Filed under: Ag education, Ag promotion, Farm, Farm Bureau, friends, Music, travel | Tags: AFBF, Agriculture education, american farm bureau federation, farm, Farm Bureau, friends, meeting, Nashville, Opryland Hotel, travel
We made the trip to Nashville for this years Annual Meeting. Since my sister lives just south of the city it was a dual event. Our weather started out really nice, and then went cold and rainy. Wish we could have brought some of that rain home.
Essential things for the AFBF Meeting
Site of the meeting was the Opryland Hotel. It’s a huge place with 2881 rooms and 15 restaurants on 6 floors. Because of continued expansion and no understandable structural layout the hotel is bit confusing. Each hotel area has a central garden area that is really stunning, with each different in many ways. The attached convention area was also a bit confusing so keeping a map within reach was really helpful if you were going someplace new. They said we had almost every room in the place booked for Farm Bureau members.
Sunday morning started out for us with a Minnesota breakfast at 7:30 gathering. It was a place to get to see most of the folks who made the trip from Minnesota. It was also a chance for President Paap and his staff to give us our tasks for the event. Since I’m not known to be shy, I was assigned 4 radio stations to call back in Minnesota at specific times.
After breakfast we gathered for the opening session. Along with many awards and introductions of important people we all needed to know, we had an address from AFBF President Bob Stallman. Bob talked about the challenges and triumphs of the past year. Included in those challenges was the lack of a Farm Bill in the U.S. congress. This lack of a farm bill leaves a lot of uncertainty for all involved in agriculture. He also addressed some disturbing government regulations that we were able to stop. These included a regulation that would have prevented farm folks from employing their children on the farm, and threatened regulations on a small chicken producer that would have forced them to get a pollution discharge permit when nothing was being discharged.
We also got to spend some time at the trade show where they had displays from each state showing what they were doing to promote agriculture, as well as displays from several agricultural companies. We had our choice of seminars put on by companies and the Farm Bureau. I got to meet some old friends and make some new ones along the way. The evening was free to spend as we wished.
Fellow bloggers Ryan Goodman and Janice Person
Monday included more seminars and demonstrations in both the morning and the afternoon. At noon I joined other county presidents for a luncheon and a speaker. Our closing session started at 3 in the afternoon and included more awards and contest winners. We also heard from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack who spoke of the optimism he has for the future of agriculture. The real highlight of the day was Keynote Speaker Captain Mark Kelly. He had a great story to tell.
That was the end of the sessions for the general public. Tuesday brought the delegate session and regional caucuses, wednesday was the AFBF Board of Directors meeting, none of which I attended.
With the rainy and cold weather, the rest of our time was mainly spent indoors checking out area attractions including one night spent in a country music bar, we just had to check out Vince Gill and
It was a fun and restful trip, but it is good to be back home.
Michael
Filed under: church, family, Farm, friends, time, travel | Tags: blog, books, children, church, computer, family, farm, friends, reading, travel, writing, writing a blog
Driving down the road I think of some great story I would like to write, and then I forget it when I get to the computer. I miss a lot of stories I want to tell you all, I could tell them to you if I sat at my computer all day, or maybe not. An interesting life, and interesting stories come from getting out into the world and living it. After nearly 60 years of living life on the farm I have some interesting ones.
Opinions, I’ve got them. You don’t spend your life doing the many things I have done and not develop a few opinions. I miss telling you my opinion on many things because I’m not sitting at my computer all day. I’d love to sit here and tell you my opinion of everything, start me off.
My kids tell me I spend too much time on the computer writing blogs or reading facebook. The thing is that after the years I have spent, the need to get out and earn a living for a growing family is not as great. I’m not well off, but I am comfortable so I don’t need to be accumulating things. I live life a bit more simply than many and am content. I write what I want, when I want.
You’d never know it, but I hated writing in high school. My wife says my writing still leaves a lot to be desired. I still need to read and reread my writing to be sure I’m getting my point across, and I still mess up. I do enjoy reading, and rarely do not have a book that I am in the middle of, or several magazines that I am reading. I still prefer the old-fashioned paper book. I’ve read most of the ones in my library many times, they are old friends.
