It has been quite a week. We spent last weekend working at the MayFest Bluegrass music festival at the Lowell Fairgrounds. The only disappointment was we missed a lot of the music with making sure the monies from the sale of t-shirts, hats and other things were turned in to help support the bluegrass association. We did very well with sales as well as the attendance. Attendance was up quite a bit from the past couple of events where we have worked. The bands were absolutely great including my personal favorite, Cats and the Fiddler. The group is comprised of twin brothers and their female cousin and their talent is absolutely phenomenal!! They are only fourteen years old and are about to release their fourth CD, absolutely amazing!! They have already appeared before the International Bluegrass Music Association for their songwriting talent. I feel they look forward to a great future in the field. I did have to leave for a little while Sunday morning to participate in our end of choir season musical which went very well.
We also decided to try out our new-to-us pop up camping trailer along with seeing how Tippy, the wonder mutt would take to camping. The trailer did fine, Tippy not so well. Tippy made it known she did not like being left shut up in the trailer. She wouldn’t bark, but she would cry and cry. We took her home because we didn’t want her bothering the other campers. I don’t think she’s going along when we take our camping trip up to Charlevoix. She just has to be around people and unfortunately she isn’t welcome everywhere for sightseeing.
Tuesday night was also the end of season District Award dinner for Boy Scouts. I do have to admit I was wondering if something was up because so many people had asked if I was going to be at the event. I wouldn’t allow myself to think about getting anything because it usually only serves to lead to disappointment. We got to the dinner a little late but before the eating had started. After dinner the handing out of awards began. I always enjoy walking in the “Old Crabette” Patrol walk where we welcome in new members. I don’t really understand what is behind it all, but we have a lot of fun. Ter was welcomed as a member of the “Old Crab” Patrol which he has wanted since I was brought into the “Old Crabette” one. Now I can officially call him “Old Crab”, better be ready, dear! As the evening wore on, many deserving people were recognized. Our Troop had around half a dozen people who were recipients of different honors during the dinner. The portion of the evening where the bigger awards are passed out came around. The requirements for the “Chuck Champlin Outstanding Commissioner Award” were read and I kind of heard them tell my dear friend Mary to escort me to the front where they announced I had received this award. All I could do is mouth the words, “Thank You”, a couple of times and walk back to my seat. I sat down and started to cry. I was overwhelmed as I have never thought I would be eligible for any of the bigger Scouter awards because I’m not nearly as active in Scouts as some of the other people. The lady kind of MCing that portion of the award brought up the extremely difficult situation I was handed my first year as Commissioner which made me think of the people who helped get me through that time. Thank you all so much for helping me to this honor. They surely saved me from being a washout in a very short time. I had a hard time settling down to sleep for several reasons that night. Thank you so much Mary Cooper for nominating me for this high honor. The Award will hang on my office wall in great pride.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Hail farmers who feed us
It has been all too long since I posted a blog. It’s not that there isn’t anything going on…it has been extremely busy. We are getting ready for Relay for Life, Scouts is winding down for the season, and so are choir and AWANA at church. I will be ready for the summer break for sure this year.
Things are busy on the farm, too. Unlike the past couple of years they have been able to get on the fields early for planting. Here’s hoping we don’t get a late freeze or a sudden influx of rain to drown things. It is good to see life going on for another season on “Belly Acres”, as my husband calls the place. It amazes me how the place has been very productive for almost 120 years. My great grandparents bought the place in 1891. Even though it has been downsized fairly drastically the part we own is still very productive. I heartily disagree with those who criticize farmers from every direction. You’re ruining the earth with your farming practices whether you use chemical or “au naturel” (manure) type fertilizers. You are mistreating your animals if you have a beef,pork, or chicken operation. At times you wonder how much about farming some of these people actually know and understand who are making the rules. It is no wonder more and more farmers are selling out and the big what they want to call “factory farms” or CAFO’s (concentrated animal feeding operations) are becoming prevalent. With all the government regulations, poor prices for the crops or whatever is produced, and other factors family farms can no longer remain viable. Or they do with great difficulty. It is like the “mom and pop” type stores which can’t compete with the big chains. It is a shame what is happening and there are people who don’t want to admit the government interference as a factor. Here in Michigan we recently had the Governor declare a “Meat Free Day” through out the entire state. Don’t eat meat at all on this particular Saturday. It did not go over well with the population, particularly the farmers. They saw it as a slap in the face to the second or third largest industry in this badly hurting state. The howls of protest did reach the Governors ears and she changed the proclamation to “Agriculture Appreciation Day.” In California the irrigation water to one of the richest agricultural valleys in the state was shut off by the federal government because of a smelt type fish they said was endangered. Protests to Washington officials were ignored even when the Governor of California protested the move. The unemployment rate for the region quickly jumped to about 50 %! Pennsylvania had a very short lived law which stated no one under the age of eighteen could drive farm equipment on the road…not even the farmer’s children. Not even to cross the road if interpreted strictly. They couldn’t even drive a pick up truck to help with the work along with having to keep a log of the time they were driving in fields much like a truck driver keeps. Thank God this was quickly amended to not include farming.
