. But, if the test is positive again, we will handle it in the same way. Animal activists - and even trendy restaurants - would like antibiotic use to be banned in feed animals. However, as caretakers of our animals, it's important to treat disease, just like we'd treat an illness in our own families.

It's an extra hit on the pocketbook, since it requires us to purchase additional grain, mineral and medicine. We're definitely not doing it for our own health or the health of our financial bottom line. But it's important to be responsible stewards of the animals, despite what several national restaurants' marketing firm would have consumers believe.

These are the photos you get when your job is to slam the trailer door shut!

After their doctor's appointment, we loaded up the heifers and took them to the pasture south of our house, where they'll await the arrival of their babies this winter. Right now, they also have access to an alfalfa field for grazing.

Later this week, Dr. Harder will be back for appointments with some of the older mama cows, the bulls and the calves to get ready for winter. Busy week!

Stockpile: A Silage Pictoral

Have you noticed the squirrels running around collecting their provisions for the winter? I've read that squirrels began gathering food earlier this year to prepare for a long, cold winter. The Farmers' Almanac also predicts a cold and snowy winter for many parts of the country. (The almanac map shows "freezing cold and average snowfall" for us.) Of course, it's a little hard to believe that on October 31 when the temperatures are supposed to be in the 80s later today. But then again, it's Kansas, so there's no point trying to predict the weather.

But, just like the squirrels, we've been packing away provisions for the winter. It's not for us. It's for our cows.

A couple of weeks ago, a custom crew came to harvest our silage crop. Rains early in the summer made for tall stalks.

However, Randy was disappointed in how little grain was in the heads of the silage. The rains quit about the time the grain was supposed to be filling the heads.

The crew arrived on an overcast day. It didn't rain, but it was gloomy (which didn't make for the best photos).

 With the tall stalks, it didn't take long to fill the trucks with the chopped silage.

The three truck drivers were meeting themselves coming and going, and the cutter operator still had some downtime waiting for them to get back from dumping at the silo.

The silage (or forage sorghum) we grow is dual purpose: It has both grain and forage (or roughage), both of which are important to the cattle's diets as TDN - total digestible nutrients.

Silage cutting is another one of those choreographed farm "dances." The silage feeds into the cutter and is chopped. An auger carries the chopped silage into the truck.

All this happens "on the go," with the truck and the cutter continuing in sync through the field until they get to the end of the rows.

 

They then move into position for the next swath down the field. Or, if the truck is full, it begins its short trip to the trench silo.

By design, Randy plants the silage in fields fairly close to the silo so that it doesn't have to be trucked so far.

Once at the silo, the truck dumps its load.

 

Then it's back to the field for another load on the go.

In the meantime, a tractor driver packs down the silage. 

Packing allows more to be put into the "pantry," so to speak, and it helps the fermenting process. Once in the silo, the silage goes through an "ensiling" process. It goes through chemical changes, and the heat builds up. It raises the pH of the silage so that it doesn't spoil or ferment any longer. The top 6 inches of it will rot, then it forms an airtight seal, protecting the silage underneath.

After we bring the cows and calves off the summer pastures, the guys will start feeding the silage to the cattle. The mama cows will get the silage as is. For the feeder calves, the guys will add about 3 to 4 pounds of vitamin- and mineral-enriched grain per head, since they need the additional energy to grow to get ready for market.

It's good to get another harvest crossed off the books ... and to see the cattle's "pantry" full and ready for Old Man Winter.

Today, we're going to bring the first group of cows and calves back home from summer pasture. We know the cold and snow will arrive soon enough - even if it's not on this 80-degree day. But with plentiful rains early in the summer and the newly-filled silo, they'll have plenty to eat - even if the Farmers' Almanac is right and it's a cold winter!

Oreo Blondies: Definitely TREAT!

'Tis the season for trick or treat. These Oreo Blondies definitely fall in the "treat" category. The "trick" will be figuring out how to limit your intake once you get a whiff (and bite!) of these bar cookies.

I belong to a Farmers Wives group on Facebook and someone shared the recipe for these Oreo Blondies after making them to include in meals to the field during fall harvest. Farmers wives have a reputation as good cooks, so I was already intrigued. But then I noticed that this particular farmer's wife happened to be my niece, Paige.

She gave them rave reviews, even calling them her "find" of the fall harvest season.  With an endorsement like that, I decided to make them for a tailgate party we went to after the K-State football game last weekend.

I know homemade Halloween goodies are frowned upon in most circles. Was the whole razor-blade-in-the-apple story fact or urban legend? Or was it "leaked" from a candy company who wanted to sell more hermetically-sealed mini treats during the Halloween rush?

It's not like I get any Halloween visitors anyway. If I bought a bag of candy, it would just sit there tempting Randy and me. So, on the off-chance I have a Halloween visitor or two, I just might wrap up a homemade treat. (Yes, those kind of treats sit around tempting Randy and me, too. Let's not get hung up on that, OK?)

Since we live 11 miles or so from town, we don't get much Halloween foot traffic. But, on the off chance that someone drops by, I just might have a homemade treat. Back in my Halloween excursions trick or treating for UNICEF, my favorite treat was a homemade popcorn ball from my Grandma Neelly. Homemade treats weren't out of the ordinary back then. (No, I wasn't of the generation that walked to school 3 miles one way through snow, but it's starting to sound like it, isn't it?) I promise I'll label any homemade Halloween treats with my name and phone number. These bars aren't wicked. Then again, maybe they are, if you're counting calories.

I used regular Oreos, but if you are someplace where you could get the orange-stuffed Oreos, it would provide an even more festive bar!

Oreo Blondies

From Six Sisters Stuff

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi sweet)
1 cup white chocolate chips
16 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces

In mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing together until well blended. Add in dry pudding mix, and mix until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and Oreo pieces.

Spray a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Put batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes. Don't overbake; cook until the center is set, but it's still gooey. Let cool and cut into squares.

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Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck hosted by these bloggers. Click on the link for recipes for more goodies, main dishes and more from cooks across the country. 

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina