A Hurculean Task

An astute reader of The Furrow points out that my allusion to manure spreading at Howell Farm as a Sisyphean task may suggest that the job is not only endless (which it is) but also ineffective (which it’s certainly not.) When early farmers began adding manure to their fields, it led to significant increases in crop yields. A better allusion for manure spreading may be to call it a Hurculean Task. After all, cleaning out the stables was one of Hercules' great accomplishments. And our farmers won't mind the comparison.