WEBVTT - Ep. 475: This Country Life - Cub Scouts and Chicken Farmers

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to This Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves

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<v Speaker 1>from coon hunting to trotlining and just general country living.

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<v Speaker 1>I want you to stay a while as I share

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<v Speaker 1>my experiences in life lessons. This Country Life is presented

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<v Speaker 1>by Case Knives from the store More Studio on Meat

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<v Speaker 1>Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best outdoor podcast that

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<v Speaker 1>airways have to offer. All right, friends, grab a chair

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<v Speaker 1>or drop that tailgate. I've got some stories to share,

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<v Speaker 1>Cup Scouts and Chicken farmers. This week, I'm telling you

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of stories from the archives of Buffoonry. I

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<v Speaker 1>was a witness to the first one and just an

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<v Speaker 1>eagerly interested listener to the second. They have stories. These

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<v Speaker 1>two stories have nothing to do with each other, just

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of yarns that live in my roller decks.

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<v Speaker 1>Some memories. I'm gonna share them with you, and I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not going to try to make you cry. This week,

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<v Speaker 1>just forget about the world for a few minutes, relax

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<v Speaker 1>and have a good time. Join me at the fire. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>let's get started. We had our first cub Scout overnight

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<v Speaker 1>camping trip in October of two thousand and four. My

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<v Speaker 1>son Hunter and his two friends were very excited to

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<v Speaker 1>be there, as was I. Three six year olds camping

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<v Speaker 1>out in the wilds of Arkansas's boy Scout camping known

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<v Speaker 1>as Camp DeSoto. We arrived on Friday evening and found

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<v Speaker 1>our assigned camping spot. Setting up our camp, we had

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<v Speaker 1>hours in order and no time at all as we

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<v Speaker 1>waited for time to go to bed. Parents talked around

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<v Speaker 1>the campfire and got more acquainted with each other while

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<v Speaker 1>the three cup scouts got more acquainted with their new

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<v Speaker 1>found surroundings. Each armed with a flashlight, they set off

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<v Speaker 1>to explore the edge of our campsite, expecting danger with

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<v Speaker 1>every turn our fairly six year old scouts where they

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<v Speaker 1>searched for would be robbers until it was time for

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<v Speaker 1>lights out. The next morning, we were up at daylight

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<v Speaker 1>cooking a large breakfast over our campfire to fuel the

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<v Speaker 1>coming events of the day. Our program included hiking, fishing

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<v Speaker 1>with three legged rays, a tug of war, kickball, golf, canoeing,

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<v Speaker 1>rock climbing, and the ever popular archery and BB gun shooting.

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<v Speaker 1>The last two events excited our young scouts to the

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<v Speaker 1>point of frenzy. The mere mention of the words archery,

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<v Speaker 1>bow and era or BB gun and the three little

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<v Speaker 1>outdoorsmen to be would shake with anticipation, their voices rising

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of octors with each passing moment as they

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<v Speaker 1>discussed the prowess that each would display with a bow

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<v Speaker 1>and gun. After breakfast, we headed up to the main

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<v Speaker 1>pavilion to meet, where the camp director would brief us

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<v Speaker 1>all on the day's activities. He said we should each

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<v Speaker 1>start in different events so not to crowd up the

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<v Speaker 1>archery and BB gun range, which would no doubt be

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<v Speaker 1>the most popular activity amongst two hundred six year old

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<v Speaker 1>boys we found ourselves grouped with for the weekend. Getting

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<v Speaker 1>the boys to start out at golf the opposite direction

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<v Speaker 1>from the bow and gun range was akin to juggling scorpions. Finally,

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<v Speaker 1>we managed to get them to realize that they would

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<v Speaker 1>have to wait to shoot the bows and arrows and

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<v Speaker 1>the BB guns, so they might as well be doing

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<v Speaker 1>something else while they did. They had to complete, or

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<v Speaker 1>at least attempt, each designated activity to receive the beads

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<v Speaker 1>that would adorn their uniforms signifying their completion of the event.

