Day 7: The First Weekend in December - Friends, Food, & Farm Bureau

My farmer was re-elected to County Board.  If you are local and voted for him, Thank You.  We are humbled. 

He finished harvest.  We celebrated with friends. He finished tillage.  He gets re-elected.  Can this week get any better?

Yes it can!

Last night my farmer confirmed that we will be spending the first weekend of December in Chicago at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting.  For me, this means great food and great friends courtesy of a great organization.

We've done this nine of the thirteen years we've been married (give or take a year).  During the first five or so, my farmer was active in the Farm Bureau Young Leader group.  At the Annual Meeting, the Young Leader group hosts special sessions devoted to topics younger farmers and farm families are concerned about.  They also host a hospitality suite for networking.  It's always very loud. 

Our farmer BFFs are a product of this group and these trips to the city.  We became closer to friends from college.  We made new friends.  Even though we live over a hundred miles apart, the six of us have grown up together.  We went from childless couples to parents of seven kids between us.  We've bought houses.  We've remodeled houses.  We've vacationed together in Hawaii, Kentucky, Bloomington, Peoria, and Michigan.  Two of us have talked about a trip this summer.  I'm hoping we can convince the third to come, too.      

When my farmer announced the end of harvest Saturday, his farmer BFFs above were on the distribution list.

In one of his books Michael Pollen writes about Farm Bureau as if it does more harm than good to farmers.  I couldn't disagree more.  The Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization that ensures farmers have a voice, locally and nationally.  Farm Bureau helps farmers find their voice.  It's a bit surprising to me that the people, who I would assume to be supportive of labor unions, social justice movements, and community organizing, would have such a negative view of the Farm Bureau.  It seems to me that Farm Bureau is just a mature and successful form of these three things.

We've all aged out of the Young Leader group.  Thankfully the Annual Meeting has sessions that appeal to more mature farmers and farm families.  And, thankfully we'll get to spend time with at least one of our BFFs who we just don't see often enough the first weekend in December.

The First Weekend in December - Friends, Food, & Farm Bureau - One of the 30 reasons why I love being my farmer's wife.

Stay tuned for the 23 other things I love about my life on the farm and 23 more things that converted this Sycamore girl into a small town girl:).

And, check out my friend Holly's blog and the list of the other 30 day bloggers at 30 Days on a Prairie Farm.

Day One: Grandma Millie
Day Two: My Clean Car
Day Three: He's helped me be more flexible
Day Four: Our little church
Day Five: His Servant Heart
Day 6: Farmer Humor