Still busy

Many of my non-farming friends wonder what I do all winter, since we no longer have any livestock. I think they imagine that I spend all day in the coffee shop. They couldn't be more wrong. 

In fact I rarely find time to go to a coffee shop, winter or summer. This last week is typical winter work week for me, and many other farmers.

I am in the middle of Meeting Season. You may not have heard of this season but it starts after harvest and ends by spring thaw. I will average 3-4 meetings a week during this time. There are days I have 3 meetings a day.

We do have some chores each day. We have 1 dog, Mollie, and several cats and Barb has about 35 laying hens. She sells eggs to several customers besides having eggs for us to enjoy. Like any livestock, they have to fed and watered morning and night.

Saturday found us on the road to attend a wedding in northeast Nebraska. The wedding was at 3 with a dance/reception following. With a 4 hour drive up there that took the whole day. 

Sunday morning we got up in Madison to head back home as Barb was singing in the Lexington Area Chrstmas Concert. This was held both Friday night and Sunday afternoon. It's a great tradtion with over 80 singers from several towns and many churchs combining their talents to honor our Lord's birth. 

Monday morning we again started early to get the morning chores done and then left for Kearney. Every year the Nebraska Farm Bureau has their annual convention during the first or second week of December in Kearney. It is a great time to meet up with the many Farm Bureau friends we have. For more on this you can read my last blog.

Farm Bureau convention concluded with a banquet Tuesday night. Our dog and cats were glad to see us when we got home about 11:30 at night.

Wednesday morning I had Fit Farmers. This is a program our local YMCA started several years ago to encourage us to keep active in the winter and keep those pounds off. It's more fun to do this as a group and then over tea and coffee talk about those who didn't make it that day. We meet 3 times a week. We are always looking for more volunteers to join us. P.S. the nickname is actually Fat Farmers since it fits us better.

Wednesday afternoon I worked in my office, paying bills and generally trying to clear off the papers that built up during harvest.

Wednesday night was at church. Barb cooks suppers Wednesday nights for those attending classes, both youth and adults. She serves 30-40 each week. While she was finishing up the chicken noodle soup I was programming the computer in the Sanctuary. We have a Praise Worship service at 11:00 that has all the liturgy on video screens and all the songs are also videos. I program and run the computer most weeks as part of my sharing of talents.

Thursday morning was another early start. We finished chores and left for Lincoln. I wanted to attend the Lincoln Power Farm Show (more about this in a future post) and Barb had appointments Thursday night and Friday morning in Lincoln as well. 

Friday morning I did my workout in the hotel exercise room since I was missing Fit Farmers, I've got to keep going or it will hurt worse when I get back. After Barb's meeting we hit the road home.

Friday afternoon we stopped at church so I could finish the computer work and Barb could check on the kitchen. Then I needed to stop at my Mom's and write some checks for her.

Saturday morning the Elders at church meet to sack candy to be given out after the Children's Christmas program. 

And so on. Usually by spring I can't wait to get on the tractor and slow down. In some ways it is actually slower in the summer than in the winter. 

Farm Bureau Family

My family has always been members of Dawson County Farm Bureau, and by association, Nebraska Farm Bureau. At one point my father was county vice-president. We always went to the summer picnics and other events.

When I graduated from college I had to get my own membership, partially for insurance purposes. Farm Bureau Insurance is one of the most used benefits of belonging to Farm Bureau. I started attending the county annual meetings with my parents, always a good meals and friends to visit with.

After getting married in 1985 I was nominated for a seat on the county Farm Bureau board. At the meeting I found out I was running against one of my many older cousins. Much to my surprise I was elected and my journey started.

In December, 1985 I attended my first Nebraska Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, and I haven't missed another since. The first year we went to the banquet, as the county board picked up the tab for all county board members. I remember the packed steamy banquet hall at the Holiday Inn in North Platte, in a blizzard. And all those people. They seemed to all know each other and were quite noisy visiting.

In 1986 I was elected as a voting delegate and I fell in love with Farm Bureau. Here we could debate policy and influence potential legislation. IT WAS FUN! I have always held strong beliefs and was not afraid to share my ideas. I quickly ran into other similar strong believers. Even after arguing with them over silly little points we became friends. Many are still close friends, Naomi, LaDene, Russ and many others.

That year Barb won a Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) Discussion Meet and with it a free trip to California to compete at the American Farm Bureau. WOW! More neat people farming everything you can imagine.

Since those early years Barb & I have served many years in many capacities with Farm Bureau. One of us has been on either the county board or the state board of directors since 1985. I have no ideas how many miles we have driven, trips taken, or nights in hotels since then. But it has all been worth it.

Our girls grew up at Farm Bureau meetings. Until they got into high school they attended at least part of each convention too. Many of our Farm Bureau friends remember them from stroller on. Now our oldest is on a county Farm Bureau board in North Dakota.

Several times I was challenged beyond what I thought I could do and was trusted to do it well. Thanks to Nebraska Farm Bureau presidents Bryce and Keith for pushing me.

This year was a little strange for Barb & I at the state convention. For the first time since 1985 we had no official duties, except for judging the YF&R Discussion Meet. We spent much of our time visiting with old friends we hadn't seen for a year or two or three. We caught up on kids and grandkids (theirs). We talked to many of the politicians and other agricultural leaders who have become good friends over the years.

Last night at the annual banquet we were once again in a large room (not steamy this time) packed with people. But now they are all friends. And I was one of many adding to the noise level. We honored Keith Olson who served 9 years as Nebraska Farm Bureau president and really nurtured me as a young Farm Bureau member.

While Farm Bureau may not be your group, I highly advise all of you employed in production agriculture to join and get involved with at least one agricultural organization. There are too few of us to sit on the sidelines. Like anything else, the more you put in the more you get out.

I advise you to go all in!