The Thanksgiving Spanking of 1874

The story below comes from the Humboldt Times. It was published on February 17, 1875. 

A Discouraged Boy 

Crabapple's boy had read that touching Thanksgiving story about the chap who ran away from home when a lad and went to sea, and was not heard of for several years, and how on every Thanksgiving Day his fond mother set a plate for the wanderer and kept a seat for him at the table, and how his gray-haired father, when he asked for the blessing, prayed for his wayward son — prayed that he might return safety to his paternal roof. 

And then one Thanksgiving Day, when they had about given him up on him for dead, although the plate and the vacant chair told the story of a mother’s undying hope, just as the family had set down to the Thanksgiving dinner, there came a rap at the door. 

“Come in!” cried the father. And, at that moment, their son bounced into their home wearing a sailor’s uniform and tarpaulin hat, just home from a long whaling voyage. Such rejoicing as there was in that house. How his father shook him by both bands, how his mother wept over him and embraced him; and how all his brothers and sisters, and aunts, and cousins hung around his neck and tugged at his sailor jacket. 

It was worth the braving of the seas to meet with such a welcome on his return. He sat at the feast in the chair that a mother’s doubtless love and hope and recollection had always placed for him and never was there a happier Thanksgiving since that cherished anniversary was invented. 

Crabapple’s boy wept over that story every time he read it, and he got to wondering whether such a fuss would be made over him should he run away from home and then turn up again some Thanksgiving Day. He thought about it so much that he finally decided to test the business out.  He would see how the folks would act when he played the prodigal's return. 

So about a week before Thanksgiving, he ran away from home. He didn't go to sea, because the sea was too far off, and he couldn't make much of a voyage in a week, anyhow. He got a job in a tanyard, grinding bark, which answered all the purpose, for he could imagine his "bark was in the sea" as he rode the old horse around the circle. 

He called the mill the world and imagined himself sailing around the world every revolution. When the week was up he started for home. He fancied himself so much tanned by the occupation he had followed that his parents would hardly know him. He imagined he had picked up a good many hid ears, anyhow. 

With a beating heart, he approached the paternal mansion. He looked in at the window and saw the folks just sitting down to the Thanksgiving supper. 

A chill of disappointment crept over him as he saw there was no vacant chair, and there was no idle plate anywhere on the table. He listened at the door when the blessing was asked, but although several prophets were honored with flattering, no his name wasn't mentioned. 

This was a little hard on the boy who had run away from home and was liable to turn up on that or any succeeding Thanksgiving Day. Relations didn’t seem to cluster around the hearthstone to any great extent. 

So while repressing a chilling foreboding that arose in his breast, he flung open the door, rushed into their midst, and exclaimed: "Father! Mother! 'Tis I, Jimmy Crabapple, your son! I'm home again! I'm home! I'm home!" And with that he, threw himself into his father's breast, sobbing convulsively. 

And what did his father do? Did he cry and slobber tears over him, and call out "Oh, thank the Lord, my long lost boy is home"? 

No be didn't. He instead took his son by the collar, led him into the woodshed, and used a barrel stave on him. [A barrel stave is a narrow strip of wood that forms the sides of a barrel. Staves are placed edge to edge to create a liquid-tight seal at the stave joint. Jimmy Crabapple's father used it as a switch in place of using a wooden spoon, a belt, or a paddle to spank his son for running away.]

Young Crabapple was punished for running away while his brothers and sisters danced around on the back stoop in an ecstasy of joy. All while his mother screamed, "That’s right, Ambrose! Give it to him! Learn him better than to run away from home again and make us sick with worry." 

The boy was then sent to bed without any Thanksgiving supper at all, and threatened with being deprived of both Christmas and New Year if he ran off again. It's said he never ran away again.

The above was published in 1875, and a few things can be learned from this story.

Back in 1800s America, children running away from home was done for a few reasons. At the time, child labor laws and restrictions were so non-existent that children were basically in the same class as slaves. Yes, while some people today might think that that's not so, it is the truth. Children were people enslaved by others. 

Many children, like Black slaves, ran away from lives of bondage or abuse. While many ran away to the cities where they could blend in. Many found work as cooks and servants, newspaper boys, and factory workers getting a fraction of what adult workers would get paid. Many were injured and cast aside as there was a surplus of runaway children to be had as labor in all sorts of industries including in the mines at the time. 

Other children, especially those from large very hungry families, ran away to escape the filth, squalor, and congestion of the cities at the time. Many saw living in sewer pipes or under stairs somewhere as being a better alternative than being packed with ten others into a 12-by-12-foot room.  

And yes, many children, many like my own grandfather, ran away from abuse at home and went to sea to work aboard ships. Many made the sea their lives. As for many of the children who worked in the coal mines, in the cities, on the docks, or on ships, many went West seeking freedom and better lives. Many ended up working on cattle ranches, were part of the first cattle drives, herded livestock, tended oxen, and were indeed some of America's first "cow-boys." 

American Indian children in boarding schools were often separated from their families and communities, which led to many of them running away from those schools. Believe it or not, even though many of them had to ride trains to get to those Eastern schools, many of those children ran away and tried to walk home. Yes, all out of a basic human need to return to a life they missed and understood, a life where they were loved and people didn't treat them as lower-class citizens. 

Let's remember that many of those children tried to assimilate into White Society, including immersing themselves in learning American English while being forced not to speak their own language. Most American Indian children runaways ended up back on Reservations where they felt safer and were not looked down on. 

As for young Jimmy Crabapple, he was a teenage child who loved a sentimental story about a son who was missed for a very long time, loved, appreciated, and even honored with an empty chair. That tells a great deal about Jimmy. 

To young Jimmy, to get that sort of love he yearned for, to get that sort of wealth of being loved like that, to get that which he wanted more than anything in the world, that which he wanted to have so much that every time he heard that story read that he would cry, he knew that all he had to do was run away at Thanksgiving -- and return soon afterward. After all, that's the storyline. To his way of thinking, what not follow the storyline and he'd get the same results.

So yes, that's the story of Jimmy Crabapple. That's what he was all about. His plan was not to run away for good to seek a better life. He just wanted to stay gone long enough to be missed. And yes, in his young mind, a week would suffice to accomplish what he needed. He figured a week being gone with be enough for his parents and siblings, aunts and uncles, and everyone to miss him. All he wanted was to be loved with adulation upon his return.  

What he didn't know was that children should never run away from home. While it makes parents crazy with worry, it also doesn't serve any purpose -- especially if a child is doing it for the reasons that Jimmy Crabapple did in 1874. Though he wanted to be missed and loved, no, it's never smart to run away from home for any reason.

Of course, his young easily influenced mind told him that all he had to do was run away to be loved just like that other boy in the story. He didn't know that sometimes stories are just stories. 

While he believed in his heart that if he ran away, he would be missed -- he didn't understand what that would do to others. He believed that if he ran away, that he would be loved. After all, he heard it in a story. And as all children know, stories never lie. 

Sadly, Jimmy Crabapple learned that sometimes a story, even a story of a young man who went to sea and returned to a loving family, is just a fairy tale, a tall tale, a yarn, all fiction, and has nothing to do with real life. He learned that fact of life while peering in the window of his home and seeing there was no mournful somber air to their Thanksgiving day. He saw his brothers and sisters playing and no one seemed to be acting even close to as depicted in that story that he cried over every time he heard it. 

Besides learning that sometimes a story is just a story, he learned that being loved is not something that we can pry out of others. He learned that people either love you or they don't. And who knows if he ever recognized it or not, but he also learned something else that Thanksgiving. And yes, it was something that Jimmy Crabapple could forever be thankful for. 

He learned that though it came with a long spanking that he received from his father, he learned the hard way that he was certainly loved. 

Whether or not he realized it then is anyone's guess, but it's hoped he learned that disciplining a child for running away is an act of love. It is a way to correct behavior and protect the child's safety. It is a way for parents to demonstrate that they care enough to set boundaries and guide them toward making better choices. He learned that on that day, and would be thankful for the lesson for the rest of his life.  