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<v Speaker 1>They quickly lost track of times. We made our way

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<v Speaker 1>from station to station, some being a pretty good distance

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<v Speaker 1>from each other, with the attention span of six year

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<v Speaker 1>old boys being fractured, to say the least. We had

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<v Speaker 1>completed every event and it was time for the be

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<v Speaker 1>begun and archery range, and they didn't have a clue

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<v Speaker 1>that it was coming. As we made our way along

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<v Speaker 1>the mapped out route, our little scouts had no idea

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<v Speaker 1>that they were going to finish up the day with

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<v Speaker 1>what they had longed to do since breakfast. Eventually, one

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<v Speaker 1>of them spotted a kid with a bow and the

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<v Speaker 1>stampede began. They shot the b beguns first. It was

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<v Speaker 1>fun and it kept them occupied and entertained as they

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<v Speaker 1>plinked away at the targets. But when they finished and

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<v Speaker 1>as a group then made the short, orderly walk entering

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<v Speaker 1>the archery range, the level of unbridled enthusiasm leaked out

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<v Speaker 1>of all their faces. Eight scouts at a time would

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<v Speaker 1>shoot five arrows each after a safety briefing an instruction

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<v Speaker 1>from the range master. Eight scouts were just finishing their

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<v Speaker 1>turn when we arrived and got in line. Parents assisted

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<v Speaker 1>their kids as well. It was one of the safer

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<v Speaker 1>environments I have ever had the pleasure to be in,

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<v Speaker 1>especially when more than one adolescent had been purposely issued

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<v Speaker 1>individual implements of death. But the kids listened well and

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<v Speaker 1>each was eager to take their time and hit the

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<v Speaker 1>intended target. The range was approximately fifteen yards long by

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<v Speaker 1>fifteen yards wide and had a large paper target at

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<v Speaker 1>each end, with a life sized molded foam standing bear

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<v Speaker 1>target in the middle. Eight kids all in line, forty arrows,

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<v Speaker 1>three targets, and only one of which looked like a bear.

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<v Speaker 1>Our kids anxiously waited for their respective turn to come.

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<v Speaker 1>They hopped up and down, straining to see the targets, bows, arrows,

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<v Speaker 1>and everything else that went with it. Man, this is

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<v Speaker 1>so cool, I heard Hunter say. They were having a

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<v Speaker 1>great time. Heck so was I. I was reliving some

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<v Speaker 1>of my first scouting adventures all over again, and living

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<v Speaker 1>this one vicariously through my new little scout Fathers and

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<v Speaker 1>mothers with their kids, each with a huge smile on

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<v Speaker 1>their face. How could you create a more wholesome atmosphere?

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<v Speaker 1>What could happen that would dampen or bring anything other

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<v Speaker 1>than a g rating to this event? Enter my son Hunter,

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<v Speaker 1>fresh from his last outdoor adventure, the fishing trip that

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<v Speaker 1>causes him to look both ways before attempting number one

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<v Speaker 1>to this day. For those that are new to this

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<v Speaker 1>weekly struggle, I'm going to have to give you a

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<v Speaker 1>little a brief on a story I told way back

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<v Speaker 1>on on episode one for one Kids and the Outdoors

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<v Speaker 1>Part two for the newbies, get a load of this

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<v Speaker 1>one earlier that same year, the hunter and I went fishing.

