jsca member spotlight

Dalton and Top 10 Reasons Farm Trucks Are Never Stolen.  

Dalton Straus is a JCSA emeritus and so the story goes… 

The 1995 GMC Sierra truck was done for the night and retired in the driveway, until the next day's work presented itself. As a farm truck it lived the typical days’ work, cranking up each morning, backing out and heading to the barn or hayfield. Often loaded with hay to deliver, sometimes parts for the other machines here and there about the various farm lots of Dalton Straus. A decent life that often was extended by a mechanical trick now and then to ‘keep on truckin’ and doing what farm trucks do, hard work. 

Well, this night was to be an adventure, Dalton’s hand left the keys on the dash and quickly opportunity presented another lifestyle for the old yellow truck, it was stolen while all slept. We do know a thing or two about the new life of the old truck, it became a getaway vehicle and started a life of thievin’ when it disappeared into the night. Soon it was painted white, wooden sideboards were attached to keep the thieves' goods from falling out and most likely to go unnoticed.  

Soon after its theft, a friend of Daltons saw it passing by (before the new paint job) and waved as everyone knew Daltons yellow farm truck was driven by friendly folks. But the driver drove on without regard to such kind gestures that rancher observe in our parts.    

Well, none of that for this friend, he called Dalton and said, “What’s up? I just saw your truck on Hwy 62 between Eagle Point and Cole River Fish Hatchery and your folks did not wave back.” Of course, Dalton was delighted someone saw his truck, but being it was seen so far out he figured it would not be returned. 

A few days later in the afternoon an officer pulled over to help a man in a stalled truck (Dalton figures it broke down or ran out of gas as options) in the vicinity of Shilo and Beagle Road in Sam’s Valley. Well, the man ran off on foot as soon as the officer pulled over. The officer maneuvered his car to take chase as the fleeing man hopped into a waiting van down the road and took off. The chase began. The officer’s car broke down in pursuit and the thief got away.  

Soon Dalton got a call from Deputy Friend stating: We think we have your stolen truck, please come down to the compound and identify it. He went. He found it odd that his truck had changed so drastically in appearance in three days’ time, not suspecting it would be painted yellow or the flatbed hay truck altered when he went to the compound, but there it was with new four-foot sideboards and a white paint job. Once he saw the GMC emblem, he recognized the old rig, and then the Deputy ran the VIN. 

Dalton thought, now I can get it back to work as it is a needed farm truck and greatly missed, but no, not so fast, it was evidence, it had stollen goods in the back and well, they needed to catch the thief before it could be returned.   

Dalton was happy to say they recently caught the thief, and his truck will return soon, but shamefully that the thief was sprung in four days for his part in this story and most likely back to thieving. Oh, and then there is one more little detail, the officer said, the bench seat in the truck is new and not the original and since it is mostly stolen it must be removed before you take your truck. This presents a new conundrum to Dalton, as he scratches his head.  

  - most likely stolen 

This was found in Feb. 2000 issue of The Farmer-Stockman  

Top 10 Reasons Farm Trucks Are Never Stolen.

10. They have a range of about 20 miles before they overheat, breakdown or run out of gas.

9. Only the owner knows how to operate the door to get in or out.

8. It is difficult to drive fast with all the fence tools, grease rags, ropes, chains, syringes, buckets, boots and loose papers in the cab.

7. It takes too long to start and the smoke coming up through the rusted-out floorboard clouds your vision.

6. The Border Collie on the toolbox looks mean.

5. They're too easy to spot. The description might go something like this: The driver's side door is red, the passenger side door is green, the right front fender is yellow, etc.

4. The large round bale in the back makes it hard to see if you're being chased. You could use the mirrors if they weren't cracked and covered with duct tape.

3. Top speed is only about 45 mph.

2. Who wants a truck that needs a year's worth of maintenance, u-joints, $3,000 in body work, tail-lights and windshield.

1. It is hard to commit a crime with everyone waving at you. 

Author - Rachel Hall 

 Jani Mari Zigray-Cochran is a three-year member of JCSA who recently competed in the Stock Dog Trails in tandem with the Klamath Bull Sale Jan. 2023. Her dog, Bindi was entered in the Intermediate Stock Dog Trail Classes, which were held on Wednesday and Thursday. Bindi was one of the four in the Finals. She was first in the Finals with a perfect score, then sold into the Calcutta that evening before the Finals ran. When all the scores were added up, Bindi was overall in 3rd place. What a dog! 

Jani also rode an unusual mount, which caught my attention while watching her compete along with others. He is a BLM 12-year-old grulla Kiger Mustang, unique to Oregon, who she adopted, gentled and trained herself. Jani works through the BLM and FS with a program to help find adopters.  

Bindi, Jani’s dog is a 9-year-old red and tan female Australian Kelpie who with some help, Jani trained to work her grass fed Dexter-Angus-cross cattle and other livestock.  

One of Bindi’s other jobs is as a registered therapy dog. She is used in the community in reading programs for elementary schools and retirement homes, including people with disabilities. Bindi has two important jobs and served Jani  Jani well.

Author - Rachel Hall