The cooler temperatures are beginning to arrive here and there and that gets me excited for my favorite time of year, FALL! The cooler weather seems to put most of us in a good mood because we can pull out those favorite hoodies and enjoy the cool crisp morning air. I do wish we had a lot more precipitation to go along with it because we are setting in the drought zone here in Southwest Missouri.
This time of year is also a favorite because of all the fall activities going on. We have included a page with a listing of many of the fall festivals and events across Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. It is not a comprehensive list, but it has a lot of fun activities you can add to your fall schedule of stuff to do. My calendar fills up with cattle shows, but some people prefer to do a less strenuous activity.
FarmFest in Springfield, Mo. is one of my favorites because it is where you can see everything farm in one place. From equipment to livestock there is something for everyone! We have the added bonus of having some of our cattle there on display and I enjoy spending three days talking to many people about our cattle. There is just about every and any breed of livestock you can imagine on the grounds, and you can easily spend all day looking at and buying stuff. We have met a lot of great people that stop by to talk cattle, and we have great cattle neighbors that are stalled around us.
The cattle isle we are in, we are lucky to have become friends with a group of people that have a breed very different from us. In the past several years we have laughed about a lot of stuff and have become invested in the lives of these friends from Kansas. One of the great things about the agriculture industry is that we can bond over our love of livestock and see the value in whatever it is we are raising, even if it doesn’t align with our own goals. I always look forward to seeing them and visiting each year.
FarmFest is also the one-year anniversary of me coming on board at OFN. The year has flown by, and I have learned a lot and we have made some exciting changes at the paper since I have been here. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading about my crazy life and all the things I do that are deeply immersed in agriculture and youth. OFN will have a booth once again at FarmFest so feel free to stop by and say “HI”. I will be splitting my time between the OFN booth and our cattle, so you should be able to catch me someplace on the grounds.
The month of September is also suicide prevention awareness month. Living and working or being involved in agriculture comes with its own set of stressors and sometimes things we cannot control. Things such as animal and crop losses, weather that does not cooperate, and unexpected bills. All of those things can take a toll on our mental health. There are many resources available for farmers, ranchers and their families. The University of Missouri Psychological Services Clinic offers no cost telehealth counseling in partnership with MU extension. To set up an appointment, you can call 573-882-4677. Show-Me-Strong Families has a mental health toolkit that is available and a Facebook Page with valuable resources.
PLEASE, if you know of someone that may be struggling, reach out to them for a visit, go out for coffee or lunch. Let them know you are concerned and that you are there to lend a helping hand or to just visit. Sometimes just knowing that someone is thinking about them can be the first step in a person getting help.
Fall is on the horizon, and it will be a great time to check out some of the fall events we have listed. So, take some time to enjoy one or two things and take a break from the stressors of everyday life! Let’s remember the reason why we do the things we do and take enjoyment in the little things!
Debbie Elder is a native of Ottawa County, Okla. and lives on her farm in Webster County, Mo. To contact Debbie, call 1-866-532-1960 or by email at [email protected].