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<v Speaker 1>The result of being hot and drinking water by the

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<v Speaker 1>bucket full ultimately called for him to get some relief,

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<v Speaker 1>and doing so, my fishing buddy exposed himself to an

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<v Speaker 1>expanse of wilderness with the only witness being me and

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<v Speaker 1>an ill tempered red wash that buzzed by at that

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<v Speaker 1>exact moment. Now, what happened next was beyond my comprehension

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<v Speaker 1>of how it played out and why it happened, and

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<v Speaker 1>it still causes me to cover up and turn away

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<v Speaker 1>while wincing with an expression of overwhelming sympathy. It's bad

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<v Speaker 1>to get stung by a huge red wash. It's beyond

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<v Speaker 1>brutal that gets stung while in the act of Numero uno,

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<v Speaker 1>especially where he got stung. Yeah, I was. Anyway, that story,

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<v Speaker 1>if you haven't listened already, is well worth going back

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<v Speaker 1>and hearing it for yourself. Spoiler alert, to the surprise

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<v Speaker 1>of every male listener that hasn't heard it yet and

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<v Speaker 1>has put together the subtle clues I'm giving y'all of

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<v Speaker 1>where it happened and what happened. He lived, Ah, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not sure how, but he did anyway, fast forward a

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<v Speaker 1>month or so, and that calamity is well in his past,

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<v Speaker 1>but maybe not so far out of his mind. Hunter

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<v Speaker 1>and his group step up to receive their instruction and

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<v Speaker 1>safety breathing at the archery range. After the short devotional

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<v Speaker 1>from the instructor, whose voice nervously trembled somewhat when he spoke,

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<v Speaker 1>and understandably so. For six hours, he just stood there

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<v Speaker 1>and handed first grader's weapons. He turned and he sought

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<v Speaker 1>shelter in a small closet as the children began assaulting

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<v Speaker 1>the targets with their metal tipped missiles. Now I was

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<v Speaker 1>so proud of Hunter. He had listened so intently and

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<v Speaker 1>was trying to reproduce every aspect of the instructor's directions

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<v Speaker 1>as he launched arrows toward his target. The first two

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<v Speaker 1>were short, both falling harmless and silent to the ground

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<v Speaker 1>like fall leaves in a cool breeze, but he was

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<v Speaker 1>determined to take advantage of this opportunity to shoot a

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<v Speaker 1>bow for the first time, and he gritted his jaw

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<v Speaker 1>and he narrowed his gaze. The artificial brewin was posed,

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<v Speaker 1>standing on his back legs in a threatening snarl on

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<v Speaker 1>his face, showing his teeth in an aggressive manner. Pull

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<v Speaker 1>it back farther and stick that bear before he gets us,

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<v Speaker 1>I told him. And with what my turkey hunting mentor

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<v Speaker 1>mister Billy Brant described as starvation aim, hunter knocked his

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<v Speaker 1>third arrow. He drew back string and let the arrow

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<v Speaker 1>and bowt settle. As he aimed, his breathing was controlled,

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<v Speaker 1>and he released the arrow with the focus of a

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<v Speaker 1>starving archer hunting for his supper. The arrow raced for

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<v Speaker 1>its target, the yellow fletch and spinning the arrow in

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<v Speaker 1>flight resembled a tracer around as it flew from Hunter's fingers.

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<v Speaker 1>With a solid thud, the arrow found its mark. The

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<v Speaker 1>shot placement was true to his aim, dead solid perfect,

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<v Speaker 1>right in the center of where the bear's peeing parts

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<v Speaker 1>would be had it been a real bear. As other

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<v Speaker 1>attempts at hitting the bear sailed all over creation. A

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<v Speaker 1>small snicker went through the crowd when Hunter's arrow landed.

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<v Speaker 1>Hunter knocked another arrow. Aim a little higher, I whispered,

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<v Speaker 1>I got it, Dad, was his determined reply. The era

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<v Speaker 1>hissed as an arch along its flight path, coming to

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<v Speaker 1>rest less than an inch from the one before. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>small pockets of laughter emanated from the archery range as

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<v Speaker 1>all eyes fell upon my son. All seven of the

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<v Speaker 1>other scouts had flung, in rapid succession, all five of

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<v Speaker 1>their arrows. The area between the boys and targets was

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<v Speaker 1>littered with them, Some protruded from the paper targets. A

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<v Speaker 1>few were stuck in the bear, but only two of

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<v Speaker 1>which that would require a veterinarian urologist to remove. Now

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<v Speaker 1>there was only one archer left, and he stood at

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<v Speaker 1>the center of the five, directly in front of me.

