Farmer Sarah Visits Fourth Grade

I recently received a letter from my nephew, "B-Man", asking our family to buy magazines to support his classroom.  Any farmer knows that we get A LOT of magazines already :) , so I thought I could do something even better for B-Man's class.


When I learned that fourth graders in North Dakota are required to have a "North Dakota studies" unit and that within that there is a requirement for "agriculture studies", I was excited.  I was even more excited when I realized that my nephew, B-man, is in the fourth grade here in Jamestown! 


One phone call to the school got me connected to the principal and then directly to B-Man's teacher, "Mrs. F".  She was surprised that I was even interested in presenting to his class, and quickly invited me to visit and shared with me the standards she is expected to teach the "agriculture studies" unit. 

WOW.  Good thing I have friends in education and connections with Farm Bureau and all their fantastic educational resources!

I knew if what I taught could conform to these standards, it would be a win-win, after all, Mrs. F, like all teachers, is super-busy trying to meet all of the required standards already and I didn't want to waste any of her precious classroom time.

I wrote up an outline (below) of what I had prepared, and matched the information I planned to present to each of the standards and tailored my presentation to our family's story. Oh, and I only had 45 minutes, so I had to keep it pretty concise. Having handouts from the North Dakota Farm Bureau and ND Dept of Agriculture was helpful as well.

4.2.7 Explain the significance of agriculture in North Dakota history (e.g., immigration, railroads):

- (Show world map) The Frederickson family (B-Man's Great Great Great Grandfather and his three brothers came from Copenhagen, Denmark to farm in Kensal, North Dakota. Today, Danes are still immigrating to the Dakota’s for opportunities in agriculture.

- (Show US Map) The Wilson family (10 generations ago) came from England to farm in Pennsylvania and eventually moved to Indiana, then Kansas, then South Dakota, back to Kansas, then North Dakota.  From Kansas to North Dakota, the farm supplies and horses were moved by train.

4.2.11 Describe the effects of changes in industry, agriculture, and technology in North Dakota (e.g., energy production, transportation, farming methods):

- (Show world map) Global trade has had a tremendous effect on agriculture in North Dakota. The traditional commodities (corn, soybeans, wheat) we grow here now go around the world, or are processed and end up in a variety of products, while some, like pinto beans, are minimally processed and go almost directly to the consumer.  Also, the advent of the ethanol market has increased the demand for corn, and the biodiesel market has increased demand for soybeans, and animal agriculture is also interested in both of those crops and the byproducts of both fuel manufacturing processes.  The increases in efficiencies in agriculture, especially in North Dakota, have afforded our state and our nation an incredible opportunity to prosper.

4.3.2 Identify ways that natural resources (e.g., soil, minerals, trees, fish, people) contribute to the economy of the local community and North Dakota:

      - Discuss economic impact of agriculture. See handouts.

- Discuss ag land use for hunting and the positive indirect impact to our local economy that farmers/ranchers provide.

4.3.4 Identify principal exports of North Dakota (e.g., crops, energy, livestock):

      - I discussed how our crops leave our farm and how they go by  truck, train, barge, etc. around the world.

4.5.4 Explain how the physical environment (e.g., rainfall, climate, natural hazards) affects human activity in North Dakota:

- The environment and climate in North Dakota affects the choices of the crops we grow. Weather throughout the growing season, including hail, rainfall, drought, pests, etc. define the success of each year’s crop. We are fortunate in the United States to have access to genetically modified crops (or GMO’s) because we can choose drought or pest-resistant varieties.  This is so important, because there are only 988 farmers in Stutsman County and we are each responsible for feeding hundreds of people.

- Tornadoes and other natural hazards have destroyed or affected farm buildings and homes over the years as well. Bill Wilson (B-Man’s Great-grandfather) survived a tornado that hit the Wilson farm in the 1920’s.

4.5.5 Identify different patterns of land use in North Dakota(e.g., land use in urban, suburban, and rural areas, mining, agriculture, manufacturing):

- In the rural areas, with regards to agriculture, we have transitioned from tillage to a minimal or no-tillage system.  This has greatly increased our soil health.  We are finding more of, and a greater variety of, microbes in the soil, and earthworms.  Our soil has higher organic matter levels and no tillage decreased our cost of production on our farm.

4.5.6 Describe ways geography has affected the development (e.g., the development of transportation, communication, industry, and land use) of the state over time:

- Location near an urban center (Jamestown) influenced the Wilson’s family decision to milk cows and bottle and sell their own milk in the 1920’s.

