the family farm. My parents strongly believed that I should be
as like other farm kids as possible. This was very evident in my
teen years. Actually, before that, as I joined the 4H club when
I was old enough to do so. 4H is a great organization for young
people and I think kids of all walks of life, from city to farm
kids ought to give it a try. While it is often thought of as the
thing farm kids do, it's also got a lot to offer city or non farm
kids too.
In 4H, you have regular club meetings each month. These are
filled with interesting programs for young people. You also have
the opportunity to develop leadership and teamwork skills through
4H.
Over the 11 years I was in 4H, I worked on many projects. The
highlight of 4H is that you pick a project or projects early in
the year, work tirelessly on them until the summer months, then
display them for judging at the County Fair. Also, there are
opportunities to participate in activities that can lead to a
trip to the state fair, representing your county. Last but not
least, you can participate in both regional and state leadership
conferences as I did.
I did it all, just like a lot of other farm kids did. Over the
years, I raised chickens, rabbits and pigs for show at the fair.
I also had carcass hogs and beef which were dressed out and
judged for the quality of the meat.
My carcass hogs and beef, along with the live pigs I showed were
sold at auction near the end of the county fair. I put that
money into a savings account and I, therefore, learned the
importance of saving money for the future.
Working on my 4H projects helped me learn responsibility. After
all, you have to care for your animals and you have to work with
them so they will show properly. I also learned teamwork because
I couldn't show my pigs myself. So, I always had to have someone
take them around the show ring for me.
I've been blessed with good public speaking talent and competed
for four years to represent my county at the state fair. I was
successful down state, receiving A ratings for my speeches.
The regional and state leadership conferences were fun.
Especially the state conference where we got to spend four days
at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. They told us
to bring comfortable walking shoes and they weren't kidding.
This event was held in June, when the weather in Champaign could
be very hot. It was fun, though and I both had a good time and
learned a lot.
Oh, but the greatest thing was the county fair. I always stayed
over night at the fair, especially the night before I had to show
my animals so I could get up early in the morning and get them
ready. I would usually sleep in a sleeping bag on a lounge chair
in the hog barn. Sometimes, a fig or two would get out and I
remember one morning waking up to find a pig standing over me,
oinking at me. That will wake you up real fast! I had a ball at
the fair, chasing my share of the young girls. I didn't catch
too many of them, but that was not for lack of trying.
The point of all of this is that I could do these things because
I lived on the farm. I also had a family and parents that
encouraged me to not let my disability stop me from doing what I
wanted to do. The other cool thing was that the sighted kids in
4H treated me no differently than anyone else and they shouldn't
have.
When you are a teen-ager on a farm, you are expected to help
out. Why should I be any different? Well, I was not. At age 12
to 13, I helped my dad build a new hog building. I drove nails
(and hit my share of fingers along the way, with cuss words to
prove it), put in switches and outlets, tore off insolation and
lots of other stuff. Dad built four large grain bins and I
helped to do that as well, screwing in bolts and stuff.
In the summer, I was on the wagon taking bales of hay and straw
out of the baler and stacking them. I helped unload hay into the
barn, including on one particularly hot day when it was around
100 degrees.
I cleaned manure out of the chicken house, fed pigs, gathered
eggs and lots of other chores. What I did was the typical stuff
farm kids do. It didn't matter that I am blind, nor should it
have. The work needed to be done and I did it.
But when the work was done, I often rode off on a bike or mini
bike (yes, with a motor and I drove it) down the field. I would
spend hours under a shade tree, enjoying the peace of the
country. Or, I'd go visit with my friends in the neighboring
subdivision (all girls). Probably the worst thing that happened
was I landed in a few deep mud puddles, making a complete mess of
my clothes.
I had a unique life, being free to be a teen-ager on the farm. I
grew up strong and brave, not afraid of too many things, other
than loud noises.
Yes, those are some great memories. After this week, that's all
they will be, memories as the farm will be gone for good. More
on my feelings about that tomorrow.
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