I grew up farming with my dad, and before that, my dad farmed with my grandpa. Our farm has been handed down through generations.
My family’s operation, West Blue Farm, is south of Milford, Nebraska. When my wife and I got married in 1980, we moved into my grandparents’ house, 1.5 miles south of where I grew up. When we took over, the main crops were corn, wheat, beans, oats, and alfalfa. Eventually, we transitioned into a cow-calf operation, plus crops, and in 1993 became certified organic. I’m retired now, and our current tenant has taken on the name of the operation as well as continued with some aspects of the livestock.
When I was a kid in high school, my dad was connected with the Center. Marty Strange (co-founder and past co-director of the Center) was mentioned a lot in our household back then. That’s my earliest memory of the Center.
Being on the Advisory Committee allows me the opportunity to be on the forefront of sustainable and organic agriculture developments, as well as keeping up with the Center’s lending programs and auditing process. It’s great to be around people who care about the environment and care about the people who get the short end of the stick sometimes. The Center works to stand up for the little guy, especially in small towns in rural Nebraska.
