CCFB News» Bob Rohrer, CCFB Manager

17 years ago…sure, I remember it well. Normally, a question about what happened 17 years ago would receive the “blank” look from me. Where was I seven minutes ago?

When I was growing up on the farm, money seemed to be scarce. Okay – it was scarce. Mom and Dad confirmed that fact with me just the other day. We did not farm money trees. Yet, somehow, Mom and Dad still clothed five kids, kept shoes on our feet (sure I used duct tape to keep the sole on the boot occasionally), and we were well fed from the milk cow, garden, and livestock.

The farm somehow provided the essentials despite periodic cashflow difficulties. We weren’t alone but neighbors bartered, shared resources, and helped one another.

Each and every January, my least favorite responsibility of the job is employee evaluation and reviews. It’s certainly not because we have any major staff issues. In fact, I would put Cook County Farm Bureau staff up against any staff. They are outstanding!

The process requires “judgment”. Most people don’t want to be judged. I get it. I don’t like judging nor being judged (I know “Good looks and athletic body” were already taken).

And yet, evaluations and reviews are part of the job.

“The plan and born in a barn”
As we enter 2024, I thought I would share some details regarding our plan for the Co-Operator publication throughout the year. It remains our goal to continue providing the publication in two different formats: hard copy sent to you through the United States Postal Service and electronic version sent to you to your electronic mailbox using the wonders of the internet. The electronic version should land near the first of the month. The hardcopy should land in your mailbox around the first week of the month if all the various pieces come together and the USPS cooperates. There are a lot of moving parts!

Many times, when I reminisce about the farm, I think about the rural tranquility and peaceful sounds that call to my soul. The breeze rattling corn leaves. The gentle lowing of cattle in the pasture. The squeak of the rope swing in the tree. The purr of the barn cat. Bees buzzing in the breeze during the day. Crickets and katydids chirping at night.

When does one’s path toward an agriculturally related career begin?

Is such a course towards agriculture predetermined?

What influences impacts an individual’s decision of what to do when she or he grows up?

Watermelon. A true summer treat!

I love it and I am so pleased that my five-year-old grandson loves it as much as I do. If fact, we now make sure watermelon is a part of almost every meal when he visits. Like most people, we both prefer a watermelon that is very fresh, sweet, and ripe. We both want melon flesh to be so juicy that it leaks with every bite, rolling down one’s lip and over the chin. Perfect photo ops of grandchildren and grandparents alike!

Watermelon. A true summer treat!

I love it and I am so pleased that my five-year-old grandson loves it as much as I do. If fact, we now make sure watermelon is a part of almost every meal when he visits. Like most people, we both prefer a watermelon that is very fresh, sweet, and ripe. We both want melon flesh to be so juicy that it leaks with every bite, rolling down one’s lip and over the chin. Perfect photo ops of grandchildren and grandparents alike!

This month’s topic is a bit heavy. Bear with me. I want to talk about this little piece of federal legislation commonly called the "Farm Bill”. It is a complex piece of legislation that I will breakdown in simple “Bob” terms.

How many people do you hear complain about their memory? Add me to your list. Faulty nerve cells, misfiring synapses, a bad cerebellum? I don’t recall.

Sometimes, I feel a very long way from
the farm of my youth. April 27th was
one of those days.