While I don't know if Jimmy Crabapple considered his father using a barrel stave on his posterior as either lovingly or constructive, it was certainly a sign of love. I would certainly say it was, especially when it comes from a loving parent who feels they've lost control of their kid -- and maybe they feel helpless when their child runs away. Of course, since Jimmy is said to have never run away again -- he must have felt his father's lover pretty good.

So all in all, while Jimmy Crabapple might not have thought so that day, his parents gave him a lot of love. Yes, even if it wasn't the warm and fuzzy love that he was looking for.  He learned that love can come in different forms. And yes, that can be a tough lesson to learn. A tough lesson that he should have been thankful for learning at a young age.

For Jimmy, he learned that love can sometimes be in the form of a spanking. Of course, that was probably a tough lesson to learn on Thanksgiving back in 1874. But then again, I'm sure it would be just as hard for some children to learn today.     

Tom Correa

It's How God Knows You're Not A Bad Person

Live your life Cowboy tough as God intended,

and God will know you're a good person.

Be respectful of others, say "Sir" and "Ma'am", be clean and courteous, be faithful to God, 

be faithful to friends and family, remove your hat when sitting down at a dinner table, 

clean your boots off before entering your home after feeding your horses and critters,

never forget to check their water, make sure their feed is good and not moldy,  

start your day with a prayer and positive thoughts, end your day with a prayer and gratefulness, 

and though God will only give you trials he knows you can handle, he'll know you're not a bad person.

When you work cattle, it's smart to work them slowly since you sell them by the pound.
It's smart and respectful not to brand another man's cattle without their permission during brandings.
If you don't want to look like a Greenhorn or Gunsel, just don't touch another man's horse and tack.
If you know you want to bring your dog along to a gathering, it's very smart to ask first.
Of course, you should always take pride in your work, and take on any job no matter how humble. 
If you finish what you start and do it to the best of your ability, no one can call you a bad person.

Never give up and face challenges with steadfast determination no matter how difficult,
help people in need and be a good steward of the land and its animals,
and when dismounted to open a gate, let everyone through before closing the gate and remounting,
show respect and courtesy on a ride and you'll be considered smart and certainly not a bad person.

Stand by your word, show up on time, stick to your promises, care for those you love,
stand by your family through thick and thin, and do your duty, because that is what good people do.

Believe in the unwritten Cowboy rules of hospitality, fair play, and respect for the land,

live your life with honesty, loyalty, integrity, and respect for others,
live your life each day with the integrity it takes to do what's right and act responsibly,
feed America, farm, ranch, harvest crops, and get goods to markets,
and understand that it's okay to feel sorry for city folks who don't know what it takes to feed our Nation.

Do that and you're not a bad person for living right.

Spread the virtues and blessings of Christ, that alone makes you a good person no matter what some say.
Speak freely and don't be afraid to talk about current events, politics, and religion.
Speak frankly and bluntly knowing that you're not a bad person if you do.

Live your life by the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated,
and live your life with values and morals as an example to others.

Do that, and God will definitely know you're not a bad person.

Since you know the difference between Right and Wrong, teach it to others. 

It's surely lacking today and God loves it when people teach such things since more people should.

Do these things and your Cowboy Ways will certainly irk Democrats and the Left in general.   

Of course, while the Left will see you as an evil person, God will love you for being who you are.

If you can't stand ruffians, thugs, hoodlums, hooligans, bullies, gangsters, bad men, and desperados,
and since you can't stand criminal types both foreign and domestic, that's okay.
And yes, it's okay to want the law to act so that Americans don't have to enact vigilante justice;

feeling that way doesn't make you a bad person, no matter what the Left says. 

Be Patriotic, take part in our Republic, and always Vote for candidates who put "Americans First."

Every "citizen" should want leaders who put our nation's priorities before those of others.

As an American, celebrate being an American, love America, our Constitution, and The Bill of Rights,
remain loyal to our founding principles, and hold steadfast to your opinions and Conservative beliefs.

Do that, and there's no doubt that you're not a bad person -- no matter what the Left tries to tell you.

Don't accept the arrogant Democrat notion that unless we agree with them 100% on everything, 

then we're somehow Nazis, Hitler, Fascists, Evil, Threats to Democracy, Garbage, and all bad people.

That's their authoritarian viciousness, their vehement hate, they loath anyone who disagrees with them; 

For all their talk about being caring people who want to make the Earth a better place, 

Democrats hate dissent and will label you a bad person if you refuse to believe their lies. 

Don't be a victim of their vile hate and think for yourself -- you're not a bad person if you do. 

As citizens, remember that we have the right to be angry at how our Government conducts itself, 

how the Government sends our tax dollars to other countries while Americans are in dire need, 
how it takes us as responsible citizens to keep our crooked Government in check.

To do that, we need to have crooked politicians arrested, question how politicians spend our tax dollars; we need to get our heads out of the sand where politicians hope we keep them, and become vocal;

we need to vote the right people into office to stop corruption and force our Government to work for us;

we need to refuse to be shamed by the Democrats and their hate-filled speech and false accusations; 

we need to understand that we must be vigilant and fight against the Left, the Left hates America,

the Left wants to destroy America, and they will say that you are a bad person for stopping them.  

If you're angry at how our Government spends our tax dollars; it's okay to be angry, it's your money. 

If you're tired and angry at Americans being Over-Taxed and unable to afford gas and groceries;
and sick and tired of spending Trillions of our tax dollars on the Climate Change Hoax,

and angry that farmers and ranchers are going out of business because of Government regulations, 

and hate the fact that Americans are being taxed into poverty while our tax dollars support foreign wars;

none of that makes you a bad person, although you won't be very popular with the folks on the Left. 

If you don't like people who demand that you accept their demands because it's against your grain;
if you don't like people who demand that you accept their sick Alternative Lifestyles;
if you don't like people demanding that you view the World the way they tell you to;

if you don't like those who attack our freedom of speech, Christianity, and our Constitutional Rights;

contrary to what the media endlessly tell us, none of that doesn't make you a bad person.

If you have problems with folks who aren't very tolerant of your likes and dislikes, attack your religion, attack you for reading the Bible, for hunting, for owning guns, for watching a certain News Channel, 

for voting for someone of your choice who has been ruthlessly attacked and slandered and framed, 

for you standing by your belief that men don't belong in Women's Sports because it's "Just Not Right;"

absolutely none of that makes you the bad person that Democrats say you are. 

Since you know XY cannot be XX, and not even castration can change a Bull into a Cow,

it's okay that you're against males going into girls' locker rooms and using women's bathrooms, 

it's okay that you want perverts, such as child molesters, prosecuted and castrated before sent to prison.

After all, none of what you know, what you're for, or what you're against makes you a bad person.

 

It's okay that you refuse to accept the absurd insane notion that deviant behavior is considered "normal,"

you don't have to like some folks for Political reasons or because you can't accept their deviant Lifestyle.

You don't have to like how Heterosexuals are attacked and shamed by folks supporting deviant behavior;
And no, thinking the way you do does not make you a bad person. Of course, the Left sees it differently. 

If you think killing unborn babies is not okay and abortions should be limited to only certain cases,

and there are people on Adoption Waiting lists who'd be happy to get a baby that others willingly kill, 

and yes, you know that the body in a womb is more than just the mother's body, you're not a bad person. 

Of course, it's okay to chuckle when hearing dumb people say, "There are more than just two genders."

And yes, you're not a bad person for laughing at dumb people who think they can get Milk from a Bull.

No, you're certainly not a bad person for feeling the way you do.

Refusing to accept the Climate Change Hoax, and not accepting the scam that higher taxation can fix it, 

is the same as you refuse to accept "Fictional History;" it is okay that you separate myth from fact;

you're not a bad person for respecting facts and the truth and refusing to accept "Fictional History."

Just as there are political groups that need Climate Change to get money from their donors, 

some groups need to push "Fake History," history that's been rewritten, for the same reason;

racism and divisiveness, fear-mongering, and having the ability to create political turmoil take money,

understanding who is responsible and recognizing the Mainstream Media's culpability in it is good;

keen perception on your part is not a character flaw -- nor does it make you a bad people

Re-writing History for profit happens all the time, some groups lie just to ensure their survival,

and a lot of so-called historians scam the public by telling us the Hollywood fake version of history. 

