I love sharing about our life in agriculture (although my dad would tell you I’d love to talk about anything!). My passion for sharing our agricultural story began unexpectedly when my oldest son, Grayson, was in the NICU at UNMC in Omaha. We spent the first ten weeks of his life there as he learned to grow and eat. During that time, we bonded with the amazing NICU staff, swapping stories about our lives. It was fall, and back home, our cows and calves were coming off grass and being weaned. When I shared this with one of the nurses, she was shocked. She had always assumed cows spent their lives in barns, not roaming open pastures.
That moment was a lightbulb for me—you truly don’t know what you don’t know if you’ve never had a chance to learn. For that nurse, her understanding of where food comes from changed through a simple conversation.
Although I’m a nurse, I wasn’t prepared for the world of the NICU. I learned how hard it can be for tiny babies to develop the ability to eat and how vital good nutrition is for growth. For Grayson, that meant a special formula containing rice and soy. Seeing how something grown on farms, like soybeans, played a role in helping my baby thrive deepened my appreciation for what we do as farmers.
As farmers, we have a unique opportunity to share our stories and connect with others. And sharing our agricultural story matters because it connects the dots for people, showing them how the food and products they rely on begin on farms like ours.
It’s my hope that through conversations—whether in a hospital, a grocery store or on social media—I can help others understand and appreciate the hard work and care that go into raising crops, cattle and the next generation.
Photos by Rebecca Marie Photo.
