The team pulls the wagon

As a kid I did participate in sports but today I couldn't tell you who is going to play in the Super Bowl. Oh wait, that's over isn't it? Honestly, I did know the Super Bowl was over but mostly because of the discussions about the advertisements and what companies are willing to pay for a 30 second spot. When I was a kid, my father was my coach. He taught me that you show no emotions when you cross the lines of the playing field. I have little doubt that the true value of youth sports is the fundamental principles that become ingrained into your mind. I do believe that my dad's teachings about controlling your emotions have enabled me to do much of what I do today, including dealing one on one with individuals who do not agree with us about continuing animal agriculture.

Another foundational principle I learned was that regarding "PDA's" (Public Displays of Affection). Yes, most of us in Rural America and particularly those of us who grew up in farm and ranch families have been taught to keep our emotions at bay. While in many cases this may be a good thing, I do recognize that there is a time and place for everything.

First off, if anybody believes that in today's society, science will override emotion in explaining why we believe it is morally and ethically right to respectfully take the life of an animal to benefit human lives, you are in the wrong game. We must interject emotion as often as possible when explaining the proper treatment and harvesting of food animals. Yes, of course animal agriculture gives mankind the essentials of life, food, fiber, fuel and pharmaceuticals. But why are we so reluctant to share the stories about the best products produced on our nations farms and ranches? Kids.

These kids understand the cycle of life at a very early age. They understand everything lives and everything dies, and that death with a purpose gives full meaning to life. To be able to provide this opportunity for my three daughters is the motivation I have for traveling this country and motivating others that share this belief to do a better job of telling our story. And travel I do. If you don't know, last year I spent 270 nights in hotel rooms. In the first 50 days of 2007, I have spent nine nights in my own bed. I am not whining however because I have gotten what I asked for, the opportunity to share my passion about rural America and American agriculture.

On Valentine's Day 2007 I was speaking at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., where the temperature was closer to 80 than 8 degrees. Meanwhile, at my home in Central, Neb., the mercury had a hard time finding its way above zero. I receive plenty of thanks and do not for one minute feel like my travel and efforts are taken for granted. Although it was on this Valentine's Day in California that someone came up to me and said, "Make sure to tell your wife we appreciate her dedication as well." That is one sentiment that I don't share enough myself.

I have jokingly started many of my speaking presentations with the statement that my ranch is just as big as my wife can handle. It is not a joke. This particular week with ice and subzero temperatures accompanying 30+ mph winds, Kelli is not only taking care of our kids in the house, ages 8, 4 and 1 but the kids in the barn as well. Yes, we have goats and thanks to poor planning on our part during the second week of February they are in the middle of kidding. At one point in time she had six goat kids in the living room in a makeshift heating box. She was doing whatever it took to keep those dependent little critters alive which is a stockmanship skill she learned from her own parents growing up in a rural environment similar to my own.

There are days on the road with extended trips that I ask myself "Why do I do this?" I know for a fact Kelli has days at home fighting weather and potential animal deaths that she asks herself why I do this as well. At the end of this holiday for sweethearts, I realize that I have found my true Valentine and do not tell her often enough that it is because of her that I can continue to travel the country meeting the wonderful people that I do so that I can share your stories with the world.

Looking back, my Dad didn't want me to show emotion between the white lines but the reality is that we spend much more time in the dugout than we do between the white lines. If we don't share our feelings while we are in the dugout, we will not have the same team morale during the game. The team that has all of their horses pulling in the same direction will arrive at their chosen destination first. Kelli, thank you for helping me pull the wagon.

B

6

2/26/07

1 Star WK

Date: 2/22/07

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