Monsanto Representative Visits the Wilson Home and Farm

I first met Janice "JP" Person (otherwise known on Twitter as @JPLovesCotton) when I attended the AgChat Training in Chicago in 2010.

I've blogged about her before...

http://farmeronamission.blogspot.com/2011/10/jp-loves-cotton.html

She was full of energy and I was amazed and what a whiz she was with social media tools. She has helped open my eyes to a whole new realm of connectivity with farmers and ranchers around the world, with those who purchase and consume the end products made from the crops we grow, and folks in between.

We kept running into each other at industry events and keeping in touch online. Here she included me in the list of folks she visited with at the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference in Orlando...

http://janiceperson.com/social-media/faces-americas-young-farmers-ranchers/

She reads, and references, my blog (scroll down to "Want to know more about wheat?")

http://janiceperson.com/ag-awareness/wheat-fields-missouri-roadtrips-midwest/

Then when she planned a summer vacation to North Dakota, I was flattered that the Wilson Farm made the list of her "must sees".

I wish I could introduce everyone I know to Janice because she is one of those really special people that is completely genuine and by knowing her, I know there are people in the corporate world that really care (and she cares deeply) about those of us trying to make a living in agriculture. She cares enough that she keeps coming back to North Dakota to learn more and to share her expertise and experiences. Even yesterday, when it was REALLY cold, she travelled to Bismarck.

I am writing now because I realized how much I missed seeing her this time around.

She came to North Dakota the first time this summer and she blogged about her experiences...

http://janiceperson.com/travel/can-southern-hospitality-be-matched-in-the-dakotas/

She also made this touching video called "Parenting on the Prairie", which features our family, and causes me to tear up (with joy) everytime I watch it:

http://janiceperson.com/travel/parenting-on-the-prairie-photos-from-my-dakota-vacation-dadchat/

This summer, we met up with Janice at a friends house where she and Jeremy "agnerded"
about farm-related iPhone apps.

Later that week, she stayed with our family and spent the day touring our farm and our town.

She drove one of our tractors.

She checked our crops with us.

She stayed, even though our "guest room" (which doubles as my office) was formerly my six year old's bedroom and is all Disney Princessed-out.

She stayed, even though there is duct tape on the inside of our ONLY bathroom door. (My kids are infamous for playing with the lock, then closing the door behind them, so I took care of that, lol)

She stayed, even though my three year old daughter had wiped poop on our shower curtain. (Apparently, my little gal couldn't reach the toilet paper, so I guess she went for the next closest thing).

Bless her heart! Janice is a representative of one of the largest agricultural corporations in the world (which we are proud to do business with). She could have gone anywhere on her vacation, but she chose to come see our little family in our little town.

Then a few weeks after she left, the most amazing gift arrived.

A lovely card and a USB drive with all the photos she took while she was here. Janice is a VERY talented photographer and I treasure these photos because not only are they candid shots of us just being us, but I'm in them with my family. You see, I'm almost always behind the camera, so photos of me interacting with my family are worth more than precious jewels to me.

God bless you Janice, in all you do. THANK YOU for the work you do at Monsanto and on your personal time. Your passion is inspiring. THANK YOU for choosing to share your talents with agriculture, when you had the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. THANK YOU for making the effort to really get to know the people behind the products you represent.

Our door is always open (and the lock will likely be covered in tape).

Sarah :)

My Favorite Parenting Book Becomes Inadvertently Scandolous

At times throughout my parenting journey, I am inadvertently scandolous.

I have to share with you that my favorite book on parenting (other than the Bible) is

"Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours" by Dr. Kevin Leman.

It is a wonderful guide to parenting that is both entertaining and VERY helpful and was recommended by the wife of a pastor who is a dear friend of our family, which makes the following story all the more blush-inducing.

One evening Jeremy and I got to go on a rare, but well-deserved "real date" (this is a date that does not involve any children or farm equipment).

