Farm Kid Syndrome

This is a chronic problem for any child born into a small business, really.  The signs include unsettled behavior when given the chance to relax (from time to time) and work ethic that can be unmatched when the afflicted is "in their zone."  However, it took me 21 years to figure out what my condition is, and today I was reminded of it.  In my second week back at college, I found myself not being able to sleep past 8 AM this Saturday morning and could only sit down so long before I was cleaning my apartment and preparing myself for the day. 

On a more serious note, these are the individuals from families that get up before dawn every morning to live out their American dream, produce the food we eat, provide for their families and protect their livelihoods.  It doesn't matter if it is the dairy or beef farmer or the family hardware store, the foundation of these businesses and essentially their communities are built on a family support system that is unmatched.

When these businesses suffer, so do the families that built them, the entrepreneurs that have no choice but to take work home with them--because they live in the business setting (for the most part).  And when these businesses thrive, their families and communities grow even stronger.

With all of the latter in mind, you can only imagine the sense of responsibility and reality small business and farm kids have instilled in them early in life.  These are the kids that volunteer first, go above and beyond in their area of interest and truly understand the importance of fiscal responsibility.  They also know the power of incentive and the degradation of a workforce (society) that can result from a lack of accountability.  They (we) are products of our environment--though not the most interesting and 'fun' to many others--it produces the people that make the 'world go round.' 
     

Lots to chew on...loosen your belts to make room for the facts

Welcome followers!  This blog is going to be more than just another rant about life...it's going to make you think about something that is very close to my heart--agriculture.  Yeah, I know, boring right?...just a bunch of ignorant hicks or greedy, subsidy protected, market manipulating businessmen...WRONG!  These are your ancestors, and closest descendants of the Agrarian society that these United States of America developed out of.  They serve on school and town boards, volunteer in fire departments, produce the food we eat, and fuel the local, state, national and global economies, but represent maybe the most introverted and smallest sector in our society.  Well, I'm the black sheep in that regard, and I'm going to introduce you to those that make it all happen.  This blog will pick up news that surfaces and common misconceptions about agriculture; walk through the mess of words...correct the lies, and work towards connecting with those of you that want to get a sense of our livelihood.  Welcome, and remember, don't bite the hand that feeds you!