My family takes some time also. Three kids, two of them married, two grand daughters, a wife, parents, in-laws, sisters and their children, cousins, aunts and uncles, they all take up my time. Then there are activities with friends to attend. They also help provide stories to write about.
We love to travel, and I have been blessed to have traveled most of this country and several others. It can really crimp your writing time if you are on the road.
During the cropping season I am especially busy, and now record keeping and tax preparation will be taking up some of my time. I also have church and organizations that I belong which keep me busy, and provide more stories.
My life would be a lot more boring if I sat at my computer all day. Not only that, but I would have a lot less to write about. So I guess you are just going to have to miss out on some of those stories I could have written, if they were good enough, they will come back again anyway. In the mean time, I’ll be out living life, so I have some more stories to write about for you.
Michael
Filed under: Ag education, Animal care, cats, dogs, family, Farm, farm animals, food, food safety, friends, Uncategorized | Tags: Agriculture education, animals, dog, family, farm, farm animals, Food, nature, pig, pigs
I am constantly amazed at the folks that turn up their nose at the slightest smell, and those that cannot stand the least bit of disarray, life is messy, deal with it!
We are conceived and born in a rather messy way. That’s how life starts out. We eat, and the leftovers leaving our bodies are anything but neat. To top it all off, for anything of any size to live, something must die, it’s a fact of life. When we die, despite the nice cleaned up corpse the undertaker provides for our friends and relatives to see, we decay, it’s a fact of life. We must join the circle of life, we are born, eat to live, perhaps pass on a few of our cells to create a bit of life to follow us or two, then we die.
Where is this all going? Back to the farm of course. We who are left on the farm are being told how to do our job by folks that turn up their noses at the least smell. We have a messy job, and know how to deal with it. Some famous person, with a fur person in their house, thinks all farm animals are just like their furry companion. Folks, a cow is not a cat, a pig is not a dog, a chicken is not a baby.
It seems all too easy for those with extravagant life styles to make the world better. Out of guilt for the huge amount of money they have, they promote legislation that is supposedly better for farm animals, all the time putting farm folks out of work and making food more expensive for those who cannot afford it. Because of “feel good” regulations, it is getting harder and harder for young folks who love the farm, to stay there.
Those of us who love the farm know what to do with pigs, cows, chickens and other livestock. We want them to be healthy and happy despite the fact that we know we will eat them. Leave the mess to those who understand the mess. If you want to know how things are down on the farm, please ask a farmer, not a news anchor.
Michael
Filed under: family, Farm, friends | Tags: children, community, family, farm, friends, people, travel
In church today the pastor challenged us to think of what you would do different if you only had one more year to live, or one day. Only one day was easy, I’d spend it with my grand daughters. Who wouldn’t love spending time with them. They are a bit over a year old and busy as all get out.
What I would do different if I had one year left was harder, because I already seem to be doing exactly what I want.
As a school bus driver I get to spend time with children. Now at times they can be difficult, but the wonder of everyday in a child’s eyes is something that I try to cultivate in myself. They help to keep me young.
I get some time for reading almost every day. Mostly it’s the news, but every once in a while I can get lost in a good book.
I grew up in a traveling family. We went to visit friends and relatives in the area often. I have relatives in many states and have been traveling with my family to see them all my life. I also get to visit new places when I can. Trips to Canada and Mexico as well as Europe, the Middle East and Africa are all thing I have gotten to do.
I have a job I love. It is varied and interesting. Let it look a little bit the same as last year and you will get a curve of some kind thrown at you. The money has not always been the greatest, but it has been enough. It makes me rely on my skills and education, yet is random enough to not be boring. There are others I can talk to that are going through the same things so I do not feel alone. My job has also given me time to live a life of service,
There have been several organizations I have given myself to over the years, lately it has been my church and the Farm Bureau. Both have given me an opportunity to travel and learn.
I was raised to be content. I just need enough money to get by and my job and hobbies have allowed me enough time and money to be content.
I have a wife and children who tolerate and take care of me. They are my best friends and my love.
I guess you could say that I have everything I need, why would I want to change a thing if I knew my time was limited.
So how about you? Would you change anything I you knew your time was limited?
