Farmer Optimism

It’s a tough road at times, this life we live and the work we do.  But there is always something to be positive about and grateful for, even in the darkest of days.  I recently read that they say a farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer, and it’s absolutely true.

As a farmer’s daughter and farmer’s wife, I’ve been a part of a lot of optimistic rituals in my life—praying, positive attitude, rain dances hard life lessons and more praying. 

In the 1990s, I was devastated when we sold all of our pigs.  The market was bad and we had to invest and concentrate on other areas of the farm.  This was a lesson in economics at a young age, I guess you could say which has helped me in my adult life.

In the flood of 2008, when I watched my dad look out over our flooded fields I thought all hope was gone.  Then he took us home and said, “Mother Nature is not very kind sometimes, but there isn’t anything we can do about it.  It’s just part of it.  We are safe up here on the hill with good people, food and beer.  We will figure it out.”

In 2009, my dad died during harvest and my family still had to go on.  The local family farmers brought optimism back to our farm as they arrived with their trucks to fill up loads of grain to take to market.  That dark day turned out to be okay, even without him.    

In the drought of 2012, I experienced heartbreak on a daily basis when no rain would fall or heat lightening gave me false hope for a storm that I would have gladly welcomed.  I asked my husband if he wanted to do rain dances like I used to do when I was a kid.  I got “the look” if you know what I mean, but I danced a lot when he wasn’t watching.

And today, it’s the commodity markets.  Prices are down, inputs are high, there are too many regulatory and trade issues that farmers are dealing with, and it’s all a dark reality each day as we approach the planting season. 

For the farmer, planting and harvesting is inevitable.  No matter what Mother Nature will bring, how the markets will pan out or what obstacles God will lay before him, our farmers still have to wake up each day to face the day because there is no other way or another life they would rather live.

It’s really hard to explain to someone that doesn’t live on a farm that your daily life revolves around the ground below you, weather, market, crops, animals and the daily work around you.  It’s a constant worry and a constant blessing that I don’t take for granted because as dad would say, “it’s just part of it”.

There are so many people these days that lack optimism.  It’s not surprising with all the political rhetoric, daily negative stories on the news and more.  However, when I sit for just a moment and look around me, there is a lot to be optimistic about.  I hear the new calves bawling in the pasture behind our house—a sign of new life.  I see green, lots of green (finally!)—a sign of a new season.  And I am reminded of the positive things in my life—which bring me happiness and hope.  The optimism is there, we just have to slow down at times to see it and feel it.

I don’t know where or when I found this quote but it sits on my desk as a daily reminder, 

“The one who cultivates and lives always in the optimistic, cheerful, hopeful habit of mind and heart can never fail.”

As our farmers face a new season ahead cultivating the land and caring for the crops with little known to them about what Mother Nature may bring, how the markets will go or what the crop may look like, they will still try to find a way to remain optimistic.  They have to for their livelihoods, their families, future generations and for you. 

Summer Vacation Lesson from the Farmer

 Summer is here which means family vacations for some of us and 4H projects for others.  If you were blessed to take a summer vacation and have 4-H projects, consider yourself lucky.  Free time on the farm doesn’t come around for some of our farmers or their families which means no vacation time.  However, staying home and learning about the various lessons from your 4-H projects can be an adventure as well.       

As a kid, we camped a lot with our friends around the state but didn’t take too many long summer vacations.  My mom would take us on our fancy trip to Chicago, “the big city”, to shop while the farmer stayed home for the harvest.  I am sure he was just fine staying home and away from the city and our shopping shenanigans, so it all worked out. 

The one time he went with us on a Spring Break trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, I never really wanted to vacation with him again.  I was in the 5^th grade and we were going with a big group of people to experience new adventures and to relax on the beach.  However, if you know farmers, they can’t really sit still. 

I was elated to stay in a condo with a view of the beach and surrounded by the noise of the big, blue waves.  However, the farmer had something else in mind for us on vacation.  We had to see the army bases and battleships.  It was not an experience this Midwestern farm girl that lived between the cows was expecting to have on her “vacation” to the beach. 