4.6.1 Explain how background and history influence people's actions (e.g., farming methods, hunting methods, economic decisions):

-Agriculture always has been, and probably always will be based on “supply-demand economics”. See example with cereal boxes.

- We were fortunate to have B-Man’s Grandpa (Bill) Wilson with us for 91 years.  We often asked him about the history of the farm, including economic conditions of society as a whole, weather patterns, purchasing decision and crop decisions he made over the years. Having access to generations of knowledge of our land has been such an important resource. Of course, we’d rather learn from the lessons of the past and repeat their successes, instead of failures.

4.6.2 Explain the contributions of various ethnic groups (e.g., Native Americans, immigrants) to the history of North Dakota (e.g., food, traditions, languages, celebrations):

- Many of the foods we enjoy today came from the farm families that immigrated here.  In some areas in North Dakota, some families still speak German or have a strong German accent.  We still enjoy some of the native Danish and German dishes at our holiday family meals.

Some of the fun "visuals" I took included:

-Photos of our farm throughout the last century.

- A bucket full of household items. I had the students guess which animal the products came form. (You can get the brochure "When Is a Cow More Than a Cow?" from the ND Beef Commission that shows some of the over 1,000 products that come from cattle).

- Models of farm equipment through the years- from a horse to a modern tractor.

- I read the book "Mini Milkmaids on the Moove" that was written by my friend, Rebecca Long Chaney.

There was also a quick lesson in supply-demand economics. - which is how markets for agricultural products (like the corn, wheat, and soybeans we grow) function.  When I was planning my lessons, I noticed that my dear husband had brought home ELEVEN boxes of cereal from the store.  Note: This is what happens when a hungry farmer goes grocery shopping for "just a few things" :)  So I put those boxes to good use :)

I asked B-Man, if he were in a grocery store, how many boxes of cereal he would buy.  He said "one".

He said he was ready for what was next, so I started piling :)  B-Man is pretty tough- so he was able to hold 8 boxes!  I asked the class if they thought they thought B-Man would pay more or less for the boxes of cereal now, remembering that B-Man only wanted one.  They answered "LESS!"

I asked them to think about if they went to the grocery store and they all wanted cereal, but there was only ONE box left in the whole aisle.  They answered "MORE!"

B-Man was such a great sport and he got to pick his favorite box of cereal and take it home with him :)  The kids were AMAZED when they found out that each and every day we keep track of how crops are growing all around the world and how crops grown in Brazil or Australia could affect the price of crops grown in the United States.  That's global supply and demand economics.  They were even more surprised to learn that I really know farmers in other countries. 

Then, the last question of the day was the best..."Are you a professional?" I smiled, "Why yes, I'm a professional" :) 

You see, I did this presentation not just to teach the kids about farming and where their food comes from, but to help them learn to respect farmers and appreciate all that we in agriculture provide.

The most wonderful part of my trip to the 4th grade was that the ONE young lady (yes, even in rural North Dakota, just ONE) in the class that had farm experience was able to proudly share HER experiences with her class and I saw her classmates develop a new-found respect for her.

Once upon a time, I was a little girl that other kids made fun of. They called me a "dumb farmer" and that is something I will never forget.

Today, I know that this one class in this one school knows that farmers are professionals.  This was well worth the hour and a half I took out of my day to visit 4th grade :)

Many THANKS to Mrs. F for being such a great teacher and for giving me this opportunity!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sarah :)

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: I sure hope that's my husband!

 
During harvest, every night, and sometimes in the wee hours of the morning, this dark figure appears in my bedroom long after I finally call it a day. He stumbles in all grubby, smelling of grease, fuel, dirt soil and whatever else he's had a run-in with that day. (Hopefully, not a skunk).  I would request that he shower, but I know he is so tired that he is capable of falling asleep standing up at this point. 

I do his laundry, so even in the dark, I know that he probably looks like he rolled around on the floor of the farm shop or was dragged behind a truck and that his pants may very well stand up on their own from being caked with mud. I also know I could likely plant a few acres with the soybeans, corn kernels, or grains of wheat that have accumulated in his pockets. Cleaning the lint filter in our clothes dryer is always interesting.

I have gotten used to this nightly routine, out of necessity.  You see, an infant will wake me long before dawn.  Soon thereafter the wee Wilson gals will stumble out of their bunk beds and expect "bekfest".  I have to try to force my brain to turn off and get some shut eye, or I will be Zombie Mama the next day, and believe me, she is NOT pretty.

