Sharing "Spare" Time

Finding things to do to fill my days since retiring from the legislature hasn’t been difficult.  The tasks that go along with farming are never-ending, and I’ve thrown my “spare” time into helping several agricultural organizations achieve their goals.  Two of them will be coming together on July 14^th as the Farm City Council in Berks County conducts its second Bull Bash, with proceeds going to benefit farmland preservation through Adopt An Acre Inc.  The county’s 4-H clubs and commodity groups will also be raising some funds to support their programs by serving up some delicious food for visitors to the event.  The ultimate goal, along with financially supporting things we care about, is educating folks who no longer live on or near farms about agriculture.

Ag businesses, ag lenders, commodity groups like the Pennsylvania Beef Council, the county Grange and Extension Service, all have joined with farmers in putting on this year’s fun affair at the Reading Fairgrounds.  For more information on next Saturday’s event, you can check out the schedule posted on the brand new website for Adopt An Acre Inc. at www.preservefarms.org.  Just click on Upcoming Events.  Then come out between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to participate in the numerous events, including horse-drawn wagon rides, a mechanical bull to test your “cowboy-up” abilities, cow-pie bingo, and contests to test your knowledge about agriculture.  The Pennsylvania Beef Council will be sponsoring, along with Boyer’s Food Markets, a burger grilling contest with great prizes for the winners.  A six-horse hitch demonstration will be sure to dazzle the crowds as the skillful driver puts his team through their paces on the fairgrounds.

Of course, Berks County is not unique in offering this type of agriculture education experience.  I was impressed by Lancaster County’s “Family Farm Days” which was reported on by Michelle Kunjappu in last week’s Lancaster Farming.  What a great cooperative effort by the community in making sure people understand where their food comes from.  They always say that the best form of flattery is when someone borrows your ideas.  Well there are a lot of good ideas in that story that may be cropping up next year in neighboring Berks County and hopefully at other events across the state!  Along with learning, it was apparent that all the participants were having lots of fun and enjoying the whole farm experience.

I congratulate all the counties and farm groups that are putting on these types of events.  It is no small effort to plan and carry out these programs each year.  Whether as a weekend special event or in conjunction with county fairs, educating the non-farm public has to be an on-going commitment by everyone in agriculture.  Don’t miss the opportunity to teach a memorable lesson about life on a farm just by taking advantage of people who are driving past your place.  Is the story you’re telling a good one?  Can you do a better job communicating the key role agriculture plays in each passerby’s everyday life?  Can you lend some time, talent, or support to events like “Family Farm Days” or the “Berks Bull Bash.”  No matter how busy you are, these programs could sure use a few minutes of your time to help tell the farm story.  By volunteering to teach others what it means to F-A-R-M, we learn the real meaning ourselves.

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