There's More to Agriculture than Manure.

Dear "MOM!"

Why not Levi, Luna or Liam!?

As a Dad, who was raised by a ‘dad raised by John Wayne,’ I was purposeful in telling my two sons, “I love you.” Something my Dad had trouble saying…

My Dad, proclaimed me “a momma’s boy!”

Yep! My Mom and I looked out for each other.

My Mom says of my photos: “You see more than the rest of us.”

So, it is undeniably true, I’ve got my mom’s tenderness.

I also got my Mom’s TOUGHNESS!

And, what seems so blatantly obvious now in my 62 years…I see the tender, tough and tenacious spirit of a Mom!

Who, by nature is given a role that only a Mom may know…since she is the one blessed to incubate, give birth and instinctually nurture her flesh and blood.

So obvious?

We men, can’t fathom what it feels like to have an offspring within us…growing, kicking and interacting with our body.

With that perspective — Do you agree?: “Our ‘Who’ > our ‘Do.’

I saw my wife’s toughness and tenacity when I was fired from three jobs in three years — that included moving twice…she was the glue that held us together.

Then at age 54, fired from yet another job…I was offered a job to work in Agriculture.

I was in awe of Farmers and how they have to ‘live’ to ‘do’ their ‘job.’ I saw: ‘the original, American entrepreneurs.’ Some years later, I saw them as so much more.

The Caretakers of Our Souls.

While God is our caretaker. I saw Farmers’ ‘Who.’

One may say, their ‘Who’ is defined by their ‘job.’

Yet, the best practices I see for living, well— go beyond what they do to make a living.

In my book, I heard Alan tell me about the Four F’s of Living. Faith. Family. Farm. & Franny.

And I finally noticed that who we are goes way beyond how we make a paycheck.

Mom, I wonder if you’ll see my photos and stories of ‘farming’ and rural America, as a tool to share the story of your #FarmRoots with your kids.

#TellAn8thGraderAboutAFarmer

Not so we may ‘have someone to feed our gut.’

Yet, so we may be comforted in knowing that we showed our kids there’s ‘this thing called Agriculture’ — that can provide a paycheck. AND, that can provide a way of life…that may bring comfort and contentment to their soul.

Sincerely,

Pete Curran

P.S. — Will you please allow me to collaborate with you, Mom!?