Home Sweet Home

I am thankful I had the opportunity to go home this past weekend for Easter.
While being home on the farm, I remembered the exact reasons I love farm life.

I helped my siblings mix Milk Replacer for our baby calves. I went out to the barn and looked at the 64 beef steers and heifers my brothers have recently invested in as a partnership with my Dad. (Which, I think is awesome! They are 15 and 12 years old. How many boys that age have that opportunity to make investments and develop those skills of selecting, feeding, breeding, etc.)

I stood on the front porch and watched the storm clouds roll in. I could actually open my car doors all the way. At night I played Phase Ten with my brothers and sisters.

Sunday morning, our whole family went to church and had lunch together.

I wish that critics of Agriculture and farming would take the opportunity to see the everyday happenings of farm life. They would see the little things that make a difference. On our farm, they would see my youngest sisters, Emily and Adi, ages 8 and 5 respectively, out in the chicken house gathering eggs by hand. They would see by brothers carrying grain and hay to their calves. They would see my Dad and Adi checking the pigs in the morning. As well as administering medication, if needed and monitoring water consumption from the night before. They would see the care and dedication that goes into ensuring the health and well-being for each animal.

Critics would also see that when the power goes out, the pigs are the first to have power, then the barns with the other animals and finally our house is hooked up to the generator. Our family is last in the line to get power, proof that we care about our animals!

Going home and driving down the country roads only helps me look toward finishing my degree and heading back to the place I love...

In closing... "Country Roads, take me home, to the place where I belong..."