5 Reasons I'm Grateful to be Farming

Today is National Farmers Day and I went back and worth on what to do, what to say and how to celebrate, but last night as my Farmer and I laid in bed, tired of talking about the harvest that really has never gotten going, I made him think of five things he's grateful for, to appreciate the little things and the big things in his life.  So this morning I figured what better way to celebrate National Farmers Day than by writing down why I'm thankful to be farming.

The Gamble of Farming

Yesterday on my Facebook Page I shared a post from Dairy farmer, Dairy Carrie.  She wrote a wonderfully written post about the hard times facing the Dairy industry right now.  I had several followers comment on the post about how they had no idea, and to one I responded that "farming can be a gamble".

Why is farming such a gamble?

We work hard to make our farm is sustainable by investing in conservation and technology to ensure we are using the best practices.  But even if we are doing everything right, we are still at the mercy of things we can't control like the weather and the markets.  We try to harness those risks through investing in certain seed traits for our crops, by spraying during times of insect and disease pressure, and doing different market strategies to hopefully create a safety net.

But sometimes, like right now, no matter how you play your hand the cards aren't going to win you money and you're just hoping you leave the table (or each year) at a break-even.  Not too long ago we had strong commodity prices and were on a hot streak.  On our farm we used that time to build up assets, pay off long-term debts and build a buffer to help us ride out the low times till the odds were more in our favor.

Some farmers are starting to reach their limit of being able to stay at the table and unfortunately are going bust.  It is so sad to see all the hard-work and dedication of these individuals through the years, if not decades, and even generations have put forth to stay in the game that they love.  This is one reason why I've had such a high interest in mental health in the farming community lately.  In fact, I read the other day with things so hard in the dairy industry right now, that some dairy cooperatives were sending suicide hotline information out with their bills.

So why would you farm?

It may sound silly, but my husband and I farm because we love it.  We love that everyday is "bring your child to work" day and that our four children are learning life skills of hard work, dedication, respect and empathy.  I love that I am carrying on my family's tradition of farming as a 5th generation farmer.  I love that our children get to see multi-generations working together daily.  I love the community of agriculture and that everyone is willing to help one another.

Farming is special and there is no other place I'd rather be than right here on our farm, building on both my husband's and my family's legacies for the future generation, our children.

I hope you all have a great National Ag Day and I would love to hear any of your questions you have about farming.  As always, be sure to Comment for a Cause.

Understanding Stress in Farming

Farmers are hard workers, resilient and independent.  While all of these traits are great characteristics for running a small business, they can also become barriers for speaking up and seeking help when it comes to their own or other's mental health.  Mental health in the farming industry has been something I've been interested in learning more about and that is why I am going to continue to support The Do More Agriculture Foundation this month through my Comments for a Cause program. 

I don't know if it is because I'm getting older and more aware, or if it is because people are becoming more open, but I feel like mental health is a growing concern with farmers all across the nation and world.  It is becoming such a growing issue that I had the opportunity to go to a workshop last week called, "Down on the Farm: Supporting Farmers in Stressful Times" put on by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Sheriffs' Association, USDA Farm Service Agency, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Minnesota Extension, and several more organizations.  I was impressed by the number of people attending the workshop and by the number of groups that supported it.

The workshop talked about how to take care of yourself, warning signs and symptoms, how to be an engaged and effective listener, and how to have empathy.  I found it really interesting that 1 in 5 adults are affected by mental illness.  The group that lead the workshop did a survey this past fall to a large group of individuals working in several aspects of agriculture and the top five stressors for farmers, that all saw an increase of concern from the year before were financial worries, anxiety, farm transfer, burnout and depression.

