E-I-E-I-O

I can't say this enough times, but I am so thankful for farmers!! While most don't portray the picture that the song "Old McDonald" paints, they've had a huge influence on my life! My childhood, my education, my jobs, my present, and my future.

While I didn't grow up as the farmer's daughter, I did grow up in a farming community.  Pa has always worked in the agricultural field, working early hours and late nights to provide his services and products to the farmers.  I would often ride with him.  I loved being in the sprayer, "Bear" (a semi truck-- hmm, see DJ and I really are meant to be- ha!), tractors, combines, or even just his truck driving around.  I always asked ask who lives there, or who farms that?  I'm not sure if he really knew or if he just said a name-- it's a complete toss up really!!  We'd drive around and look at crops and get out and walk fields.  I was his little helper.  I spent many afternoons/evenings standing around some farmer's shed with the guys. 

My grandparents owned a farm and did both row crops and livestock.  I was always there riding or helping Gpa with the horses.  We would ride back around the field to check on the cattle.  I was in FFA and on the beef team in high school.  I worked at the chicken ranch, not to be confused with the Pizza Ranch!!  The chicken ranch was the term we gave the egg packing plant.  There were maybe three of us girls working there through high school.  It was not the most pleasant, but we would rather be there than all dolled up working retail or something!  I went off to college and helped in the hog barns.  I graduated with a BS in animal science. 

I worked summers at a crop dusting company and fell in love with it!  I decided that I needed to take some classes in agronomy.  Then I found my internship, which led to my job, and DJ.

Now I'm back to riding in the trucks, tractors, semi's, combines and standing in sheds with the guys. I'm back to going on crop tours and giving the guys rides when they need it.  I check the rain gauge.  I go out and feed the "hay burners" in blizzards.  I haul hay racks home in the heat of the summer. 

I am one of the very few lucky ones who get to see first hand the hard work that farmers put in throughout the year.  I see the risk they deal with first hand.  So next time you see a farmer, thank him or her, your belly is full because of them!

Run Forrest, Run!

Well we did it.  After a long, eventful drive, we finally found the correct location and we ran in our race that we have been "training" for.  We started out jogging down the gravel road and then it took us to the cattle pastures, with nice fresh cow pies!  We ran through the pasture for awhile and then came to "the woods."  We went up a mountain rather large hill (I forgot those existed in this state after living in the flats for so long!) over trees and through creeks and up and down more hills.  I can't lie.  I walked.  A lot.  I only rolled both of my ankles twice, so not bad considering I am known to do that when running from first to second base! I only saw one of the mile markers, three, so I knew I was closing in on the finish line by then.  There was one point that I crossed the creek and then I lost the path.  I couldn't see trail markers and I couldn't see any other runners.  I finally caught a glimpse of a shirt way ahead of me so I headed towards it and finally found the trail again.  I didn't take my phone with me since I didn't know how wet I was going to be getting, so no pictures.  I was racing a girl at the finish line and so I didn't even look to see what my time was.  

I got done, grabbed a bottle of water, and went to wait for the boss to finish.  And then someone started calling my name.  I turned around to see a high school classmate.  I talked to him a bit and then went to see what the timer said, it was just rolling over to 50 minutes.  I'm not sure if they will post times online or not, but I'm still happy I finished under 50 minutes considering the terrain I was on!  The boss finished shortly after and instead of grabbing the famous beef stew they have, we decided to head home.  

So today I'm thankful I finished!  I'm also thankful for my training partner, even though we are probably the worst partners ever, as neither of us ever push us...  

And when I got home I got a package full of goodies to start my next venture with-- we're going to see how well I can sell things! Wish me luck!

It's the Weekend

And that is exactly what I shall write abut today!! I'm so thankful for weekends. Can you imagine not having those two days off!?  Most of the time we wish we had more days off, when really we should be happy we get any!!

This weekend should be interesting and the posts should give you all an idea of how I spend my weekends. 

I totally tried posting this last night and MS let me know this morning it did not. Nuts. There goes that record. 

Joining the Bandwagon

The past few years, or maybe since Facebook has been around, every November people do the thirty day thing where they say one thing they are thankful for each day.  Due to my lack of creative writing skills, I'm jumpin on! 
And knowing me, I'll probably have to do a couple days on one day due to me being forgetful...

