I grew up going to the county fair, first watching my brothers show hogs, then when I was old enough for 4-H showing my pony and horses. Great memories and great experiences that I recall to this day. I had a chance to visit recently with O'Brien County Fair Board President Darwin Gaudian.
Darwin has been president of the fair board for 10 years, and has been involved with the fair, either as an exhibitor in 4-H and FFA or as an adult, well, darn near his whole life!
There was one thing in our conversation that surprised me... there is not a lack of volunteers when it comes to the county fair. Other community efforts in our rural area struggle to find enough help, but not the fair... he gave me some insight into why that is. Listen and enjoy, this edition of The Farmers' Table.
Check this out on Chirbit
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The Farmers' Table
February got away from me, and I didn't get the interview done, so I hope to have two for you in March. Today I sat down with Austin Rohrs and Denny Weber, both juniors at South O'Brien High School, also with us was their FFA adviser Mr. Eric Kumm. These are wonderful young men! Every time I have interviewed members of the FFA I have wished to go back in time to high school and join. This time was no different.
We talked about what they've been up to in FFA and how they think it will benefit them down the road in what ever careers they choose.
Check this out on ChirbitListen and enjoy!
I will add that my equipment is still primative, I have a lovely little mixer and additional mics picked out on Amazon, but haven't bit the bullet yet.
We talked about what they've been up to in FFA and how they think it will benefit them down the road in what ever careers they choose.
Check this out on ChirbitListen and enjoy!
I will add that my equipment is still primative, I have a lovely little mixer and additional mics picked out on Amazon, but haven't bit the bullet yet.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Writing exercise:learning from the master
I'm still slowly working through Dinty Moore's Crafting the Personal Essay, and sharing my writing exercises, here at Tall Corn. This exercise involves an essay of Michael de Montaigne, and translating his words into the common speech of today.
Here's the quoted text:
Man is what he is, but not perfect, and given the opportunity I would change him, but that's not possible. My perspective changes, much like the world turns and time marches on, both in ages and minute by minute.
Can't tell I have been writing in broadcast style for 25 years, lol. Not sure I have the gist of this one, I think he's talking about the flaws of man that he would change, and that those flaws also change just like time moves on and time changes things.
Here's the quoted text:
Others form man; I only report him: and represent a particular one, ill fashioned enough, and whom, if I had to model him anew, I should certainly make something else than what he is: but that’s past recalling. Now, though the features of my picture alter and change, ’tis not, however, unlike: the world eternally turns round; all things therein are incessantly moving, the earth, the rocks of Caucasus, and the pyramids of Egypt, both by the public motion and their own. Even constancy itself is no other but a slower and more languishing motion. I cannot fix my object; ’tis always tottering and reeling by a natural giddiness: I take it as it is at the instant I consider it; I do not paint its being, I paint its passage; not a passing from one age to another, or, as the people say, from seven to seven years, but from day to day, from minute to minute.Here's my effort:
Man is what he is, but not perfect, and given the opportunity I would change him, but that's not possible. My perspective changes, much like the world turns and time marches on, both in ages and minute by minute.
Can't tell I have been writing in broadcast style for 25 years, lol. Not sure I have the gist of this one, I think he's talking about the flaws of man that he would change, and that those flaws also change just like time moves on and time changes things.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
A new year, a new plan.
With the new year I have a new plan. I hope you will join me in the adventure. I spent most of the last 20 years working as a farm broadcaster, I LOVE talking to farmers and telling the story of modern life on the farm. Whether it's someone who embraces all the new technology and science in their farm business or someone who holds to the tried and true, I love talking to farmers.
If you want to meet people who truly love what they do every day, join us at the Farmer's Table, a conversation with farmers about agriculture, what is impacting their farm as a business and their families as consumers.
This is the first conversation of the new year. Iowa Corn Growers' Association President Bruce Rohrwer, and past chairman of the National Pork Board Tim Bierman joined me at the table to talk about the issues and life in rural Iowa.
