I have the pleasure to work with farmers and ranchers in Southern Oregon. They are a hardy group and true stewards of the land. Today is Earth Day and I personally want to thank all the farming and ranching families in Oregon for their stewardship of the resources that are in their care. They work 365 days a year, they do not have paid vacation and sick days and they do not have 8-5 jobs. They get up at 3 in the morning to go check the cow that may be having trouble bringing that new calf into the world. They feed the local deer and elk populations with their hay stacks in the winter and manage the pastures and range that their cattle and sheep share with the deer, elk, and antelope in the spring and summer. Many have been on the land they manage for several generations. They are among the 2% nationally that feed the world with the nutritious grains and meat products they produce-we urban folks purchase inexpensively at the grocery store and farmer’s markets. They manage the vast open spaces–we revel in romping around in on our weekend and vacation days off! Take a few minutes to watch this video that allows these amazing men and women to tell their story—