Michael
Filed under: family, Farm, Farm Bureau, Fishing, food, friends, summer, Trees, weather, wind | Tags: children, farm, Farm Bureau, Food, hot, machines, record heat, summer, trees, weather, wind
It has been a hot week and I will be glad to see it go. I seem to be having troubles for the last week or so, one after another.
Last Thursday I called the doctor that was to do my knee surgery to get details. They said, “Oh, No, you are not scheduled for a week.” I said “I have an appointment card that says surgery tomorrow.”, and “Next Friday will not work.” Some how we got the surgery done. The knee is feeling much better now, Thank you.
We go to the cabin so I can recuperate without having any extra duties, spend time with my leg up, take it easy. No water in the cabin! I have to crawl into the basement and prime the pump so we can have water to clean up and cool off.
It’s hot, record-breaking hot,but I cannot go into the water too cool off due to my surgery. Lucky for me the crappies are biting just off the dock. I can at least sit in the sun and fish, and sweat!
A storm comes through and takes down some trees and takes out the electricity. Spend some time helping with the clean up. No fans, no air moving, it’s hard to sleep. The only running water we have is when someone goes down to the lake to carry it back in buckets. With no fridge and food spoiling, we come home early. Oh yeah, the fridge died when the power went out.
We stop at my aunt and uncles on the trip home for a bit. The electricity goes out at their house!
A message comes up on my phone as we near home. One of the items we need to serve for Breakfast on the Farm is not available, could you call back, like, two days ago. With some scrambling, and help from others putting on the event, we are a go.
Today, Friday, I go to open my shop door and nothing happens, motor is out. Looks like I need to do some repair there, and there are no parts available until Monday.
There have been a number of little things that have gone wrong this week, and the record heat and humidity are not helping us get things done. I just want to crawl into bed and stay there. Then, however, I would not get to see my granddaughters,
Katelyn and Allison
I would not have the feeling of a job done well, I would not have people looking at me and saying, “Wow, how did you get all of that done.”
So, I guess I’ll just keep on going. We have a big event planned for tomorrow, and thanks to all of those who are helping me, we are going to have a good time. Come on over and help fill the tent. We’ll be waiting for you!
Everything is ready for Breakfast on the Farm, July 7, 2012
Here’s to keeping going when everything seems to be going wrong!
Michael
Filed under: family, Family History, Farm, friends, garden, harvest, history, Minnesota, pond, rain, safety, seasons, snow, South Africa, tillage, time, travel, weather | Tags: children, farm, friends, harvest, Minnesota, politics, rain, safety, snow, South Africa, weather, winter
When I started blogging two and a half years ago I really did not know what I was getting into. As time has gone by my blogs have fallen into a pleasant cycle of comments. I write about farming, politics and family. What is happening in my life shapes everything I write about. So it is again. Here’s some of the highlights from 2011.
January was cold and snowy, and the blog http://minnesotafarm.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/minnesnowta/ told the weather story. On a more personal note I buried a friend after a farm accident. That lead to a farm safety blog.
In February I traveled with others from Southwestern Minnesota to South Africa as we visited with folks from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa. Learning to understand their joys and struggles as we helped them with some gardening projects.
March blogs were about politics and snow.
Snow again was a subject for Aprils blogs, along with how slow the snow was to melt, and the advent of rain which kept us from getting into the fields to plant our crops.
In May we got our planting done just a little bit behind schedule. I also posted stories of the new decorative pond I was installing as part of a long planned for landscaping addition. The plans had to be hurried because we had a wedding coming up in June.
Our daughter, Elizabeth married Michael Feltes on June 10, our anniversary. Postings of crop conditions, wedding planning and pond creatures are the main topics for the month. My favorite is the copy of the wedding toast I gave http://minnesotafarm.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/father-of-the-bride/. I hope you enjoyed it.
July’s weather brought rapid crop development and hot humid weather. Our garden was starting to give its produce and most of the field work was drawing to a close.
August brought us http://minnesotafarm.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/flash-drought/ and more postings of the happenings in our pond.
September found our crops rapidly reaching maturity, wood cutting and a farm safety program for area fourth grade children. I got to tell the stories of farm accidents I and others have survived, plus the death of my friend Doug back in January in http://minnesotafarm.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/scared-safe/. The birth of twin granddaughters at the end of the month also highlighted my month.
