I grew up in a town of roughly 12,000 people in Southern Illinois. Of course, in the middle of the Corn Belt, everyone has a little bit of background knowledge on agriculture. Although my hometown is built on agriculture and Friday night football, there was still a disconnect from the farmers and the businessmen and women of the area. I had lived there since kindergarten, and I grew up dancing, doing gymnastics, and playing all sorts of other sports. Agriculture never really crossed my mind when I was younger. It wasn't until high school that my whole life changed.

After my freshman year being on the varsity cheerleading team, I got injured, which meant I had to quit. I thought my whole life was ruined. I didn't know what I was going to do with my life not being able to cheer. Even when I had cheerleading though, a part of me always felt missing. A couple months passed and I started making new friends. Slowly but surely, I got more interested in agriculture. My sophomore year I signed up for the intro to agriculture class and that's where it all began.

Every since I stepped foot into that class, agriculture has been my main focus. It not only opened me up to a whole new viewpoint of how my food is produced, but also a newfound respect for the people that work hard to produce it for me. I had finally found the missing piece of myself that I had been long searching for.

Agriculture has taught me how to be diligent in my work. I have worked on a hog farm, raised a steer to show in the county fair, and have worked in a butcher shop. Farming is long, hard hours. I typically worked twelve hour days, sometimes longer, at the hog farm, and that was something I was not used to. Before being exposed to farm work, I worked three to four hour shifts at an assisted living home. Eight hour weekend shifts seemed long to me. Although I missed the set hours I worked indoors, I learned so much from working outdoors and sweating all day on hot summer days.

Agriculture has not only changed me as a worker, but it has also changed how I view life, my morals, and everything about my future. Being able to be hands on and raise my own food gave me a true sense of satisfaction and hard work. It was such a rewarding feeling knowing that because I spent the money on a steer, I was helping provide food for my family and someone else's family. I have become more down to earth, and have developed a better relationship with God all because of agriculture. I now view money as an investment and not as an object to build big houses, buy fancy cars, and take fancy vacations with.

Building my life around agriculture has been the biggest blessing I could have ever given myself. Being able to say that I can work hard, have a good relationship with God, and raise my own food has to be the most rewarding thing that has ever happened to me, and I am so happy to be able to say that agriculture will always be my entire life to come.