Need your help – Memory Drive

Posted on by
1

A very near and dear friend to me is working on a project, and I would like to request your help.

You see, almost a year ago, my good friend lost a little boy. He was a true angel, in every sense of the word, and to tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure what to do. I have four boys of my own, and I know the anxiety that comes with going in for the “big” ultrasound. But I couldn’t imagine the pain and heartbreak of hearing that your child wasn’t going to make it.

I don’t know what I would have done in her place. I imagine that perhaps I would have shut down for awhile. Maybe turned inwards and blamed myself for what happened, or tried to move on without thinking, without feeling. I just don’t know.

But I do know what she did…she became a beacon of light for others. She is hurting, terribly…but she’s also making sure that her pain isn’t in vain. She’s using the energy to help comfort others, and for that, I feel she’s a saint.

June will mark the one-year anniversary of sweet Jacob’s passing. And in his memory, Jackie is having a donation drive to make Memory Boxes for other families that suffer from the same terrible types of loss.

And that’s where you come in.

These are the items that they are looking for:

  • Teddy bears, Lambs, other stuffed animals in all sizes
  • Hand/foot molds to make 3 D impressions of baby’s hand and feet as keepsakes
  • Soft Knit Flannel material in baby patterns (3 Yard pieces)
  • Books: Heaven Is For Real (adult and Children’s version)
  • Packets of “Forget Me Not” seeds (flowers)

And if you don’t want to send the items, or can’t find specific items, you can send me a message and I will purchase the items on your behalf. If you’d like to stay anonymous, I can certainly grant that wish.

If you have any questions, please email me at wagntales@gmail.com – items can be sent to:

Jacob’s Wings

c/o Val Wagner

8809 86th St. SE

Monango, ND 58436

Thank you. I know that I have an incredible group of people following me here, and I know that we’ll knock this one out of the park. *Please, pass this on.*

Celebrating…and a new project

Posted on by
Reply

Yesterday was my birthday, and I am sad to announce that I am starting my final year of being eligible to be considered a Young Farmer and Rancher through Farm Bureau. If you’re familiar with the program, then you know how old I am…if not, just know that I’m still considered “young,” ‘k?

Today is my handsome little man’s birthday! Happy third birthday, George! It’s been a wild ride these last 3 years, but I’m hopeful that we are on an even keel for a bit. That is my birthday wish!

It’s been a crazy few weeks, as I mentioned earlier this week. And now we picked it up a notch. In fact, I bought an official planner yesterday, because my brain is getting muddled and I am having a hard time remembering where to be when, when to be where and who all needs to be with me. Good thing I remembered the birthdays!

I wrote a blog post earlier this week about the flawed Measure 2 in North Dakota. It was emailed to several different people, and I was asked if I would be willing to submit it to area papers as a letter to the editor. I had no problem with that, so I did.

And then began another dose of craziness.

After a back-and-forth conversation with one editor, he commented that he enjoyed my blog, and would like to feature it on their web page, with a group of blogs called, “Areavoices.” I was excited about the opportunity, and really was interested in sharing my voice with this new group of people. And so I said yes.

While trying to get it all set up, I quickly learned that I would have to give up wagfarms.com if I went solely with Areavoices…so I decided to set up a second blog. (Yeah, I know, I need my head examined.)

Now, don’t worry, this blog is my baby. I’m in love with it, and all of you. I will continue to write about our farm, our lives, our struggles and our triumphs. I will continue to give my opinions on those things happening around the world and how it will translate to our farm. Eventually this blog will be printed in book format for each of my sons, so that they can see how we evolved and changed through the years. Yet, I had to take the opportunity to spread my wings a bit and share with others those same things.

My Areavoices blog will be more about issues and farm-related education as opposed to my family. I will connect the two and refer back and forth, but they will, indeed, be separate. Right now, I can completely see how this will work…but I realize it may evolve and change as time goes on. I’m OK with that.

So, check it out, let me know what you think…and one more quick birthday shout out to George!

