The 405 Aired Sept 10th, 2025

In a dream O.K. was working on the rigs, then suddenly we are a young boy growing up on the farm. It's a relatable story. A simple story.  One that feels just real and true.

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Episode Transcript

OK Solberg (00:00):
I wanna again welcome you to the 4:05 Coffee

(00:02):
Break. Get your cup of coffee,you know the routine, glass of
iced tea, or if you care, abottle of water. And let's see
what's happening. Spring wheat,$5.12 a bushel, 550 pound steer
calf not selling, but I can tellyou this, a 946 pound steer calf
brought $3.32 a pound. Butcherhog in Iowa, 60¢ a pound.

(00:30):
And a 100 pound lamb that's fatin Billings is worth a $1.98 a
pound. But guys, there's more,much more. Okay. Okay. I have to
tell you, I had a dream theother night.
Yeah. And I was working on therigs, and we was tripping out
when our tool pusher, Spanky,popped out of the doghouse and

(00:50):
hollered over at me. Flintstone,Scooter got knowed up, so he'll
cover Tower for you tomorrow.Then I woke up. I don't know
what it means, but it sure put asmile on my face.
Anyway, here's the deal. Youknow how I like stories. You

(01:10):
know how I like readingyesteryear's books. And
yesterday, I shared from a booka friend gave me about
Homesteaders over in the Ophiemand Glasgow area. I love to read
the accounts, and I feel I founda gem when I hit upon a personal
story about, well, about life.

(01:30):
Just real, just true, and justsimple, but relatable. So here's
a story I found that I want toshare with you. The writer
writes, the sky was starting toturn gray when I heard the old
rooster crow. That was our alarmclock on the farm, loud,

(01:51):
reliable, and never a minutelate. I stretched, rubbed my
eyes, and slid on my boots.
It was time to start the day.Mom was already in the kitchen
frying bacon and flippingpancakes. The smell filled the
house like a warm blanket. Dadstood by the door sipping coffee

(02:11):
and tying his boots. He gave mea nod and a smile, the kind that
said, don't rush, but whenyou're done, there's things to
do.
Oh, I ate those sourdoughpancakes and bacon and loved
every morsel. Then it was off tothe barn. The cows were already

(02:34):
waiting. They knew it was timeand they knew we had rolled
barley for them. I grabbed themetal pail and settled in beside
old Roni, our oldest milk cow.
The rhythm of milking wassomething I learned young,
squeeze, grip, squirt, and themilk would ring against the side
of the pail like music. Dadworked beside me, not saying

(02:58):
much, but that was okay. Outthere we didn't need many words,
just being side by side wasenough. After the cows got
milked, we headed to the chickencoop. The hens scattered and
clucked as I put the feed in andthen carefully reached inside,

(03:19):
not to startle them because wehadn't gathered the eggs the
night before because of thecommunity dance, so I reached
under warm feathers and pulledout one egg, then another,
setting them gently into mybasket.
Mom always said eggs as werelike gold, fragile but full of

(03:39):
life. I love picking the eggs.It was like a treasure hunt
every day. By the time the sunpeeked over the trees, it was
pig time. Those pigs knew whatwas coming.
They ran to the fence, squealinglike it was Christmas morning. I
hauled a bucket of feed to theirtrough, trying not to spill, but

(04:00):
they didn't care. As soon as thefood hit, it was a noisy, muddy
frenzy. Sometimes my friendsfrom town would ask if it's hard
work. And, yeah, sure it was.
We were up early, went to bedtired, and always had something
that needed doing, but to me, itnever really felt like work.

(04:22):
Because it wasn't just chores,it was time with dad in the barn
laughing when the milk cow'scalf tried stealing milk while
we were still milking. It waslistening to mom hum, while she
washed eggs in the sink. It wasthe smell of hay, the clatter of
pails, the way the air feltclean and honest. Growing up on

(04:45):
a farm taught me how to work.
Yep. But more than that, ittaught me how to love working.
Because when your hands are busyand your heart is full, it
doesn't feel like a job. Itfeels like home. And every
morning before that roostercrowed, I knew I'd get to do it
all over again with mom, withdad, and with the land that

(05:09):
raised me.
Growing up as a homestead childwas a great way to prepare for
the big old world out there,even if you never got back to
the farm. The end. I can relateto that. How about you? I'll
close with a bible verse.

(05:29):
So the men did as instructed.They took two milk cows, hitched
them to the cart, and pennedtheir calves at home. 1st Samuel
6:7. Did you hear that, Sherry?1st Samuel chapter six verse
seven.
Read the whole story. It's agreat story. So until next time,

(05:51):
as you go out there, remembernow, don't be bitter.