Category: Lessons

Lots of Prayers this Christmas Season…

I had a friend post a blog last week that truly struck a chord with me. She was talking about how she had gotten up that morning, started to read some negative articles toward agriculture, and set in for a morning of trying to calm fears, and change misconceptions. Then she checked her phone and found some horrible news, you can read more about it on her blog by clicking here.

The part that struck me most is when she says, “This desire to help my friends isn’t unique to Rural America or Urban America.  This is a common bond we all have.  In times of need, we as American’s come together to help our friends and neighbors.” She encouraged us to look beyond the issues sometimes and focus on the fact that we are all people, we are all human. Then just the next morning I hear of the shooting in Connecticut at an elementary school. My heart sank, and prayers ensued for all those little kiddos, all the teachers, and all the families that are suffering. On top of that, add a mall shooting in my own state of Oregon, just 40 miles away from our farm earlier in the week. It’s awful, it’s terrible, and in the words of Chris Chinn I agree, that “In times of need, we as American’s come together to help our friends and neighbors”

It makes the problems that we face in farming seem small and insignificant for a time and be humbled by those who have lost their sons, daughters, moms and dads. The prayers are flowing in from everywhere and I know they appreciate that, but I can’t imagine how much it still hurts. My heart goes out to all of those who will have a much more sad Christmas this year than they ever thought possible. But as Robbie Parker, a dad of Emilie Parker (6 year old who was killed in CT), “Let it not turn into something that defines us, but something that inspires us to be better, more compassionate and more humble people.”

I know that this may seem like a strange topic for a farming blog, but sometimes you just can’t deny things that happen in your world around you, things that don’t have to do with slugs eating your crop, the rainy weather, or what issues ag is facing in the world today; but those things that truly challenge you to do just what Emilie’s dad said, inspire us to be better, more compassionate, and more humble people.

Mourners at the Memorial set up in CT

12 Things I’ve Learned in 29 Years…

It’s not quite the milestone birthday of 30, and I’m a little long for the crazy 21-er, but I have to say that turning 29 on October 28th has made me look back and see where I’ve been the past few years…enjoy the journey…

1. Life doesn’t surprise you, it amazes you with how it actually really all works out, just like your mom promised!

2. Be proud of who you are and what you stand for, it’s true that if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.

3. As the above reference implies, country music absolutely does define my life from start to today.

4. I’m just one year closer to feeling the same age as my soul, 82!

5. Sometimes life is frustrating…that’s just life.

6. This one I learned early on…when you complain and your parents tell you, “Oh well we’ll just call your real parents the king and queen to come pick you up!” They are…unfortunately…kidding in that parent way that they do.

7. When you get to have a job that you feel passionate about…that is rare…hold on to it with both hands!

8. When you get to hold on to a man that is incredible, make sure that you keep holding on to him too!

9. Try to always break things just a bit slower than you can fix them!

10. Count your blessings, (cheesy…maybe….but you will be amazed at how much better you feel afterwards!)

11. If you’re a farmer, always have a pocketknife handy.

12. And finally, Laugh as often as possible!  Especially at yourself, those make the best stories! (There is a good Halloween example of one of these stories coming up Wednesday…stay tuned!)

How I got here today….

I took a trip last weekend back down to some old stomping grounds.  LA LA Land, what I affectionately call Los Angeles, was my home for four years while I was getting my undergrad degree at Loyola Marymount Univeristy.  Strange perhaps considering about all you can farm down there is concrete and pigeons, but it was a decision that I made while still 18, impulsive, craving adventure and making sure that my next life step was not going to be in the confines of Oregon’s borders!  Because when I say I’m from a small town, I don’t mean 10,000 people, or 5,000…St. Paul, according to its outdated population signs on the outskirts of town read a mere 322!  So maybe you can understand why a glitzy and glamorous place like Los Angeles would sound like just the place for this small town farmer’s daughter.

How could you not want to go to school here?!

So I was sitting there on the plane this past weekend, about to touch down in LA, and I realized that as much as I was ready to leave when my four years was up, I have to give some credit where credit is due to this thriving city.  As I was walking off the plane and took that first big deep breath of humid, probably smog injected air, and heard a car horn honk, a part of me felt like it was home.  I did a lot of changing while I was down south.  Not only did I get a great degree in Business, circumnavigated the globe on a ship, and made some amazing friends.  But I also learned how much I loved having seasons, how being dirty in the summer is oddly a necessity for me, that I wasn’t cut out to be a lawyer, and that my true calling and passion wasn’t something that I was going to find in LA, it was something that was waiting for me back home.

A few of the wonderful friends that I met!

The credit that is due to LA however is that I’m not sure I would have ever found this appreciation for farming and rural life if I hadn’t left and gone to the extreme opposite type of place.  Rural life, when it’s all you know, it doesn’t seem that great.  You are in a place where it’s a bit boring, and you know everyone and their dog (literally).  But then once you experience life in other places, like the big city, I was shocked to be surprised when I didn’t know someone, annoyed that there were people everywhere, and overwhelmed by all the activity!!  Don’t get me wrong, I got used to this type of life, it just took awhile!  And in the end it was true…”You can take the girl out of the honky tonk…but you can’t take the honky tonk out of the girl”  And it showed, because there were times you just can’t hide where you come from.  For instance when your nice pair of heels is a pair of cowboy boots and you’re just not sure why this is so strange to all your new friends in the dorm.  Or when you say something like, “Oh my gosh the funniest thing happened to me while I was combining in the field last summer!”  And your new roommate responds with, “What were you combining together?”  (always followed by a lengthy description of a piece of harvesting equipment that we use during harvest).  All in all people loved hearing about “The Farm”.  It was a part of me that came to define much of who I was down there.  I was the farmer, and I loved it, and it reminded me that it was ok to love it, embrace it, and be proud.  I realized that my original decision to be brave and go face the scary unknown of the city, just brought me right back to what I’ve always known.

These girls are going to kill me for posting this classic picture!! Love you Ladies!

So when I visit now, I’m glad it’s just a visit.  This slower way of life is addicting and I’m amazed at how tough it is for me to adjust back to a fast paced life, let alone the driving (will someone please teach Californians how to use blinkers?!)  But it always brings me back to those days when I first realized that what I truly wanted was where I had been, and where I was going was all because of this slimy, gritty, beautiful, concrete town by the beach where I found who I was truly supposed to be all along.