After the all the guests had left, and what was left of the food was put away, I was able to finally sit down and enjoy the Super Bowl Sunday evening. Sitting on the couch struggling to stay awake, a commercial came on. An open snow-covered cornfield left to the cows to graze then faded into aerial shots of farms, and rural towns and farmers with their dogs, livestock, crops, etc.

Then I heard his voice. Paul Harvey started in on his famous speech 'So God Made a Farmer' originally given in 1978 at a FFA convention.  I sat up and paid attention – I had heard this speech before, on a YouTube video that was passed around Facebook a few months back.

I fought to hold back the tears – no matter how many times I hear this speech it always reminds me of growing up on the farm. I still manage to get home about once a month to help out and wind down from the city life. Up early to watch the ag shows with my dad before doing chores then sneak in a few minutes early to help get dinner on the table.

Even though this was a Dodge commercial, (yes this woman bleeds Chevy and Deere) I had to give high credit to Dodge. It's about time farmers get a shout out for all they do for America. I still say, if you really want to know the heart and soul and how demanding farming is, spend a week in the shoes of a farmer. Because a day won't be long enough.

I have always been proud of where I come from, but today I walk a little taller knowing I am a farmer's daughter. As far as how the game went on Sunday, well that's a different story.

In other news:
In the Northeast, special funding has been awarded for a Chesapeake Bay Foundation partnership project. The aim of the partnership is to help reduce pollution and greenhouse gasses on farms.

Time to get that pen and paper out and nominate that local producer for this year's Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year award. Deadline is March 12.

After nearly a week since a tanker spill in the Mississippi, the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the river near Vicksburg to north and southbound towboat traffic.

Are you getting your budgets in order for the coming year? Don't forget to do your fuel budget. A new smartphone app developed will help you budget farm fuel and compare projected fuel costs based on alternate crop acreages, tillage systems and crop rotations.

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