The Views from My Office

I always enjoy when people post photos with the caption, “A view from my office today…” And many times it’s of someone with their feet in the sand, looking out over some beautiful scenery, etc.  I got to thinking today how much my office view has changed since I started farming full time 9 years ago.

When I started my view from my “office” was a lot of the back of my dad’s head.  I followed him around a lot those first few years.  Farming isn’t an easy or quick endeavor, it’s years of experience and knowledge.  Experience and knowledge that even while retired, I still hunt him down for often.

558458_10151088232780795_1040423726_nThen as he slowly took steps back my office view became a lot more of fields while on a sprayer or fertilizer buggy.  And a lot of the real office…because even farmers have to do paperwork!

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Office Work

And as such, life progressed for me personally, adding a husband to the mix, who became a part of the farm a few years after he officially become a part of my forever story.

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Then as luck would have it, my little farmers were born.  My office view became a lot of days out in the fields with a little man named Hoot.

IMG_4421And about a year and a half later, our farm boy number two showed up.  As of late my office view is me, taking care of  business, many times (I’ll be honest here) in my pajama like attire, on my cell phone, while at home with my arms full of this sweet new to the world face.

IMG_5567It’s not easy all this “view from my office” changing that has been going on.  There are many days when I see Matt drive off in the sprayer or take the fertilizer truck in to get filled that I do miss that time of farming.  But some days I’m reminded that I have to cherish the time that I’m in.  Because soon, probably before I know it, the view from my office will change again, and maybe I’ll miss those pajama days (just a little!).

 

Photo Friday…Rainbows on the Farm

Still haven’t found the pot of gold yet…maybe this means a good harvest though?!

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Minimum Wage Hearing

Last week was the first big call to action for this short legislative session for farmers. The hearing was in regards to raising Oregon’s already high minimum wage. And if anyone was in doubt if this is a big topic this year I think you would have only had to show up at the capital that evening to see hundreds of people there to give their view. 

A good friend of mine, fellow blogger and great agvocate, Shelly Davis shared her thoughts and pieces of her testimony on her blog, Daughter of a Trucker. So I wanted to share it on here today because while I didn’t physically have the chance to get to the capital that day I was glad that part of my “tribe” made the trip to share how many of us in agriculture feel about this issue. 

  To see this post follow this link:

 http://daughterofatrucker.com/2016/01/15/i-am-oregon-business-a-follow-up-to-the-minimum-wage-hearing/ 

While we all want people to earn a fair wage, the ways in which to get to that point will be debated extensively this session. I just hope that people will realize what a bandaid just raising minimum wage will be for our state. And it will only shortly hide the real issues with a non business friendly state if we aren’t careful.