CCFB News» July 2018

I love nature, especially when it is not out to get me. Growing up on the farm, I was privileged to see a lot of forest and wildlife up close and personal. I learned that nature is not always friendly and is usually out to reclaim its territory from humans. We are only in control in our minds.

My first car was a sweet little faded 1989 red Ford Escort hatchback. The ‘BUNNI 9’ (yes, that was its license plate) was complete with a stick shift and a left turn signal that only worked if you pressed on the hazard button at the same time. That little car went some great places during its short tenure with me. We went to Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and to the top of my farmer’s corn silage pile.

Growing up, my family had no real tie to agriculture, which I knew of. When I thought about agriculture, I always thought of Old McDonald on his farm, with all of his animals. That changed a little bit when I was in elementary school, because my mom had rescued a horse, which got my sister and I heavily involved in horseback riding and 4H.