March 2019 Articles

Archives by Months

Just Rambling March 2019:

Just Rambling March 2019: I sit here on the morning of February 22nd as the rain pours down outside, as it has done for most of this week. I then think about how desperately we needed rain this past summer but couldn’t get a rain to grow our pasture grass and our hay fields for our cattle. Then I think, this is the Agriculture industry. So many variables are out of our control or that we have limited control over. Then why do we farm or ranch. I think the first reason we farm or ranch is because we love it. Many farmers or ranchers (as I was) have been reared on a farm or ranch and it is in their blood. We enjoy being close to Mother nature and all of God’s creations. We love the trees we grow, the animals we raise, and all the crops we grow. We take pride in what we do but even though we take pride we are still so thankful to our Lord that makes it all possible. Farmers and ranchers throughout this nation realize that we have the strongest agriculture production system in the world and it is based on capitalism not socialism. Our farmers and ranchers take financial risks each year. They borrow money or use their own funds to raise their crops and livestock to provide a livelihood for their families and to provide food and fiber for this nation. Through our capitalist system farmers and ranchers have an opportunity to better themselves and their families. Socialism is quite different. Look at nations that practice socialism and you will see an agriculture system that doesn’t compare to American agriculture. Who feeds and clothes the world? American farmers and ranchers do. They produce food and fiber to take care of the population of this nation with farm production left to feed and cloth populations in other nations throughout this world. If you ate today then don’t forget to thank the American farmer or rancher. As I think about the American farmer and rancher, I think about my daughter, Velvet, that I lost to cancer on October 30, 2018. She loved all agriculture and based on this she went before the Union Museum of History and Art Board to get an Ag Museum exhibit approved. She called the Ag Museum AG-mazing Union Parish. She got it approved . The AG-mazing Museum will open on March 26, 2019 with our Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Mike Strain, DVM, traveling to Farmerville for the opening ceremony. We are so excited to have Commissioner Strain speak since he is known throughout our nation and is well respected. My daughter Brittany, myself and Extension Agent, Jason Holmes will coordinate everything with the museum board. The Ag-mazing Museum will run from March 26 through May 8th, 2019. We plan to have other speakers, in addition to Commissioner Strain, while the Ag-mazing museum is open. I am also excited because I know how excited my daughter, Velvet, would be. If anyone in Union Parish has pictures or artifacts involving agriculture from days past or current please contact me at 318-778-4188, Ag Trader or myself at 318-557-7392. Thank you and I hope everyone will come by to see the Ag-mazing Union Parish Museum sometime between March 26 and May 8th. The museum is located on the corner of Main Street across form Origin Bank. Van Bennett
March Scripture to Live By: Mark 13:31 –33, 37 ³¹ “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away. ³² But of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Take heed, watch and pray for you do not know when the time is. ³⁷ And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”