By Susan Hayhurst
Calling all storytellers! Your favorite laughter-inducing farm story may net you valuable fuel to use during this year's crop season.
Indiana Prairie Farmer and CountryMark have again teamed up to sponsor the 2014 adult essay contest with the theme: "A funny thing happened at the farm…" Use your best storytelling voice to share one of your favorite side-splitting memories. Here's a tip – it may not have been funny at the time!
Animal antics, tractor travails and even family faux pas make for good reading. You only need to be 21 years of age or older. The essay should be 250 to 300 words, and must be your own work. Entries should be typed and include a cover letter specifying your name, address, email address and home and cell phone numbers. Winners will be notified by phone.
You're getting a jump on those that only read the Website, not the magazine. This call-out will be repeated in the March issue of Indiana Prairie Farmer.
Lucky winners receive CountryMark's Super Dieselex-4 fuel. The first place winner will have 500 gallons delivered to their farm. Second place receives 250 gallons, and third place gets 100 gallons of free fuel – all for just composing your thoughts!
A team of judges will select the winning essays. Results will be announced in early summer. Penton Farm Progress reserves the right to publish any essays deemed appropriate without compensation. Decision of the judges is final.
Send entries by April 15 to Susan Hayhurst, 14477 S. Carlisle Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802.
Challenge your friends and neighbors to share their stories too!
Indiana Prairie Farmer editor Tom Bechman tells stories each month in his Front Porch feature. He assures readers that the stories are true, given a slight writer's allowance to embellish, and you can do that as well. He also tells us that more times than not, the stories he relates weren't funny until well after they happened. Laughter is the best medicine. We'll laugh along with you, not at you!