For example, people who were real "Bad Men" in their time have been made into Heroes today; 

So no, since you know for a fact that someone's actions will sooner or later reveal their true character, 

and recognizing a fraud for who they are isn't bad, knowing that doesn't make you a bad person. 

Not letting yourself be forced by the Left to go along with being "Rehabilitated" by the state,

not accepting the Communist lie, and knowing the evils of the Left's Political Correctness Agenda, 

will help you hold on to the truth, fight the "Good Fight," and rebel against what you know is wrong.

You are a good person if you stand your ground against Politicians with Political Agendas,

refusing to accept Marxism-Leninism makes you a freedom-loving person, certainly not a bad person.

If you think it's not okay to let little children read Porn in schools and believe teachers should be fired,
and you think it's not okay to promote Puberty Blocker and Sex Change Surgeries to children,
you're certainly not a bad person for thinking the way you do -- no matter what Democrats say.

Giving respect where respect is due and not giving respect where it's not isn't bad.

Thinking for yourself and knowing what you like and don't like doesn't make you a bad person.

It's okay to refuse to let others tell you that you're a bad person because you don't like the Left's agenda.
You're not a bad person if you don't like Communists, arsonists, child molesters, and that sort.
Remember that you are free to like and dislike who you please. It's your choice. 

It's okay if you don't like anyone telling you how you must live your life, especially the Government.

If you don't like those who others say you have to like, that's your choice and they need to respect it. 

If you know you don't like Leftists telling you how Communism is such a "Great Way of Life," 

and you know for a fact that Communism is Slavery, then you're smarter than half of our population.
There's nothing wrong with wanting freedom, liberty, borders, and understanding why they're needed.

You understand why we have fences, rules of conduct, why we have to trust others to a certain point,

and since you're not gullible, you know you won't let people piss on your boots and tell you it's raining.

And no, you're certainly not a bad person for wanting a free, safe, and secure America.

Being self-sufficient is about surviving without the Government being a part of your life.

Being self-reliant and self-sufficient is a great way of life and doesn't make you a bad person.  

Knowing how to use a gun safely and properly is a part of survival, especially in high-crime areas.

Being armed and ready to protect your life and those you love does not make you a bad person.

It's the same as knowing what it is to work for a living, do your laundry, and plant a garden.
It's the same as knowing how to fix a flat tire, how to change your vehicle's oil, how a house is built,
how to build a campfire, chop wood, fish, hunt, cook, and carry your own water.
Defending yourself and not having to depend on the Police to protect your loved ones is smart.

It makes you a very good person, a loving father, husband, and friend. Even God would agree.

Survival means seeing your enemies for who they are, whether politicians or the media, 

or if they are thieves, thugs, hoodlums, hooligans, bullies, gangsters, bad men, and desperados. 

There is nothing wrong if you can see your enemies for who they are, you're certainly not a bad person. 

The same goes if you recognize when you're being sold a bill of goods and see punks for who they are. 

And no, don't let anyone tell you that you should have tolerance and understanding for criminals. 

You don't have to turn the other cheek or forgive your trespassers as they trespass against you.

You are not a bad person if you don't have the degree that people on the Left think you need. 

You are not a bad person if you shop at thrift stores, have a humble home, or don't have a fancy car. 

It's okay to wear old clothes, wear boots, especially work boots, and not have the luxuries some have,

the same way you're not a bad person because you don't go to Starbucks for a cup of expensive coffee. 

You're not a bad person because if you don't care that others pay too much to be fashionable, 

or if they get themselves in debt over buying clothes with fancy labels, or cars with foreign names, 

or that they are paying way too much for a cup of coffee at Starbucks which most folks think is stupid. 

It's okay to believe in God and live a simple life, a life that is perfect for you but maybe not for others.

You're not a bad person if you're content with your life and living the way you do. 

You're not a person if you like farms, ranches, dairies, livestock, and all things rural America.

It's okay if you don't like big cities and anything that comes with urban America.

It's okay to be impressed by how hard people work, just as it's okay not to be impressed by lazy folks.

It's okay that you've realized you don't have to accept what people do or tell you. 

And no, you're not a bad person if you don't like some folks -- especially those who look down on you.

If you know in your core why your honor and your saddle are never for sale, that's a good thing.
If you understand why we shouldn't be sheep, fleeced, or led to slaughter, that's a good thing. 

If we never need to question why it's so important not to be part of the herd, that's a good thing.

When you cut your own path, you will realize you are not a bad person for doing so, and that's good too.

Keep in mind that courage and commitment build strength and good character.
Also, remember that God hates a coward, and that's why he loves Cowboys.
And since God knows you're a Cowboy, he knows you're not a bad person.

                                             

A Daring Highway Robbery In Calaveras County 1874

Calaveras County Sheriff Ben Thorn

In case you haven't heard of him before, Calaveras County Sheriff Benjamin K. Thorn was the man who captured highwayman Black Bart. He was also the man who captured the bandit Joaquin Murietta. While this isn't a biography of Sheriff Thorn, below is a story of a highway robbery in Calaveras County. It took Sheriff Thorn only four days to track down and arrest the bandit. That's faster than most lawmen in the Old West. 

The Tuolumne Independent newspaper dated January 2, 1875, reported that a highway robbery took place East of Sandy Gulch near Sawyer's Bridge, on December 26, 1874. For those of you who have told me that you use maps to find the locations of the incidents that I talk about, that robbery took place about halfway between the towns of West Point and Glencoe in Calaveras County. It took place near the present-day South Fork bridge of the Mokelumne River on what is today California State Route 26.

As for the 1875 news article mentioning Claude Duval and Jack Sheppard? Claude Duval (or Du Vall) was a 17th-century French highwayman in Restoration England. Believe it or not, he robbed and killed male travelers and took the time to dance with women travelers in France during his holdups. Believe it or not, he robbed and killed on behalf of exiled English royalists who would later return to England under King Charles II. 

I guess that was one way of making money as a royal, just have others rob and kill for you. Then again, that should not surprise anyone since the British Crown also commissioned "Privateers" to rob and kill on the high seas for them. With a license and support from Elizabeth I of England to distinguish them from "Pirates," "Privateers" like Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh made themselves and their backers immensely rich by robbing Spanish ships.

As for Claude Duval, according to popular legend, he supposedly abhorred violence unless it was necessary. But, he is known to have killed men without provocation. He's also known to have shown polite courtesy and chivalry to women passengers. His behavior is thought to have created the myth of the "romantic highwayman." Yes, supposedly, he was the model used by many writers when describing a supposed "romantic thief" who kills men and charms women. 

As for the mention of Jack Sheppard, he was also known as "Honest Jack." He was a notorious English thief, highwayman, and prison escapee of 18th-century England. Though he was hanged on November 16, 1724, his life's story and tales of his robberies and prison escapes have been told and retold usually romanticized in books, plays, and even in movies. 

From the Tuolumne Independent newspaper:

Daring Highway Robbery

Mr. S. M. Miller, traveling for the wholesale liquor house of Starbuck & Co., of this city [Stocton, California], was robbed on one of the highways in Calaveras County last Saturday [December 26, 1874], under circumstances that invest it with the interest of a romance, and bring to mind the days of Claude Duval, or Jack Sheppard. 

As for Mr. Miller being held up, he was en route from West Point Io Mokelumne Hill and was driving a "spirited pair of horses" attached to a light buggy. At a point between Sandy Gulch and Sawyer's Bridge, he was stopped at about 3 o’clock when an unknown man stepped out from the chaparral that lined the road. The unknown highwayman is said to have presented a pistol, (a Coll’s five-shooter), and ordered Miller to halt, remarking, "Come out! Come out! We want to get rid of you!" 

To that, Mr. Miller told the robber to keep cool and that he would give up. Upon this, the robber stepped upon the wheel of the buggy, and grabbing Miller’s cap, threw it into the road. He then stepped back about six feet and deliberately discharged his pistol at Miller, the ball barely missing his head.