How do you know something's not right?  Some of the main clues that someone may be needing some mental help are:

• Physical appearance (weight, grooming)
• Inability to make decisions
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Mood change
• Sleep changes - insomnia or sleeping all the time
• Change in farmstead appearance
• Field/livestock conditions
• Distraction
• Illness

Any of these look familiar?  The two that really popped out at me was the inability to make decisions and feelings of worthlessness.  These two things might seem minor, but can really take a toll on a person.  One of the nurses in attendance at the workshop (which by the way, I loved that there were people in healthcare in attendance) pointed out illness.  She said over 80% of disease is caused by stress!  The big take-home from this part of the workshop for me was, if you see something, say something.  

How to say something?  (This is where I loved that the Minnesota Sheriffs were involved in the workshop.  They really gave great insight from their trainings and real-life situations.)   If you see one of those warning signs above, the first thing you need to do is to be an active listener.  Ask the person open ended questions to find out how they are doing and feeling.  To help you understand them better, ask for clarification by paraphrasing what you did hear by using sayings like "What I'm hearing is..." or "Sounds like you are saying..." or "What do you mean when you say..".  When you reflect the speaker's feelings, they perceive you as empathetic.

Here are some tools you can use to be an engaged and effective listener:

• Emotional labeling (respond to the emotions you hear in the person's voice rather than the content)
• Paraphraising
• Reflecting/mirroring (repeat the last word or phrase the person said and put a question mark after it)
• Effective pauses (most people are not comfortable with silence, let them fill it in and talk)
• Minimal encouragers (Oh?, When?, Really?)
• "I" messages
• Open-ended questions (begin with: how, when, what or where; don't use why questions and they sound judgmental)

Being empathetic with the other person is important for building understanding and trust.  Remember that feelings are universal, experiences are not.  Don't make assumptions about a person's feelings. Instead listen for their values.  Find out what they think is important.  And always remember to treat everyone with respect.  Listen without judgement and do not inject your own values into the situation.  This is about THEM, not about YOU!

Now what?  If you feel like someone is going through one of these situations, check in with them and listen.  Also, be sure to check back in with the person after a couple days or even a week later.  At the workshop they had some great resources from the National Alliance on Mental Health, the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  But I think the biggest thing I got from the workshop is just making sure you or the other person know that it is okay to talk about it and to get help.  One thing that one of the presenters said that really stuck with me was "somethings you can't get better by working harder".  What an eye opening thing to hear!  As a farmer we are driven by hard work but sometimes we need to stop, reflect, and realize that we can't do it all on our own.  We're busy taking care of our livestock, land, family, etc. but we need to realize we can't do any of that if we don't take care of ourselves.

I encourage all of you to open up about mental health.  Be sure to share any tips or resources you have and remember to Comment for a Cause all month to help the Do More Ag Foundation spread awareness about mental health needs, concerns and resources.

Ladies Night Out in the Field

As a busy Mom of four I'm always looking for a good excuse for a Ladies Night Out, and that was part of the inspiration behind CommonGround Iowa's inaugural Ladies Night Out: Banquet in the Field.

Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

I am a volunteer with the national CommonGround program, which brings together women farmers from across the United States, to share about the food we grow and how we produce it.  Our goal is to have conversations to help consumers sort through the myths and misinformation surrounding food and farming.  There are twelve volunteers in the state of Iowa.  Last year after harvest we got together and decided we wanted to create an event where we could foster relationships with other women in Iowa and talk about food, farming and family.  One of our volunteers, Kellie Blair, volunteered to host the event, and from there the event that brought together 40 women from Central Iowa (and four men - all with the last name Blair and our photographer 😉) got its roots.

Our host Kellie Blair and one of the Blair men 😉
welcoming guests to their family's farm
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

The evening started off with appetizers and small chat over wine.  It was great to meet a wide variety of women - teachers, legislators, marketing professionals, business owners, pastors, etc.

Des Moines Moms Blog Co-Owners Andrea Cooley and Kara Knaack
having a conversation with CommonGround Volunteer Sara Ross and myself
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

After everyone arrived and had their fill of appetizers, Kellie welcomed everyone to their corn, soybean, pig and cattle farm.  Kellie and her husband AJ took the group around to checkout some of their equipment and cattle, as well as answer questions about some of their farming practices and technologies used.