This is a 40 minute conversation, I am posting the entirety. I will confess, that I am a little rusty, and I don't have my technology where I want it yet, but enjoy this discussion about the statehouse, Congress, drought, volunteering, and the love of farming.
The Farmers' Table, January 5, 2013.
If you want to meet people who truly love what they do every day, join us at the Farmer's Table, a conversation with farmers about agriculture, what is impacting their farm as a business and their families as consumers.
This is the first conversation of the new year. Iowa Corn Growers' Association President Bruce Rohrwer, and past chairman of the National Pork Board Tim Bierman joined me at the table to talk about the issues and life in rural Iowa.
This is a 40 minute conversation, I am posting the entirety. I will confess, that I am a little rusty, and I don't have my technology where I want it yet, but enjoy this discussion about the statehouse, Congress, drought, volunteering, and the love of farming.
The Farmers' Table, January 5, 2013.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
It's been two years...
I am in the process of renewing my National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) license. I can't believe it has been two years already. It feels like I was in class just yesterday. Becoming an EMT has been a goal of mine since I first became a trained first responder in 2005. And I'm already renewing the license.
Listening to the news, I'm reminded of what I haven't seen while in the back of the ambulance. I haven't been on any major trauma calls, no MVC, or farm accident. I actually hope that I can go another license period without having to treat a major trauma patient, because that means my neighbors and friends and family are safe. I don't know what I would have done had I been on a rig in Newtown, on Friday. I am guessing that like the men and women there, I would do what I was trained to do. And as I'm sure many of them have done, hold my tears back until I was back at the station.
The folks who are on the front line of responding to a 911 call, the police, fire, and those of us in Emergency Medical Services will bear the scars of what happened as surely as the families of those lost. We all have calls that stay with us. To this day, I can tell you every detail of a search that ended up being a recovery, and the every detail of the first fatal accident I responded to. My sister-in-law keeps telling me that it takes a very special person to be an EMT. These things stay with you, and either hold you back or make you better at your job.
Here is a really good synopsis of why critical stress debriefing is VITAL for all first responders, no matter the depth of the tragedy.
To learn about the different types of debriefs, click here
And, while being far from a mental health professional, I think in the wake of tragedy that touches each and everyone of us, whether we lost friends, family, or hope that innocence is still safe in America, a critical stress debriefing would benefit each and every one of us, that and a hug.
Listening to the news, I'm reminded of what I haven't seen while in the back of the ambulance. I haven't been on any major trauma calls, no MVC, or farm accident. I actually hope that I can go another license period without having to treat a major trauma patient, because that means my neighbors and friends and family are safe. I don't know what I would have done had I been on a rig in Newtown, on Friday. I am guessing that like the men and women there, I would do what I was trained to do. And as I'm sure many of them have done, hold my tears back until I was back at the station.
The folks who are on the front line of responding to a 911 call, the police, fire, and those of us in Emergency Medical Services will bear the scars of what happened as surely as the families of those lost. We all have calls that stay with us. To this day, I can tell you every detail of a search that ended up being a recovery, and the every detail of the first fatal accident I responded to. My sister-in-law keeps telling me that it takes a very special person to be an EMT. These things stay with you, and either hold you back or make you better at your job.
Here is a really good synopsis of why critical stress debriefing is VITAL for all first responders, no matter the depth of the tragedy.
To learn about the different types of debriefs, click here
And, while being far from a mental health professional, I think in the wake of tragedy that touches each and everyone of us, whether we lost friends, family, or hope that innocence is still safe in America, a critical stress debriefing would benefit each and every one of us, that and a hug.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
The Full Weight
I am currently reading the book, Crafting the Personal Essay: a Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction by Dinty W. Moore.As part of the book, Professor Moore has writing exercises. This is number four.
