Rittinger Farms

Talk about a pleasant surprise! We aren't exactly what you’d call "classic car people," but when you are bequeathed someone’s true labor of love, you feel a responsibility to dust it off, gas it up, and show it off occasionally.

This weekend, we took Sean’s dad’s 1958 Chevy truck out to the AmandaCruise-A-Palooza. Not only did we have a blast, but the truck drove away with the Master’s Choice Award!

This truck has a ton of history. Sean can still remember his dad, Steve, buying the very first of the three trucks that ultimately went into making this final restoration project. Sean was only in the 4th grade back then! The actual restoration didn’t fully come together until 2017, but it was a true passion project from start to finish.

Steve always wanted this truck and so glad he had time to enjoy it before he passed. Taking it out this weekend brought back so many wonderful memories for all of us, and seeing it recognized was the icing on the cake. We know he’d be grinning from ear to ear.

Huge thanks Amanda Masonic Lodge #509 for a great event!

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Well, I’ve officially hit the "old timer" mark because this is the highlight of my entire week. Where has this thing been hiding?

I’ve been playing in the dirt forever, but finally tried a stirrup hoe tonight. It cuts through our hard clay like butter! I’ve been struggling with this ground for decades, and this just made it look easy.

Currently going down the rabbit hole to find that wheeled version Facebook keeps showing me—if this is the manual performance, the upgrade might be life-changing.

The Summer "Break" Reality Check

Just in case anyone thought farmers kick back and relax once the planter is put away... welcome to the summer maintenance schedule!

Sorry to burst the "summer break" bubble for Christian. Because we are a small family farm, we can’t just run out and buy brand-new equipment whenever we feel like it. We know the value of taking care of the iron we already have, and preserving it takes some serious elbow grease.

Here is how the post-planting spa treatment works around here: After the spring dirt settles, every piece of machinery gets a heavy-duty pressure wash out in the barn lot to blast off the worst of the mud. Next, the tractors are moved into the shop to be hand-washed and dried. Finally, everything gets fully waxed so the fleet is shiny, protected, and ready to roll for fall harvest.

For his official summer job, Christian has been handed the wash mitt and the pressure washer. Under the strict guidance of Uncle Mike, he’s currently learning the "Rittinger Way" of doing things, since as anyone in this family will tell you, all other ways are simply the wrong way

But let's be real—this tractor detailing is just the tip of the iceberg for him. This job is crammed into a schedule that already includes: Early morning football lifting 🏈Managing his 4-H projects 🐷 Baling hay for neighboring farms 🌾 …and somewhere in between all that, trying to actually enjoy being being a teenager on summer break!

If you see him out and about, buy the kid a sports drink. He’s earning every bit of his summer status!

Consistency in an Inconsistent World.



Weather changes. Markets fluctuate. Input costs shift. In agriculture, uncertainty is just part of the job. But your relationship with your credit cooperative shouldn't be a moving target.

For the past 30 years, I’ve been driving down the same farm driveways across our region. I’ve sat at kitchen tables through the highs and the lows of the farm economy. If there is one thing I know, it's that producers don't just need a lender; they need a reliable partner who stays steady through the cycles.

As a cooperative member, your voice counts. I’m running for the Farm Credit Mid-America Board of Directors to advocate for consistent, relationship-based lending. Let’s ensure our cooperative delivers the stability you need to protect your operation today and tomorrow.

I would be honored to earn your vote.

Voting is open until June 12, 2026. Link to vote is pinned in the comments below!

**Farm Credit Mid-America neither opposes nor endorses any candidate for election for the Board of Directors.**