Editorial / Opinions

For many years, those of us involved in farming and ranching have been very concerned about the so-called ‘urban encroachment’ into agricultural communities. Farmers who live in close proximity to large population centers are the most threatened, but those of us who reside in historically rural areas are not immune to the phenomenon, as more and more people escape the city in search of that slice of idyllic life they think we have.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a conference titled “Cultivating Conversations” hosted at the Missouri State University Darr School of Agriculture. This conference was the first in a series of conferences hosted in conjunction with Northwest Missouri State University and University of Central Missouri. Each conference will have a different focus under the Cultivating Conversations theme.

For many years, those of us involved in farming and ranching have been very concerned about the so-called ‘urban encroachment’ into agricultural communities. Farmers who live in close proximity to large population centers are the most threatened, but those of us who reside in historically rural areas are not immune to the phenomenon, as more and more people escape the city in search of that slice of idyllic life they think we have.

I recently read an article published by Drovers CattleNetwork written by Editor Mary Soukup that made me think of you – yes, you – our readers. The article titled, “Farming and ranching – it’s a family business,” took a close look at the research put out by the USDA’s Economic Research Service on the number of U.S. family farms.

Boy, spring broke in like that polar bear who stuck his head in around here last December. I don’t have any cows to feed or have much about agriculture to worry about, but my friends have lost calves in the arctic weather, something we have not seen in many recent years. It used to be that you could go to the sale barn to buy an orphan dairy calf and put it on a cow that lost one and still have something to sell next fall. It isn’t like that now. Plus, that trick could become a lot of work. We once had a Shorthorn/Hereford cross cow that lost her calf so we bought a big Guernsey cross calf to put on her.

Although I never intended for my column to become a ‘Dear Abby’ feature, I do get a fair amount of letters and emails from time to time, requesting my advice on a particular subject. Such was the case this past week:

I recently read an article published by Drovers CattleNetwork written by Editor Mary Soukup that made me think of you – yes, you – our readers.  The article titled, “Farming and ranching – it’s a family business,” took a close look at the research put out by the USDA’s Economic Research Service on the number of U.S. family farms.

Although I never intended for my column to become a ‘Dear Abby’ feature, I do get a fair amount of letters and emails from time to time, requesting my advice on a particular subject. Such was the case this past week:

As I sit here and write this it’s National FFA week. FFA members across the nation are celebrating and promoting an organization that will impact their lives forever.

Many of you know I write western fiction novels and short stories about the western world of the 1800s. For me it’s a job come true, I’ve read westerns and historical books about those times all my life. I grew up at the Saturday matinees watching Roy, Gene and Hopalong and I guess my head danced with idea of things to write about.