AJ sharing about their beef cattle calving season,
while many got their perfect cow photo and cow selfies
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

Then it was time for supper to be served.  The menu included amazing smoked beef tri tip, roasted pork tenderloin, marinated garden vegetables with edamame, and dauphinoise potatoes.  I have to specifically name the menu because it was delicious and perfect for a ladies night out!

Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

Following supper there was a short program which included AE Dairy President & CEO Miriam Erickson Brown.  It was great to catch up with both her and AE Dairy Director of Marketing Kim Peter that evening, and for Miriam to share the AE Dairy story with all of the attendees.  AE Dairy has made changes over the decades to reflect trends but one thing remains the same, their passion for quality and that starts with the cows on the Iowa dairy farms they source their milk from.  I also loved that she shared about being a third generation family business owner.

Miriam Erickson Brown, President & CEO of AE Dairy
sharing with the women about her family's dairy business
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

But you want to know what my favorite part of the evening was???  It was the dessert!  And not just because the warm apple crisp and vanilla ice cream were once again delicious; it was because of the conversations held sitting at the tables or standing in line to get more ice cream.  After a couple hours of dinning and hearing about all of the volunteers' farms, the women in attendance had lots of questions and were interested in learning more.  Our intimate setting was the perfect spot for everyone to feel comfortable to ask any question and have discussions about food and farming.  There were so many connections made that evening.

Blair Farm
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

Thank you to Kellie and AJ for being our gracious hosts.  You both were great at sharing about your farm with everyone.  Thanks to my fellow CommonGround Iowa volunteers for working on everything from the invite list, to bringing flowers from their personal gardens to use as table decorations.  Thank you to our CommonGround staff for making arrangements for things like a tent, tables and chairs, and for taking our ideas and transforming them into something tangible.  And lastly, thanks to all of the women who shared their Friday night with us.  I hope you had a great Ladies Night Out and I can't wait for the 2nd Annual event next year!

Have you ever been to a Ladies Night Out on a farm?  Have you ever been to a Banquet in a Field?  Share about your experiences in the comments section.  And if you haven't been to an event like this and would like to, let me know that as well!  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

The Calm Before the Storm

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "the calm before the storm" means: a quiet or peaceful period before a period during which there is great activity.  I think that can perfectly describe this time period for my family and I, right now, before fall harvest begins.  We are in a time period where we are planning and getting things ready for a busy phase of our year, and at the same time, we are able to get out an have a little fun before we'll be in the field, God willing, beginning at the end of this month and ending hopefully by Thanksgiving.

As for the harvest planning, we've primarily been busy getting our combine ready so we'll be able to harvest our corn and soybeans.  We went to a combine clinic (where you get information to help your combine preform better and more efficiently, as well as general harvest information and tips) last week and just today we bought a new grain wagon (which My Farmer followed up with, Happy Birthday!).  I am actually really excited for the new grain wagon because it will be "mine".  I am the grain wagon driver during harvest.  I follow the combine along passes through the field to catch the grain, and then I dump the grain into our semi-truck or grain wagons to be hauled to a grain bin for storage or directly to a grain elevator or ethanol plant.  This new wagon has the capacity of a semi-truck and has a meter on it so you can keep track of bushels and weight straight out of the field!

Our family tailgating last Saturday at Iowa State
JP and MP in the Stroller with My Farmer
and LP and I on the other side of Cy

On the home front, the kids and I have been in a really good flow and schedule since school started, and knock on wood, we've even been keeping up on our cleaning schedule.  We also, have even been able to get away from the farm to have a little fun with both family and friends!  Last weekend one highlight was that we headed to My Farmer's and my alma mater, Iowa State University, to tailgate and watch a Cyclone football victory.  Before we expect the corn and soybeans to be dry enough to start harvesting, we are looking forward to another game, our church's annual ice cream social, and a college friend's wedding.

