Century Farm Barn Preservation

More than one hundred years ago, this barn was the hub of the everyday

farming operation.  Ryan's grandfather Grover milked cows

 in this barn and used it to store hay and grain.  During World War II, 

Ryan's mother milked cows in this

same barn while his father was stationed in Japan.

Even though  the everyday activity of this barn has changed,

it is still used for storage and provides a reminder

of its history on  our century farm. 

  

It seemed the right thing to preserve this part of our 

farm history by adding new tin and new doors to 

this important part of our family and farm history.

The barn certainly dresses up my calf pictures!

More importantly, the barn can continue to

be used daily and preserved for others to enjoy

as our  rural farming area in Benton County

continues to blend  into city life.

 

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Last Sunday afternoon dedicated firemen from three different community

 fire departments showed up to save a house located on one of our 

farm properties. Fortunately, there were no people in the house at the time of the

 fire and the quick and efficient  work of the firemen saved the dwelling.

We know many of these firemen personally and appreciate the

 fact that they represent generations of  firefighters in our community.

                                               I'm so thankful for these dedicated men that
                                                 volunteer to keep our communities safe.

Rural Community Treasure

Although the Vaughn School has been closed since 1960,  classmates who attended the rural community school in Northwest Arkansas gather on the first Saturday in  August every year  to share a meal and celebrate their treasured  lifelong friendships. Even though Ryan and I didn't attend school at Vaughn, we are connected to the school because of our parents and grandparents who grew up in the Vaughn  community.

Vaughn classmates would tell you that the Vaughn  Presbyterian Church and the Vaughn School were the hub of the community during their school days. The  church was built in 1889, followed by the school in 1913.  In 2010, church members and classmates erected a monument in the church yard to commemorate the importance of both school and church to the community.

It was great seeing Ava and JoAnne today--they've been friends for at least 80 years!

My life has been enriched by their friendship to me and my family.

Attending today's Vaughn reunion was a great reminder that--

 Friendship is one of life's treasures!

Art with a Purpose

What can you make with a gazillion small pieces of colored tissue paper cut into little one inch squares? Flowers,of course!  That's exactly what the students at Decatur Northside Elementary were making in art class today after a lesson about the famous artist  Georgia  O'Keefe. Early this month, the Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee purchased art supplies for this school.   I was invited  today by Mrs. Raymond, the art teacher, to see the supplies we donated and receive thank-you notes from the students.

Mrs. Raymond teaches all the art classes for students in the rural Decatur school system. With a limited budget for art supplies, she was very appreciative of the donation for her elementary students. Students will have plenty of markers,paper,modeling clay and even a crayon melting machine to recycle bits and pieces of crayons. It is our hope that by furnishing more art supplies that the students will benefit academically by enhancing their opportunity for more creativity.

Seventy plus years ago the first Farm Bureau Women's Committee in Arkansas was formed to make a difference in the rural communities. I'm proud to be working for that same purpose today as a member of the Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee!

Rural Meets Urban On the Farm

Rural met urban tonight at a Benton County Quorum Court meeting. It's neither the first nor the last time for situations to occur in our rapidly growing county that will have a great impact on our agricultural community. Tonight's issue is the small farming community of Hiwassee fighting against the proposed annexation of their community into the larger city of Bella Vista.  This annexation would take in approximately 6000 acres of agricultural land.

As I listened to a member of our Benton County Farm Bureau Board present reasons we oppose this annexation for this agricultural community, I thought about the rich agricultural history of Benton County. In the 1920's, we  were listed as the number one apple growing county in the nation. When the apple industry declined, the poultry industry began with a farmwife raising a backyard chicken. Today Benton County is second in the state in poultry production and Arkansas ranks second nationally in poultry production.

More than 100 farm families make their living from raising poultry and cattle in this proposed area of annexation. After reviewing the proposed annexation, Arkansas Farm Bureau states that it believes the new regulations placed on this small agricultural community by the city would be detrimental and quite possibly devastating to their ability to maintain or expand their current farm while potentially decreasing the value of their land. Landowners and farmers will also be faced with additional costs to improve their land because of a more restrictive and expensive permitting process.

It's my hope that the citizens of Bella Vista will consider the importance of this agricultural community to our county and the long range plan of food production for our nation. The question  for all of us--rural and urban--where will our food be produced?

Connecting with Consumers at the Petting Zoo

Rural makes connection with urban this week at the Benton County Fair in Northwest Arkansas. It's a gathering place that preserves our county's rich agricultural history and educates the public about agriculture in our now urbanized area. The fair actually begins its 107th year tomorrow but the fairgrounds was buzzing with activity late this afternoon as trucks and livestock trailers pulled up to the barn to bring the assortment of animals that will be shown by 4-H and FFA members through the week. You could feel the excitement in the air and the anticipation of that possible blue ribbon as the kids moved their animals into the barn!

My sons were kind enough to help me this afternoon to get ready for the fair by setting up the Benton County Farm Bureau Petting Zoo. I'll be unloading my livestock tomorrow in the petting zoo. Our zoo will include baby chicks,a dairy calf, a baby pig,a lamb and a goat. Because most consumers are three generations from having any connection to a farm, providing the petting zoo is a great way to share information about agriculture while having a fun family experience. It's up to the two percent of us who work in agriculture to share how we care for our animals and work to produce safe,affordable food.

More information about our fair can be found at http://www.bentoncountyfairar.org/. I'm looking forward to all those smiles I will see this week and the chance to talk a little about Benton County agriculture!

Rural Community Greater Than A Tornado

Rural communities represent the strength of America. The tornado that struck the small community of Cincinnati,Arkansas on New Year's Eve took the lives of four people. One of these victims was a dairy farmer who was doing what he had done every morning for the last fifty years--milking his cows. Although we did not know this farmer personally, this tragedy saddened us deeply. This weekend Ryan and I drove twenty miles into the next county for a fundraiser to support the Cincinnati community. The evening included a barbecue dinner,country music from a local band, and an auction of donated items at the Lincoln community building in the middle of the town square. As we entered the community building, it was obvious that the community came out to support their friends and neighbors who had been affected by this tornado destruction. Every table was filled with folks eating their dinner and the food line wrapped all around three sides of the large room. The folks that planned the fundraiser had hoped for one hundred people--three hundred people came to support the Cincinnati community. Before the auctioneer started the bidding he stated that we had come together to support our friends and neighbors because that's what Americans do for each other when we are hurting and need help. The evening was a great success for this community because of rural friends and neighbors. I felt blessed to have experienced just what the auctioneer stated. Rural communities reaching out to help friends and neighbors is what provides strength to our American way!