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<v Speaker 1>Those two arrows poking from the nether regions of that bear,

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<v Speaker 1>directly at the culprit, who was seemilarly shooting them there

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<v Speaker 1>on purpose. Hunter never took his eyes off his target.

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<v Speaker 1>It was as if the bear were staring at hunting,

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<v Speaker 1>like they were old enemies who were meeting for one

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<v Speaker 1>final showdown where only one would walk away. If a

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<v Speaker 1>bear could walk away after that, aim a little higher, Son,

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<v Speaker 1>I said again, this time pleading for this to end

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<v Speaker 1>so I could get those airs removed and get him

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<v Speaker 1>in tow and get gone. He didn't answer. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>think he heard me. I don't think he was aware

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<v Speaker 1>of anything other than the bear that stood aggressively in

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<v Speaker 1>front of him, with two ARBs poking out of the

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<v Speaker 1>last place you'd want to poke a bear or be

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<v Speaker 1>poked yourself. The snicker lapsed in the shared silent anticipation

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<v Speaker 1>as Hunter pulled the air from his quiver with slow,

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<v Speaker 1>deliberate and determination, all the while keeping a steely gaze

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<v Speaker 1>at that bear. With all eyes and attention from parents, scouts,

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<v Speaker 1>and volunteers directed toward my middle born child, he knocked

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<v Speaker 1>and pulled the full draw with one fluid motion, his

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<v Speaker 1>last remaining arrow that would be the final shot of

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<v Speaker 1>the day, With all the strength and determination of six

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<v Speaker 1>year old can muster, he paused and released the arrow

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<v Speaker 1>wha that era drove home less than her hands width

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<v Speaker 1>from the previous two. Immediately, Hunter turned to me with

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<v Speaker 1>a huge smile on his face. He was proud of

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<v Speaker 1>the shots he had made, and as I hugged him

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<v Speaker 1>and told him that he had gotten the bear, he

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<v Speaker 1>started giggling. Did you mean to shoot him in the privates,

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<v Speaker 1>I asked, And to me, with the crowd listening intently,

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<v Speaker 1>Hunter said, you said, get him before he gets us, right,

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<v Speaker 1>I said, yeah, that's what I said. He said, Well,

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<v Speaker 1>I figured that if a Waltz could sting me there

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<v Speaker 1>and get me to holler and forget about fishing, then

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<v Speaker 1>the air and the privates can make that bear forget

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<v Speaker 1>about heating us. The crowd word with laughter. We had

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<v Speaker 1>a good time. We made a memory, and that's just

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<v Speaker 1>how that happened. My dad worked as a serviceman in

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<v Speaker 1>the chicken farming industry for nearly thirty years. He worked

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<v Speaker 1>for several companies, each eventually being bought out by large ones,

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<v Speaker 1>until the granddaddy of them all Ties and Foods, ending

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<v Speaker 1>up his employer back in the late eighties. Serviceman is

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<v Speaker 1>someone who has assigned different farms to looked after, and

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<v Speaker 1>the local farmers grow chickens on contract with the company

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<v Speaker 1>who furnishes the feed and the chickens. The farmer is

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<v Speaker 1>responsible for building the chicken houses to meet with company specifications,

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<v Speaker 1>and once they are built, it is the serviceman's responsibility

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<v Speaker 1>to see that the chickens are grown according to the

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<v Speaker 1>company's regulations and procedures. Irvistmen are responsible for ordering the

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<v Speaker 1>tons of feed needed to keep the future chicken nuggets

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<v Speaker 1>fat and healthy. They must ensure the houses are kept

0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:14.480
<v Speaker 1>in order, regulate any medication if it's needed to deter sickness,

0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:18.120
<v Speaker 1>and basically work with the farmer on the company's behalf

0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:22.640
<v Speaker 1>to provide a profit for both the company and the farmer. Now,

