Dad, by the way, was the Best Man in my wedding, to give you an idea of my relationship with my Father.  One of the things I'm most thankful for about my life is that Dad always wanted to be a farmer.  He hasn't always been a farmer, by the way, but that's who he is, and that's how he views himself as a man.  And to a large extent, there will always be a part of me with that same persona.  I might never have joined 4-H and later FFA had it not been for Dad's influence, I'd have never taken up public speaking if not for Dad's own success in those FFA contests, and may not have gone on to study at Ohio State if not for Dad's (and Mom's) insistence that I have a college education.  My career as a farm reporter and my love of the beef industry are all because of those experiences and influences stemming from Dad's connection to the farm.

Joining 4-H was a given.  Truthfully, I don't really remember even considering the option of not joining a 4-H club.  Likewise, the first year we joined, Dad's guidance in selecting that first 4-H project was crucial.  Think of it this way; how important is that first 4-H project in setting the tone for our agricultural development?  For those of us who didn't grow up on a big farm especially, where we choose to experience agriculture first hand through those county fair projects has a lot to do, I think, with how we ultimately develop our passions in this business and lifestyle.

So for me, it was that first 4-H calf that really set the ball in motion.  Henceforth, I've always identified myself as a cattleman.  Even those years when I didn't actually own any cattle, I still identified with those men and women who tended the stock, dealt with the joys and discomforts of calving in the mud and snow and muck, and provided my favorite center of plate protein for little pay and meager returns. Perhaps its something about the lifestyle of walking fencerows and gazing across rolling pastures; perhaps it's the connection with the cows in the herd, of knowing each individual's story and history; or perhaps it's the relationships forged with other folks at stock sales or cattle shows, but there has always been something intriguing to me about being a cattlemen.

In my part of the world I've always said there are few real cowboys, but I think that's really what farm boys like me really wanted to be when we grew up.  Chalk that one up again to Dad's influence, maybe.  Dad, you see, had a penchant for late night John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies.  And that, I think, says something else about why I'm thankful for Dad's ties to the land and the lifestyle: character.  Those white-hat cowboys of the John Wayne movies of my youth are the emblematic embodiment of our core values: hard work, honesty, and shooting straight (figuratively, of course).  I like to think I picked up a few things from those movies about right and wrong, but truthfully, everything I really needed to know I learned from Dad.

I'm fortunate to have two great parents who took an active interest and role in my life, and who encouraged me to work hard at what I loved, from those early 4-H and FFA projects to my current business and lifestyle.  I hope someday I'll be able to return the favor by doing the same for my own kids.  And perhaps they'll want to be involved in agriculture, too.