The shot started the team, and one of the horses ran and obliged Miller to whip the other. After traveling at this gait for a mile and a half, Millar discovered he had struck the wrong road and turned back. When he had retraced his course for a half mile he was again confronted by the highwayman, who fired at him putting a bullet through his coat, but missing his body. 

About one hundred yards from this point Mr. Miller found himself hemmed in by the chaparral and again turned back his team. The third time he was met by the robber, who told him to come out, and Miller surrendered. The robber first took the whip and threw it away. He next relieved Miller of his purse, containing $220, examined the puree for a moment, and told his victim to "go on" while refusing to give him back the whip or cap. 

Mr. Miller drove back to Sawyer’s Bridge bareheaded. The knight of the road is a tall, stout man, and he is known. He had his face covered with a piece of gunny sack which was used as a mask. Calaveras County Sheriff Ben Thorn is in pursuit of the villain and is likely to capture him. 

(This report above originated in the Stockton Independent newspaper on December 30, 1874.)

In a follow-up report of that robbery, the Tuolumne Independent newspaper stated that Mr. Shine, the stage driver, informed us that the fellow who committed the robbery was arrested last Wednesday, December 30, 1874, by Sheriff Ben Thorn of Calaveras County. Yes, Sheriff Thorn arrested the highwayman only four days after the robbery was committed. 

The Sheriff arrested him on suspicion and told him that Miller knew him. The bandit was a Cherokee and the same man whom Mr. Miller suspected. The robber confessed and told Sheriff Thorn the whole story, including how he had disposed of the money; that he had paid a grub bill of $6O, gave $40 to his mother, and gave a part of the money to his partner.

Since the above report was in type, the newspaper learned by telegraph that the robber's name was Bob Maxwell. He was arrested at West Point and also confessed to having robbed the West Point Stage two months ago. Thus ends the story of the highway robbery of Mr. Miller, and the swift capture of highwayman Bob Maxwell. 

Considering it took him only four days to identify, locate, and arrest Maxwell, it's no wonder Sheriff Ben Thorn was a legend in his own time throughout California. And really, if you don't think that's amazing, remember that Sheriffs in the 1800s were responsible for a variety of duties, including keeping the peace, collecting taxes, maintaining jails, arresting fugitives, investigating crimes, escorting prisoners, keeping a list of wanted criminals, and serving orders and writs among other things not listed here.

Who was Calaveras County Sheriff Benjamin Kent Thorn? Why haven't you ever heard of him? 

Well, he was born in New York on December 22, 1829, and grew up in Chicago. He arrived in California in the fall of 1849 during the California Gold Rush. In fact, he arrived with the first rush of argonauts seeking gold and their fortunes. Ben Thorn initially arrived in the mining camp of Volcano which was then in Calaveras County. After a short while there, he moved to San Andreas where Mexican gold miners established the camp in 1848 and named it after the Catholic parish of St. Andrew. For more than 50 years, he was a resident of Calaveras County.

He died on November 15, 1905, while visiting his daughter in San Francisco. He is buried in the San Andreas Protestant Cemetary. The Calaveras Prospect newspaper published his obituary on November 18, 1905, which read: 

"In 1867, he was elected Calaveras County Sheriff, and except for four years, he held that office continuously for 35 years. His name was associated with the capture of some of the most noted criminals of the West, among them the famous Black Bart and Joaquin Murietta." 

It's said that Ben Thorn was never discovered by Hollywood. That's the reason many have never heard of him. Of course, when you think about it, some who ended up being famous later, and weren't while they were alive, would have been completely forgotten if they hadn't self-promote themselves by finding a biographer who wrote what they told them -- or simply twisted the truth so much that the facts didn't matter. 

Take for example the case of Wyatt Earp. Today, because of History Revisionist, Fan Worship, and Fiction Writers putting out books and movies, he's seen by many as a hero and intrepid lawman. But yet, for those folks like me who have studied Wyatt Earp, and read a great deal about him to discern the truth from fiction for the better part of 50 years, we know Wyatt Earp was just a pimp, a thief, a con artist, a lawman who was fired a few times for breaking the law, a man who used a badge to commit murder, a man who was a fugitive and evaded being tried for two murders in Arizona, and "Bad Man" who associated with criminals and was as crooked as a dog's hind leg. 

In the 1890s and very early 1900s, Americans knew Wyatt Earp as being a notorious and infamous person, a villain, and "Bad Man" which was a term used a lot to describe him in the newspapers at the time. Being called a "Bad Man" was a term that he hated a great deal. Yes, Americans in the late 1890 and early 1900s knew he was not the hero that he is being portrayed as today. He was anything but that when he was alive. So what changed? He self-promoted himself in Hollywood by befriending actors, and of course, he found a biographer who wrote what he told them even if it were lies and exaggerations.

 

As for Bat Masterson, he certainly was a lawman and a Sheriff. He certainly skirted the law to do friends like Wyatt Earp favors. Of course, he is considered by some to be one of the longest-serving Sheriffs in the Old West during the 1800s. But Bat Masterson, who served as Sheriff in different counties, including Ford County, Kansas, and Dodge City, Kansas, was never a Sheriff as long as Ben Thorn was in Calaveras County. 

In the case of Ben Thorn, who served for 35 years as the Calaveras County Sheriff, it is proof that he was a County Sheriff longer than anyone I can think of who was a County Sheriff in the 19th-century Old West. And yet, he's not even noted for that because Hollywood never noticed him. And frankly, my friends, I think that's sad. 

We The People

Story by Terry McGahey

I sometimes seem to hate California, but that is not really true. I hate the politics, lies, and regulations that California enforces upon its citizens. Here in Arizona, we now have the same problem that many Californians deal with, especially those who live in Northern California and those who live in Southern California and believe in our Constitution and our way of life, liberty, and freedom.

The problem I am referring to is the brainwashing of the majority of Democrats who truly believe in Woke, open borders, high inflation, and others. They must believe in those things because they keep voting in the same morons thinking things will change and get better, but that will never happen. Northern California’s smaller counties, for the most part, are full of patriotic Americans who believe in the same values that we have here in Arizona. The problem in Arizona is we have been invaded by Democrats from Southern California and other Left-leaning states, but mainly in California.

These folks have moved into our major cities such as Phoenix and Tucson by the hundreds of thousands over the past twenty years or so and now we are also being outvoted by the far left just as you all in Northern California have been dealing with for many years now. I have never understood why these people move to another state to get away from the high taxes and cost of living but when they move elsewhere they want it to be just like it was in the place "they ran away from." 

Just like buffalo being chased off a cliff, these people will go like lambs to the slaughter because all they do is follow the crowd without thinking for themselves.

This isn’t just an Arizona problem, it is also taking place in Montana, Idaho, and other states where these cancerous far-Left voting individuals move too. And yes, I just call the far-Left Democrats a cancerous disease with these individuals spreading throughout our nation to destroy it, just as cancer destroys cells within human beings. 

If you don't like it here, and you want it to be the same as where you came from, then go back to where you came from because we don't want you! I truly feel for the folks in the smaller counties of Northern California because they have been dealing with this cancer for many years now.

You far-left voters who voted for Harris and Tampon Tim need to wake up and understand this point. You need to know your Rights that the Constitution affords us as Americans. But the sad truth is, most of them have no idea what our Constitutional Rights actually are and don’t understand that the Constitution is actually the law of the land, not our pitiful politicians who want to be all-powerful and who now hold the White House. 

Look at it this way, just like an HOA which disallows you to even paint your door a different color, that type of government will do the same thing if you step out of line and take away your Rights and even your property. Leftists need to read our great document and also understand what our Bill of Rights says.

I doubt that most far-Left voters even know what the First Amendment, Second Amendment, Fourth Amendment, and others say, truly stand for, or how they are written. They are about our freedom and liberties. But then again, maybe they can't read?

You know what's really sad? Should the time ever come that the far-Left criminals ever succeed in turning this country into a Socialist/Communist society, which is what they truly want, the same people who vote far-left will be the first ones to cry and ask, what happened? 

