All about me

This is the first post in my blog about what's important to me; farming, family and my faith, not necessarily in that order. My purpose in creating this blog is to  let the non-farming public see what life is like on our family farming operation. I am also using this forum to get some of the family history and stories written down for my children and other family. It is impossible to separate our faith in Jesus Christ from either of these two areas since it is only because of his sacrifice on the cross that enables me to live my life.

My name is Don Batie. I have been married to my best friend Barb for almost 26 years. We have two daughters, J & C. J is a junior at University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Agricultural Education. C is a senior at Lexington High School. I will only be using their initials for privacy.

I have lived and farmed all my life in the Platte Valley, northeast of Lexington, Nebraska, except for the four years I attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln myself. I started to help my Dad farming when I was old enough to carry a couple of siphon tubes (more abut them in a later post), about 5 or 6 years old.

My wife Barb grew up in a dairy farm in northeast Nebraska. Besides helping me with whatever needs done, she is a freelance writer for a couple of local newspapers, a regional newspaper and the Nebraska Farmer magazine. She also has a weekly column in a local newspaper.

We are members of the Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Lexington and serve in various ministries there. I am an elder and also help with the video projections for our contemporary service. Barb runs the soundboard, teaches Sunday School and sings special music.

Both of us are very active in a number of organizations outside of church. I have been very involved with Farm Bureau, serving as Dawson County president for a total of 9 years, on the Nebraska FB board for 7 years and on several NFBF committees over the last 25 years. Barb has also been county president. I also am on the Dawson County Planning Commission, president of Nebraska Water Users, serve on the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, Ag Builders, and a rural cemetery board.

Barb is active in the Nebraska Press Women, Cather Circle and is on the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

Next post will talk about our farming operation.