Sleeping on the floor in the kitchen at Grandma's house, waiting next to Grandpa's lunchbox...now that's relaxed!

Mommy loves you!

WW – Enjoying some sunshine

Posted on by
Reply

No words are needed, when the weather is this beautiful!

Just had to get a quick shot of my handsome boys at Easter: George, EJ, Scooter and Big Bro. (Don't tell Big Bro that Scooter has almost a whole head on him, he's touchy about being the "little big brother.")

Cousin K had his birthday last week, George's birthday is this week...so we compromised and had a little cake in the middle!

Have your cake...and eat it too!

The boys love playing with the motorized toys at Grandma's. Spoiled? Yeah, but that's OK.

George, enjoying his first spin on the little 4-wheeler...and glad he's finally big enough!

Reflecting on a tax meeting

Posted on by
9

A meeting about taxes…sounds like fun, huh? I thought it was going to be. In fact, I fully expected to learn a little, have some questions answered, and walk away with new insight, new information and a new attitude. I was wrong.

As I mentioned before, I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be in favor of the state of North Dakota doing away with property taxes. I wasn’t convinced that Measure 2 (as it’s called) was the answer we were all looking for, when trying to consider relief for tax payers. And now I’m most certain of it.

So what happened? To tell you the truth, not much. And that was the main problem. Instead of answering questions, there was a lot of double-speak, dancing around the issue and turning the blame to the legislature. To top it all off, they cut off the conversation after an hour-and-a-half. That included introductions, each side giving their case and a wrap-up. Definitely not enough time to truly discuss the issue.

But the final comment summed it all up (let me paraphrase it for you): So, the legislature is our problem, and the solution is to give them full control?

Doesn’t sound any better today than it did a week ago.

The nail in the coffin for me? Something that wasn’t even brought up at the meeting: let’s say that this measure is passed. Let’s say that after six months or so, we realize that it’s a terrible mistake and it’s costing our state way more than we expected. Can we change it the next go round? No. According to Article III, section 8 of our current state consitution, “a measure approved by the electors may not be repealed or amended by the legislative assembly for seven years from its effective date, except by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each house.”

Yikes.

We want real change? Elect people not afraid to make real change. Don’t go throwing out everything we have in exchange for promises that are made without a plan in place.

Our state is on a solid footing economically. And in today’s economy, it seems to be a world-class mistake to jeopardize that.

Monday promises

Posted on by
Reply

This will be quick, but I promise that I’m back…and I won’t be taking another blog-cation for a bit. life reared its ugly head last week and schedules took a crazy turn.

Things haven’t settled down much, but I’m on top of things a bit better this week than last…and I have so much to tell you!

But I’m off to a Spring Fling open house/education day of sorts, and hoping to bring some more people into the world of blogging, or at least introduce them to the possibilities that sharing your story presents.

And I’ll also have the petition I’ve been talking about…come visit me in Wishek! (Oh, and I might be meeting some social media friends there, like my good friend Katie, and my new friend, Jenny!)

Talk soon!

Second Take

Posted on by
12

So, yesterday I wrote about how easy it is to respond to something negatively, and how hard it is to take that extra time to calm down, rethink your words and decide what information is helpful, and which is unnecessary.

It’s not an easy task, and it’s hard to rewrite something that you feel strongly about…in fact, my husband loved the original article that I had wrote. But, I must admit, he’s a stir-the-pot kind of guy.

And so, after lots of thought, a late night Facebook conversation with a friend, and a bit of research, I scrapped a good portion of my original article and started with a fresh page. I included much of the same information, just minus the daggers. And this is what I came up with:

Pink slime. It’s an unfortunate name for a great product that took a giant hit thanks to social media and a misinformed public.

 

Some blame the company, some blame the marketers and others blame consumers. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter.

 

The fact of the matter is that beef is beef. And the product that was produced was some of the safest and cheapest beef that could be purchased.

 

In a world where food budgets are tight and conservation of all resources is coveted, one would think that this particular beef product would be hailed as a great thing – and it should be.