Remember this, we do have some socialist programs but we are not a socialist-run government. If you far-leftists want what's called Democratic Socialism you need to understand one thing, once socialism gets a small hold it will continually grow and grow. 

Also, understand this, Socialism is just one very tiny step from Communism. All I ask is to stand up against this cancer because as the old western song lyrics state, "If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything." Quit falling for the lies of the far-left Socialists and stand up for our constitution, not politicians!

Before I close this out I want to thank Tom Correa for allowing me this platform. Tom and I have actually never met in person but I am proud to call him my friend.

About the Author

Terry McGahey
Associate Writer/ Old West Historian

Terry has been a working cowboy, a writer, and an Old West historian. He is best known for his fight against the City of Tombstone and its historic City Ordinance Number 9.

He was instrumental in getting the famous Tombstone City Ordinance Number 9 repealed while at the same time forcing the City of Tombstone to fall in line and comply with the laws of the State of Arizona.

If you care to read how he fought Tombstone's City Hall and won, check out:

The Last Gun Fight -- The Death of Ordinance Number 9 (Chapter One)

2024 Election Proves Over 65 MILLION Democrats Are "Sheeple"

Democrat voters have proven themselves to be "Sheeple" of the worst sort. Not only are they compliant, so easily influenced, and so much like sheep, but yesterday when voting in the Presidential Election, over 65 Million of them proved they would vote for the person who would have led them to slaughter. 

And that's the thing about sheep, they will blindly follow a Judas Goat even if the Judas Goat is a smiling, constantly cackling Vice President Harris who appears so stupid that she can answer a question directly without help from her staff and the media. 

If you're unfamiliar with what a "Judas Goat" is, allow me to help you understand where I'm going with this. Judas Iscariot was the disciple who betrayed Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. I see Kamala Harris as nothing less than a Judas Goat.

There was a time in American meat processing plants when sheep destined for slaughter didn't follow humans to slaughter -- but they were willing to trail behind goats trained to "betray" other livestock by leading them to slaughter. They were commonly known as "Judas goats." And yes, even today, a Judas Goat is defined as "an animal, especially a sheep or a goat, used to lead others to slaughter." The term also defines "any person or thing used to lure people in a direction that's unhealthy for them." 

So why is it that I see Kamala Harris as a Judas Goat? Or more precisely, why do I see the people in charge of the Democrat Party as Judas Goats? Well, I believe Kamala Harris is a person who would have betrayed her supporters after being elected. 

Even if she were used unwittingly as the tool of the Democrat Party's agenda to destroy America as we know it, all to make our country into what the Left considers a model of a Communist nation, I really believe that she was a Judas Goat. 

Granted, Kamala Harris was a Judas Goat with multiple accents and personalities and laughed nervously a lot, but that's the role she volunteered to play in the recent election. 

Please understand where I'm coming from. During the Trump presidency, Americans were bombarded with lies about Donald Trump being criminally involved in collusion with Russia. While President Trump went about imposing higher tariffs on goods coming from nations like China and Mexico who were stealing our manufacturing base, the Democrats in Congress fought him. While Trump was busy trying to create good jobs for American skilled labor, the Democrats were obstructionists. 

When Trump was going about shattering the myth of the Obama Administration that a low GDP was something that we would have to accept as the "new normal," the Democrats attacked him saying he was "Hitler." 

When Trump was trying to roll back the job-killing government rules and regulations that were also putting big and small companies out of business, Democrats said Trump was a threat to the environment. When Trump cut taxes for hard-working Americans and created urban business incentives to inspire business investments in American cities hit hard by poverty and lack of opportunity, Democrats called Trump a "racist" even though Trump's policies were trying to help the Black community in those cities. 

While President Trump was trying to build security barriers, the Border Wall, and close the drug trafficking and sex trafficking routes into the United States at the Mexican Border, the Democrat Party fought him at every turn and called him a "Xenophobe" even though he wanted to keep out criminals. 

In fact, to scuttle President Trump's policies altogether, Democrats formulated a clandestine plot, sponsored and carried out by high-ranking members of the Democrat Party including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other former members of the Federal Government, to unseat a sitting President of the United States -- Donald Trump. 

That plot was all-consuming by the Democrat-controlled Mainstream Media. Americans were inundated with talk of Russia, Russia, Russia, allegation after allegation, and it was all part of a criminal conspiracy to remove President Trump from office. Their plot resulted in President Trump's Impeachment trial while in office, and an Impeachment trial after he left office. All orchestrated by the Democrat Party, Hillary Clinton, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and other nefarious Deep State individuals working to remove President Trump from office.

It was an attempted coup. And no, even after we all found out that it was all fabricated, made-up, lies with the intent to harm a sitting President, not one Democrat operative involved with the Russia Collusion Coup was ever brought to trial for conspiracy to defraud the American people -- or anything else. 

So, did the Democrats join in the fight to make the lives of Americans better when President Trump was hard at work trying to get it done, when it was trying to secure the border, or when he was trying to let us keep more of our money? No. They attacked him and were obstructionists who worked to destroy all of his efforts to make our lives better. 

Why would they do that to the American people? It's because they didn't want President Donald Trump to be a success in his first term in office. No matter how it hurt the country or adversely affected Americans, Democrats wanted him to fail as a president and the Democrats were willing to do anything to sabotage his efforts. How did they sabotage him, through malicious prosecution, false accusations, lie after lie after lie, and relentless defamation while he was in office. 

The non-famous "Russia Collusion" charge that was promoted by the Democrats for 4 years of President Trump's time in office, with investigation after investigation being held found President Trump innocent of all allegations and charges. And by the way, it takes a special kind of liar, it takes a truly heartless Judas-type to convince over 65 MILLION brainwashed supporters that what the Democrat Party did to President Trump was somehow okay.

So what does this have to do with over 65 Million "Sheeple" voting Democrat in an attempt to elect Kamala Harris as President? And really, what does what the Democrats did by attacking Trump while he was in office and attacking him since he'd left office have to do with Kamala Harris being a Judas Goat?

 
Under the Democrat Party's agenda to destroy and remake America, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have attacked Americans on multiple fronts. To me, their worst attack was after immediately taking office in 2021 when they attacked American Oil Production. That single move instantly made Americans again dependent on Foreign Oil and again made Foreign nations wealthier. And yes, that did more harm to working Americans than any other thing they purposely did upon entering office.   

When the Biden-Harris administration attacked American Oil, Americans were hit with an immediate backlash of skyrocketing gas and food prices and high energy bills. Friends, we're talking about the highest fuel prices in American history. And no, Biden and Harris and the other Millionaire politicians in the Democrat Party didn't feel the pinch like we have -- just like the Hollywood celebrities who came out to support Harris, they're all rich and money means nothing to them.  

High fuel prices have hurt our food chain, our truckers, our airline industry, shipping, manufacturing, especially any firm that makes any of the over 6,000 oil-based products that we use daily, and much more because of our dependence on oil-based products. The high fuel prices have hurt our farmers, ranchers, and all of our agricultural producers by making feeding cattle more expensive, making growing crops more expensive, making machinery and other equipment priced out of reach, and making shipping costs too high to stay in business. 

Just their attacks on our American Oil Producers alone have created more problems than the Democrats can fathom, and they don't care because their attacks on American Oil along with imposing more and more government regulation are what their big Climate Change donors wanted. 

It takes a special sort of Judas Goat to convince people that not being able to afford groceries, or afford gas, or buy medicine, or anything else you need, should be considered "Joy." Yes, that special sort of Judas is Kamala Harris. 

It takes a special sort of Judas Goat to make you think that too many taxes on everything, higher taxes, taxes, taxes, and more taxes, along with intrusive government regulations on what's in your house, and a government that tells you how to live, dress, work, talk, feel, and how to think are somehow good things to happen to us. 

It takes a special sort of Judas Goat to convince over 65 Million of your sheeple to vote for them when in fact they don't care if you are threatened by Illegal Alien Gangs, murderers, rapists, child sex traffickers, drug cartels, and an overall increase in crime never seen in our history. 