There are times you wonder if people think the food at the grocery store just magically appears for them to buy. They don’t realize the work and expense behind how the food makes its journey from the field or barn to the store. Many farmers are carrying a lot of debt trying to stay in operation. The big buildings , equipment, and everything exist but how much of it is being paid for over many years? I know of a farming operation which had a manure spill. They reported themselves to the state which resulted in a $15,000 fine plus they had to build a new containment system which cost over $300,000. Not a small amount of money!! I know my opinion is biased with growing up on a farm and I will never be ashamed of being a farmer’s daughter. My family was never rich, but we had pride in what we did and what we produced. We were proud of the quality of milk we sent to the processor and the corn and wheat we sold at the elevator. Things have changed drastically since I was a kid with much more foreign competition in many markets. I pray each year as the growing season starts that our renters will have a good crop and no disease will go through their dairy herd. God bless our farmers!!!
Things are busy on the farm, too. Unlike the past couple of years they have been able to get on the fields early for planting. Here’s hoping we don’t get a late freeze or a sudden influx of rain to drown things. It is good to see life going on for another season on “Belly Acres”, as my husband calls the place. It amazes me how the place has been very productive for almost 120 years. My great grandparents bought the place in 1891. Even though it has been downsized fairly drastically the part we own is still very productive. I heartily disagree with those who criticize farmers from every direction. You’re ruining the earth with your farming practices whether you use chemical or “au naturel” (manure) type fertilizers. You are mistreating your animals if you have a beef,pork, or chicken operation. At times you wonder how much about farming some of these people actually know and understand who are making the rules. It is no wonder more and more farmers are selling out and the big what they want to call “factory farms” or CAFO’s (concentrated animal feeding operations) are becoming prevalent. With all the government regulations, poor prices for the crops or whatever is produced, and other factors family farms can no longer remain viable. Or they do with great difficulty. It is like the “mom and pop” type stores which can’t compete with the big chains. It is a shame what is happening and there are people who don’t want to admit the government interference as a factor. Here in Michigan we recently had the Governor declare a “Meat Free Day” through out the entire state. Don’t eat meat at all on this particular Saturday. It did not go over well with the population, particularly the farmers. They saw it as a slap in the face to the second or third largest industry in this badly hurting state. The howls of protest did reach the Governors ears and she changed the proclamation to “Agriculture Appreciation Day.” In California the irrigation water to one of the richest agricultural valleys in the state was shut off by the federal government because of a smelt type fish they said was endangered. Protests to Washington officials were ignored even when the Governor of California protested the move. The unemployment rate for the region quickly jumped to about 50 %! Pennsylvania had a very short lived law which stated no one under the age of eighteen could drive farm equipment on the road…not even the farmer’s children. Not even to cross the road if interpreted strictly. They couldn’t even drive a pick up truck to help with the work along with having to keep a log of the time they were driving in fields much like a truck driver keeps. Thank God this was quickly amended to not include farming.
There are times you wonder if people think the food at the grocery store just magically appears for them to buy. They don’t realize the work and expense behind how the food makes its journey from the field or barn to the store. Many farmers are carrying a lot of debt trying to stay in operation. The big buildings , equipment, and everything exist but how much of it is being paid for over many years? I know of a farming operation which had a manure spill. They reported themselves to the state which resulted in a $15,000 fine plus they had to build a new containment system which cost over $300,000. Not a small amount of money!! I know my opinion is biased with growing up on a farm and I will never be ashamed of being a farmer’s daughter. My family was never rich, but we had pride in what we did and what we produced. We were proud of the quality of milk we sent to the processor and the corn and wheat we sold at the elevator. Things have changed drastically since I was a kid with much more foreign competition in many markets. I pray each year as the growing season starts that our renters will have a good crop and no disease will go through their dairy herd. God bless our farmers!!!
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