They parked a combine on the front lawn, and I still don’t have a clue how it works.
In the column I wrote to introduce myself back in September, I said I hoped I would come away from my internship atThe Western Producer with at least some idea of what the buttons in my grandfather’s old combine did.
I learned about seed genetics, the cattle business, zero-till, rural broadband, biofuel feedstocks and a host of other agriculture-related issues.
But alas, I never did learn what those buttons did. Although, thanks to a friendly call from a reader, I was able to determine that it was definitely a Case, and wrote down possible model numbers. It’s a start.
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In my time here I have learned just how broad and interesting the catchall of agricultural journalism really is.
I attended conferences and lectures where scientists predicted some pretty tough problems ahead for producers. Farmers will be called on to feed more people on less land with less water and less fuel.
It’s a harrowing message. But I am hopeful that the science and business communities will come up with some answers and get solutions deployed quickly and safely.
I am also quite sure producers will rise to meet any challenges thrown at them. I have learned that farmers and ranchers are a stubborn lot in the face of adversity. Producers already face droughts, floods, crop and livestock diseases, foreign competition and the meteoric rises and catastrophic plunges of the commodities markets. They find ways to raise animals and keep getting crops in no matter what the world throws at them.
I have been warmly received by people I interviewed and have been struck time and again by the dedication people show to agriculture as a business and a way of life.
Having seen it first-hand, I can say that the team here is talented and incredibly dedicated to serving readers. It has been a privilege working with and learning from them.
So, while I am still woefully unprepared to operate a combine, I am thankful for the chance to meet and work with great people at theProducer. I will be going back to school as someone who fully understands that food doesn’t arrive at the grocery store by magic.