0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.680
<v Speaker 1>my dad was more concerned with the farmer getting them

0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:29.560
<v Speaker 1>the most for his efforts than the company, But to

0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:34.000
<v Speaker 1>keep his job, he sometimes had to counsel or encourage

0:15:34.200 --> 0:15:38.560
<v Speaker 1>certain farmers to try a little harder to maintain their proficiency,

0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:42.120
<v Speaker 1>and once the chickens were grown for a period of time,

0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:44.720
<v Speaker 1>the company would send crews under contract to catch the

0:15:44.800 --> 0:15:48.040
<v Speaker 1>chickens and coops to be loaded onto trucks and transported

0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:53.240
<v Speaker 1>to processing plants and eventually to your menu. For those

0:15:53.280 --> 0:15:55.880
<v Speaker 1>of you unfamiliar with the chicken business, you've probably wondered,

0:15:55.920 --> 0:15:59.680
<v Speaker 1>what's that got to do with this story? Well, absolutely nothing,

0:16:00.080 --> 0:16:03.920
<v Speaker 1>but it never hurts to learn something new. But one

0:16:03.960 --> 0:16:06.800
<v Speaker 1>of these farmers, an older man in his sixties at

0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:09.720
<v Speaker 1>the time, had to pinch it and a reputation as

0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:13.480
<v Speaker 1>being particularly hateful and not very easy to get along with.

0:16:14.720 --> 0:16:18.320
<v Speaker 1>He treated his servicemen bad. He screamed and cussed at

0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:22.520
<v Speaker 1>the feed truck drivers, and generally gave everyone associated with

0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:24.600
<v Speaker 1>the company fits if they had to deal with him

0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:28.720
<v Speaker 1>face to face or on the phone. But that's the

0:16:28.720 --> 0:16:31.520
<v Speaker 1>only reason they tolerated this old man was because he

0:16:31.680 --> 0:16:35.000
<v Speaker 1>was one of the top producers in the area that

0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:38.200
<v Speaker 1>could grow a chicken in the back pocket of his overalls.

0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:42.440
<v Speaker 1>And then one day a new feed truck driver was

0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:47.240
<v Speaker 1>hired and sent to this gentleman's farm to deliver feed

0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:51.600
<v Speaker 1>on his very first day of work. To give you

0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:54.320
<v Speaker 1>a better picture of this situation, you got to realize

0:16:54.360 --> 0:16:58.920
<v Speaker 1>that feed trucks are eighteen wheeled semi trucks. They are

0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:03.560
<v Speaker 1>not the most ad conveyances and require practice and skilled

0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:06.879
<v Speaker 1>the maneuver in the best of circumstances, much less in

0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:12.080
<v Speaker 1>tight places and their roads normally found on local farms.

0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:15.960
<v Speaker 1>The new guy pulls into the cranky old farmer's place,

0:17:16.000 --> 0:17:19.000
<v Speaker 1>and in the process of backing and positioning his trailer

0:17:19.000 --> 0:17:22.520
<v Speaker 1>to unload the feed, he gets his rig stuck and

0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:28.000
<v Speaker 1>ruts up the farmer's new gravel drive something awful. The

0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:32.240
<v Speaker 1>old farmer throws a terrible fit and cusses the man unmercifully.

0:17:32.920 --> 0:17:35.840
<v Speaker 1>After several hours and a couple of big records, the

0:17:35.920 --> 0:17:40.280
<v Speaker 1>truck is free from the mud and the feed is unloaded.

0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:44.080
<v Speaker 1>The driver heads back to the mill, parks his truck,

0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:47.280
<v Speaker 1>reports to his supervisor about what happened, and quits his

0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:53.119
<v Speaker 1>job he'd only just started. The company sends out a

0:17:53.160 --> 0:17:56.080
<v Speaker 1>serviceman to talk to the old farmer. And this guy

0:17:56.280 --> 0:17:59.520
<v Speaker 1>is a good friend of mine, good friend of my father's,

0:17:59.560 --> 0:18:04.359
<v Speaker 1>and my day actually trained him. We're gonna call him Jack,

0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:08.200
<v Speaker 1>because Jack was his name. But he arrived and as

0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:11.720
<v Speaker 1>gentle as possible, he tried to calm the old man down.

