Letters to the Editor: Arbor Day — a view, a prayer and a song

I must admit, I like trees. I wouldn’t call myself a tree-hugger, but then, I’m not much of a hugger in general! I am blessed to have grown up and to live on an old farm in the shadows of towering cottonwoods, crumbling maples, and raining walnuts. In such a setting it is impossible to not have an appreciation for the beauty, grandeur, and character that God created in our rooted friends. 

In his poem, “Planting Trees,” Wendell Berry writes about the trees he plants: “As I age in the world it will rise and spread, and be for this place horizon and orison, the voice of its winds.”

I also must admit, I like Wendell Berry’s writing. However, I don’t have his vocabulary, so I had to look up the word “orison.” It is archaic — it means a prayer. The trees become the view, the prayer, and the song for a place. A tangible connection to the past, the present, and the future. Beautiful.

Sometime in the 1920s or 30s my great-grandfather, Melvin, planted two rows of Norway spruce on the northwest corner of our farm. They grew tall and proud and certainly became part of the horizon of our place. The wind has had ample opportunity to sing in those trees over the past century. However, I’m left to wonder: what were my great-grandfather’s prayers for the farm at the time? I’d like to think they were for the peace and prosperity of the farm, the community, and the world around us. I’d like to think that he’d see his prayers as answered by his great-great grandsons climbing the trees a century later. 

The spruce trees are great, but oaks they are not, and several have died the past few years. This winter I was able to get a few of them milled into boards. I am not a great carpenter, but I did manage to make a simple bookshelf out of these boards. What a rich blessing to be able to make something out of a tree your great-grandfather planted. 

It is also very rich to be able to plant more trees with my boys. We are nurturing new spruce trees to replace the ones that have gone before. Another generation of trees for future generations of caretakers. In the many years to come, may both the trees and my boys grow well; may they be for this place its view, prayer, and song. 

I am grateful to all those in my family who, through the generations, have planted and cared for the trees on our farm. The trees are beautiful, and it is a privilege to care for them. Besides, if we didn’t have trees how would farm kids develop character from having to pick up sticks? This spring, I would encourage anyone who can to go out and plant some trees. And may your trees grow well and become the view, the prayer, and the song of your community.

Neil Peterson 

Fonda

Nitrogen

Approximately 78% of our air is nitrogen (N). In its pure form Wikipedia simple English tells us, “They found that animals died in it.” We saw that in the Nishnabotna River where approximately 750,000 fish died from a nitrogen mix fertilizer spill.

Nitrogen is in today’s Des Moines Register (4-23-24). Let’s connect the dots. Nitrogen is fundamental to Iowa agriculture, from corn production to meat packing. Nitrogen to corn-to ethanol — to pig food — to Smithfied — to Chinese investors. So, whoever controls nitrogen sales is in a sweet spot. Koch Industries is in that position. They have organized billions in campaign contributions to maintain their position. Taxpayers paid out $545 million to help keep competition in the nitrogen market by supporting an Egyptian company’s nitrogen plant in southeast Iowa. Behold, now Koch Industries claim they will buy that plant for $3.6 billion. Of course!  Why wouldn’t they? Monopolies are great for business. Too bad, farmers, the “Big Boys” are at it again.

My mother made great profits from her 120 acres in the 1950s. And, she crop- shared with a tenant. I have been trying to understand what happened to family farmers in the Midwest. I think the answer is in the Des Moines Register story about Koch Industries. 

By the way, Adam Smith in the Wealth of Nations did not say, “Greed is good.”

Mike Delaney

Windsor Heights