Infinite Potential

This past week thousands of students from across the United States traveled to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. I have made that amazing trip several times myself, but was unable to make the trip this year. That trip is one that changes your life. For those who have the extreme honor and privilege to compete on a team, you partake in an experience that will forever change your life.

The hours of practice, sleepless nights leading up to the big day, homework neglected, social life forgotten…all for the moment of truth. But what exactly is the moment of truth?

Is it the moment when you finally get first in the nation? Is it the moment when you realize that you didn’t do as well as you thought? Is it the moment when you are surrounded by thousands and thousands of Blue and Gold jackets and feel such an amazing sense of pride?

Does the moment of truth define who you are? I believe that how you react to the moment of truth helps to define who you are, but is not a moment that forever defines the impact you will have on this world. At the time you might not realize the impact that this event has on your life, but years down the road when you get the chance to reflect how you do…that is when it all comes into perspective.

For those of us involved in agriculture, and even those who are not, we can learn so much from the members of this incredible organization. We learn that hard work always pays off, no matter what the outcome is. We learn that pride in your organization is something that cannot be explained. We learn that to be passionate about something is a feeling that changes everything. We learn that anyone, no matter how old, can make an impact.

I didn’t have the opportunity to attend the National FFA Convention this year, but I still learned a lot from all of those who made that life changing journey. National FFA 2010…Infinite Potential.

Miraculous World of Agriculture

The other day as I was driving I looked out my window and was absolutely amazed. It seemed like just yesterday that I was driving by these same fields and praying for a good crop, praying that the tiny seedlings would yield an abundant harvest. Some of the fields I drove by had already been harvested and some fields of corn, soybeans and sunflowers still remain. What a miracle! To think that a tiny seed will go in the ground and emerge looking completely different…emerge to do incredible things! The world of agriculture is full of miracles like this one; miracles that we all too often take for granted, if we just look around us we will see that agriculture offers us so much, all we have to do is take the time to notice it.

So often I find that I drive by fields on the side of the road and acknowledge they are there, but lately I’ve been asking myself…do I really notice them? Do I really understand the importance that every single plant in that field has; do I understand their worth? Do I truly embrace the miracles of agriculture?

Farmers plant millions of tiny seeds each year, and those tiny seeds grow to make a significant impact on the lives of many. It has got me thinking, if a tiny seed can make that big of an impact why can’t I? I am ready to leave my footprint in the field of agriculture, and I am tired of sitting on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to make that impact.

Farmers cannot sit around waiting to plant the seeds or harvest them, business people cannot sit around waiting for the sales to come to them, and agriscientists certainly cannot sit around waiting for the next big discovery to just appear in their labs. And I certainly cannot sit around waiting for someone else to tell people about the miracles of agriculture! My question for you…how will you make an impact in the miraculous world of agriculture?!

It Takes Dedication

The summer of 2007 was supposed to be an exciting summer for our family. My grandparents were celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary and we had been planning for over a year for this joyous occasion. We invited friends from all around the nation, ordered all the food, and had everything in order. Then the unexpected happened…my grandma became deathly ill a week before the big celebration. Doctors told us to cancel the big celebration and to start praying.

This was nothing new for our family. Grandpa and grandma had their share of difficulties over the years, but what we learned through it all is that…it takes dedication.

On the day that we were supposed to have their big celebration, we had a smaller get together at the hospital in Fargo. We brought grandpa up from the nursing home and from the moment he got there ‘til the moment he left he stayed at one place…by grandma’s bed side. He stood by the bed, held her hand, and gazed into her eyes for the whole day…it takes dedication.

That is probably one of the greatest lessons I learned from my grandpa and grandma…it takes dedication. They taught me, my whole family, and probably everyone they came in contact with…it takes dedication. It takes dedication to raise a family, survive farming mishaps, an elevator fire, and a long list of other things. The crazy thing is that they never complained about it.

The legacy that my grandma and grandpa have created is one that includes a lot of dedication. The one thing I want you to take away from this blog entry is that life…takes dedication. Success…takes dedication. Love…takes dedication. Agriculture…takes dedication. But if there’s one thing that I know it is this: the dedication you put into whatever you do is well worth it. My grandpa and grandma were able to celebrate 50 years of life and love together because they understood…it takes dedication.

Living Life

Growing up on the farm has been by far one of the most influential things to have happened in my life.I honestly believe that the lessons that I have learned growing up on the farm wouldn’t have been learned anywhere else. And that these lessons will be a solid foundation as I continue on in life.

Farm life teaches you the importance of hard work and determination. Farm life teaches you to respect others and to always thank God for what he has blessed you with. Farm life teaches you that you have to work hard and that there are rewards if you have the patience to wait for them. Farm life teaches you that each and every one of us has unique talents and we each serve a different purpose. Farm life teaches you that worrying is inevitable but pointless since we are not in control. Farm life teaches you to think outside of the box...what works for one person won’t always work for the other. Farm life teaches you to never take life for-granted.

In our home we have a large picture with a poem by Bonnie Mohr. The poem is called Living Life and I would like to share it with you and challenge you to really think about what the poem says. There is a lot of truth in it, for those involved in agriculture and those who are not.