So for now, I'm enjoying the little things, and peace, before we get busy with harvest.  (Now as I get ready to hit publish on this post, I hope this post doesn't jink the calmness and good flow we've been having lately, or my expectations for harvest to begin and end...)  What are some "calm before the storm" moments you have or have had?  Is your September easy-going or busy?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Farming - Lifestyle vs Business

If you asked 1,000 random people from across the country to describe farming I think you'd probably get 1,000 different answers.  Many people would focus on the nostalgic lifestyle of farming - wide open spaces, taking care of the land and animals, and the simple life.  While others might think about big business or big ag, Monsanto and "the almighty dollar".  

When I'm asked why I farm, I start by talking about the lifestyle.  It is how My Farmer and I want to raise our children and it's the way we've always wanted to live.  Farming is in our blood and we are proud to carry on the tradition.  I love being surrounded by fields and the privacy that farming gives us.  At the same time though, I have got to think of farming as a business.  After-all, this is the sole way our family makes a living.  And just like everyone else out there, I want to do the best I can at my business so I can provide for my family.  I want our farm to be successful, so we can live the life we want.

So why can't farming be both about business and lifestyle?  It is a balancing-act I feel to have the lifestyle I want for myself and my family, while still taking on risk and enough work and effort to make our business viable.  Harvest is a busy time for my family.  I feel like we spend a lot of time concentrating on the business but I am thankful that my whole family, three generations to be exact, get to be apart of that business which helps all remember about the lifestyle benefits of doing what we love, farming.

What do you first think of when you think of farming?  Lifestyle or business?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

(This post is a part of a 31 Days from a Tractor Seat series.  The best way to keep up with this series is to follow via email on the right sidebar of this post or by following on Bloglovin.  Also be sure to like the Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids Facebook page for daily updates from the field.)

Farming - A Family Tradition (Part II)

In February, I wrote a post about Farming - A Family Tradition.  In the post I shared some of my family's farming history and legacy today.  I enjoyed putting this post together and since originally posting, I have used the basis of the post for a presentation for civic groups this winter.

My Grandpa, Dad and Great-Grandpa
working on the hay elevator in the Summer of 1981

I bring this up because my Grandma just sent me a copy of a photo she took in the Summer of 1981 of My Great-Grandpa, Grandpa and Dad all working on the farm together.  By presenting about my family's farming legacy and what the future holds at civic groups this winter, I have discovered how truly blessed I am to grow up and know my family.  My Great-Grandpa and his brother helped on our farm for many years.  My Great-Grandpa passed away when I was in elementary school, and his brother died when I was in junior-high.  My Great-Grandma passed away my senior year in college.  How many people get to have close relationships with members of their family three generations before them?

By growing up in farming families both My Farmer and I have gained the work ethic and pride of being farmers from generations past.  Because of this, we both feel a purpose to engage in farming and to continue our family's farming legacy.  (And may I add, the reason we fell in love - ahhh!)

My Farmer and I feel so proud of farming today and feel fortunate to be doing so.  When our families started farming in the United States through just recently, farming was a means of family support.  Today, farming has become a business.  Even though this may be, My Farmer and I strive for farming to be more than a business for us, for it to be a way of life, just as it was for our elders.

Developing Your Pinterest Potential

How many of you enjoy going on Pinterest?  I know I love going on Pinterest to get ideas for holidays, kids crafts and activities, photography, recipes and I've been on the site a lot lately getting ready for a certain soon to be 2 year old's birthday party.  Besides collecting ideas for myself, what is my "Pinterest Potential" to reach others?

Pinterest is simply a virtual bulletin board.  What makes it unique, is that your pins on your bulletin board can be seen by millions of people.  This is an opportunity to reach millions of others with similar interests as you and grow your network, your business and your views.  So how are you going to utilize your "Pinterest Potential"?