#
The guilt of failure can be overwhelming. It often sneaks up and strikes out of nowhere. My dad died at the end of August. I gave him CPR, but failed to resuscitate him. Now, you can tell me that it was his time, he was ready to end his fight against cancer and COPD, and ready to be free of pain. I know those things on one level. But that doesn't keep me from feeling the guilt of failure, and shedding tears as I write this.
My training says I did everything I could... breaths, compressions, shock when advised by the AED, but I still feel the failure because I wasn't ready to let him go. I thought he would live till November, see one more harvest, one more turn of the calendar to Autumn, maybe even one more snowfall.
So I am moving through grief, burdened by a guilt that others say I should not carry, yet can't seem to set down.
#
The guilt of failure can be overwhelming. It often sneaks up and strikes out of nowhere. My dad died at the end of August. I gave him CPR, but failed to resuscitate him. Now, you can tell me that it was his time, he was ready to end his fight against cancer and COPD, and ready to be free of pain. I know those things on one level. But that doesn't keep me from feeling the guilt of failure, and shedding tears as I write this.
My training says I did everything I could... breaths, compressions, shock when advised by the AED, but I still feel the failure because I wasn't ready to let him go. I thought he would live till November, see one more harvest, one more turn of the calendar to Autumn, maybe even one more snowfall.
So I am moving through grief, burdened by a guilt that others say I should not carry, yet can't seem to set down.
The flood of memory
I am currently reading the book, Crafting the Personal Essay: a Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction by Dinty W. Moore.As part of the book, Professor Moore has writing exercises. This is the third.
#
This is an exercise in memory. Take 10 minutes and mine the details of a memory. My classmates have been talking about the blizzard of 1975. There have been other blizzards since, but this one was really memorable for me.
One of the first things I remember are the losses. The storm turned out to be much worse than predicted, and at least one cattle feeder lost most of the animals in his feed lot at the time. What don't remember, but have found a link, is that it made national news.
I remember Dad couldn't get my pony into the barn with the other horses, we have a photo of her standing on a drift ABOVE the machine shed. She was too mean to perish in such a storm.
I remember the farm was out of power for two weeks and I had to stay at my grandparents in town, yet I don't recall anyone caterwauling about the power company not doing enough to get power restored....
Our family hobby was snowmobiling, I remember as a family, we went to check on all our neighbors after the storm and went to town on the snowmobiles to get groceries for everyone.
I remember snow drifts as tall as the trees, and power poles nearly enveloped in snow. Which a google check shows why, 90 mile an hour winds, added to lots of snow, and it was one of the top 10 worst storms of the century.
I look out the window at the bare dusting of snow on the ground today, it doesn't even look like real snow, it looks like fake TV snow, and remember the snows of my childhood, including and especially the Blizzard of 1975.
#
This is an exercise in memory. Take 10 minutes and mine the details of a memory. My classmates have been talking about the blizzard of 1975. There have been other blizzards since, but this one was really memorable for me.
One of the first things I remember are the losses. The storm turned out to be much worse than predicted, and at least one cattle feeder lost most of the animals in his feed lot at the time. What don't remember, but have found a link, is that it made national news.
I remember Dad couldn't get my pony into the barn with the other horses, we have a photo of her standing on a drift ABOVE the machine shed. She was too mean to perish in such a storm.
I remember the farm was out of power for two weeks and I had to stay at my grandparents in town, yet I don't recall anyone caterwauling about the power company not doing enough to get power restored....
Our family hobby was snowmobiling, I remember as a family, we went to check on all our neighbors after the storm and went to town on the snowmobiles to get groceries for everyone.
I remember snow drifts as tall as the trees, and power poles nearly enveloped in snow. Which a google check shows why, 90 mile an hour winds, added to lots of snow, and it was one of the top 10 worst storms of the century.
I look out the window at the bare dusting of snow on the ground today, it doesn't even look like real snow, it looks like fake TV snow, and remember the snows of my childhood, including and especially the Blizzard of 1975.
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