"Life is not a race - but indeed a journey. Be Honest. Work Hard. Be Choosy. Say "thank you", and "great job" to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Love your life and what you've been given, it is not accidental ~ search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you inspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them. Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming. Forgive, it frees the soul. Take time for yourself ~ Plan for longevity. Recognize the special people you've been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment.

How will you live your life? How will you be remembered by those around you? How will the lessons you have learned (whether on the farm or not) allow you to live a better life? How will your life be defined? Each of us has a unique purpose in this life, but the big question is this: how do we live our life while trying to fulfill our purpose? How is our life going to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Will the difference we make be a positive one? Think about it...

Lessons Learned

Yesterday after work I headed straight to the field. I always love helping on the farm and combining is one of my favorite things to do. Yesterday my two older brothers, Jason and Justin, and I were in charge of running the combines. As we went around and around I got to thinking about how awesome it is to be out in the field with my brothers; even better was the fact that my mom, dad and sister in-law Amanda were also busy helping to keep everything on track. I feel truly blessed to have grown up in a family who loves to be together and who are passionate about agriculture.

Growing up on a family farm I understood from an early age the importance of what we do. I also learned that every job is important, whether that means making the guys supper, cleaning the house, or running a combine; each job is vital to the success of our operation.

When I was younger the lessons I learned were different that those I'm learning today. When I was younger I learned: the floor of a combine is an excellent napping place, the guys love when you make cookies, and if you go with dad for the day he just might take you to the cafe for breakfast. Now I'm learning: the floors of the combine are a lot smaller than they used to be, the guys still love it when you make cookies, and the rewards for hard work are well worth it.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is this: I have learned so much by being a part of my family's farm. The more time I spend in the field the more I learn and the more I love what we do. Life is about learning lessons. Sometimes we learn from the mistakes we make and sometimes we learn from the mistakes others have made. But the most important thing is that we learn something. I'm sure that when I head to the field after work today I will learn another lesson...and that's just fine with me. I could spend the rest of my life in the field, and I'm sure there'd still be lessons to learn!

Strong Roots. Strong Yields

I recently attended the Asgrow/DEKALB dealer kickoff meeting, and I saw a DEKALB sign that said: Strong Roots. Strong Yields. The more I think about it, the more I realize that this sign is appropriate for not only DEKALB but for agriculture as a whole.

Those involved in production agriculture understand the importance of having strong roots in order to ensure that they can gain the highest yield potential possible. Those involved with agri-science understand that in order for advancement to occur they must have a strong foundation to build off of, if they wish to make substantial changes. For those in the agribusiness field it is all about relationships. Strong relationships help to ensure that customers are happy with the product and service, and that they are excited to return in the future. No matter what part of agriculture; the success all comes down to having strong roots; a strong foundation.

Growing up on the farm I have realized how important this is; whether it had to deal with crops or cattle. If my dad didn't take the time to make sure the ground was ready to be planted, the tiny seed would never develop into a high yielding plant. If my dad didn't take the time to find the best products, our operation might not be as successful. If my dad didn't take the time to care for the cattle we probably wouldn't have a 400 head herd. My point is this...farmers and ranchers set great examples for their children. In addition to building solid operations, they build strong foundations for their kids to learn from. As kids we might not always make the best decisions, but no matter what we know that we can always go back to those deep roots.

I can honestly say that without my mom and dad teaching me the importance of hard work and responsibility I wouldn't be the person I am today. And they aren't the only ones who have taught me this; it is everyone involved in agriculture. No matter where I go I can see this motto lived out. It's in the fields I drive by, the cattle shows I go to, the businesses I enter, the latest developments I hear about...every aspect of agriculture show me how important strong roots are.

Strong Roots. Strong Yields. It's more than just a saying on a DEKALB sign...it's a motto for the agricultural industry!

Unique Story

We all have a story, our stories are unique and diverse but our stories all have one thing in common...agriculture. Whether your tie to agriculture comes from growing up on a farm or ranch, or if the only connection you have to agriculture is the food you eat; it really doesn't matter.

All of our stories rely heavily on the story agriculture has written, the unfortunate thing about this is that all too often people don't realize the impact agriculture has on their lives. The even more unfortunate thing is that those directly tied to agriculture are partially to blame.

Those directly tied to agriculture understand how important agriculture is, but so often we fail to tell others. We often get frustrated because animal rights and environmental groups are gaining ground with the uniformed public, but to be honest we have no one to blame but ourselves. If we just took the time to inform the general public about the importance of agriculture in their life we wouldn't have to worry so much about these groups gaining more and more support. We must inform the general public about the amazing story of agriculture. But when telling agriculture's story we must remember one thing...keep it simple!

Young children and those who aren't as connected with agriculture don't always understand our technical language. In fact most of them get pretty lost when we use words like acres, bushels, etc. They relate better to "I raised enough wheat to produce 87,600 loaves of bread" versus "I raised 1,200 bushels of wheat." Yes, it takes a little bit of time to figure out just how many loaves of bread could be produced with "x" amount of bushels, but the results will resonate with people on a much louder level.

By taking the time to talk with others about agriculture you may actually learn something about the unique story agriculture has written. For instance you may come to find out that in one year a dairy cow will produce 1,500 gallons or 6,000 quarts of milk. Or that a hive of bees flies 55,000 miles to produce one pound of honey. These are facts that people not directly involved with agriculture understand, can relate to. The world of agriculture has its own unique story. But what are we doing to make sure that story is heard loud and clear?