My "Pinterest Potential" is showing the value of agriculture in every day images and pins.  I've been on Pinterest for over a year and about a year ago I started a board that shared different fun facts about farming and agriculture called "Living to Farm, Farming to Live."  Then around nine months ago I was asked to join a couple "shared board" about agriculture.  The first is "Farms & Rural America, Food & Agriculture".  This board is a "tribute to farmers, rural lifestyle, those working in agriculture and people with an interest in any of those."  It is a great board for people that have an interest in where their food comes from.  As of this morning, there are 199 contributors to the board and there are 2,147 followers to the board.  The second is "AgNerd".  This board has a similar purpose as the other and has 69 contributors and has 555 followers.

One person who I think has done a great job of developing their "Pinterest Potential" is Katie On the Banks of Squaw Creek.  Her blog and Pinterest boards center around her family, kids and renovating her 100 year old farmhouse on a turkey farm.  Katie has seen a lot of traffic to her blog from Pinterest.  What might draw people to her blog initially are her decorating for small room ideas, or her tips on working with kids that are picky eaters.  But once they get to her blog they have the opportunity to learn more about her family's farm.  One of her blogs that I pinned about a month ago included a cute printable sign she made that said "Wash your Hands and Say your Prayers because Germs and Jesus are Everywhere."  Once a person clicks on the pin to visit the website to download the sign, they'll also learn about how they care for their turkeys on their farm.  Katie has found her "Pinterest Potential."

So whether you'd like people to learn about your business, your product or even your farm, think about what your "Pinterest Potential" is and don't forget to utilize Pinterest, one of the fastest growing social media tools available!  Also, don't forget to follow my boards and pins on Pinterest and check out other social media goals I have set for the year!

Farming - A Family Tradition

When you hear the words “family business” what do you first think of?  The local restaurant, or maybe your dental practice, or maybe the community pharmacy store.  Do you ever think of the farmers in your community?  My husband and I are proud to be 5^th generation farmers and we work hard every day so our kids can be the 6^th.  Five generations!  Can many other family businesses say that?

My family’s farming story is similar to other Iowa farm families.  My great-great-grandparents, Julius & Reka, immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1890.  They settled in Hamilton County, Iowa, where they got married, started a family and continued their engagement in farming, which was my great-great-grandpa’s trade in Germany.  An interesting side note is that they paid for the passage of their farm-hand, Fritz, to come from Germany a few years later.  Fritz then worked for the family to pay-off his passage.  So in 1890 in Hamilton County, Iowa, my family’s farming legacy began and still continues today.  My Dad is now the fourth generation to work on some of that original ground that his great-grandpa Julius farmed.

Our Farming Tradition's 6th Generation

The truth is my family is not the only ones who have made farming a family tradition.  In the United States 98% of all farms are family-owned.  So why do families make farming their heritage?  Farmers pride themselves on putting food on the table and preserving the land.  Through these goals, generations have learned a powerful work ethic and respect.  Because of this, the next generation feels a purpose to engage in farming and continue their family’s farming legacy.  Both my husband and I have always wanted to farm since we were little kids.  We are both so proud of farming today and feel fortunate to be doing so.  I can already see this sense of purpose to farm with our 23-month old son.  He loves to help on the farm!  If it isn’t the season to be in the tractor with my husband or I, then he’s “carpet farming” in the house.  If he doesn’t get up early enough to ride along for morning chores with my husband, then he’s at least taking responsibility for the dog’s needs at the house.  A farmer has already been made in the sixth generation.

This is a guest post I did for a local chicken hatchery in Rudd, Iowa - Hoover's Hatchery.  Check out their blog and follow them on twitter, facebook and pinterest.

I feel like this post had great timing with all the excitement from the Super Bowl's "So God Made a Farmer" Ram Trucks commercial.  I think my family's farming tradition explains, as Paul Harvey would say it, "the rest of the story", behind why "God Made a Farmer".