October was harvest. I do not recall a fall where harvest went so fast, nor so easy. The lack of moisture after such a wet spring was a big part of that speed. Oh yes, I did post about those cute little girls that joined our family.
November was a bit slower month, but I was surprised by the popularity of a “how to” post I made called http://minnesotafarm.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/santas-peeking-in/. It caused a big jump in readership of my blog.
December has been a winding down month. The lack of snow and warm weather has been most of what I have written about. I did have to put in a post or two about the new girls in my life with http://minnesotafarm.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/christmas-with-granddaughters/.
It has been an interesting year for me. There have been joys and hardships and a lot of learning. So here’s the best to you as you look forward to the new year. There is one thing for sure, It will hold a lot of new opportunities for me to write about life. I hope you join me in 2012.
Michael
Filed under: charity, Christmas, church, family, friends, Holidays, travel | Tags: children, complaints, discontent, Food, friends, simple life, simple man, stuff, travel
I recently heard reports of the tweets of discontent this holiday season. People were tweeting each other about what they didn’t get for Christmas, or of the things they did get that were not right. I have also heard reports of how much parents are spending on children for Christmas presents, I am shocked. Why do we spend so much? Why are we so discontented? I don’t understand.
Now to be fair, I’ve never wanted for material things in my life. True, I didn’t always have what I wanted, but I always had what I needed. My parents, while not really rich had enough to live and travel well, we worked hard and always had what we really needed, and I was raised to appreciate what I had. Because of that, my tastes are simple. I’ve got a job, make that several jobs, that supply me with what money I need, a much better wife than I deserve, and three children who are now supporting themselves. I consider that a success. I have books to read, friends to visit with and a church and community that I enjoy, all things that I consider worth while.
When I hear people complain about not having the right smart phone, the right color whatever, the best food, I do not understand. Perhaps because of my reading and travels, I know that we have it really nice with our good enough cars, phones and house. I’ve seen and worked with so many that have so much less than I do, and are content. I’ve visited with many who have so much more, and are less happy than I am. I’ve learned that money does not bring happiness, but more worries. I’ve learned that having things doesn’t bring contentment, but a desire to have more and better things. I’ve learned that having just enough, is so nice.
Yep, I’m a simple man. Yes, I enjoy good things, but get no more happiness out of eating a $50 meal than I do a $5 one. My phone is just smart enough to allow me to answer calls where ever I happen to be, and survive the abuse I give it. My home is rather medium in size for our area, nicely decorated and comfortably furnished. I’ve got a bunch of books to read, and re read, a few movies and more than enough TV sets. My wheels are not that old, but not that new either. I live just well enough for me, thank you.
There is a song I am remembering about a simple man, it pretty well sums up my feelings about life. You’ll have to update a few things for today, but it fits: ”I got a hump back mule, a plow and a tater patch, eggs that are gonna hatch someday, I got the Lord above and a good gal that loves me, I’m the richest man in the world.”
Michael
Filed under: family, friends, history, safety, time | Tags: friends, herefor, history, safety, senior moment
So you walk into a room, you stop and think, now what did I come in here for. Yep you’ve got the “herefors.”
The “herefors” can and do strike with no warning. Your day is going well, and they can hit you. You can get them at home or at work. It’s even possible to get them on vacation, except that when you are doing nothing they are less likely to find you. Don’t be concerned, they are not deadly, you will recover quickly if you just go back to what you were doing before they got you. You do remember what you were doing before the “herefors” hit you, don’t you?
“Herefors” are merely annoying if you are alone. When you are at work, they can be embarrassing, just brazen it out, and act like you came for something else.
“Herefors” are no respecter of age. They strike the old and the young alike. As you get older you can joke about having a “senior moment,” but they are not only for senior citizens.
There is no cure for the “herefors,” although a more organized mind will cut down on their incidence. Just accept it as part of life. Admit it, you came for a reason. Just stop and think, “Now what did I come in here for?”
Michael
Filed under: family, fish, friends, garden, pond, water garden, Wildlife | Tags: family, fish, friends, Koi, painted turtles, pond, turtles, water garden
Today was the after wedding party at our house. Since most of Michael’s family had come a long distance for the wedding, we invited family members from both sides to our farm for the gift opening. This party was the reason I had been working so hard on the landscaping and pond.
