Thankful Thursday

   In 1919 a land deed was recorded in these historical record books

  at the Benton County Circuit Clerk's office.  

Earlier this year, I made my journey to the office to locate the

 recorded deed  for our farm so that we could make application to

                the Arkansas Century Farm Program.                

.                                                As I turned the pages in those big old books,

                     I felt like I was stepping back in time looking at the names on each

                          page, hand written with the most precise beautiful penmanship.

                                      When I found  the recorded deed for our farm, 

                                                     I felt like I had struck gold!

Even though I have only been a part of the farm for 37 years,

I have been blessed to be a part of the ongoing farming operation, raise

the fourth generation on the farm, and enjoy sharing our love of the farm 

with the fifth generation.

Before leaving the Capitol,

we made a stop at the Arkansas Treasurer's office

so Hattie could check out where our state tax dollars are kept

and the chance to hold almost a million dollars!

I couldn't help thinking about how proud my mother-in-law

Bonnah Lyn would have been on this special day 

for our farm and family.

Without a doubt, she would say,

"my family, the best crop I ever had!"

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

January 1 started a new year and a new term of serving in the 

position of Justice of the Peace, District 9 in Benton County.

Although this was the fourth time I have been sworn into office,

I am very thankful 

for the experience and opportunity to continue  representing 

the citizens of Benton County,

  

and

to share this moment in time with my Mother,

who encourages, supports and provides a wealth of knowledge 

from her years of service in city and county government.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Twenty nine years ago a few  Benton County dedicated to 

dairy volunteers began what  we know as Dairy Days 

in the month of June. 

The reason for beginning Dairy Days was to provide another event

 for 4-H and FFA kids to show their dairy cattle and provide more 

dairy learning experiences.  Twenty-nine years later, 

the purpose is the same with expansion to include kids from 4 states.

 4-State Dairy Days  is an all youth dairy show  and competitions for

 kids from Oklahoma,Kansas,Missouri, and Arkansas promoting youth 

participation in dairy cattle showing and dairy educational events. 

I'm thankful for the dedicated organizers and businesses that support 

4-State Dairy Days,

 for the multi-generation family members involved in dairy activities,

for the skills learned with dairy project animals,

and 

for the life lessons learned by caring for dairy 

animals in a fun family oriented environment.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

One of  the most popular spots at the Benton County  Fair  for the last twenty-five years is the Benton County Farm Bureau Petting Zoo. It's hard to believe that I have volunteered with this project for twenty of those years!

I'm thankful for the opportunity to provide a fun  connection to agriculture  for kids of all ages,

to see the smile on a first time cow milker,

to experience the love for baby chicks,

to hear the squeal of a baby pig,

and 

                                                       
                                                          to be a farmer in Benton County!
                                                                           

Dreams and Determination Day

I didn't count on a volunteer activity making such a personal impact when our Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee decided to plan an event to educate 300 students about Benton County's agricultural history to celebrate the theme of Arkansas Heritage Month "Dreams and Determination:Arkansans at Work." The beautiful downtown Bentonville Square was the perfect historical place to present information how farmers in Benton County made life in our agricultural community progressive and enduring with their dreams and determination.

Students rotated through ten stations to learn about agriculture in our county and state. At four of the stations, dedicated volunteers transformed  into characters of our past to relate information about the beginning of the poultry industry in our county, how rural electricity changed farm life, the development of the dairy industry, and the once thriving apple industry that transitioned into other farming activities--all guided by the dreams and determination of Arkansans at work to make a better place for their families.

As I watched the children attentively listening to each character's presentation, I realized how I have personally benefited from the dreams and determination of the generations before us. Although there are fewer farms in Benton County due to the transition from rural to sprawling urbanization, agriculture is still thriving and will continue its place in our county's history because of the dreams and determination of  Arkansas farm families just like mine.