Oh, dear readers… I owe you an apology. Do you know that it has been nearly 3 weeks since my last post?! I can’t believe how fast the time has been slipping away! It seems like we just shipped the calves but that was weeks ago. Since that time we moved cows, finished preg checking cows, went to our annual ICA Convention, gave thanks with our family, competed in the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet, and now we are full swing celebrating Christmas. What a whirlwind (and a long sentence)!
Since so much has happened I have so much to share with you… and share I will! But first I want to tell you something, explain something.
I love life. I love MY life. I love all of the pieces of it- being a mom, being a wife, working in the community, being involved in my church, pretending to be a photographer, blogging, and living on the ranch. I don’t know that there is anything I would change. If there was something I could change it would only be to have more time to do more. So much to do in so little time and there are so many dreams I have yet to live! But having so many different areas to spend my time means that my time to work on each is spread thin.
About a year ago, a new fire was lit to inspire me in my blogging/photography work. Speakers, conferences, discussions on society’s perception of agriculture- it all pushed me to see how I could couple the things that I loved and use them for our industry. Since then I have been pushing myself. Pushing to learn new things about writing, taking photos, graphic design, web design, and being more aware what is happening in my little niche of the world. Pushing myself to be more present in the social media world. Pushing myself to meet new people and hear their story.
And in it all I came to a conclusion.
I have an incredible opportunity to connect the ag industry to the consumer. For the most part, our world of producing beef never really comes in contact with those that eat our beef. Once the calves leave the ranch, we begin to focus on the next bunch to be raised. We don’t have the luxury of tracking the beef to the plate. I wish we could see the families that use our beef for dinner. I would love to ask what their favorite recipes are, how they think its tasting, and then answer any questions that they might have. I wish we could have a conversation with the consumer.
But we can’t… At least not a traditional conversation where we sit down and talk back and forth. That only means I have to get creative to make that conversation happen. Instead I am going try to have a conversation without really knowing if anyone is really there to listen. I am going to tell my story, answer the questions that I hear out there in the virtual world, and hope that someone will hear it.
I love this work and I will do it in the hopes that it will help or inspire somebody. And I will keep doing it if my life gets crazy and weeks slip by without touching the keyboard. I want to connect to people through all of the craziness of life… So… sorry its been so long. But know that any time I have a brief hiatus, I will always return!
