Do Dodge City meat packing plants kill the animals right there in town ??? (Garden City: mobile home, community college)

[thriftylefty]

I think it is a lesson to us all while were are chasing $'s . People who have acheived great wealth want to be remembered for something that all people can aspire to regardless of wealth

[laidoffreporter]

It's true that Carnegie arrived from Scotland penniless - and an orphan to boot! He was roundly hated by the emerging late 19th-century labor movement, and he was glad to return the favor: there's not a capitalist in U.S. history who hated the unions more than old Carnegie. He was a notorious union-buster, employing the infamous Pinkerton Detective Agency, which was known to fire right into crowds of protesters. He figured that since he'd pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, anyone else could do it too. I've read that he became worried about his legacy late in life, and that's what prompted all those libraries - but, hey, whatever! Those are some great libraries! I've seen them all over the country, all sizes and shapes, invariably beautiful and built to last - and some of them in the unlikeliest places. I can always spot a Carnegie library.....and then there's that big hall he built in NYC...
I finally got a place to live here in Dodge City. I won't have to worry about tornados, because I am renting what's called a basement house. I've never seen anything like it - it only sticks up about three feet from the ground, the roof is flat, but the two doorways stick way up, giving it an odd and singular appearence. Luckily, those three feet that are above the ground consist of a lot of windows. I'm glad to get it!I move in next weekend, and although I've become quite chummy with half the Cuban meat packers in Dodge, I'll be very glad to bid a fond farewell to this motel. Rooming with three cranky cats and limiting my (Spanish) conversations to the present tense/skipping half the verbs (an example of my end of a political argument would be "Castro no like USSR if USA no kill trade. You like Bush? Bush no good.") has become a bit wearing.
Except for one truly memorable cranky old man, people in Kansas are genuinely friendly. I like it here. I think it's pretty funny that, contrary to what one would imagine, the town is not at all flat, but filled with hills. Looking out over the plains from a rise at the edge of town continues to sort of take my breath away. My favorite part of the day is when farmers call up the paper to report the weather.
"Mead calling in 57, 34, with two inches of snow. How much did you get?" Each town has a designated farmer, and I love to kid around with them. I've learned fast that snow is a good thing, as the farmers need the moisture.
j-k-k, I think I have the wave down - you're right, everybody waves back! - but I'm not wearing one of those hats. It would ruin my hair. Plus, I've never seen a woman wearing one, although it's true that I haven't been to very many places. You're also right about that whole KSU/UK thing - I was following the Kansas State Teacher of the Year around Dodge on Friday, and she and a bunch of other teachers got into a really funny banter about the school colors.
If you ever do drive a Rolls-Royce around southwestern Kansas waving at farmers, let me know - I'll follow you in my Ford Taurus, taking photos, and I'll put it in the paper.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by laidoffreporter

j-k-k, I think I have the wave down - you're right, everybody waves back! - but I'm not wearing one of those hats. It would ruin my hair. Plus, I've never seen a woman wearing one, although it's true that I haven't been to very many places. You're also right about that whole KSU/UK thing - I was following the Kansas State Teacher of the Year around Dodge on Friday, and she and a bunch of other teachers got into a really funny banter about the school colors.
If you ever do drive a Rolls-Royce around southwestern Kansas waving at farmers, let me know - I'll follow you in my Ford Taurus, taking photos, and I'll put it in the paper.

If you're female, you aren't expected to wear a feed store hat. In fact it would look a little odd. But if you're female you can get away with a lot anyway. Has anyone asked you what church you go to yet?

The moisture is usually either far too much or nowhere near enough. The gentle undulations of Kansas can cause too much water to pool up in low spots, killing the wheat. Look for white rather than amber in the dips. You will soon see that Kansas weather is just about enough to cut the heart out of anyone trying to engage in agriculture; heartbreak after heartbreak. Bear in mind that anyone who has been doing it awhile has persisted through some very difficult times and succeeded anyway. It earns my respect.

I had no idea Cubans were thick on the ground in Dodge. I'd have thought the Hispanic population mostly Mexican with some Central American.

Small note: KU, not UK. Yeah, I know its formal name is the University of Kansas. Doesn't matter. UK is Kentucky and KU is Kansas, like OU is the Donkey Carts and UO is the D*cks.

Me in a Rolls would be like putting earrings on a hog. With effort, I could imagine a more preposterous sight, but it's too late for hallucinogens.

