One of the best things about living in Wyoming is our numerous county roads. Most summer evenings you can find me driving with my windows down, radio blaring on a dirt road somewhere in Goshen County tracking down eagles to photograph or hunting for a piece of history to add to my photo collection. There is nothing better than a dirt road running beside area hay, corn, wheat, bean and beet fields as you drive through some of the most beautiful spaces in Goshen County. 

Summertime brings fields of endless beauty on the blossoms of the alfalfa plants in our hay fields and the Wyoming wind rattles the kernels of the hard winter wheat seen growing in our dry land areas as we hear the distant sounds of an irrigation pivot watering the growing corn plants. Around here, there isn’t a county road in sight that doesn’t have some type of agriculture deeply imbedded within its twists and turns. That is truly the best part about living in Goshen County. 

This time of year, many producers are busy hauling equipment from one field to the next as they maintain crops. Some producers even travel our highways and byways with their tractors and agriculture implements. These men and women are seen during all hours of the day and night. Many of them work from sundown to sunup just to provide for their families. It’s important for us all to realize, some of those implements and tractors are difficult to maneuver, and the driver may not always be able to see all areas of traffic. While I understand, sometimes traveling at a slow rate of speed is annoying and sometimes it can make us all late to work, school or appointments, I also want to remind others on the roadways, most producers aren’t enjoying their slow journey to the tire shop or tractor dealership either. They are worried about a car who will pass them in a no-passing zone or worried about clipping an oncoming vehicle because they won’t move away from the center line. Of course, as they get closer to town, most operators are worried about pedestrians and folks out and about on busy city streets. The worries of an agriculture producer really never end. It’s important for all drivers in Goshen County to recognize our roads are shared spaces and just like we learned with motorcycles, tractors and agriculture implements also have their own set of dangers for not only the ag producer to be aware of but also those of us who drive on local roadways. 

During the summer months, the risk for drivers increases as crops grow taller and taller, blocking the intersection of some of the county roads in Goshen County. Corn plants can obstruct the view for many drivers as they approach unmarked intersections. As a good safety measure, it is smart to stop at all county road crossings where the view is questionable for traffic coming from the opposite direction. 

While it is pretty easy to find a dirt road just about any direction in Goshen County, it’s important to remember to keep an eye out for our friends in agriculture just like they are keeping an eye out for us.

Stay safe, Goshen County.