While Jerry Hinkle had been living the life of a relatively carefree city dude, the Holabird Hinkles have not fared so grandly. Kristi Hinkle has been maintaining her children's health as best as she can. Both boys had strep throat, and Shelby Hinkle tested positive for Influenza A, so named because it's a pain in the A, no doubt! Be all that as it may, Shelby was able to go to School on Friday, and she and younger brother Justin Hinkle are getting ready for shooting sports.

The Holabird Advocate Circulation Department report that Thursdays issue had a total of 22 Readers, which is a new post relaunch record. all of us here at the Holabird Advocate are glad Y'all are taking the time to log on to our site.

     Last year, Chrysler, through their Super Bowl ad, made nearly every spectator proud to be American. This year, they outdid themselves. Their first ad for Jeep, with Oprah talking about American soldiers coming home to their families reached into my soul and grabbed my attention as few ads could. I found myself agreeing with Oprah on an issue for the first time in quite a spell. If only she wasn't anti beef!

     As powerful as their first ad was, I was not prepared for the second one for the Ram Tough Dodge Truck. Somehow They were able to get a sound clip from a speech that legendary radio broadcaster Paul Harvey made back in 1978 entitled "So God made a Farmer". I was instantly taken back to the days of my childhood, remembering how proud my grandfathers were to be farmers. They didn't do it for the money. not even the government payments that the critics quickly cite. No, they farmed because they cared for their land, livestock, family, and God, and not neccessarily in that order. They had a huge responsibility, and they took it seriously. It wasn't always easy, sometimes it was darn near impossible, but they got up everyday before the sun had a chance to shine to make sure all was right with their part of God's creation.

     Farming has changed since 1978, when Mr. Harvey elequently spoke those words to the boys and girls of the FFA. Corporations like Cargill, Monsanto, Tyson and Smithfield gather round and play Monopoly with our food supply. Yes, there a are a few family operations out there. They may not farm like E.E Hinkle and Bud Hahn used to.  I hope, however that they share the love for the land, livestock, family and God that they did, because the factory farming corporations don't have their heart and soul in it. all they care about is the bottom line, and keeping the stockholders happy!

     Grandad used to say "Somebody's gotta till the soil" meaning that no matter what machine man could invent to do the work, a farmer would have to be there to make sure the machine was doing it right. I'm not sure what he's make of GPS and all of that, but even that hasn't totally replaced the farmer. 

The first rule of advertising is to get the person watching the ad to buy your product. I hope that, if any of you Readers who watched that ad are a farmer like those of whom Mr. Harvey spoke of, that you go out and buy a Ram Tough Dodge Truck. God be with you and do the best you can!