We even had to cut our trip short and head back to Indiana because my farmer dad noticed the corn sprouting from the fields in Alabama.  He got antsy, couldn’t sit still and had to get home to start planting.  I think I even started my 4-H projects earlier that year too. 

As time has gone on and I have traveled around the world, I think about that summer vacation and the time we spent learning about the history of our country and those that served on the battlefield.  I now understand that dad took us on adventures through the battleships to teach us something and why we were able to enjoy our vacations.  He taught us that it’s okay to sit on the beach and relax for a short time, but vacations should include life lessons just like those 4-H projects left behind to finish.  Even though I was mad we came home early, I think I earned more blue ribbons that year—lesson learned.

So take that summer vacation to sit still and relax for a moment!  But remember to learn a lesson or two while you are away from the farm or your home.  Enjoy that freedom to travel and be adventurous and give thanks for the lessons they teach you, maybe you’ll get a blue ribbon too.

God's Favorite Color is Green

"God must really love green, I think it's his favorite color."

That was my response to the beautiful mountain views along the 

Blue Ridge Parkway back on a summer vacation with friends and family in 2007.

"No, it's not, Katie" my friend Leslie's dad replied with an annoyed voice,

 "it's called photosynthesis."

Forget the science, I think it's God's favorite color!!

And I am about to enjoy it more and more on an upcoming trip to Ireland 

with my sister and best friend, Carrie.

I feel like I have been surrounded by the color green my entire life.

Growing up in a big yard full of green grass that never stopped growing along with 

the tall stems of the sunflowers growing in a field down by the river.

My love for the color green started at a young age along with my sisters love for sunflowers.

 At a young age, we grew up in the middle of a green pasture surrounded by cattle.  

We traveled to town through green fields full of corn and soybeans.

And while we won't be wearing our bib overalls in Ireland, we will be prepared to put on our boots and move the sheep from the middle of the road.  It can't be that hard, right?

We hope to have lots of good sister time with many laughs and new memories to share as we grow old together. 

We decided it would be fun to take a sidekick on this sister trip, and who better than my crazy, Irish friend Carrie.

Carrie and I met on the Governor's campaign back when we were recent college graduates, broke and going to receptions every other night of the week including hog roasts from time to time.  

The campaign color was green.

We wore those green stickers everywhere.  A staple in our wardrobe at the time.

We went all out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and our heritage.  

We might have gone too far at times for the color green.

We loved to wear green dresses.....

....and celebrate with friends long into the night.  

We plan to wear green on our trip and celebrate into the night too.

And Carrie loves Notre Dame and green tailgates while I like to be the 

supportive friend with a green drink in my hand.

So while I am surrounded by fields of green wheat and sprouting green corn and soybeans 

at the moment, I am looking forward to my green views in Ireland.

I'm ready to slow down for a week and breath some new, fresh air while sporting my new, green rain jacket.

When I return, the wheat will have turned a little brown and time will speed up again for the summer.

And I'm hoping my sister will catch some Irish rain for good luck like she did on my wedding day.  

I'm hoping the good luck will bring the good and steady rain for our farmers this summer, to keep everything green.  

I'll be back after a week off from writing when we return from our trip full of adventures and beautiful views of God's favorite color, green.

The Beauty of the Hunt

The farmer and I took a mini "Glick Trip" this past weekend to Arkansas.  

I have never been to Arkansas, but I now have an itch to go back.  

One for the hunting, two for the new friends and three for the best pork steak we devoured at Strawberry's in Holcomb, AR.

We rolled in to Rector, Arkansas after 11:00 p.m. on Thursday and met our new friend and hunting guide Stephen who owns and runs Liberty Hills Outfitters.  Rector is home to not quite 2,000 people and most recently the boys basketball champs of the homecoming game Saturday night.  On top of that, Stephen's kids were crowned King & Queen during homecoming.  Small town America, it's wonderful.  

Stephen complimented my gravel road truck driving, showed us around the cabin and told us to make ourselves at home.  It was good to crash in this private, friendly cabin and hideaway at the end of the gravel road.

