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Treat yourself like you treat your soilBy Doug Rich The first speaker at the No-Till Oklahoma Conference was not a no-till producer or an Extension specialist. He was Dr. Val Farmer, a psychologist, who has spent much of his career counseling farm families. His book, "Honey, I Shrunk the Farm," gives perspective and advice to farm and ranch families facing difficult times. Dr. Farmer interviewed several successful no-till farmers in preparation for the conference. He found that they all shared several common characteristics: 1. They had supportive fathers who encouraged them to be open-minded and try new things. 2. They had supportive wives who trusted them to do the right thing. 3. They went through a process to learn about no-till that allowed time for the creative part of their brain to kick in. 4. They were risk takers. 5. They considered the profitability of no-till farming. It is economics, not just agronomics, that make it work. 6. They were aggressive learners who were ahead of the curve. 7. They were willing to help others by showing what they were doing through their results. 8. They showed courage by going against the grain to adopt new practices. "The same things you do for the soil, you need to do for yourself," Dr. Farmer said. "Have down time for yourself that is rewarding so your lives get the nutrients that they need." 2/25/08 Date: 2/21/08
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