Organizer sees annual sale of barometer of ag economy

Thursday, March 23, 2017
Pretty dark-eyed sisters, 3-year-old Jessie and 9-year-old Raelene, entertained themselves while their dad, Clint Littell of Maywood, watched the sale in perfect auction weather, “custom-ordered” not-too-hot, not-too-cool by organizer Gordon Gessleman.
Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

CULBERTSON, Neb. — “Grumpy Gus” Gordon Gessleman sees a tough year ahead for the ag industry in the central plains of America.

Gordon thought early last Wednesday afternoon that the small items at his annual farm machinery consignment sale were selling well. He was reserving his opinion for the vehicles and big machinery.

Gordon hosted his 29th annual sale March 15. One more year … 30 will be plenty enough, he thinks. Seems he said the same thing about 25 … hmmm.

Ringman/auctioneer Justin Banzhaf, foreground, catches bids for auctioneer Bryan Vrbas during Gordon Gessleman’s 29th annual machinery consignment auction March 15 in Culbertson.
Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

Gordon, in his annual sale-day forecasts about the ag industry, said, “There’s no balance … we need to get things leveled out. We need the price of what we buy to go down and the price of what we sell to go up.”

Gordon foresees “a tough year. We need rain — bad-bad-bad. There’s no money. Everything’s too high. My cows are getting cheaper and seed corn’s getting higher.”

But Gordon knows that Southwest Nebraska has it better than some places. He’s predicting that the price of creosote posts will go up $3-4 each from their $10 now because of a terrific need for them in burned-out farming and ranching country of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. A mile of fence is estimated to cost $10,000.

That’s preying on someone’s misfortune, he laments. “They’ll go up — you watch. It’s a bad, bad thing.”

Gordon can be a grumpy ol’ cuss, but watch close — a smile will sneak in, and he can look on the bright side. He says, “ … bet we survive. Somehow.”

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