It is The Great Depression.   It is rural Redland Township, Hempstead County, Arkansas.   Crops have been planted and are coming up.   They look promising.  Cotton and corn.    Soon word comes from the federal government of new programs of how to deal with the overabundance of crops and how it causes the price of crops to fall.  So the solution is to reduce the amount on the market.  

Jed Taylor came over to Bill Campbell to tell him the latest news regarding the programs for the crops.   “Bill,  the word is you are going to have to plow up 50% of your cotton, and all of your corn this year.  Then you have to go over to that oak tree and butt your head against it.”  Bill looked Jed straight in the eye and said, “I’ll plow up my cotton and corn, but I’ll be damned if I’ll butt my head against that tree.”