[laidoffreporter]

I can now see why you didn't know there were a lot of Cubans in Dodge, j-k-k - they all just left. In a real sense, they're not really here. Evidently, they only come for a month at a time, and only in waves, at certain times of the year. They stay in a couple of motels at the edge of town, and don't have the time or inclination to even go downtown very often. You're right - most of the Hispanics are Mexican. In fact, at times I feel like I'm back in San Francisco. It often seems pretty darn urban here.
The only thing I really can't stand is the wind. It never stops! I read that some early settlers to the Great Plains actually went crazy because of the wind - they called it "wind fever", I think. But, here's my first tip to anyone contemplating a move to Kansas - don't complain about the wind. People will put up with about two complaints from newcomers, and after that, just keep it to yourself. (I just mutter resentfully to myself in the car, while trying to fix my hair, drive, and wave, all at the same time, heh heh)
Got it about the KU and Kansas State thing. Thanks.
A general question - everytime I try to give people a positive rating, CityData won't let me. It tells me that I have to give other posters a good rating before I can give X or Y anymore positive feedback. What kind of a system is that? Talk about freedom of speech! There's something slightly insidious about that whole "reputation" thing in the first place, but to learn that it's rigged like that ticks me off.

[Pepe01]

Well laid of reporter it's been 20 day's in Dodge City ! so tell us how are you doing? I might move to the area also because of work , I live in a big city in California too. I know it's difficult when there is not much to do in smaller towns.

[laidoffreporter]

Pepe01 - I'm doing fine. I'm working 12 hour days, so don't have much time to be bored or lonely yet. There's a lot of news here - for a town of 30,000, things are kind of hopping. Parts of Dodge City are lovely - the wide old brick streets, like upper 6th and upper Central Avenues - the 1920s Craftsman-style bungalows, and the influence of Spanish architecture, along with the parade of big trees that make an arc overhead. Unfortunately, I don't live in those neighborhoods. Mine is a bit of a wreck - the rental housing market is really tight here. But the economy is doing well.
There are really quite a lot of jobs, especially compared to Illinois (and California). And 600 more are coming, including management jobs, because a big casino is opening by the end of the year.
But you are right - young people here complain of little to do. If I were still in my 20s, I might not move here. There is a great community theater, though, with a state-of-the-art facility.
It's a friendly town, but insular. You can make friends, but you have to be the one make the effort, and you won''t ever really belong. Maybe it has something to do with all those heartbreaking Kansas harvests - I mean, people here share a common history that they don't expect others to understand.
But, yes, they are friendly, and you can most likely find a job here, and certainly make a nice life.

[Pepe01]

laidofreporter- well that's good to hear that you are occupied with work, I won't know until next month if I move to Dodge city or not, ther are 3 choices for me Liberal,Holcomb or Dodge City , I have read alot regarding these cities and they all have something in common "beef " , I am hispanic so I know I will fit in , that's I advantage I hear.good luck and chat with you soon. Pepe01

[Torn2pieces]

Lots of jobs? What are lots of jobs? I have family there....And lived there many, many years...My husband was born and Raised in Dodge..

I do know the packing plants do lay off at certain times of the year...It's one of the other bad things about working there....

I'm actually looking into buying land there, possibly move back, so this is why I'm asking what jobs...

[piggydiva]

As a college student, the first time I drove through southern Kansas and Oklahoma I received several two handed (and sometimes full handed) waves. I had no idea what was going on, as I knew none of those people! One guy outside Guymon, Oklahoma stopped his tractor (I was far from his farm at the time) and waved enthusiastically at me with a big grin on his face. I waved back and laughed pretty much through the rest of the Oklahoma panhandle.

Once I moved to NW Kansas (years and years later as an adult), I discoverd the "two finger" wave which has been adequately discussed on this forum. My 3rd grader (ever the social scientist) marveled how it was much different than the one finger (middle) wave we used to get in Kansas City, Missouri.

After living in this rural community for five years, I notice it takes me at least a day not to wave to everyone I pass in a city. I have also gotten quite a few strange looks in cities when I pass someone and they meet my eye and I smile and say, "Good morning!" or "Hello!" or "How're you doing?" I'm sure plenty of city folk think they have a psychotic stalker on their hands!

It makes me sad, then, to leave all of this behind and move to Louisville, KY, which, while a nice small city, is no friendly rural community.

[piggydiva]

Laidoffreporter wrote: "You're also right about that whole KSU/UK thing - I was following the Kansas State Teacher of the Year around Dodge on Friday, and she and a bunch of other teachers got into a really funny banter about the school colors."

Just don't forget, dearie, KSU is the BEST!! GO CATS!!