0:18:12.600 --> 0:18:15.240
<v Speaker 1>He tells him that the company had just hired this fella,

0:18:15.280 --> 0:18:19.280
<v Speaker 1>and because of his actions that day, that man had

0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:24.600
<v Speaker 1>quit his job. They talked for several minutes, with Jack

0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:28.159
<v Speaker 1>saying in the calmest and most respectful tone ever, that

0:18:28.240 --> 0:18:31.119
<v Speaker 1>he just can't keep treating these people the way he

0:18:31.240 --> 0:18:36.920
<v Speaker 1>has been. The old man starts to calm down, Jack

0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:40.800
<v Speaker 1>can see that he's thinking about what he's done, realizing

0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:47.760
<v Speaker 1>the consequences of his overreaction. Eventually calmly says, I didn't

0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:51.040
<v Speaker 1>mean for that fellaw to quit his job. I was

0:18:51.080 --> 0:18:54.040
<v Speaker 1>just mad because now I got to fix this gravel

0:18:54.160 --> 0:18:58.120
<v Speaker 1>road again. That worked so hard on to get it

0:18:58.320 --> 0:19:02.280
<v Speaker 1>just right. I'll help you and we'll fix it together.

0:19:02.400 --> 0:19:06.479
<v Speaker 1>Jack told him that's all right, son, I'd rather do

0:19:06.520 --> 0:19:11.160
<v Speaker 1>it myself. You know, I really ain't a bad fellow.

0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:15.080
<v Speaker 1>But back in nineteen forty one, I was working for

0:19:15.240 --> 0:19:19.119
<v Speaker 1>John Deere Tractor and making forty dollars a week. Now,

0:19:19.280 --> 0:19:21.760
<v Speaker 1>I know that don't sound like much, but back in

0:19:21.800 --> 0:19:25.320
<v Speaker 1>them days, that was a heck of a wage. Then

0:19:25.440 --> 0:19:28.960
<v Speaker 1>Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and I got drafted, and for

0:19:29.000 --> 0:19:31.640
<v Speaker 1>the next five years I wound up toting a fifty

0:19:31.720 --> 0:19:35.240
<v Speaker 1>pound pack from the Belgium border to the Baltic Seas

0:19:35.359 --> 0:19:43.600
<v Speaker 1>for forty dollars a month. And I'm still mad about it.

0:19:43.600 --> 0:19:47.760
<v Speaker 1>It's kind of funny when you think about it now,

0:19:47.920 --> 0:19:50.240
<v Speaker 1>but there's a lot of truth in what he said.

0:19:52.240 --> 0:19:56.439
<v Speaker 1>It's because of the sacrifices of this greatest generation, just

0:19:56.560 --> 0:20:00.800
<v Speaker 1>like this grumpy old chicken farmer and every ration since,

0:20:00.840 --> 0:20:03.680
<v Speaker 1>who have answered the call and stood up to defend

0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:07.159
<v Speaker 1>our way of life that we all owe an immeasurable

0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:11.640
<v Speaker 1>debt of gratitude and at the very least a modicum

0:20:11.760 --> 0:20:18.600
<v Speaker 1>amount of patience. Cooler heads usually prevail, and respectful conversation

0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:25.040
<v Speaker 1>will always win in the end. In two days we

0:20:25.080 --> 0:20:30.200
<v Speaker 1>will celebrate our two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of freedom

0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:34.760
<v Speaker 1>and independence. Do it safely, with reverence for the past,

0:20:35.359 --> 0:20:38.760
<v Speaker 1>and faith in our future. Until next week. This is

0:20:38.800 --> 0:20:41.960
<v Speaker 1>Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful