Talking 'bout the weather

... and farming as gambling

An unsolicited word of advice to anyone visiting the Midwest from abroad: If you are looking to break the silence in a chance interaction, you will find the weather to be a subject which yields much camaraderie. While entertainment news, professional athletics, or current geopolitical affairs will often garner dismissal or bewilderment, a simple statement such as: “I’d be happy with even a half inch of rain here”, or “Looks to be some weather coming’ in”, will justifiably indicate that you are grounded, observant, and most importantly, keyed into the issues that matter. And if you want to really impress folks, mention if they’re starting to plant beans two counties south of here.