So God Made A Farmer

The unmistakable voice of Paul Harvey soundly described the heart, motivation, and life of the American farmer in last night's Super Bowl commercial for Dodge.  The role of agriculture in all of our lives is vital, yet most often forget the person actually laboring to produce the products we all use on a daily basis.

I had the privilege of being born and raised in rural Kentucky into an agriculture family.  The grunts of newborn piglets, tobacco hanging in the barn, the rumble of a tractor, long days of working as a family, and the scent of fresh-turned soil were frequent scenes on the landscape of my childhood.  And these traditions ran deep-both of my grandfathers were farmers as well!  At a young age, I understood the importance of hard work, family, conserving and protecting the land, the joy of a new birth and the sadness of death, and was able to see the wonders of God first-hand.  A child raised on a farm has a perspective of life beyond many adults and those lessons learned in childhood are the foundation of adulthood.  My participation in my local FFA chapter at Central Hardin High School sparked a deeper connection with agriculture.  My passion for FFA and agriculture inspired me to work diligently to achieve personal goals that I wanted in the FFA.  As a result, I was an officer at the chapter, regional, and state level and participated at the national level in competition.  Consequently, I was led to major in Agriculture Education at Murray State University.  (It is amazing how the Lord works because three weeks after showing up on campus, I met Josh.)

Although my career choice did not lead me to being a farmer, I chose to teach the youth about the importance of agriculture as an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor.  I pray my seven years of teaching led to more students leaving my classroom with a greater respect and understanding of agriculture than entered.

God has now given me the opportunity to leave my career behind and raise my children full time.  My main role as a mom, in conjunction with my husband, is to "bring (my) children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."  (Ephesians 6:4)  My second goal is to teach them responsibility, a strong work ethic, respect for all things living, the importance of helping those in need, and a strong sense of community--all of which is a direct result of a life in agriculture.  Although we are not farmers, Josh's job as an agent for NC Farm Bureau allows us the opportunity to be closely involved with the agriculture community.  My background in agriculture education allows me to serve as a member of the Northwest FFA Regional Endowment committee to promote support for local FFA members in the Northwest FFA Region.  Although my children will probably not be farmers, my prayer is they are strong members of Christ's church that respect and love all of His creation and understand and respect agriculture.

Thank you to all those that labor to feed America and thank you to all who support those farmers through various sectors of the agriculture industry.  E. M. Tiffany said it best in 1930 when he penned the FFA creed: "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."

"And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer.
God said, "I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the field, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board." So God made a farmer.
God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say,'Maybe next year,' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from an ash tree, shoe a horse with hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out hay wire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. Who, during planting time and harvest season will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon and then, paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours." So God made the farmer.
God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to yean lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-comb pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of a meadowlark."
It had to be somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and brake, and disk, and plow, and plant, and tie the fleece and strain the milk, . Somebody who'd bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh and then reply with smiling eyes when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does. "So God made a farmer."--Paul Harvey

Rachel