The babysitter arrived- a lovely gal whom we met through a Bible-study at church.  I gave her instructions, and off we went.

When I returned home and was about to fall into bed, I looked down and realized that I had haphazardly stuck the book into a basket on my nightstand- in plain view of anyone who came in to tend to the baby in the crib in our room.

My jaw dropped.

There it was... "Making Children"! 

 

 

 

Can't make this stuff up. LOL.

 

Sarah :)

 

 

 



Our Farm is #WorthTheFight

I love agriculture with every cell in my body.  It is not just a vocation, but a calling.



(Photo by www.janiceperson.com )
Our children are the FIFTH generation on our farm.

Living and working on a farm is the best way I know how to raise a family, but it seems like more and more these days there are forces working against us.

From over-regulation, to misguided legislation, to activists with too much time and money on their hands, to ever-thinning profit margins, the challenges in farming today are many

However, like this awesome new tune called "Worth The Fight" by the band The Departed says (listen here), I'm going to keep "kicking and swinging".

Stand back folks, I've got my big girl gloves on...

 

because this life and our farm are worth the fight!

I don't do this for myself.  Believe me, it would be much easier to sit back, do things like they've always been done, and be apathetic to the threats to agriculture around the world. I'd get a lot more sleep and my house would be much cleaner (...maybe).

Instead, I have chosen to invest my time and efforts and fight for the legacy left by those that went before me.

Jeremy's Grandpa W.C. "Bill" Wilson, just after graduating from high school.

And for the opportunities for those that may choose to follow in my footsteps.

Hoping to inspire some future farmers :)

Check out these posts from my friends in agriculture that think it's #worththefight too!

Props to "Dairy Carrie" for putting this little campaign together:

http://dairycarrie.com/2012/09/11/worth-the-fight-worththefight/

My friend "just down the road" (about 60 miles), Val Wagner:

http://wagfarms.com/2012/09/11/worth-fighting-for/

The man behind "I am Agriculture Proud", Ryan Goodman

http://agricultureproud.com/2012/09/11/love-for-agriculture-and-red-dirt-music-worththefight/

A recent visitor to our farm, Janice Person
http://janiceperson.com/food/gotta-keep-movin-far-from-easy-but-worththefight/

and there are many others so check out the Twitter hashtag #worththefight !

THANKS for stopping by and I hope you'll join me in the fight for the right to feed, clothe, and fuel our world.

Step 1: If you are a North Dakotan, Vote YES for Measure 3, www.ndfeedingfamilies.com

Sarah :)

Creeds I Live By

Today is Wednesday and many of my friends and colleagues will be blogging with "Wordless Wednesday" posts, but I'm going in totally different direction here today, and posting about words that are important to me.

There are two creeds that sum up my entire existence. The first explains my entire existence, and in my heart and mind, the second is simply an extension of the principles that are laid out in the first. I hope you enjoy reading both, and I hope you are encouraged and inspired as much as I am when you read them.

The first is The Apostles' Creed: (Source: www.afajournal.org). According to a recent article in the American Family Association Journal, it is "the oldest statement of faith outside the New Testament" and "in its earliest form, the creed dates back to about A.D. 125..." Today we recite what I would call an "updated" version of this in my church, which includes changes like "catholic" being replaced with "christian", and "quick" being replaced with "living".  I understand the reasons for the changes, but personally I prefer the "old school" version I learned in my little country church as a child, because it is forever engrained in my memory as it is written below and my tongue still stumbles over the changes on occasion.  When I recite it as follows, I can still feel my Grandparents standing next to me in their Sunday best, my hands resting on the wooden pew in front of me and the kind voice of Reverend Wilbur Taylor leading our congregation in it's recitation.

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I beleve in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen."

The second is the FFA Creed (Source: www.ffa.org)  According to the National FFA Organization (formerly known as the Future Farmers of America), which I joined in the 7th grade, "The FFA creed was written by E. M. Tiffany, and adopted at the 3rd National Convention of the FFA. It was revised at the 38th Convention and the 63rd Convention."  I think it is as true today as it ever was.

