Nuttygrass

Saying Goodbye to Miss Millie

Saying goodbye to people in your life is never easy. Even when you know it’s going to happen, even when you have said your goodbye, and even when that certain person has lived so much life that you know they are heading up to heaven with no regrets, only excitement to see those who have gone before them. Goodbye even then is still not easy.

My great aunt Millie was 96 the day that she said she was ready to head out of this world, it was just a few days ago. She got to ring in one more New Year and on January 1st of 2014, she left on her own terms. Up until a just a few days before she passed away I can honestly say that she could have lived for another 10 years. She was one of those ladies who, if anyone could, she would figure out just how to out live us all.

I was lucky to be able to spend a great amount of time with my aunt. She was more like another grandma to me, she would come to Grandparents day when I was in school, her and my uncle Jim would babysit us kids all the time growing up. I remember they always had this little candy dish of lemon candies by the front door (my favorite part of their house!)

But in the past few years I have been able to get to go and just sit with her, tell her stories and hear many from her. She was a HUGE fan of the Blazers, if you ever had a chance to watch a game with her it was quite the sight; seeing a 90 plus year old woman yelling at the TV. She was always laughing, smiling, and always had on lipstick. She was talented and could weave the most beautiful baskets you have ever seen. She loved hearing about all of our many adventures. She always had her nails painted, and Big Apple Red was her favorite color. I actually got to take her to get her first professional manicure at the age of 95 and she loved it!

I have to say though, what will remind me most of my Aunt Millie, was her sassy-ness right up to the end. She was definitely one of those who would tell you how it was, no matter what. The first time that she met Matt my husband we were taking her home from a family party. I was driving, she was in the passenger seat and he was in the back. We were chatting the whole way home, while Matt quietly sat in the back without saying a word. When we got out of the car to drop her off, she turned around in her seat and said, “Gosh I wish you would have quit talking so we girls could have gotten a word in edgewise!” We all laughed and from then on she had a special place in her heart for Matt, the quiet shy guy. One day I came to pick her up for her weekly salon appointment and asked how she was doing that day, “Well Brenda…to be honest I’m feeling pretty bitchy today.” Then we both laughed all the way to the salon.

The best advice she ever gave me though was during one of these salon trips, we were laughing so hard about some story, I mean that really deep gut laugh you get. And when we finally calmed down she peaked out of the hair dryer and said “You know what is the best way to have to a good life Brenda? Lots of laughing…and lots of wine!”

I don’t feel like just a blog does her life or her influence on my life any justice. The stories that I have of our time together, well they are so good and too many to put on here, so we’ll have to sit down one day for a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine, like I would have with her and I can tell you the rest. But trust me when I say that this lady lived all her years, then she left us here all better for having known her. That’s the main reason this little baby in my tummy (should it be a girl) will be named Millie, after one of the best women I have ever known and will always miss.

2013, Whirlwind of Year

This past year has been busy to say the least. I keep thinking (and hearing from other people) that you don’t have to get all your growing up done all in one year, but that seems to be what I’m accomplishing at this rate! So as 2013 comes to a close and I raise a glass of sparkling cider at 9pm (east coast New Year’s since I’m asleep by 9 every night…thank you baby in my tummy) I have a lot, and I mean a lot to be thankful for!

The year started out with a big thanks for all the support I received for being chosen as a finalist in the US Farmer & Rancher Alliance’s “Face of Farming & Ranching.” While I was sad to not get such a wonderful opportunity, I have seen what these four faces have done the past year and I couldn’t be more amazed at the hard work and dedication they have put in to make agriculture closer the fore front of people’s mind.

I also spent a fair amount of time at the Oregon Capital in Salem. I testified on a number of bills to help our farmers in my local area and statewide. Although we didn’t win all the battles, we did get some great legislation passed for Oregon Farmers. Just a few of these topics dealt with GMO production; how our state will handle this in the future and why we need to work together as farmers instead of against each other; and a land use issue about a new bypass that would devastate acres and acres of farmland that my neighbors have been farming for generations.

I received an award from DTN, Progressive Farmer & John Deere for being one of the America’s Top Young Farmers & Ranchers! Which included an awesome trip back to Chicago to meet with other farmers from across the country.

And on a more personal note I was lucky enough to marry the man of my dreams in June of this past year, and also share the news that we are also expecting our first little farmer kiddo in May 2014! (Yes, for those you doing math…it works!)

So I just have to say, that yes, farming is tough, brutal at times, stressful just about always, and at times soul testing; but for me I feel like I’m right where I need to be. Just chugging along into another year of challenges, another year of testifying for farmer’s rights to keep farming, another year of spreading the news of what we’re up to at Kirsch Family Farms, and another year of many more adventures yet to to be seen! I hope everyone has a wonderful start to what I just know is going to be another great year!

The Goose Debacle

Matt loves to hunt geese, and we have plenty around the farm this time of year. They keg up in gaggles of over 1000, settle onto one of our newly planted fields and feast away. So hunting and hazing has become more than just a hobby around here, it’s now an official farm job. Which Matt, my hunting loving husband, hates (yeah right!). So the other day he came home with his limit, and threw them in the shed to be cleaned up later that day.

Now I have to switch to another part of this story that is equally as important as my husbands love for hunting, it’s Yukon (my dogs hatred of guns and therefore hunting, but love for dead things, especially geese.) It was a nice day so I had the dogs running around outside, just doing what old dogs do. Until I looked out the window and realized I didn’t see that darn gun shy dead goose loving dog anywhere! I just had a feeling, and when I looked in the shed I was right. The goose count was down one, and Yukon was no where to be seen.

I went and got Matt, “Yukon took a bird and he’s gone!” We split up looking for the darn dog, old dog #2 Diesel came with me one direction and Matt set out another. It was about 10 minutes later, I see Yukon heading as fast as he can across country towards the house. I’m pretty sure he got a good “talking to” from his dad because he barely even looked at me just headed straight to the laundry room to hide…he knew he was in trouble.

So Diesel and I went to where Matt had headed, he was pacing around through briars and tree stumps looking for this darn buried goose. We thought maybe the old dog #2 would sniff it out, but he seemed to be saying, “You know that I’m a retired goose retrieving dog right?!” So he just trotted along next to us not seeming too concerned with our search.

Then it occurred to me, what if we let Yukon take another bird, then maybe he would go and bury in the same place! I headed back home, coerced Yukon our of his hiding place, gave him a few pats on the head and set a goose right in front of him. “Take it away buddy!” He gave me a look of confusion, trying to figure out why dad was so mad, mom was so nice…what could it all mean?

I went into the house like I had before, going about my business hoping he would see that all he had to do was go bury another goose, in the same burial ground preferably, while Matt waited in the brush to find the secret spot. I waited about 10 minutes then went to head outside to see what had trasnpired. Yukon had taken the bird, but he hadn’t headed out across country, he brought it into the house and laid it right by the front door, where I literally almost stepped on it.

I looked over and there he was, looking for forgiveness with those big eyes.

Eventually Matt found the buried goose, and we all had a good laugh about that dang gun hating, dead goose loving dog, Yukon.

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