 

But when you refer to something as “slime,” and you throw out incorrect images and saturate the media with incorrect information, well, we’ve seen firsthand what happens.

 

So, why correct the photo? Because if someone were to post a picture of a tomato next to an article about the dangers of apples, wouldn’t you question their research and integrity? But if no one says a thing about it, and people aren’t aware of the difference between tomatoes and apples, they’d never know that the information they are getting is wrong.

 

Here’s why the picture is so important: No one is questioning the safety of the meat. Every medical and food safety organization willing to speak out has backed this beef product. No one is questioning the taste of the product. People have been consuming it for years and never tasting a difference. Simply put, beef is beef.

 

So, if it isn’t safety and it isn’t taste, then what is it? The only thing left is its visual. And when the wrong visual is being used, how can someone make a fair judgment?

 

The “meaty pink noodles” on the plate? They look just the same as any ground beef straight from the grinder. But don’t fear; they lose their noodle look the minute you make them into a patty.

 

Many foods are made from what was once a “waste” product. Take for instance baby carrots. We used to throw away tons of carrots that weren’t fit for supermarket shelves, whether it be from deformity or blemishes, etc. Now those carrots are whittled down and eaten at picnics by the bag. But no one called them “carrot compost.”

 

And Pringles even tells you on its label that they aren’t potato chips. But no one refers to them as “potato paste.”

 

The beef industry for years has improved upon its resources and ability to provide healthy, affordable cuts and types of meat for every consumer. New steak cuts and better use of meat is always a goal.

 

The saddest part of the story? By discontinuing the use of this particular beef product, it is estimated that we will need an additional 1.5 million head of cattle each year. And in a world where conservation and getting the most from every resource is necessary, that’s a loss for everyone.

 

Our ancestors would not be proud. But then again, they didn’t have Facebook.

 

So, how did I do? Is the tone better? Less defensive? What could I improve upon? And please, if you feel the urge to do so, leave a comment on the newspaper’s site, so that they can hear your thoughts and your concerns…we can only change conceptions when we’re involved in the conversation.

How Not to Share Your Thoughts

Posted on by
5

I almost made a big mistake this week…and I’m going to share it with you, wanting to get your feedback, your ideas and your tips on how to handle these situations.

You see, the paper that I write for published an article last week about “pink slime.” As I was reading, my blood pressure was climbing and that vein on my forehead was pulsing…you know what I mean, right?

I was ticked. I was confused. Actually, I think I was just a tad bit hurt. How could this have happened? And so I did what I do best…I wrote. And I wrote. And I wrote. But thankfully, I didn’t hit the send button. I stopped, took a breath, and asked a friend outside of the arena to take a look and give me some feedback. That’s when common sense kicked in and I realized that I couldn’t send what I had written. But, I’ll let you read it and then explain:

I was reading the paper on April 1, and thought for sure that someone was pulling a world-class prank on me. I read the “Slime or beef?” op-ed piece, and ended up with indigestion…which is something “pink slime” will not give you.

First of all, let’s correct one thing right off the bat. The product that has been woefully-named “pink slime” is not the result of turning “fatty bits of beef” into a usable product. The end beef product is actually much leaner than usual grocery store ground beef…which is why it’s used to lower the fat percentage.

That’s one nugget of information that could be gleaned from the articles debunking the myths – if one were to care to read them.

And when it comes down to correcting misinformation, I have to apologize for that. I was one of the guilty ones, posting a correct photo of the beef in question. Why? Because if someone were to post a picture of a tomato next to an article about the dangers of apples, wouldn’t you question their research and integrity? But if no one says a thing about it, and people aren’t aware of the difference between tomatoes and apples, they’d never know that the information they are getting is wrong.

Here’s why the picture is so important: No one is questioning the safety of the meat. Every medical and food-safety organization willing to speak out has backed this beef product. No one is questioning the taste of the product. People have been consuming it for years, and never tasting a difference. As was mentioned in the piece, recently a group of governors and other interested parties had a taste-test…and not one had a single complaint.

