Married to a farmer

I have a confession to make: I get a little irritated when people complain about their spouses' work schedule. If they think they have a rough schedule or think they work a lot of hours, they should try being married to a farmer.

Ironically, when I started typing the title of this blog post, I left out the last "er," so it read, "Married to a farm." In a lot of ways, we are married to a farm, but I wouldn't change being"Married to a farmer," for anything.

I'm so glad that my husband gets to do something he is 110% passionate about every day. Sure, it means long hours, but I know there's nothing else he would rather do. He is making a difference, right here within a few miles of our home. I hope one day our boys will be able to farm, if that's what they choose to do.

For other farm wives out there, I know this time of year is tough. Long hours and short fuses can get the best of us if we let it. Instead, let's focus on staying positive, and remember there are perks to this job. Where else do you get views like this?

The County Fair: More than Rides, French Fries, and a Midway

This week, I've spent quite a bit of time at the Wyandot County Fair, where my FFA students show. This fair is a new experience for me, so I've enjoyed taking it all in. I've found there isn't anything quite like grabbing a cup of coffee, finding a nice corner, and people watching. I've observed some pretty remarkable things while sipping on a cup of joe.

• I've seen the excitement as a new 4-Her shows his animal for the first time.
• I've watched teenagers earnestly shake hands businessmen who have made an investment in youth and in the community by purchasing animals in the junior fair livestock sale.
• I've smiled as farmers catch up with their neighbors and friends, who they don't get to see nearly enough throughout the year.
• I've chuckled as gaggles of kids run around the fair, never getting into too much trouble but raising watchful eyebrows nonetheless.

I've also been reminded of how pivotal the Knox County Fair was in shaping me as a person. I often tell people that outside of FFA, junior fair activities had the most impact on my personal development. Junior fair board helped me further develop responsibility, follow-through, and a solid work ethic. More importantly, it allowed me to "network" with other like-minded youth. (Though, at the time, we didn't call it networking, we called it hanging out!) I'm glad to say that those like-minded individuals are still in my life, though like the farmers I mentioned above, I don't get to see them nearly enough.

I realize that most people will never feel the emotions and nostalgia that those of us who grew up a little more each summer at the county fair experience. If you understand what I'm saying, though, the next time you visit a fair, whether it's where you grew up or not, smile and be thankful for strong, positive experiences being such a big part of our young adulthood. 

Back to school and other fun, fall stuff

I love Sunday mornings. Since Greg and I typically attend our church's Saturday night service, I have Sunday mornings to myself. Greg goes and feeds cows, and I sit at my computer, catching up on the week and drinking coffee. Sometimes, if I'm feeling really crazy, I'll even read a book. Yes, life is good.


I just finished my second week of school at Mohawk. I love it! I have a wonderful group of students. My classroom is just how I want it. It's a nice district. Etc. I miss my Bellevue kiddos, but overall, it's been a good change for me.


Outside of school, life charges on. Greg and I (well, he claims it's mostly my project) planted indian corn and pumpkins this year. Now, I don't believe in doing anything small, so we have roughly 3/4 of an acre of pumpkins and gourds and about the same of the indian corn. Yesterday, we picked our first batch of corn (600 ears) and bundled them into groups of 3. It was hard work, especially in all the heat, but it was a little bit of fun, too!


Stay tuned for pictures!

Things I've learned this summer

While Greg and I were dating, I spent a lot of time with him on the farm. I vividly remember the summer before we got married, when I was taking a couple classes and working at an internship in Columbus. Most weekends, as soon as I was done on Friday, I was driving north. I camped out on a futon in his parents' basement until the crack of dawn on Monday, when I trekked back to Columbus for an early morning class. That summer, we learned a lot about each other, as Greg worked ground and planted fields, and I rode along in the buddy seat.

Fast forward three years to the summer of 2011. I'm amazed at how learning is truly a lifelong process. I'm still learning so much about myself and the world around me. This summer, because of a job switch, I've been more available to help on the farm. In addition to the remarkable farmer's tan I've acquired, I've absorbed some pretty incredible lessons, as well.

For example, I've learned that American ingenuity is not dead. One of the things I admire about Greg is his ability to look at a problem and come up with a creative solution to solve it. Point in case: the hay rake. Raking hay is on ongoing job on a dairy farm. In any given summer, each field of hay will be cut and raked an average of four times. That's a large time investment just to rake the hay! So, this spring while the rains poured down, Greg and his brother Jason fashioned up this beast:

To the naked eye, I'm not sure what it looks like. However, to someone familiar with hay equipment, it is two rakes connected together, which allows the person raking to work two rows at one time. This little contraption reminded me that there are people in this world interested in increasing productivity and problem solving. PS- Two rakes provide twice the opportunity to catch barbed wire and drag it a hundred yards, but that's a post for another time. :)

Another important lesson I've learned this summer is how intertwined family and work really are in rural America. Sure, I've known this for as long as I can remember, but now I'm actually experiencing it. Almost every day, Greg goes to work and checks in with his mom or dad. They're working side by side to build their business and to provide for their families at the same time. One of the reasons I've enjoyed helping on the farm so much this summer, is because it's given me a great opportunity to get to know his family in a different setting. One of my favorite things to do when I have some extra time is to walk to the farm in the evening and help his mom feed calves. It's such great quality time. For a girl who didn't grow up on a farm, I'm only beginning to understand the complexity of farm family bonds.

Finally, I've learned to appreciate the simple things in life. That sounds cliche', I realize, but it's oh-so-true. Greg tends to work pretty long hours, especially during the busy seasons, but there are few things I enjoy more than meeting him at the farm after a long day and riding around on the four-wheeler checking crops or than heading to the pond to watch the sunset. This summer, more than ever before, I've learned how important it is to appreciate the small blessings in life. I've always loved traveling, and I probably always will, but there are some pretty incredible things to experience right here at home with the people I love, too.

If we don't tell our story, who will?

Let's face it, more and more people are disconnected with agriculture. From little kids (and adults for that matter!) thinking that brown cows make chocolate milk to consumers only buying organic, because they think it's safer for them, agriculture is up against some pretty big challenges.

Lately, I've become enthralled with the concept of using social media (Facebook, blogs, Twitter, etc.) to tell agriculture's story. As farmers (and those who grew up on farms), we are the best experts out there when it comes to how food is produced. Therefore, it is our responsibility to share that message whenever possible.

This week, I created a Facebook fan page for Dial Dairy Farm, Greg's family's farm. It's a fair-sized operation, not huge by any standards (about 150 milking cows and 150 replacement heifers). Many old-school farmers would argue that they don't need to do anything as far as neighbor relations are concerned. Well, folks, the times they are a-changing. In the olden days, maybe they wouldn't need to use public relations, but the times we live in are different. As I drive down the road, I see new houses with people who have migrated from cities. Will those people, who have never stepped foot on a farm, understand the not-so-pleasant aroma drifting across their yard when Greg cleans out the manure pond? Will those people understand the noise from equipment here in a couple of weeks when they start planting hours upon hours each day? Will those people understand that when calves cry, they're just making their voices heard, and they're not being abused? I hope so, but chances might be slim.

A Facebook page for a farm- I doubt our grandparents would have ever seen it coming. The fact of the matter is, however, that we're in a different world, and it's up to our generation to reach out to our neighbors. The future of agriculture depends upon it.