30 September 2008

Help Grow Your Soup?!

One of the things I love about my job is the fact that I get to see new things before they really "hit the masses". Help Your Soup Grow. Did you know you could do that? Well Campbell's Soup, The National FFA Organization and (get this) Grammy Award nominee Jewel have started a new campaign to reinvest in the future of Agriculture. Not only are they willing to donate to up to $250,000 for those that go to the website http://HelpGrowYourSoup.com . Pretty neat, huh?! All you have to do is click on that link and then click on the Red Barn. Pretty simple. And for each click on the Red Barn - Campbell's will donate $1 up to $250,000. I've even got it linked on our website.

This is from the Campbell's Website:

OUR MISSION

We all rely on farms and farmers to nourish our families. Now it's our turn to give back to them.

As part of our corporate mission to nourish people's lives everywhere, every day, Campbell Soup Company is committed to supporting the farmers that have provided the wholesome ingredients for Campbell's® condensed soups for nearly 110 years. Through a partnership with the National FFA Organization, which is dedicated to developing our next generation of leaders through agricultural education, Campbell has committed a quarter of a million dollars to help support the future of American farming.

Join us as we help good things grow: Our Food. Our Farms. Our Future.

The other part of this program is the FFA Alumni is teaming up with the National FFA Organization and Campbell's to restore old barns across the United States. Why? Because Red Barns are iconic and represent America's Farmers. So they've decided to restore historic barns and there's even been a restoration here in Illinois. To see that restoration - click HERE. In my opinion - not only is Campbell's investing in the future of American Agriculture.. They are also preserving the thought and the history of what Agriculture means to us...

We'll have more on the Help Grow Your Soup Campaign later this week... check back to our website http://ag.1290wirl.com!

~m

29 September 2008

Weekend Update

As you know - I mentioned last week Amos Moses was going to his forever home. I was ready for this... What I was not ready for - is proceeding to cry like a baby! To make matters worse... My mom was at the house with me - and we hardly got past the introductions and she was crying. Hrmm.. SO much for her not loving the little guy like I do!! The couple were so nice and in hindsight had I not felt such a strong positive feeling about them - I wouldn't have let Amos go home with them. Jim and Bonny came to the house and as soon as they walked in the door and introduced themselves Bonny got on the floor and Jim sat on my couch. They spent about an hour getting to know him and me. Amos left and part of me was so, so sad and the other part of me... Was incredibly excited for him to go to a home where two people can spend all of their free time with him!

Sunday was filled with sorrow around our family... Our beloved deaf dalmatian, Mati will have to be put down today. She's been battling cancer for awhile and her quality of life has seriously deteriorated over the past few days. So this afternoon mom and I will be taking her to Doc's office to be put down. She's been such an amazing dog and so loved and loved so many... Just a quick funny story - When Mati was younger and we would lost power at my parents and have to use flashlights... Mati would chase the flashlight beam across the house... or the flying' nun ears when she'd come to attention... All part of the things we loved and will always cherish about her. If you get a moment keep my mom in your thoughts today.. She needs them.

Now, on another sad note... "Sometimes, Nothing is a real cool hand." It's a quote from one of my all-time favorite movies. "Cool Hand Luke" and on Friday, Paul Newman lost his battle with cancer. His contributions to Hollywood were amazing. From Hud to the Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, The Color of Money and even Cars... Just to name a few... There will never be another one like him. The piercing blue eyes, the amazing talent and the kind heart. Paul Newman will be missed. And in his manner - his daughter wants him to be remembered as a kind and giving man.. She is quoted as saying "And if anyone's interested in honouring his memory, you could bring a bowl of soup to a friend or you could be philanthropic in some way, and just, you know, look out for each other."

24 September 2008

Love... The unconventional route.


So many of you know I've been fostering a dog since April. His name is Amos Moses. I named him after a man of the cloth. Actually... It's a Jerry Reed song. But it is definitely one of my favorite songs by him. I thought originally I was going to keep him - because I fell in love with him. His personality is something else - he watches Animal Planet (AP for future reference) every morning while I'm getting ready (no, really - he actually watches it). This morning I was getting ready and there was some show on AP and it was about weird animal sex and his head was tilting back and forth. Like he was really getting in to it. Anyway (that was a huge rabbit trail) this dog is so hilarious. He's a great dog and I wish I could keep him. But with my travel schedule, living alone, and the additional travels with this Leadership Program it is nearly impossible. Because if I were to keep him - I'd be home even less and he deserves to be in a home that is loving and can give him the attention he deserves.
I got a phone call on Monday telling me they think they've found Amos a forever home. I almost cried! I guess when we decided to post him for adoption and there weren't any "hits" on his page - I wasn't worried about losing him so soon. After all, who knew you could become so attached to a dog that you didn't think you'd have forever anyway. I had thoughts of fully adopting him recently - trying to figure out how I could make it work. I thought it all figured out when I received the phone call. Part of me was excited for him and the prospect of his new home and part of me was so sad and quite frankly, I don't have the heart to tell the soon to be adoptive parents of Amos that I really want to keep him. They seem like great people. They're a bit older, retired and from the sounds of it really need him in their lives after recently losing the second of their previously rescued Cairn Terriers. I wish the best for them... They're coming to my house on Saturday - and if they like him... They get to take him with them. It really makes my heart heavy to think about him leaving... that day no less!

There are lessons in life... I guess this one is - we chalk up to loving someone or something you're willing to give them up so they can have a better life. I have a new found respect for parents that give their children up for adoption (saying that - our family has been so blessed with two amazing children that were brought to us from God via the birth mothers). I know my experience is nothing along those lines - and is not as deeply emotional and "tough", but I can (on a very small scale) understand how they come to make those decisions.
And now for my PSA - if you're looking for a puppy adopt from a shelter! Those dogs are greater recipients of love than others. Simply because it will be the first them they ever truly experience it. I'm not sure if I'll ever "foster" again... but I am certain - when I go to look for a puppy or dog - I'll certainly look at a shelter or a rescue organization first....

23 September 2008

So I'm Back on the "blogging" Wagon.


I am so horrible at this. Wait... atrocious at doing this. Let's face it... I'm a horrible blogger. I guess I figure I have better things to be doing then talking about myself. So.. I'm going to talk about what we've done this summer. The 2008 Prairie Farms Dairy Hometown Fairs and Festivals Tour ended a couple of weeks ago - and we had so much fun. I really am blessed with such a great staff to work with. Mike is an awesome engineer and he's always prepared. If you want to see more pictures of our 2008 PFD Hometown Fairs and Festivals Tour click on the picture and it will take you to the Ag website. We're getting ready to start our 2008 1st Farm Credit Services Harvest Tour. When we talked to Joe last it sounds like we'll be at a few elevators and a few farms throughout Central Illinois Currently it's National Farm Safety and Health week and this week we're headed to the Pharis Farm in Logan County as part of our Harvest Tour and the Meals In The Field Program that Farm Credit Services of Illinois does to promote a safe harvest. This is our first year doing that - I'll let you know how that works out for us!
So what else have we be up to at Classic Country 1290 WIRL this summer? We were in Boone, IA for the Farm Progress Show. It was a very, very wet three days in Iowa. But needless to say - it was definitely entertaining and educational experience. We're looking forward to the show moving back to Decatur, IL next year (hrrm, I suppose I ought to make my hotel reservations pretty soon.... maybe tomorrow).
A new thing we've added. We've embraced the "Twitter" technology. Keep track of what we're "twittering" about by clicking HERE.
I think that's good for now, right? Remember it's National Farm Safety and Health Week - and with harvest just around the corner... remember to take it safe!