I recently went through a scholarship interview. In the preparations, I was meditating about my views and goals for my life. I have always had a passion for agriculture. I used to feel as though being a large animal veterinarian was my calling, my only goal was to go to college, get accepted to one of the top schools of veterinarian medicine for the time that I would be attending, and then start my own practice in a rural area where I would live happily ever after.



I have accomplished the going to college part. However, through the classes I have taken here, I have realized there are a lot more issues facing American Agriculture, Animal Agriculture specifically, than I could ever have thought of. When I would ask how to fix the problem, almost everyone would respond, "People do not know and do not want to know."



What does not make sense is why we can acknowledge the problem, but nothing is being done. Now, I know that this is a slight exageration. There are people in different commodity groups doing research and promotional programs to help educate their consumers. Although, I feel that it should not be left up to just the comodity groups. Agriculturalists need to work together, on a whole, to fund, create, and publish things that will help combat the issues we are facing.



We hear more and more about the Humane Society of the United States, and that they have a hidden message to remove all animal agriculture in the United State. They are being funded by our consumers, other groups and organizations, large and small. We need to band together to be able to match their forces, and eventualy over come them.

Ramblings of a pensive mind....

Some people amaze me.

Today's society is as displaced and distanced from production agriculture than any generation before. And yet, many Americans and Europeans feel as though they should have a say in how agriculture is raised, both livestock and crop.

It is something that, as Ohioans, we have seen a lot of, with more to come. The Humane Society of the United States has put forth efforts to change how we raise livestock, specifically veal calves, pregnant sows, and layer hens. I can admit that some of the practices we use are not the most pleasant things to see, and could be done differently. However, the way we do things has a reason, and I feel as though those who are trying to change things do not want to learn the reasons for the way we do things.

Many people are worried about the Carbon Footprint of agriculture production. Through the equipment we use, the storage facilities for manure, how we use the land and the chemicals put into the earth and eventually into the ground water.

As I have talked to people (both with agriculture background and not) about ways to remedy this problem. Almost every one of them has said that we need to educate people, specifically the consumer. But no one has said who should have that task set upon them. Many of the people reading this blog have a passion about agriculture education through the classroom or extension. So I will pose a question to you: Who is responsible for teaching the general public (and agriculture producers too) about agriculture?

Sometimes I feel as though everyone just wants to put blame, or responsibility, on someone else. However, we all have a part in what is done.

In a couple of days I will voice some of my opinions as to ways we can assign who is responsible for education. But I would like to get some other opinions first. I am a fan of learning as many views before I create and share my own.

Day at the Farm

During spring break my uncle was hospitalized and then put into a care center. Since he was out of the house for a while, we decided to take the opportunity to clean the farmhouse. My Uncle John has lived with his 2 brothers for the last 30 years as bachelors in this house. While the brothers have passed away, Uncle John is now the only person living there. They lived in the depression era and did not throw anything away, mail, garbage, food, clothes, broken tools, etc. So as you can imagine, there is 30 years of "junk" to clean out. We have been at it for 3 weeks now and have only accomplished cleaning out one room.

But don't let my yammering fool you, I have enjoyed it all. I go over there almost every day after class, and on the weekends when I can. We have found some interesting stuff. Letters from family in Poland to my Great-Grandmother. Family papers and bible. Tools from when they built the house. Pictures of my family that have not been seen in the past 15 years. In the process I will talk to cousins and other family members and they will share with me some interesting stories about what they remember about the farm and the family.

I am looking forward to getting back there tomorrow to see what I can find.

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