How deep do your roots run?

So I was sitting in my Plant and Soils class today and we were kind of discussing roots... or at least I think, i may have also been studying for another test. While I was paused from consuming my breeding notes I started to daydream about roots and more than just the tubers that come from plants (see I have learned a thing or two from Plant and Soils). I began to think how everyone has different roots and in some way or another I bet everyone has some sort of root in agriculture whether you grew up on a farm or you are generations removed. I could bet that in some way agriculture has played a part in who we each are today.

I was fortunate enough to grow up on a farm. I started helping my parents feed, breed,and treat cattle probably before I could talk. I was always daddy's best sweeper when it came to cleaning up after chore time (I had an uncanny knack for dumping grain, as you can see) or when it was time to put up straw or hay. I still remember helping my mother on a farm call where she had to fixed a displaced abdomen in a dairy cow. While mom had a cow on her back and feet in the air I was playing hopscotch in the feed bunk. Turns out I was clumsy then too..... I fell on a rusty nail which conveniently happened to slide under my knee cap. I'll never forget my first pig peeing on me at the catch-a-pig show and my first Pemberville steer. I so wish I could go back to those days playing daddy's little helper and mom's clumsy assistant,but now as a college student I realize that those were the experiences that not only were highlights of my childhood but also major times were I absorbed what agriculture truly was. My roots run deep and recently when I was asked why I started pursuing a career in agriculture, I realized it was not just because of my involvement in 4-H and FFA. Agriculture is ingrained into my DNA my great great grandparents relied on agriculture as a staple to live as did many of our ancestors. Although I found my interests lied in producing a healthy, palatable food product, I think I would still be able to credit agriculture in some way to the person I am today. I am so thankful that 4-H, FFA, Livestock Judging, NJSA, and of coarse my parents have instilled wholesome values, knowledge, and experience that have not only helped me pursue my goals in ag but have also made me the loud, funny, and caring person I am today. I am thankful that agriculture brought my great great grand parents to a place where agriculture was such a staple, and I am thankful for them raising my grandparents and parents with the morals, values, and willingness to work hard that they learned on the farm, because ultimately I got some of it too. So my challenge to you is to think about how agriculture has made an impact on your life in any way shape of form?

Keep Pork on Your Fork!