Kamala Harris is the sort of Judas Goat who tells her followers that crime is too high and she's the only person running for president who ever tried criminals -- while at the same time conveniently not acknowledging that she set up funds to assist criminals. She didn't bother telling people how she was for "Defunding the Police" and is responsible for the increase in crime -- but then again, Judas-type folks don't admit to that sort of thing. 

Yes, it takes a very special sort of Judas Goat who can convince over 65 Million of their supporters that it's okay that Americans are out of work and having to work two jobs just to try to make ends meet -- while she and the Democrat Party are responsible for giving Illegal Aliens are getting free money and receiving more benefits than American Citizens. It takes a special kind of Judas to look directly into a television camera and tell the American people that there is nothing she would change from the disastrous Biden-Harris policies of the last 4 years. And yes, that's what Harris did. 

Unwittingly or not, whether she knew what she said or is indeed the puppet that many of us think she is, she admitted that she saw nothing wrong with the Biden-Harris policies that have given us so much misery and despair. And yes, she said there was nothing she would change and her intent was to stay the course and give America more of the same thing.

Yes, indeed, Kamala Harris was a Judas Goat who lied and smeared her opponent, all to get to the White House. She convinced over 65 Million voters who like being screwed with out-of-control crime, high cost of food, high rents, high gas prices, and high everything else. She convinced her followers that being miserable and enduring hard times is "joy" and that wanting to be prosperous and happy is being a "fascist." And it worked, she proved that by the fact that over 65 MILLION voters voted for her. 

Of course, where Judas Iscariot was the disciple who betrayed Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver -- Kamala Harris was going to betray 65 MILLION of her followers for the White House.

My friends, there is no way that I would have guessed that America has over 65 MILLION voters who like being screwed by the Democrat Party. I figured there were a few million, but never in my wildest imagination did I think that over 65 MILLION voters would be fine with what the Democrats have done to America over the last 4 years or more. But I really underestimated how many sheeple vote in line with the Democrat Party.  I just didn't realize that so many people would be so easily used. 

To my way of thinking, there are over 65 MILLION Democrat voters out there who should thank the over 70 MILLION Republican voters who did not accept the lies and fought to stop Kamala Harris and the Democrat Party. But most likely, they won't because Democrats have a hard time believing that they've been used. 

Tom Correa

Farmland Costs Rise, Pricing Young Farmers Out of the Market as Age of Farmers Increase

The USDA data shows the average price of farmland rose nearly 8% in 2023 compared to last year

Story by Mills Hayes 

FOX Business

There's plenty of young people interested in starting a career in farming. A farmer needs land, but buying land is more expensive than ever.

The cost of farmland rose over 7% this year, pricing many farmers out of the market. This comes as the U.S. deals with an aging farmer population, causing many to wonder who will grow the next generation’s food supply.

In Iowa, the Shivers Farm has been producing beef and pork for six decades.

"The corn that we grow, this corn, will go right back into the cattle along with the hay," Emily Shivers said. "It's hard work. But we feed you. We feed America."

Midwest farmers have been dealing with a severe drought in Spring and Summer and now costs are adding pressure. They’d love to buy more land, but the prices are becoming unaffordable, and developers are turning farmland into neighborhoods.

"There’s some ground just right over here, behind our farm, that butts up to our farm that sold for 25-$30,000 an acre. Just last year. It's hard. We can't compete with that. Developers can compete with that, but we as farmers can't," Shivers said.

"I want them to know where their food comes from, which is grown on the land. It's grown, you know on family farms like this," Shivers said. In 2020, she started posting on social media when they had meat to sale. Since then she's been trying to prom (Mills Hayes/Fox News / Fox News)

USDA data shows the average price of farmland in the US is $4,080 dollars per acre. In Iowa? $9,930. In California, it’s $12,400. And in New Jersey, an acre of land goes for about $17,700.

More than 80% of the worlds corn and soybeans comes from Midwest farms. Prices for corn and soybeans surged in 2021 and 2022. Farmers made more money, invested in land, and drove up the cost of it.

"Increasing costs are certainly making it harder and harder for any beginning farmer to get started," Martha McFarland, with Practical Farmers of Iowa, said.

McFarland connects farmers looking to retire with beginner farmers looking for land. She said there is land in northwestern Iowa going for $12,000 to $14,000 an acre.

"There is no way that I ever would have been able to do that without family land to get started," McFarland said about her 260-acre farm raising bison and cattle.

Farmers say they can't compete with developers who can buy farmland for more money. "Once it's gone, you never get it back. Once it has houses on it, you never get it back. And we we feed the world like this is that's what we do," Emily Shivers, with (Mills Hayes/Fox News / Fox News)

Will Cannon, a third-generation farmer but a first-generation full-time farmer and a director for the Iowa Corn Growers Association, says farms are getting larger, and it takes about 1,000 acres to have a decent standard of living.

"Farmers just keep getting older and older, because they're the ones that can afford to own the land and operate the land right now," Cannon said. "In Iowa, the average age of the farmer right now is 60 years old."

Cannon partnered with an older farmer and when the farmer decided to retire he was able to buy out his equipment and rent his land. Not all beginner farmers are that lucky and he says it’s challenging to find enough older farmers to mentor the new generation.

 
"When we're looking at farmland, maybe 1.5% to 2% of all farmland changes hands within a year. So, actually the supply of land is relatively small," Chad Hart, a crop market specialist and economics professor at Iowa State University, said. 

"It's almost like a marriage where you really have to work together to be able to make that work. And anyone who has a business that has a business partner understands that. It's no different here in farming in agriculture, but it's finding out how to get those people to jive together," Cannon said.

Cannon says some absentee landowners will rent the land to the highest bidder, sometimes switching renters every year. When farmers know they only have the land for a year, they may cut corners to save money. This can cause long-term damage to the land and prevent future farmers from growing on it.

"There’s not a lack of people who are interested in being able to farm. It's a lack of opportunity," Cannon said.

Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn and Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett introduced legislation this week that would simplify requirements for USDA loans for beginning farmers and expand support for new farmers.

Ex-USDA Official blasts 'Mind-Boggling' Biden-Harris Regulations on Farming, menthol: 'Doesn't seem very American'

A young farmer sprays his garden of fresh lettuce, cabbage, and parsley against pests. (iStock)

Ray Starling previously advised President Trump as top aide to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

Story By Andrew Mark Miller 

Fox News

Former AG Dept official: Biden regulations crushing farming industry, ‘backbone’ of America

A former USDA official is speaking out about Biden administration regulations he believes are harming the farming industry and also warned about a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes he says has already been tried and failed that will deal a significant blow to tobacco farmers.

Ray Starling, who served as chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, told Fox News Digital that the lives of farmers have become more difficult since Biden took office for a variety of reasons, including water policy, issues with the guest worker visa program, and burdensome regulations particularly related to the FDA that he says are putting the agriculture industry as a whole in peril.

"I couldn't start the conversation without starting with water and water policy," Starling said. "When you think about all the different states around the country, water presents different challenges and different opportunities for different parts of the country, but at the end of the day, anybody involved in agriculture needs it, needs access to it, needs to be able to manage it and probably the biggest thing we've seen in the water space is that this administration seems very determined to maximize the EPA's jurisdiction over land that has some kind of water on it."

Starling explained that EPA regulations regarding water, which farmers and ranchers have labeled an "attack on farmers," have not subsided as a threat simply because the Supreme Court issued a ruling last year narrowing the federal government's authority to regulate bodies of water and effectively upended a Biden administration policy that recently went into effect.

"Ironically, they've only chosen to change their approach at a minimal amount," Starling said.

"The holding is the EPA can only regulate you if there is a continuous surface water connection to a relatively permanent body of water and so EPA took very serious that question of continuous surface water connection," Starling explained. "But now they're trying to read expansively, the second part of that limitation, which is there has to be a relatively permanent body of water to which it is connected, and they are obviously trying to maximize use of the phrase' relatively permanent,' and so EPA is a great example of something we have to keep our eye on."

Starling continued, "The United States continues to grow, particularly in states like North Carolina, we're seeing a lot of land use pressure from needs and desires in the community besides farming, and so, if you're going to continue to limit the amount of land that I have to farm, that's obviously going to make me less productive in some ways, and so I think water is a big one."