The next morning, we were up and out the door for the first day of quail hunting on the land.

 I got the first bird of the day!

Then the boys stuffed it into the back of my vest.  

I think Brett purposely bought the vest for me so I could carry all the birds.  

He has no pockets in his vest......

Don't worry, one of them was still alive and was fluttering around back there for awhile.  Yep....

Lady (foreground) and George were our dogs for the weekend.  

Watching the dogs hunt is quite the experience and part of the beauty of the hunt.

Stephen loves to take photos, like myself.  He captured some great moments including this one with the yellow shell falling to the ground after I pumped my gun to take another shot at the bird.  

Stephen actually took all the photos on this blog today.  Many thanks to him for capturing the beauty of the outdoors and our upland bird hunting experience.

What I really love about upland bird hunting is that we get to enjoy the sport together.  

And stand next to each other while we each take our shot at the bird.

George obviously had confidence we would get this one because he was already headed to retrieve the quail.

And if you were wondering what a quail looks like, here you go.  They are tricky to find at times.

Now while Stephen was busy taking pictures most of the time, Gerald was guiding us and ducking every other time.  Both of them would say they have had a lot of practice hittin' the ground and takin' cover.  

Joking aside, we always use safety precautions when hunting, 

review rules before hunting and watch each others' backs.

The dogs also watch each others' backs and back each other on their points (when they find the bird).  

What's fascinating about the dogs is that they compete with each other and keep each other in line.

Even if you don't like to hunt, you could attend a hunt to watch the dogs and be thoroughly entertained.

Another bird that Brett will stuff in my vest.....

This one was dead though, all good!

Pretty sure Stephen was on the ground when he took this one but am so glad he caught these images.

And one of the quail landed in the tree, so I found him and then he fell out of the tree.....

Best part about this photo, the smoke coming from my gun.

I'll show you more photos of the birds, the peaceful cabin and a new quail recipe soon.  

But for now, we are thankful for our new friends and a mini trip away before our busy travel season and then planting season on the farm.  

I would say the beauty of it is the fact we found an outdoor hobby we both enjoy.

Brett would say the beauty of it is the fact I actually want a dog now.  

Either way, the beauty of hunting is the freedom we enjoy to hunt outdoors and enjoy our time together.

For the Love of Cows

You grew up with cows?

You have cows?

Do you name your cows?

I bet they are so cute!

Well, yes and yes and sometimes we name them and they can be cute occasionally but not really.  

And especially not when they stick their tongues out at you when you are trying to visit and feed them.

I have so many childhood memories involving the cows.  

Their bawling noises in the early morning hours that signaled it was time to get up.

Walks through the woods and along the cow paths to each of our forts was a staple of our childhood.  

We would talk to the cows, drink from their water troughs and use the dried up cow pies they left behind as frisbees (gross but true).

And now my farmer husband works with the cattle daily especially during this time of year.

And I am usually just a bystander, asking questions, giving directions and yes, wanting to name a few of them too.

Our family has a cattle business and yes, most times we see it as a business and part of our farm operation.  

The cattle provide us with diversification on our family farm.  

But it's also a way of life for us and for most cattle farmers.  

We do it for the tradition of raising cattle in this country and on our family farms.

And we appreciate the freedom to raise the breed of cattle we want to and how we want to raise them.

We do it to teach the next generation about how to care for another living being 

and the art of hard work.

We do it in the cold and in the rain and to care for the cattle each day, no matter the circumstance.

And sometimes we love the cows so much that we put on strange hats and 

wear t-shirts in the heat of the summer to educate consumers about cattle and where their beef and milk come from.

(For those that know me, I usually don't wear t-shirts.)

And some of us go to the extreme and bring cow cakes to the party!

I can't imagine my life without cows.

I can't imagine this country without cattle or beef that is prepped in so many of our kitchens

 for a delicious and nutrious meal for our families.

I do so many things for the love of cows. 

What are you so passionate about that you would do anything for?

Walk the Miles You Are Given

After the fire alarm went off, I realized I grabbed my purse and computer instead of my coat. 

