Hi All,
This month has been very busy for those of us in the
agricultural industry. It seems as though the warm weather is upon us so that
we can finally get back into the fields and work. April always was a favorite time
of the year for me for many reasons. One of those reasons was because
everything is alive and full of growth. This also means that it’s time for us
to start prepping the fields to plant, a task that I was never asked twice to
do. This is one of the places that developed my love for agriculture and that I
wanted to do something that involved the agricultural industry, and follow in
my family’s long line of agriculturalists. All that time that I spent out there
with my dad and grandfather developed my knowledge that no book will ever teach
me. (Books are great for teaching don’t get me wrong). When I was a little boy,
if my parents couldn’t find me, all they would have to do is go out in the barn
and there I was admiring Pappy’s Massey Harris 44. That was the first tractor
that the family ever owned and bought new back in 1949 when they switched from horses
to tractors. I am the current owner of this tractor and the 4th generation
to own it. At the family farm, they would have field demonstrations from the
local dealers that sold Massey Harris and McCormick International tractors and
implements. They had field demonstrations for local farmers to convince them to
buy the best “new” machine out there. Sadly, the family farm was sold after my
great-grandfather passed away. I always
loved listening to my grandfather talk about back on the farm and the old black
and white photos, that when you looked at them, it was like I could picture it
in my mind and be a part of it. Those talks with my grandfather concreted the
fact that I will be in the field of agriculture and farming. The 4-H program
also was a big part of developing my career path. 4-H has taught me how to keep
good records of my projects. It shows you skills that you will need to know in
the field. A couple years back my family’s longtime friend, Mr. Barron “Boots”
Hetherington asked me at farm show what I would like to pursue as my career choice.
I had not hesitated and replied I want to be a farmer. He kind of chuckled and
we started talking about the agricultural industry. At the end of the
conversation, he had me convinced at that moment what I wanted to be when I grew
up. I am still going to be a farmer and keep true to my family roots but back
in sixth grade, I knew from that point forward, I wanted to go into agricultural
engineering and designing tractors or agricultural equipment for one of the big
agricultural companies and still take over the family farm. Now next fall, I will
be attending college for agricultural engineering and diesel technology. This
is all one great step in creating my career within the agricultural community
because I AM part of THE FUTURE of AGRICULTURE. The Future of Agriculture is in
our hands. We need that next generation to take over because this brings about
one of my favorite sayings, “No Farms No Food.”
Brendin Freeman
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