But hop on and hold on tight to the edge of the wagon!  It could get crazy. 

I might even include pictures.  See.  Crazy.

Okay, here goes.

Day 1.

I am thankful for a job.

It may be able to be a part of the show "Dirty Jobs" (is that even still on!?), but I still love it and its gloriousness...  mmm... bugs!!

(Sorry, no pictures today.  Come back tomorrow.)

Life w/ a Farmer

I ran across this blog on Facebook.  A couple of my friends posted it.  Check it out.  Here's my opinions from my personal experience thus far... (note: neither of my friends are married either... that must be a farmer thing!?)

1. 10. Directions.  Act completely clueless as to what he is talking about (because he is terrible at giving directions...) and wait until he has his brother call you with directions simple enough for the dogs to figure out...

2. 9.  Dinner conversations.  Who has time to talk?  We're eating.  Hello... we love food!  Okay, I can relate to this one, but I've learned not to ask questions because then, the smart ass that he is, will go step by step as to how to do something I will never do and half the time don't know most the words he is using.  Smile and nod girls, smile and nod.

3. (crap.  I just noticed she started with 10.) 8. Date nights.  HAHAHAHA  that girl is funny.  What are date nights?!  Oh, sitting at the shop with a cold one in hand??  Yeah, he's a romantic...

7.  Random things in the dryer.  Oh yes.  This happens when he does laundry.  I haven't had any permanent markers in there drawing on my clothing for awhile...  I try to be the one to do the laundry so that I can empty the pockets-- finders keepers = a trailer for me someday!! 

6.  Supper times.  This has always been my life...  or maybe I just always eat??

5.  RSVPs.  Oh, you're supposed to fill those things out?!  Actually, most of our friends and families are in the same industry so we don't run into too many events during planting and harvesting.  (But if it means free food and drinks, you can probably count us in!!)

4.  Out of town trips.  Our roles might be reversed in this one!!  A lot of the times he is the parts runner, so I'll have him stop and pick something up at the store for me while he's there.  It works out well.

3.  Going with the flow.  Again, what are these dates she keeps speaking of!?  This one is pretty true, but I'm usually flying by the seat of my pants as well, so having plans is pretty rare.

2.  Glass half full.  This is something that was a huge surprise for me the first year we were together.  The Knollies don't get too worked up over things they can't control.  It is awesome!!  Instead of worrying about the rain (or lack thereof...), they just get everything else they can control ready for when it's needed.  That was a nice surprise.  No crazy worrying over every little thing here!

1. Mother nature.  Ahh, Luke Bryan was so right, Rain is a Good Thing!  I've grown up around the farming community my whole life and it still amazes me at how much or little rain the plants can take.  Knee high by the 4th of July with very little time and rain-- impressive.  Someday I'll get around to doing a blog series about corn growth.  Some.  Day.

A Blogger?

I used to think my life was too boring to have a blog.  I mean, what would I write about??

Clearly I was right.

It seems the stories come in waves.  One day I'll have ten things to write about (but only write about one, because I'll remember) and then the next my memory has failed and I'm stuck writing about how I have nothing to write about! 

I thought the iPhone was going to help with that?!  Fail. 

I did finally get some stuff out of my weed patch garden.  We had a lettuce salad last night that came from it, although neither of us liked it.  Way too bitter for us.  I also made some guacamole with avacados that came from the grocery store, and then onions, tomatoes, and jalapenos that came from my garden.  It most definitely beat the salad.  I'll have to update you with all my flowers.  Some have decided to bloom.  Others decided to die.  So goes my green thumb...

Hopefully I'll have some good stories come up here soon.  For your sake.

Movin on UP!

I did it.

I finally gave in.

I joined everyone else my age.

I upgraded to an iPhone.

Don't think I'm moving too fast though, it's an iPhone 4 and is probably one of the older of those!  It already has a crack in it (stupid Otter Box lied!).  I've had it for quite awhile now.  I lived in the rental when I got it and have been using it as an iPod since my old school, student loan bought original iPod gave up.  I shouldnt say it gave up.  The battery is just messed up.  I bought a new one but that didn't help.  I can still use it if it's plugged in, but who knows where that charger is!  Apple thought it was necessary to change the plug ins too, even though they look the same and it fits in the iPhone charger won't work.  Lame.

