Guest Blog

Runners often rhapsodize about something called an “endorphin high,” which apparently occurs when you punish your body until it begins to crank out its own painkillers in self-defense. As thrilling as that sounds, I usually pass. My lungs are not meant to bleed.

One thing is for sure, agriculture needs as many positive voices telling the story of our industry as possible. It seems that everyone has an opinion on our livelihood, especially those on social media with negative messages.

For sake of clarity, in my part of the world, ranchers raise cattle and farmers raise crops. I am not a farmer. My husband can testify that I never will be, no matter how often he is forced to stuff me in a tractor.

A few years ago, my husband and I made a rodeo swing through Idaho that involved starting on the southern end of the state then traveling most of the night to the northern end.

One of the downsides of being a published author is social media. As in, I’m expected to show my face there and shamelessly promote my book. I can handle Twitter; it has ways to filter and sort what you see when you scroll through your news feed.

As spectacular as the past summer was for the cattlemen in our area, it was equally disastrous for the farmers. Their crops suffered from smut and sawflies, hail that knocked down wheat and barley, and excessive rain late in the season that made kernels sprout right in the heads.