It's Ag Week!!

It's officially Agriculture Week so I have the granted right to brag on my agricultural upbringing, right?? I think I heard you say yes. So, in honor of Ag Week, I am putting up an agricultural quote each day on Facebook, and am copying them here as well, and then reflecting on them.
     

Many of you know farming is a HUGE part of my heritage, and while I may have complained about living on a farm and having to work for very little pay as a young adult, I thank God for it every day of my life. Especially as I'm working with students who are not confident in their decisions, mathematical or otherwise, I'm glad I had the opportunity to make my own decisions and learn from the ones that were mistakes.

Sunday’s quote: “Farm*er/Noun: One who is outstanding in his field.”


Enough said! I have seen my dad work so hard to make the life we have, and I can't thank him enough for it. Just tonight he was talking about the generations of our family who have farmed in the Kittitas Valley on our home place, and I am so amazed that our family is still standing here, where my great-grandfather stood and made this life for me possible. 


Monday's quote: "An industry that feeds you is an industry worth fighting for." 


What scares me the most these days is that so many people believe their food comes from the grocery store. That milk is made behind the shelves, and meat raised behind the counter. Ugh, the worst part is that so many kids are losing interest in farming and the agricultural industry, leaving it in the hands of agin farmers without passing down information of any sort. 


Tuesday's quote: "Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness." ~ Thomas Jefferson


Real wealth is family and having family close, at least in my opinion. And agriculture is the perfect way to have that guaranteed. I am incredibly thankful every day that I was raised on a farm. Living the life I have has taught me responsibility, thoughtful decision making, and independence. These skills gave me the ambition and drive (most recently) to finish college in just over three years, travel to Washington, D.C. for the spring and while there working was able to finish 30 job applications, completing four job interviews, and clenching a job from one of those interviews, which I now only have ten weeks left to complete. Unbelievable. 


Wednesday's quote: "Behind every American family is the backbone of the operation: the farm mom."


Without my mom, there wouldn't be a farm. Period. She keeps track of the money, buys groceries, makes breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the year. Tolerates our complaints, arguments and pain. Most importantly, she knows exactly how to deal with the farmer himself, particularly when the weather isn't cooperating the way it needs to, or right now, when calving season has proven to be tough. Somehow, but don't ask me how because I don't have a clue, Mom has the patience to wait out the storms before trying to patch any holes.  


Thursday's quote: "As a farmer, you learn quick: You don't get anything that you don't work hard for." Evan Thomas


Man oh man, and as a kid, you learn even faster what hard work is. Hard work and determination go hand in hand, so I have to add it in there. I spent eight years raising pigs, and it wasn't until my seventh when I worked my butt off to make sure my pigs looked good and worked well did I win fitting and showing. In my eighth year (on crutches at fair I might add, which is another story itself), I worked my butt off to ensure my pigs would even make weight, and lucked out enough to win reserve market. A dream come true in my last two years of showing, all because of hard work and determination. 


Friday's quote: "Our farmers deserve praise, not condemnation; and their efficiency should be cause for gratitude, not something for which they are penalized." President JFK


People don't often enough realize where their food comes from, who prepares that food, and how much time goes into that preparation. I am amazed every day by just how little our society knows about farming and what it entails. In an English class my freshman year while introducing myself I mentioned living on my family's farm. Behind me I heard someone snicker, "Rich girl right here." As I continued my introduction I craftily worked in the fact that my family is not monetarily rich by any means, but we're rich in family and love. I reminded them all quarter long...


Saturday's quote: "I do not believe there was ever a life more attractive than life on a cattle farm...." Theodore Roosevelt


The only disagreement I would have is that a pig farm would be pretty awesome too ;) It's a joke in my family that I'll marry a pig farmer, or better yet, make sure Ethan raises pigs on the farm. But, I do agree with Teddy in that living on a cattle farm is pretty awesome. Just this last week we had a cow, who my brother halter broke and took to fair in 2011, give birth to a giant dead calf. Sad, but because my dad knew she would let him put a halter on her, brought her up to the barn. He put the two week old bottle calf in with her, and while she's been letting him suck while tied up, today they got to go outside in the sunshine where she stood to let him suck any time he wanted all day long! Miracles like this make my life incredibly worth it!


National Ag Week has now come to a close, and in short, I wouldn't change my life for a million dollars!!