As soon as I was old enough, I joined 4-H. It was there that I got my start in showing and judging and public speaking. There I was, a tiny little 9 year old kid, and my parents signed me up for the public speaking contest. I talked about....what else? The family farm. Good topic selection, because that baby was undefeated!
I don't have a picture of me giving the speech as a 9 year old, but luckily when you show, you have sale pictures to document every year of your life...so here I am. Please feel free to ask my mother WHAT I was wearing!
I thought it might be fun to share my first speech with you as part of Family Farm Friday. It's funny, because you've read previously about a lot of these same things! So here we go.....my District winning novice 4-H speech!A Family Affair
If you listen to the news, you have heard a bleak prediction that in the next thirty years the number of family farms in America will continue to decline drastically. This concerns me because I am a third generation 4H member from a family farm.
Life on the family farm teaches lessons early. For example, I learned to set an irrigation tube before I was old enough to start school. My dad would carry the tubes, my mom and I would set the tubes, and my younger brother would play in the mud! This is a family affair. {Ironically, this story would get me into law school 15 years later.....read about that here!}
Another lesson learned on the farm is that death is a reality. My Christmas puppy—a beautiful white German Shepherd—was attacked by coyotes. My first bottle lamb got pneumonia and stopped breathing in my arms. My birthday pony, which later became a “hand me down” to my brother, died in the corral. Two show lambs that I kept for ewes died trying to lamb. That’s reality. In these experiences, I would notice the lump in my throat tightening and the tears filling my eyes. Mom and Dad helped me through those hurts. This is a family affair! {Clearly a little dramatic effect was necessary...}
Life on the family farm provides experiences. Branding is an eye opening experience for a child. I never imagined what really happens when branding is done. Yet, today I run the calves into the chute and fill the syringes for the shots, Mom gives the shots, my brother hands Dad the tools and branding irons, Dad brands each calf and treats the bull calves. This is a family affair.
Life on the family farm teaches lessons early. For example, I learned to set an irrigation tube before I was old enough to start school. My dad would carry the tubes, my mom and I would set the tubes, and my younger brother would play in the mud! This is a family affair. {Ironically, this story would get me into law school 15 years later.....read about that here!}Another lesson learned on the farm is that death is a reality. My Christmas puppy—a beautiful white German Shepherd—was attacked by coyotes. My first bottle lamb got pneumonia and stopped breathing in my arms. My birthday pony, which later became a “hand me down” to my brother, died in the corral. Two show lambs that I kept for ewes died trying to lamb. That’s reality. In these experiences, I would notice the lump in my throat tightening and the tears filling my eyes. Mom and Dad helped me through those hurts. This is a family affair! {Clearly a little dramatic effect was necessary...}Life on the family farm provides experiences. Branding is an eye opening experience for a child. I never imagined what really happens when branding is done. Yet, today I run the calves into the chute and fill the syringes for the shots, Mom gives the shots, my brother hands Dad the tools and branding irons, Dad brands each calf and treats the bull calves. This is a family affair.
I share experiences with neighbors on other family farms in our farm community. Our numbers are small, but the meaning of neighbor is big. We enjoy picnics and parties yearly. We join together in hard times too. When a large grass fire raged over the land of five families, everyone in the area worked together to save what could be saved. When trouble comes, neighbors help. This, too, is a family affair. {You've also read about my neighbors and this concept before here and here and here.}
Life on the family farm means entertainment. Riding horses and tractors, driving the pickup, playing on hay stacks, and climbing to our tree house in Gran’s yard—interesting entertainment for a kid like me! 
Life on the family farm…what if news predictions are right? What if in the years to come a child can’t grow up on a family farm because there are no more family farms? What if there are no more farm chores for a girl like me to do with Mom, Dad, and brother? What is no other child gets to know what it means to help and to be helped by neighbors? What if I’m in the last generation to be able to experience this family affair called a family farm?
Life on the family farm means entertainment. Riding horses and tractors, driving the pickup, playing on hay stacks, and climbing to our tree house in Gran’s yard—interesting entertainment for a kid like me! 
Life on the family farm…what if news predictions are right? What if in the years to come a child can’t grow up on a family farm because there are no more family farms? What if there are no more farm chores for a girl like me to do with Mom, Dad, and brother? What is no other child gets to know what it means to help and to be helped by neighbors? What if I’m in the last generation to be able to experience this family affair called a family farm? 
5 comments:
Wow, Tiffany, great and fascinating post! I grew up knowing many people who farm, but it still seems like a different world to me.
I can just imagine a little nine-year-old Tiffany giving this speech. Fast forward about nine years -- remember when you were doing impromptu public speaking at State 4-H? You rocked that too! Winner - hands down.
-College Roomie
Oh how nine year old Tiffany sounds just like adult Tiffany...I wish we had known each other when we were younger.
On a side note..I really miss playing on haybales, isn't it crazy how you can have fun running and jumping on round bales and then climbing on the stacks of square ones in the barn. It's the simple things in life,lol.
BOKG
Your childhood farm experiences sound amazing. I live more near the city so this was a breath of fresh air to read :)
My dad grew up on a farm, and still actively works on farms in our home town. It is so sad to me to see them going away. Our whole town turned into housing developments and car dealerships... and it makes me so sad. It's lost the community feel. So glad you have these memories to look back on. I was never in 4H, but I always loved it!
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