Another issue, Starling said , is the Biden administration making it more difficult for farmers to access labor through the guest worker visa program, also known as the H-2A program.

"I recognize people have different views about this program, but American agriculture is absolutely dependent on our guest worker visa program," Starling said.

"This involves workers that come from foreign countries, primarily from Mexico, primarily from southern Mexico," Starling said. "They come in with a work visa. They are cleared by the Department of Homeland Security to do that. There is a contract for work waiting for them here. What's interesting about this program is farmers that use it have to advertise those jobs to Americans first. They have to agree that they will pay Americans as much as they will the foreign worker. They have to offer the American worker the same benefits that they have to offer, that they are offering the foreign worker. So, we're not supplanting American jobs in this process. Frankly, we are supporting them. And … it just feels like this current administration wants to make that program harder and harder and harder to use. It's already incredibly expensive."

Starling said the Biden administration has continued to make accessing foreign labor more expensive for farms by requiring them to pay for travel, housing for union representatives, pesticide safety and other regulations and has already had "eight different rule-makings" for farmers on the issue.

"It is mind-boggling that this is an American regulation in any sector, but particularly in agriculture, where it's pretty darn important to our country," Starling said. "It just seems that this administration is bound and determined to make the raising of that food harder and harder and less and less economical."

Starling acknowledged that the red tape involving foreign workers is even more perplexing given the backdrop of a record number of illegal immigrants being allowed to cross the southern border, for which the Biden administration has faced intense scrutiny for not doing more to prevent.

"It is mind-boggling that we are raising the cost for farmers to access legal labor that comes and goes, that is vetted through a security process that protects American workers and ensures that they are not displaced in the marketplace of employment, and yet this other problem has been unresolved down at the border," Starling said.

"In fact, I'm in meetings with farmers now who look around and say, you know, we've had this influx of 5 to 6 million people during the course of this administration and I have yet to see a single one show up on my farm in response to any of my advertisements to work. And so, I don't think there's a way to reconcile those two policies. I don't think there's a way to make that make sense."

Starling also pointed to regulations at the Food and Drug Administration, particularly regarding menthol, as something that has made life harder for farmers during the Biden years.

"In addition to more regulations on our fruit and vegetable production and fresh produce, tobacco is still an important crop in many places throughout the United States, principally here in North Carolina, it’s important, a $2.4 billion contributor to the US economy in terms of indirect economic impact of just tobacco production, meaning the farm part, not even thinking about all the manufacturing that goes into those products afterward," Starling, who serves as general counsel of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, told Fox News Digital. "And yet we've got a rule proposed by FDA that says we're going to take menthol cigarettes off the market. We're not going to allow American consumers to have that product."

Starling said the "interesting part" about the proposed menthol ban is that it’s a "policy that's been tried and failed already."

"In California, for example, they banned all flavorings and what that's led to is 40% of the market for cigarettes in that state are now black market. They are unregulated. They are untaxed at the state or the federal level and, ironically, there's a large percentage of them that's actually coming here from Russia … we're literally empowering the Russians with this kind of regulation. So, the menthol ban just seems counterintuitive to us. In addition to its economic impact, we feel like it will lead to more black market activity."

Starling also pointed to the government’s focus on limiting nicotine as adverse to the tobacco industry as well as a federal mandate ensuring that farmers grow a certain amount of GMOs.

Iowa farmer Ernie "George" Goebel pulls a corn planter behind his John Deere tractor on the farm where he was raised.

"The federal government has mandated that a farmer that grows other crops grow a GMO variety of that crop," Starling said. "I'm a believer in GMOs. I don't think there's any real risk to the population of mass consumption of GMOs. We've seen that in corn and soybeans over the years. But with that said, we've never seen the federal government say, I'm going to take the choice of that selection away. You have to grow this particular GMO product.' That's new."

"That doesn't seem very American to me and at the end of the day, you know, I hope there's some political consequences here, because I feel like that some of the very people this administration says they're trying to help and some of the very problems that they say they're trying to solve, they're actually making those problems more acute and more painful, particularly with regard to the cost of food and access to copious amounts of what has traditionally been the most abundant food supply in the world."

Starling told Fox News Digital that these regulations, along with others, are not just minor inconveniences for farmers but are slowly chipping away at their ability to stay in business.

"That is not an exaggeration because if you think about the pure agricultural economics of the environment we're in, of course, farmers have been subjected to the same inflationary increases in cost that everyone else has over the last couple of years," Starling said. "Their commodity prices have actually been pretty strong, we absolutely anticipate in 2024 that is not going to be the case."

"So, while they generally had gotten higher prices at the market, while absorbing higher prices for their inputs and their labor cost, for example, we are now seeing those prices at the market soften, and so, that delta is getting smaller or potentially going away or even going away. So, on one hand, yes, just the pure economics of making it harder means we will see people choose to exit the business."

Starling told Fox News Digital that "we're in a period of generational transfer in agriculture."

"We're in a period where a lot of our farmers that, you know, became really the backbone of the most efficient food production system in the world, they are aging out, and so, those farms are changing hands, and if we're going to make it harder for this next generation to farm and to make the use of that capital make sense, land in particular, we can't continue to pile on regulation after regulation," Starling said.

Starling, author of the Pulitzer Prize nominated book "Farmers versus Foodies," warned that "unintended consequences" of farming regulations will have more farmers "leaving the industry" in the next five to 10 years if nothing is done.

"I'm not going to tell you that I can predict all of the trade-offs," Starling said. "I think there are others and that we will rue the day that we've made it harder, harder to farm, particularly with … no real reason to do so."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Jeremy Edwards touted the efforts of the Biden administration to provide financial relief to farmers.

"The previous administration’s disastrous trade war hurt farmers, leading to an increase in farm bankruptcies and debt, and forcing President Biden’s predecessor to spend tens of billions of dollars to mitigate the fallout," Edwards wrote. "Fortunately, Bidenomics and President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda are delivering for rural communities and farmers nationwide. U.S. agriculture exports have seen the three highest years on record in 2021-2023, while 2024 is projected to be the fourth highest year on record."

Edwards continued, "Beyond providing over $56 billion in specific direct federal assistance programs to support American farmers who feed our country and the world, the President has taken unprecedented executive action to level the playing field so small and mid-sized farmers can get a fair price for their products, while making billions of dollars in transformative investments through the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act to create new markets and new income opportunities for family farmers. This includes helping 36,000 farmers who were in distressed financial situations after the pandemic stay on their land, and helping those and others shore up their operations to keep farming viable for the next generation."

"President Biden will continue to ensure that American farmers have the tools and resources they need to be successful, which means better options — and prices — for farmers, ranchers, and ultimately, the consumer. And, it means creating a structure so farms of all sizes can survive and remain an integral part of rural economies."

About the Author:

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

Cattle Rancher Warns Climate Crisis "Anti-Meat Rhetoric"Threatening US Food Supply

According to U.S. cattle rancher Shad Sullivan, the supporters of an "anti-meat rhetoric" want production and consumption control. (Fox News)

Global leaders call for meat consumption reduction as the United States runs low on cows.

By Kristen Altus

FOXBusiness

Cattle rancher Shad Sullivan discusses how calls for a reduction in meat consumption could impact the nation on 'The Bottom Line.'

A worldwide "anti-meat rhetoric" is apparently putting America’s food security and farmers’ livelihoods at grave risk, according to Texas and Colorado-based cattle rancher Shad Sullivan.


"They've all teamed up in this anti-meat rhetoric that you see sweeping across the globe, to get control of the people. And that's all it amounts to, is total control," Sullivan said on "The Bottom Line." 

"The tyrants need a rally cry. And that rally cry is the climate crisis," the rancher continued. "Sustainability is nothing more than production and consumption control. It's any ‘ism’ except Americanism."

At the recent COP28 climate summit in Dubai, The UN's Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a first-of-its-kind document that recommended nations that "over-consume meat" to limit their consumption as part of a broader effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Bloomberg reported.

