My Hero: My Grandfather

I know this is not the best essay, but I wrote it as a freshman in high school, found it today and thought I'd share it. The topic was who is your hero:

"The rumble of the tractors engine, the crunching of the ground beneath the large tires, Johnny Cash's voice ringing form the radio, and Grandpa's rough yet gentle hands lightly gripping the black steering wheel. I was the little child that sat being bumped around in the giant, blue tractor's cab just so I could watch my grandfather control the great machine. Maybe it was these experiences with him that made him my hero. No, he did not wear a cape or spandex, nor did he have the power to fly, but he had a true faith in the Lord above, a passion for animals and farming, and a personality that would make anyone smile. He was a real role model for me as a young child and even now.

My grandfather and I at the kitchen table.

His knees were worn down and replaced, more than once, by the years of farming. Even through all of this pain, he got on those sore appendages every night by the side of the bed to pray to the Lord in which he held a lot of faith in. Also he had a rosary that he prayed each night and the beads were so worn they were almost not there anymore. Even as a young man in World War II, he went to church every chance that he had. This was a very admirable quality in my grandfather. He helped me to understand God. Then when it was his time to die, it was horribly sad, but the pain was eased with the thought of him being free of pain and with God. I hope now that he is looking down and happy with the way in which I hope to follow in his food steps.

"Your grandfather said he hated cats, but when he thought no one was looking you could find him holding and petting a kitten," my mom told me as we fed my sister's baby kittens. Grandpa loved the animals no matter what shape, size or even attitude. His dog Bandit was one of the smartest dogs ever. He would give her commands in full sentences as if he were talking to a human and she would obey. My grandfather also had a passion for farming. This was evident when he "retired." Basically he stopped milking and started a beef herd of 100 cows. Now because of him, I want to be a farmer when I grow up. The passion and love has been passed down through three generations.

Whether you were stuck in a snow bank along the road or in an accident, my grandpa was there to help. Him and my grandma had a routine. Grandpa would pull them out of the ditch and Grandma would feed them. He also could make me laugh no matter what mood I was in. Just a simple funny face or a joke, he had me rolling on the floor laughing. This personality help him stay strong and gives me a good laugh even now when  I think back.

The breaks came to a squeaky stop, the engine faded to a dull roar then nothing, the radio was clicked off, and my grandfather opened the tractor door to the hot late august air. We were done from a good days work in the field and ready for Grandma's fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. My grandfather was my hero, and in my eyes he wore that superman cape. With his faith, passion, and personality, he flew me away from danger of any kind."
-Maggie Stiles, 2009

Weather: Everything in Moderation

As old as time, people have been trying to control this crazy thing we call weather, from rain dances to sacrifices to the gods because of a drought. But no matter what we do, weather is one thing we cannot change, as much as we want to. And weather lately has been a big problem in agriculture. Last year was such a bad drought that a lot of farmers lost their corn, skyrocketing corn prices. This year, winter left then came back again and again, the snow lingering into late April, this killed a lot of people's alfalfa. This year the price of hay will skyrocket. Putting farmers in yet another tight spot. Today the farm I milk for had to sell seven cows because they will not have enough haylage and hay to support them. Quite a few of them were past featured cows of the week, including Grandma Cow.

"Rain is a good thing" says Luke Bryan, but I have to admit in this situation there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Too much rain can cause flooding which will kill the crop. But not enough will kill the crop too. Like my grandma always said "everything in moderation." If only Mother Nature would listen and help out the farmers by giving out a more consistent weather pattern.