As I'm lying in bed and this nearly unidentifiable creature enters my room, practically falls into bed, and puts a rough, calloused hand on my shoulder, the only thing that goes through my mind is, "I sure hope that's my husband!" :-)

After I put my hand on his, confirming that it is indeed my dear Jeremy, I say a little prayer that goes something like this: "Lord, I thank you for giving me a husband who works so hard to provide for my little family. I am so grateful you got him home safe and sound. In Jesus' name. Amen."

When harvest is complete, Jeremy and I will get a babysitter, go out to dinner, give ourselves a few hours to celebrate that another year of feeding families around the world is behind us, relish the fact that we have a lot to look forward to, and we will fall in love all over again :)

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

Early 1900's Kansas Wheat Harvest

Last April I spent two solid days with my husband Jeremy's Grandpa "Bill" Wilson at his kitchen table scanning farm and family photos and recording Grandpa's comments about them. They were two of the best days of my life!

Grandpa turned 90 this past November and he is still as sharp as a tack and VERY funny! The vivid memories of his youth are simply amazing and very humbling.

I am so grateful to Grandpa for sharing his time and memories with me and for showing me his precious photos and artifacts. I also have to say THANK YOU to his long-time girlfriend, Lorraine, (aka Grandma Bair), for watching my girls as Grandpa and I completed our task. C.W. and the wee red head were a very busy 3 and 1 then :)

I thought I would share some of the fruits of our labor with you. I hope you enjoy this little journey into the past to look at wheat harvests of the early 1900's. The Wilson family farmed in Kansas before they moved to North Dakota, so what you see are pics from the Salina, Kansas and Cambria, Kansas areas.

This is Jeremy's Great-grandfather, J. Harry Wilson:

Below, a threshing crew. FYI- Threshers separate the grains of wheat from the straw (stem) and chaff (the rest of the plant that surrounded the grain).

Below, Grandpa Wilson's brother-in-law, John Lang, with two of the mules who likely helped with harvest.

Below, Jeremy's Great-grandfather, J. Harry Wilson, ran this threshing crew in Salina, Kansas, 1905.

Here J. Harry Wilson's crew takes a break for a meal. He is seated on the left and is wearing suspenders. Grandpa didn't know who the rest of the folks were, but we agreed that the women standing in the back had a pretty big job on their hands cooking for that bunch!

This is a photo of the Lang and Wilson families. J. Harry Wilson and his wife, Susan (Jenkins) Wilson, my husband's great-grandparents, are standing in the back row on the right.

The pictures you've just seen were taken in Kansas, but Grandpa Wilson said that when his family settled on the farm we're on now in the early 1930's, his mother, Susan, would haul a load of wheat each year to a mill in Valley City (about 35 miles east of Jamestown) and have it ground into flour. The flour was put into 50 lb. bags and she would use 52 bags a year to feed his family and all the men who worked on the farm. Now THAT is some serious baking!

Time marches on and wheat harvest is upon us once again. Looks like we'll get started today if all goes well and this good weather holds.

These are the combines our family used to use:

And here is the one we use today:

We've come a long way since the early 1900's!

I hope that those who read this take a moment to consider the generations of knowledge and hard work that went into raising the wheat that makes the bread and other foods we enjoy today.

Sarah :)

One big bet

Here at the Wilson Farm, we've just finished seeding wheat. Just when I heard my husband say "it's shaping up to be a pretty good year", below freezing temps showed up on the weather forecast for the coming week. We both sat there staring at "27 degrees" quietly thinking of the hundreds of acres of tiny plants that have just dared to poke from underneath the soil's protection that very well may get damaged in the coming days. With risk management tools and sound planning, you can take just about every variable out of farming, except the weather. That's simply in God's hands.

This afternoon my daughter and I watched the Kentucky Derby and we saw Glen Fullerton bet $100,000 to win on SuperSaver. The press went wild because his bet was SO enormous. I couldn't help but think of the gamble every farmer takes each spring. Across the nation, we farmers sit down with our lenders, talk of balance sheets and cash flows, and sign off on our operating loans. The stakes are high in agriculture these days. Gone are the days I've heard tales of when one good crop had farmers with enough cash on hand to buy the next year's inputs (seed, fuel, fertilizer, equipment, etc.) outright.

Even Glen Fullerton's bet is just a drop in the bucket when you look at the cost of inputs today, even on an average sized farm.

So here's hoping that this year the big bet we've placed to win in farming will have us smiling like Glen Fullerton when harvest is complete, but even if we don't have a big win, may we have the opportunity to stay in the race.