"I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task."

It is my hope that as my children are growing and beginning to understand the importance of the written and spoken word and how words can reflect our faith and the values that are the foundation for our farm, that they too will hold these creeds in their hearts as well and recite them with conviction and dignity.

What words do YOU and your family live by?

This Makes the Wee Redhead Happy

There are a lot of things the wee redhead (age 2.5) likes...

Ballet...

Being "pwitty"...

Tawkin' on da phone to Gwamma...

Pancakes with sprinkles at Perkins...

Her "yittle brudda"...

Most of all, her Papa...

 He took her along to help haul grain the other day.  We use two tractor trailers (aka "semi's") to haul our crops (corn, wheat, soybeans) from the field to one of two locations.  First, it may go to the grain bins, where the grain will be stored for a few months before being hauled to the grain elevator.  Second, it may go directly to the grain elevator, where it be stored or will go by train across the U.S. and possibly on a barge overseas.

Here is one of our trucks:

Here the wee redhead and her Papa are heading for the trucks...

(THANK YOU to our friend, Tony, who has been helping with harvest, for snapping these pics of how Jeremy got her safely from one truck to the other).

Here she is perched in her car seat with her coloring book, being her Papa's assistant grain hauler.

We didn't realize how much this day meant to her until this project came home from daycare:

It says "This makes me happy..."

Thanks for stopping by!

Sarah :)

Thankful Thursday: Mama's View of Wheat Harvest

Oh how I long to be behind the wheel of one of those big machines, be it the combine which collects the grain, or the tractor trailer (aka "semi") hauling grain to the storage bin or the grain elevator.  I only get to be a farm equipment operator on rare occasions these days. 

You see, as the only child in my family, I was expected to help on the farm and be son my father never had. 

No problem for me, I was quite the tomboy, so I grew up running farm equipment, helping Dad repair equipment, sand blasting, etc.  Even in our dating days and early marriage, Jeremy was teaching me to be an official farm hand.  I loved it, but it seemed that God had other plans, because we were only 5 weeks into our marriage when we got pregnant with C.W., which was such an answer to prayer :) 

So today, having been blessed with three little ones ages four, two, and three months, and two jobs off the farm, one with a farm organization, the other as a professional speaker, I'm not only booked up, but it isn't a safe situation to have such little ones around such large equipment with Mama's attention divided. 

 

I know my time will come, when the kids are a little older, and I will wait patiently for the "equipment operator" chapter of my life.  Okay, those of you who know me, know that, in reality, I wait patiently for NOTHING, but I'm hoping the good Lord will help me "embrace my place" and enjoy these precious moments with my little ones for the precious gift that they are. 

 

So here's a little glimpse into the view from Mama's seat, not the one high up in the combine or the semi, but from the driver's seat of the family pick-up that the children named "Hi Ho Silver".  I'm the official "go-fer"...I "go-fer" supper...I "go-fer" parts...you get my drift :) 

The day I snapped these pics, we were working on wheat harvest. Yields were disappointing due to the goofy weather we had this spring/summer, but I always say something is better than nothing to harvest.

I had parked on an approach (little driveway across the ditch) into the field. I knew that a truck would be arriving soon to get filled with grain, but I stayed there because I didn't want to leave the pickup running in the tall wheat stubble (can we say fire hazard?) and we needed some air circulation and the Curious George story on CD to keep playing :)

So there I was sitting, when the baby got hungry. Sure enough, as soon as he'd settled into nursing, I had to move the pickup. So I put it into drive and got out of the way of the truck. I think this earns me a gold medal in multi-tasking :)  Of course, I would NEVER do this on a road, but in a smooth field, for a short distance, it worked. And it made me laugh. Being a farmwife and mother, I am constantly doing things that I'd never imagined doing in a million years. 

