Annual farm sale takes temperature of ag economy

Culbertson farmer and rancher Gordon Gessleman hosts his 30th annual farm consignment auction Wednesday.

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

CULBERTSON, Neb. — The warm sunshine Wednesday afternoon felt good to Gordon Gessleman of Culbertson, hosting his 30th annual spring-time farm equipment consignment auction. And things were selling well.

“They’re selling real good … real good,” Gessleman said. “The livestock equipment’s selling well, and we’re getting along real well on the vehicles.”

Gessleman mused a bit, “There’s money out there. I don’t have none, but, there’s money out there.”

Auction "buyers" included 20-month-old Nickolas Nickel, the son of Jeff and Michelle Nickel of Herndon.

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

But not everything’s rosy. “The grain market’s down,” Gessleman said, “and cattle prices are slipping a bit. And expenses are always going up.”

He’s concerned about the future of agriculture. “There’s not a lot of young people taking over,” he said. “They can’t afford it. They can’t step in and buy everything. Even if Dad and Grandpa give it to ‘em, it’s going to be tough … real tough.”

Gessleman’s not all pessimist: “Ahh, I suppose we might survive … ,” he says.

Gordon has scheduled this auction for 30 years now — the first one was with auctioneer Jim Brooks in McCook, north of the Coppermill Grill, in 1988. “It was cold … cold. On President’s Day,” Gessleman says.

In 30 years, he says, “I’ve seen everything — snow, wind and dust … I’ve had to have the fire department come and wet down the dust. Cold - hot.” In 30 years, “ … a little bit of rain.”

Gessleman thought he’d quit after 25 years, but he’s gone another five years. “I’ll quit when I can’t get up and down in that tractor,” he said. “I’m slower, but I can still do it.”

He concludes, “I want to make it to 80. I’ll be 80 years old in two years.”