In addition to issuing guidelines for reducing meat consumption in the West, the FAO was allegedly expected to highlight how farmers should adapt to "erratic weather" and tackle their emissions produced from food waste and use of fertilizer.

According to U.S. cattle rancher Shad Sullivan, the supporters of an "anti-meat rhetoric" want production and consumption control. (Fox News)

Sullivan called the move an "attack on private property," and named specific public figures who he feels have influenced geopolitical groups.

"It starts with the global elite. People like Bill Gates and Soros and Klaus Schwab and the Rockefellers," the rancher said, "and they have employed their foot soldiers at the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, who both have said that the greatest threat to the planet right now is beef."


"So, in order to get control of that consumption and production, which is what they call sustainability, they have to come after our property rights," he explained.

Freedom Train International founder Jim Ferguson tells 'The Bottom Line' why farmers in France and Germany are protesting against government overreach.

At the same time, America is reportedly running low on cows, according to new numbers out earlier this month from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The figures show ranchers have fewer cattle, which is contributing to the cost of beef being more expensive.

Agricultural economists say persistent drought over the last three years, along with high input costs and inflation, are putting pressure on both consumers and farmers.

"You have one set of ideologues that don't believe in eating any kind of meat or using animals as a renewable resource. And then you have the global corporations that are taking over our food supply at an alarming rate. It's beyond alarming now," Sullivan explained. "And then you have those two ideologies coming together, and it’s shown that it's a threat to, not only capitalism, but it's a threat to our food supply."

British farmer Gareth Wyn Jones discusses how German farmers are protesting the plan to end the diesel tax break for agriculture on ‘The Bottom Line.’

The cattle rancher likened the anti-meat mentality to Communism and Marxism.

"It's become a controlled market from top to bottom. In the United States, our government is from the bottom up, not the top down. And these regulatory aspects that they're wanting to implement are top-down. They come from the top and come down to the producer," he noted.

Mental health experts say drought conditions and other issues unique to farmers like geographic isolation have sparked a mental health crisis.

In hopes of keeping his ranch doors open, Sullivan encouraged everyday Americans to buy produce and meats sourced from the U.S. and urged regulators to reestablish country-of-origin labeling.

"The American consumer does not know where their beef and pork are coming from because we don't have [labeling]. They deserve the freedom to choose. And it is a liberty issue," he said. "You got to buy local. You got to buy American. You have to demand American-made. And we have to start supporting our producers across this country in any way."

About the Author:

Kristen Altus is an associate editor with Fox News Digital. Kristen joined Fox News in 2021 as a production assistant and previously worked as a news writer for Miami’s WSVN-TV.With FOX Business, she’s covered breaking news and exclusive interviews from shows like "Mornings with Maria," "Varney & Co." and "Cavuto: Coast to Coast."

Kristen has also interviewed public figures including former First Lady Melania Trump, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Glenn Greenwald, Andrew Yang, Black Gun Matters founder Maj Toure, Nancy Grace, The Babylon Bee’s Kyle Mann and "Duck Family Treasure" stars Jase and Jep Robertson.

Following her first year with Fox News Digital, Kristen was recognized as the Rising Star at the 2021 Spotlight Awards, where her outstanding work efforts and achievements were celebrated for contributing to company success. Kristen graduated from the University of Florida in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. You can follow and send story tips to Kristen on Twitter, LinkedIn or email at kristen.altus@fox.com.

Biden-Harris Costly Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Standards, Climate Policies Will Ultimately Reduce Food And Energy Supplies

The Biden-Harris Administration has pursued an aggressive climate agenda since taking office, targeting the power, manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture sectors over their carbon footprint. 

Texas agriculture commissioner says ESG policies 'will have a devastating impact on US agriculture and world food security'

Story by Thomas Catenacci 

FOX Business

FIRST ON FOX: Climate change policies and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards will have an outsized negative impact on the U.S. agriculture industry, according to a new report shared with FOX Business.

The report — published by the free market think tank Buckeye Institute — is titled "Net-Zero Climate-Control Policies Will Fail the Farm" and outlines how farmers will see their operational costs rise by an estimated 34% as a result of net-zero ESG policies. While the report states its findings were "predictable and unsurprising," it added that U.S. policymakers seem "unwilling to address or even acknowledge them."

"Government climate-control policies ensconced in the Paris Climate Accords, the Inflation Reduction Act, and ESG-guided mandates carry a hefty price tag, especially for U.S. farms and the American consumer," wrote report authors Trevor Lewis and M. Ankith Reddy, who both serve as economic research analysts at The Buckeye Institute.

"Europe has tested many of these policies aggressively for years, and the results have been an unmitigated failure," they continued. "Despite these resounding warnings from European counterparts, U.S. policymakers have recommitted American industry to the same net-zero emissions standards and have imposed the same kinds of costly mandates on farms and businesses that will ultimately reduce food and energy supplies without achieving their intended benefits."

Net-zero ambitions — part of the broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) movement — could harm farmers, threaten America's food supply and lead to higher consumer prices. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

According to the report, The Buckeye Institute’s Economic Research Center developed a model for a hypothetical corn farm that must abide by new federal environmental regulations and standards.

As a result, diesel fuel prices needed for trucks, tractors and combines increased; propane needed for power grain dryers and heat barns increased in price; and prices for the nitrogen fertilizer needed to grow crops also rose. The report further modeled the impact those heavier cost burdens would have on consumer, showing the average American family of four’s household grocery bill would increase by roughly $1,300 per year.

Overall, the prices of common grocery items, including American cheese, would increase 78%, beef would increase by 70%, rice would tick up 56%, chicken would see a 39% increase and eggs would be 36% more expensive. Foods that require more carbon-intensive processes to produce saw the largest uptick in prices.

"Oil and gas producers, chemical companies and the American farm will likely shoulder the heaviest compliance burden, but they will inevitably share the cost with U.S. consumers as the government-induced high prices for fuel, fertilizer, and food ripple across the economic pond," the report concluded. "Misguided climate-control policies can and should be resisted at every level."

Among the regulations the report analyzed were the Biden administration's actions targeting the oil and gas sector and the petrochemical industry while simultaneously pushing green energy alternatives. The report states that green energy sources like wind and solar are unreliable, more expensive and intermittent.

Meanwhile, the report comes a week after a dozen Republican state agriculture commissioners joined together to warn six major financial institutions that their ESG commitments would negatively impact farmers. The officials wrote a letter on Jan. 29 to top executives of Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo, taking issue in particular with their collective membership in the Net-Zero Banking Alliance.

"Newly released research by the Buckeye Institute confirms our greatest fears about environmental, social, governance or ESG investing," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement Wednesday. "Last week, I joined 11 other state agriculture leaders to co-sign a letter that addressed this very issue. Imposing costly ESG requirements on America's farmers and ranchers will have a devastating impact on U.S. agriculture and world food security."

A solar farm produces electricity near Bakersfield, Texas, on April 10, 2021. The report Wednesday cast doubt on the ability of green energy sources to replace power for farmers. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

Will Hild, the executive director of watchdog group Consumers' Research, added that the report shows Americans are being victimized by the ESG movement.

"Farmers and ranchers lay out huge sums for everything from fertilizer, seeds, and feed to heavy machinery and pesticides to produce the food we eat," Hild told FOX Business. "Yet, the climate cult and ESG elites are causing these costs to skyrocket. That puts a heavier financial burden on agricultural producers and imposes higher food costs on hardworking Americans.

"The Buckeye Institute’s report shines a light on these facts. America’s farmers and ranchers’ livelihoods shouldn’t be at risk because of inflated operating costs or loss of access to capital from woke banks. Nor should the American people be victim to a crushing tax put on their groceries by climate extremists."

About the Author:

Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for FOX Business. Thomas writes about energy and environment news for FOX Business and Fox News Digital. He has covered the ESG movement, the European energy crisis, the green transition and domestic fossil fuel production.

Thomas previously worked as the senior energy reporter at the Daily Caller News Foundation and in roles at CNBC, NBC News and local Boston media outlets. Thomas attended Northeastern University where he graduated from with a B.A. in Communication Studies in 2019.