So, if it isn’t safety and it isn’t taste, then what is it? The only thing left is its visual. And when the wrong visual is being used, how can someone make a fair judgment?

And the “meaty pink noodles” on the plate? They look just the same as any ground beef straight from the grinder. But don’t fear, they lose their noodle look the minute you squash them into a patty.

No, the debacle that has become “pink slime” is a sad story indeed. And I’m not sure the company will ever recover, even though it’s not guilty of anything. It should be a wake-up call to everyone how powerful social media and misinformation can be.

There are many foods made from what was once a “waste” product. Take for instance baby carrots. We used to throw away tons of carrots that weren’t fit for supermarket shelves, whether it be from deformity or blemishes, etc. Now those carrots are whittled down and ate at picnics by the bag-fulls. But no one called them Carrot Compost.

And Pringles, which even tells you on their label that they aren’t potato chips. But no one refers to them as Potato Paste.

The beef industry has strove for years to improve upon its resources and ability to provide healthy, affordable cuts and types of meat for every consumer. New steak cuts and better use of meat is always a goal. Adding a big-name PR firm to handle every piece of misinformation and processing question seems like an expense that we shouldn’t have to tack on to the price of affordable protein. But, I guess that’s what we’re going to need to do.

If you want to see the exact process of how your meat gets to your plate, I have a video on YouTube of a calf being born.

And that’s as close to the beginning as you can get.

Where did I go wrong? Let me count the ways! I was defensive, I was snide, I was a tad bit rude and I was hostile. I might have had some useful information in there, somewhere, but no one was going to get that message. Nope, I sounded ticked and ready to go to battle…and I was. But that’s not how we share our message, that’s not how we educate consumers, and that’s certainly not how we win points with those on the fence.

Future Farmer

I write because of little guys like EJ. His passion for our farm reminds me why I keep on keeping on.

It’s hard to write passionately without ire, especially when a part of your industry is attacked. It’s hard to write factually without being dry. It’s harder yet to marry the two. Yet, all we can do is try. Because no matter how difficult it seems, it’s impossible to have a conversation, if no one is willing to talk.

So, how did my piece for the paper turn out? Stay tuned and I’ll post a link to it tomorrow…and let me know what you think.

One Crazy Easter Weekend

Posted on by
Reply

Easter. A holiday made for epic celebrations. One great event, a promise of things to come and a time to reflect, give thanks and gather…oh, and food, really great food. How do you improve upon that?

Oh, yeah…add in a broken nose.

Scooter, in his Easter finest, sporting his now off-centered nose. It adds character.

That’s right, a broken nose, 6 hours in the ER and getting to bed about 3 in the morning.

Don’t worry, we still made it to church, and Scooter was proud to sport his new black eye. My eyes were probably a little black, too, but from lack of sleep, not a baseball to the face.

Lesson learned? Don’t let the boys play baseball the night before a holiday. Or maybe I should teach Scooter some better catching methods.

So today we head to the eye doctor, to get his vision checked out and make sure his fuzziness isn’t anything that a new pair of glasses won’t fix. And later on this week, once the swelling is down, we’ll see the ENT and double check his nose.

You can believe me when I say that I’m not one of those people that asks, “What next?” Because I know where that may lead…and I’d rather not know! 🙂

Farmer Friday – Planting Wheat

Posted on by
Reply

With the way he left the house this morning, you would think that Boss Man was six weeks behind in field work, but the truth is, things are pretty far ahead of schedule. But as the saying goes, “Make hay when the sun shines.”

So on this Good Friday, as I keep a close eye on George, Boss Man is out seeding wheat. After a quick repair this morning, he’s back at it again…check it out:

Repairs - sometimes it seems like a never-ending job, but Boss Man fixed this up lickety-split!

On his way again! The wind was a bit of a challenge this morning.

It's amazing to see where technology has taken us!