I love my life :)

- Sarah

Wordless Wednesday: Tea for Two and Two for Tea

Here the wee red head (age 2) prepares and serves "hot tea" (a.k.a. the fleece scraps from the Peter Pan Halloween costume I sewed for Jeremy). These scraps are amazingly versatile. Some days they are scarves for stuffed animals and other days they are "spinach soup"...and they make this really fun sound when vacuumed up...."foomp"!

Meet Moose...

And Mouse...

And White Puppy...

Hope you enjoyed stopping by our little tea party :)

Sarah :)

Baby Its (Only a Little) Cold Outside!

This week we've had a rare warm spell in February in North Dakota. This sudden ability to walk outside without the air being so cold it takes your breath away, and being able to leave skin uncovered for short periods of time without risking frostbite, has caused me to look back and see what kept our little family so busy these past months while we were in "hibernation".


Really, there is no such thing as hibernation in North Dakota. We just have another season which I call "winter recreation". The snowmobiles (a.k.a. "sleds") come out of their sheds (and often cruise through the streets of town), and new communities of ice fishing houses crop up on the local reservoir. It really is just as much fun to live here in the winter as it is in the summer. Perhaps I'm a bit biased because in our marriage, Jeremy and I have divided up the family duties and HE'S the one who shovels/blows/plows/scrapes/attacks/hurls the snow. We've had well over 40 inches thus far...and it's only February!

When you've got a 4 year old and a 2 year old with cabin fever, you get creative.....so here's our guide on how we've been keeping the Wee Wilson's busy this winter...



You can rearrange furniture. Perhaps even buy new bunk beds. The children can help with assembly....




...until they're too tired to help anymore...




You can play outside on the swingset.....

...Until the snow gets too deep. Then you bury the swingset under a GIANT snowdrift, continue to blow snow on it, until you have built your very own sledding hill on top of what used to be your garden....
If you're married to a guy named Jeremy Wilson, he may just build a series of steps up to said snow mountain to accomodate for girls who have lots of enthusiasm, but have short legs :) Here they are waiting in anticipation for their first ride on their "yed" (that's "sled" pronounced by the wee red head :)


Then you will teach said children how to avoid being wiped out by an oncoming "yed".

Note: No children were harmed in the making of this film (but I have to admit, it was a close one!).


Pay special attention to Jeremy's instructions at the end of the video...



In case you missed that, he said "When you see a sled coming, you gotta dive out of the way!". That's some good advice, Papa :)


After all that sledding...find a friend who has a fireplace and go to their house to thaw out. We don't have a fireplace, but we enjoy a friend's on occasion...Ahhhh......




Then whip up some "hot chock-it" (the wee red head's pronunciation of "hot chocolate") in your "Moo Mixer". If you don't have one of these gadgets, you NEED one. Now I'm not a big fan of gadgets because we've got a small kitchen, which means we have small cabinets, which means we do not have room for many gadgets, but this one's a keeper! THANKS for sending this to us Aunt Lynne! Someday you'll have to c'mon over for some "hot chock-it" :)


(Warning: The Moo Mixer can crank out some serious r.p.m.'s. So before you cut the kiddos loose with it, teach them how to "pump" the button, instead of "hold" the button, or you'll be wearing your "hot chock-it" :)


Well, that's all for now folks. Happy Winter from balmy Jamestown, North Dakota!

Wordless Wednesday- Life on the Funny Farm- You Write the Caption

I'm giving my first "Wordless Wednesday" post a shot.

These are simply a bunch of random pics from our home and farm. We're just like every other family in America. We're quirky and downright ridiculous at times, but we love each other "no matter what", as my four year old will tell you.

It just so happens that the vocation we have been called to is feeding YOUR family.

This post is so wordless that YOU get to write the captions!

Have fun! And keep it clean, this is a family show :)


1.


2.


3.

4.

5.

6.


7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Enjoy the rest of your week! THANKS for stopping by!

Sarah :)