So far I can say I have been less than impressed.  Luckily I didn't spend much money on this thing!  It doesn't get service.  Anywhere!!  It says no signal or whatever in most of my work building, otherwise it's just flat lines.  I can barely get a text out to someone!  My old phone, I could talk on it from anywhere in there!!  Next, I had an appointment and they wanted to change the times, but since I didn't have service at work, it didn't ring.  You'd think so what, leave a message.  Well it tells them my voicemail is full.  Uhh what!?  Stupid.  It wasn't full when I had my old phone, it's not full now!!  And  my third and final dislike, it doesn't ring!  The neighbor and I were picking up rocks out of the fields and I called DJ (also an iPhone user; he's fancy though-- 4s)  and he didn't answer.  I called at least 5 times and he didn't answer.  He finally called me back, only to inform me that he had one missed call and had actually tried calling me back 3 times.  Handy iPhone.  Real handy.  Luckily I was only picking up rocks and not stuck under one and needed rescued!! 

The one good thing about it, Facetime.  I can now Facetime with MS.  Speaking of which... I'm considering changing her name on here...  I'll leave that for another day.

Cast Iron Banana Bread

Alright, here's the recipe I was talking about.  It is sooo good!!   I found it at themeaningofpie.com.  Thank you, Pinterest.

I had never made banana bread before.  We had some bananas that were past their prime so I went to Pinterest.  I put in banana bread and saw one in a cast iron skillet.  I thought that was great!  (DJ is kind of on a cast iron kick right now...)  And we had pretty much everything on hand.  I made it while DJ was gone.  Then when he got home he informed me he doesn't like banana bread.  Handy.  He did end up trying it and said it was good, then got mad when I decided to take it into work!  I took it into work and it lasted all of a day and a half before we devoured it.  My coworker then told me I had to make it again.  I only had one banana left.  So then my boss gives me two of them.  I took the hint and made it again and brought it in yesterday.  As of now, there's a tiny sliver left.  It's just so good!  You don't even need to put butter on it! 

I did tweak it a smidge... I am not a fan of allspice so I used cardamom instead-- and NO I had never heard of that before so it was a gamble (one that actually paid off!).  They also had mace in place of nutmeg; but that is not something that is stocked at the Holy Knollies!

Wet Ingredients:½ c butter, melted and cooled slightly
⅓ c buttermilk
3 mashed bananas
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
Dry Ingredients:
2 c flour
½ c sugar
½ c brown sugar
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
1 c pecans
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t cardamom
butter to grease the skillet

Preheat the oven to 350.
Mash the bananas. Mix in buttermilk, butter, vanilla and eggs. In a different bowl, combine the dry ingredients and combine. Mix the dry stuff into the wet stuff (half at a time) and stir until combined.  Butter your 9" cast iron skillet and pour your batter in.  Bake for 30-35 minutes (use the toothpick trick!-- my first one took foooorrreverrr and my next one was about 35 minutes)

Alright, go whip up a batch and let me know what you think!!  (sorry-- having difficulties with the picture thing again... just go to www.themeaningofpie.com and look at their pictures!!)

The Other Side

A few weeks ago I was asked to go to my alma mater for a career fair and represent the company I work for. I agreed to go and talk to the students.

That night I had to go to the city and find some khakis. No, I did not own a pair of khakis, go ahead and judge me.

I head there and after driving around the parking garage forever, found a spot and headed in. I happened to find the two ladies I would spend my day with on my journey in. We got set up and went over a couple things. The students started coming in and didn't stop! The day went by so fast!

How crazy for me. I was on the opposite side of the conversation just a couple years ago. It was a great opportunity and I really enjoyed being able to be there for students to ask questions and be able to relate do easily. One guy even commented on how I was probably in his spot not long ago.

Maybe I'll go to the next one too and be able to talk to more and more people.

Even though it's only been a couple years, all I ever got from companies was candy, pens, and stress balls. Now they have stuff like magnetic koozies, ear buds, flash lights, and who knows what else I didn't see!!