The house had been cleaned, plants had been planted all around the house, and grass replaced. A pond with all of it’s plants and fish had been completed. The new porch had received new furniture. A large tent had been erected and decorated. We were ready to party.
Part way through the party I got a call that I had been waiting for. The turtles were coming.
Our town’s annual celebration has turtle races each year and I had been promised the turtles found by our landscaper after the race. In the middle of the party they were delivered.
Yertle and Crush
Yertle and Crush were instant celebrities with all present except the Koi. Young and old peered into the pond to watch them. The Koi were visibly upset. They did not like these new neighbors.
The turtles are Painted Turtles common in our area. It is hoped that they will like their new home and assist me in keeping it clean. They definitely add a new bit of interest to the pond,
Filed under: family, Farm, friends, Minnesota | Tags: children, family, friends, Minnesota, wedding
One of the jobs of the Father of the Bride is to welcome the guests and thank them for coming. I’ve also been told that it’s a parents job to embarrass their children. In hopes of not embarrassing myself too much, nor my daughter, I thought I should write down my pre toast welcome. Just to keep from stumbling over the words too much. So for those of you who cannot be at the wedding, and those who want to find out what it was I wanted to say, instead of what I said, here it is.
Welcome
We’re glad you could all be here to celebrate this special day with us, Thank you all for coming.
I know that those of you who are new to Minnesota have all heard the stories of how we have 9 months of winter here and 3 months of tough sledding, but I’m here to tell you that the stories are not true. That being said, you should know the last snow from last winter did just melt in St. Paul. Yep, It seems that because of the large amount of snow we had last winter a pile of snow 60 feet tall had accumulated in a St. Paul lot. Due to two consecutive days of 100 degree temperatures, it’s now finally gone. Folks downstream on the Mississippi should prepare for another flood crest.
All of those stories you have been told of our terrible winters here are only half true. We in Minnesota perpetuate those myths to keep this wonderful state to ourselves. After all, it helps to keep the riff raff out. If you cannot handle the weather, we invite you to move to, perhaps Illinois. (Michael Owen grew up in, and much of his family still reside in, Illinois.)
One of the jobs of the father of the bride is to help you all get to know his child and her new husband, usually by telling stories of their more interesting episodes of childhood. After all, one of the main jobs of a parent is to embarrass their children.
But Beth has not left me with a lot of stories. I can tell you that the painfully shy child we raised has grown up and blossomed. This young lady, of whom we have no pictures with a smile on her face until she was about 6, is such a change from the child who would hide behind her mother if a non family member talked to her.
I could tell you about her episode with the riding lawn mower and how she killed the mailbox, her first driving accident.
I could tell you the story of the trip on the school bus when I discovered her first boy friend, an episode that may have kept her away from boys for years afterward, but I’m not going to, but I will tell her children one day.
Now Michael, or Michael Owen, or Mo, as we have called him to separate him from myself, has not left us a lot of time to get to know him. Having met Beth in those years she was in Illinois. But, he has already helped me pile up stories.
There was the time he confessed at the table of some holiday event, that he had once had the nick name of “Muffin.” To which Beth’s uncle David said, “Now why on earth would you want to tell anyone that.”
Michael Owen also told us that his dad had told him that if he really wanted to be happy he should marry a farm girl. I did remind Richard that he should also have warned Mo that farmers kept shotguns to protect their daughter’s honor.
I’ve been told that now that Beth and Michael are married, I cannot send him back, Well Mo, You’ll always be on probation with me.
Michael Owen, I have some words of wisdom for you. Whenever Beth asks you a question that requires that you make a choice that may not be her choice you need to say, “Whatever pleases you, just tickles me plumb to death.” Those words have helped get me through 32 years of marriage. They should help you also.
Really though, Karen and I could not be more delighted with this couple that have joined their lives together today. They are indeed a fit for each other. So…
Michael Owen, may you give your new wife a whole lot less trouble than I have given my bride of 32 years, and Beth, keep that rolling pin handy, I just know that there will be times you will need to get his attention.
So, Please raise your glass to Elizabeth Anne and Michael Owen, I’m looking forward to the many more times that I can embarrass you.