In a day where corn and soybeans seem to be king in this area, we still find wheat a very important crop in our rotation. Not only does it make improvements to our overall soil health, but the straw is an important part of our cattle operation. We use it as bedding for our calf area and in our barn during calving.

All safe and warm inside, no matter what's going on outside, thanks in part to the wheat straw used for bedding!

Up close and personal, that's wheat being seeded!

Now that planting (or seeding, as it may be) has begun, it’s Mother Nature’s turn to do her stuff. The next few weeks and months will be determined by the amount of rain we receive, when we receive it and what other weather patterns we encounter.

On this Good Friday, as so many reflect and express their faith, I still feel that a farmer’s faith is some of the strongest faith you will find.

Blessings to you today. And a Happy Easter to all!

Good Friday post replay

Posted on by
2

I wrote this post last year about Good Friday falling on Earth Day…and how my son mistakenly thought that was the reason he didn’t have school. Although today isn’t Earth Day, when you have a rough week, it’s a comfort to know that there are days such as Good Friday to give you hope and remind you of the sacrifices made:

 

I was all prepared to write a post today about all the things we do on the farm that celebrates the Earth, such as using our manure, using no-till whenever possible, using the water from our well to heat our home…then heat our shop…then to water our cows, etc. (That’s right, all the same water, I’ll explain it sometime.)

But as I was sitting down to type last night, I decided to check out George’s lab work that was done at Mayo. (They have a really cool set-up, where you can register to log-in and receive the lab results yourself. No more waiting for that stinkin’ doctor’s call!) Anyway, I logged-in and for the first time ever, and I truly mean EVER, all of George’s lab work came back within normal ranges! (Well, minus the Vit. D and iron levels, but those are diet/sunshine related, not illness/disorder, so they don’t really count.)

I’ll admit it, I cried a bit. For the last just-about 2 years, I’ve dealt with continuously feeling like something wasn’t right, that we weren’t on the right track, bloodwork continuously showed something off here or there, nothing fit together, etc. It was a whirlpool of nightmares. Since George was born, he has seen: three pediatricians, two pediatric geneticists, two pediatric gastroenterologists, pediatric cardiologist, two pediatric endocrinologists, two pediatric neurologists, two dieticians, pediatric oncologist, pediatric neurosurgeon and several other various ER docs, nurses and staff. He has had: two colonoscopies, an upper GI series, multiple x-rays and ultrasounds, a liver biopsy, three MRI’s, an echocardiogram and two CT scans. He has given more blood for bloodwork that some people donate to the blood bank. He’ll be 2, and he’s been through so much, but is still such a wonderful little boy.

One of the things that I hear the most, when people hear about George, is that he doesn’t LOOK like anything is wrong with him. That’s always the problem. I wonder how many of those doctors blew us off because they felt he didn’t “look” sick enough. I know for sure one did, I overheard him tell the students that were following him those exact words. It went something like this, “And in this room is a 6-month-old male patient, case seems somewhat unremarkable. Mother has sought care at Mayo. Came in with fever, slight dehydration, etc. There’s no clear diagnosis, and I’m not real sure why they’re here. Their local hospital probably overreacted. We’ll keep him through tomorrow to satisfy the Mother.” (Needless to say, I requested a discharge immediately and we never returned to that set of physicians.)

We have so much to be thankful for.

This morning, Big Bro told me that they didn’t have school today because it was Earth Day. That sealed the deal for me. I’m not writing about our farm today. I’m not writing about how to recycle, or how to reduce your carbon footprint, or how to reuse your milk carton to make a mailbox. We should all know these things, and we should all be doing them. Every day. Period.

But today is Good Friday first. It’s a day that we celebrate all that has been given for us. The Blessing that was bestowed upon us so many years ago. And for me, today is a day of thankfulness.

Yes, I won’t be brushing my teeth with the water on, I’ll turn off lights where I don’t need them, our bulbs are already energy efficient. Those are things we do everyday. But today, I’ll spend extra time thanking God for those gifts that He has given. Including the ultimate sacrifice of His only Son.

Today is definitely a Good Friday.