Then while outside in the freezing weather, I was reminded that life is pretty funny sometimes and you just have to walk the miles you are given.

I was in Denver this past weekend with my best friend Lindsay for the National Western Livestock Show.  

For several years now, we have been those Indiana farm girls grounded in our roots that love to take our wings west.  And we embrace the adventures along the way, even if it's not in our plan at the moment.

During one trip from Denver through Wyoming and into Montana we stopped along dirt roads to photograph the beautiful western scenery.  We looked like strange tourists in dresses and boots with a crappy rental and fancy cameras.  But we were in heaven, and took a moment to appreciate our surroundings.

As girls that grew up with cattle, we were amused by this sign and stopped to take a picture.  

While on top of this mountain along the Beartooth Highway, we thought it would be a good idea to call our moms while we had phone service.  Well.....we got to the top of the hill here and as we were talking to our moms, a truck pulled behind our car.  We were instantly scared and I realized that I even left the keys in the car so we could have been stranded if they were to take our crappy rental.

But turns out, it was a friendly old man who was making his way through the pass and wanted to make sure we were okay.  Unexpected surprises on the road aren't always scary.

But then there was the time we were stalked by mountain men (and we thought they were chasing us).  Or the time we got the last room at a Motel 8 with nothing but construction workers and truckers.  

And we must not forget the time that we almost slept in our car because there was no vacancy in a small Wyoming town due to a Quarter Horse Show.

But when in Denver, a mile high, we somehow seem comfortable as we find our roots in every corner.  It may be in the old stockyards or talking to an old man who is a descendant of Laura Ingalls Wilder (no joke).

And we never forget the wings that brought us west.  

I find it funny at times, we both are so grounded in Indiana and rooted in our history, 

but yet we love the miles our wings take us on.  

And we always remind each other, as we all should,

 to not blink when on your adventures or you will miss the beauty of it all.

When my flight was cancelled late on Monday, I kind of forgot about the beauty.  After long lines, hours on the phone, booking my flight in my maiden name, rounding up college kids to share a cab with and the fire alarm at 7:30 a.m. in the always lovely Quality Inn well.....I forgot about the beauty of the adventure.

It wasn't until I helped a couple get home, realized I helped the poor college kids and had great conversations with people at the airport that I felt better.  That maybe the miles I was given for this trip were not only meant to enjoy Denver but to slow down and appreciate the adventure.

We are only given so many miles in our lives. 

I understand everyone has somewhere to be, but can't we slow down and it enjoy it all for a minute.

So while we may be a mile high on our next adventure or see many miles of the road ahead, 

slow down, walk the miles you are given, appreciate the people and places around you and enjoy.

Deep Breaths on Dirt Roads

On Tuesday I told you that "going west is good for my soul".

It helps me to take a deep breath while traveling on a dirt road.

That's why my sister Sarah and I head that way any chance we get.  

This time it was to support our friends at Sankey 6N Ranch  for their annual cattle sale.

My best friend Lindsay married a Kansas boy from 6N so we have to visit the place where she will call home someday.  And we like to take little adventures along the way.

During this trip and after the sale, these three sets of boots decided to grab the cameras and just drive.

Well, we had something to do but got a little sidetracked with the views.

I was the driving and I would randomly hear, "wow, look at the sky.  Wait...... STOP!!!!"  

Pretty much the quote of any dirt road adventure with us.

And Lindsay caught me in action, thank you Jean.

Of course I parked next to this critter cave.  The three of us don't really favor small critters.....

but we were safe!

I pretty much laid in a ditch for this one.  

I almost could have stayed there until the sun rose the next morning but we were running low on beverages.

The colors of the sky in the Kansas Flint Hills are pretty amazing and remind us to give thanks and feel blessed.

We took lots of turns and went down some roads less traveled which brought us to the most perfect spots.  

I mean that's what it's all about right?

Some less traveled paths, turns, ditches and views of the heavens above.

Reminds us to take a deep breath.....

.......down the dirt roads.

I hope you remember to take a deep breath every so often just like we did on those dirt roads.