What I've Learned About the iPad Since Christmas

Did anyone get an iPad for Christmas this year?  Well, my family did, in a way.  One of the seed companies we bought corn from gave customers a new iPad 4 - 32 GB, as a thank you gift.  I say thank you loosely because in the end, we really paid for it, but it was a nice perk from buying from them this year!  Anyways, My Farmer and I have always been PC people and have stayed far away from any Apple/Mac products.  But we are happy with our new iPad and have enjoyed using it.

LP might just enjoy the iPad the most out of the whole family

I figured I'd share a few tricks to the iPad we've learned by "playing around" on it and by going to an iPad class offered through an area Verizon dealer store, Cell Tech in Hampton and the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, along with some of our family's favorite apps.

iPad Tips and Tricks:

• To move an app to a different location or different page, hold down on the app till it starts shaking, at this point you can move it to where you'd like.
• To make folders of apps, for example - we have all of my son's apps in one folder, make the apps shake, then drag apps you'd like grouped together on top of each other.  This will create a folder that you can then give a name.
• To multi-task, double-click the home button and it will bring up all your apps as a bottom scroll bar, you can then bring up another program while saving your spot on another app.

Favorite iPad apps:

• My Farmer's favorite apps:  
• AgPhDMain - farming programs and tools from the Hefty brothers
• AgPhD Fert. Removal - you select a crop such as corn and it tells you the fertilizer removal information for it
• Angry Birds - My Farmer use to have this game on his phone but deleted it because it was so addicting - he says it is even better on a bigger screne! (we might need to delete it in the future... and not just because of him, we all play it!)
• LP's favorite apps:  
• PBS Kids - if you're traveling this is great because it has full episodes of all the PBS Kids television programs - LP loves "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood"
• Farmyard - this is wear you build your own farm by adding animals, farmers, tractors, etc. - everytime you add something to your farm scene it says what it is and makes the sound
• I Hear Ewe - it has a variety of farm and jungle animals, as well as different forms of transportation on it and as you click on something it will say the name along with the sound it makes
• My favorite apps:  
• Evernote - if you're a note taker this is a great program that sinks your To Do list between your phone, iPad, computer, internet, etc.
• Bible - a nice tool to easily search for a bible verse, bible chapter, etc. or just to read the Bible from
• Ant Smasher - this is another addicting game that the whole family enjoys playing where you smash ants, but watch out for the bees!

Do you have any iPad tips or tricks that you can share?  What are your favorite iPad apps?

Farming = A Delicate Game

In a recent article where My Farmer and I were interviewed about our involvement with the ASA/Dupont Young Leader Program (the program that inspired me to actually start this blog!) My Farmer was quoted for saying, "Having access to land and capital and being able to get big enough, fast enough to support a growing family and still maintain good relationships with neighbors is a delicate game."

After conversations that My Farmer and I had with neighbors, landlords and friends today, I couldn't help but think of what he said.  There is a lot of competition in farming, and I think what My Farmer said describes farming for us, other young farmers, and farmers in general very well.  This weekend My Farmer and I are attending the Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Conference where I'm sure this topic will be discussed by many attendees.

New Year's Resolution

Today is January 1st - the day that many people, all across the world, make a New Year's Resolution.  I have made New Year's resolutions in the past, some I have successfully done for the entire year and longer, while others I fail at within the first part of the year.

One of my New Year's resolutions for this year is to create this blog and post on a regular basis.  Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids sums up me and my family pretty well.  I have been married to my best friend, My Farmer, for almost four years and we raise corn, soybeans, have two wean to finish hog barns and have a 10 month old son, LP.  We live in North Central Iowa, or as we like to call it - God's Country.  In God's Country the land is flat and black and you can see for miles just by standing on your front porch.  We love farming and the life that it gives our family.  We are farming to live and living to farm.  I look forward to connecting with others about our life in God's Country.

So here's to New Year's resolutions and keeping them for the entire year and longer!