Home again, home again

Hello again,

This has been a rough week planning wise at the Diamond M Farm household. Brian had planned to go on a 4 night horse ride in the Smokey Mountains with some guy friends for a little male bonding time, and I needed to go to the Tennessee Farm Bureau Women's meeting in Columbia.

Sounds simple but we had three kids to juggle in this too. Plus I ended up getting a stomach virus and spent Wednesday night wishing I were dead in my Bathroom. (You would think that after 10 years of practicing medicine on a near daily basis, my guts would be immune to every stomach virus known to man - but we just aren't there yet... I keep hoping)

So, we managed, and we both had a good time on our respective trips. No bones broken on Brian or the horses, and Brie and I made it home from an excellent Women's meeting.

Cord had spent Friday night at my Grandfathers and Ella stayed with my mom. Taking business trips when you have three kids all under 8 gets entertaining.

To top off our planning, I had to break it to my mom that I have another trip coming up soon. To say I got a dirty look was an understatement...

But, we McLerran's are all home and safe. Looking forward to a happy father's day tomorrow.

Here's hoping a Blessed Father's Day to all the great hard-working Dads that I know.

Heres to a good nights sleep in my own bed.

Baby, its cold outside

Greetings from frozen Tennessee. This winter weather has made life interesting in my medical practice and for our farm. Our cattle are eating more hay and grain, and my patients are having to reschedule appointments and we are doing a lot of telephone medicine. My wonderful hubby is having to bring me back and forth to work too as our road is covered in snow and ice.

Brian and I were pleased to be able to go to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual meeting in Atlanta this past weekend, and we both have to admit that we were more pleased to have driven ourselves and been able to leave on Sunday before the weather set in. We had no desire to be stuck in Atlanta in a snowstorm. We were learning a lot and were please to see our friends from across the country. I was really pleased to have been able to attend the AgChat Foundations training on social media and proper use for Agvocating for Agriculture.

We met and made many new friends as well.

I know that this blog can seem fractured in post at times. And after our training session, I have put more thought in what I want this blog to do. I want people to see the real issues facing agriculture and medicine. By writing and posting here, I hope to provide a glimpse into rural life here in Upper Middle Tennessee. I think that unless people start telling their stories, whether they are based in agriculture or in my case in both agriculture and medicine, the Average inner city American lacks the knowledge to be able to understand our world and the issues we face.

Agriculture has been a late love of my life. I stumbled into this passion of mine by my relationship to my Hubby and our common interest in making our Beef Farm a success. Medicine is a calling that I have always had and am fortunate to be able to continue - unless Congress keeps trying to cut my pay - haha!!!

Looking forward to a more centered approach with this blog, but I will admit there will still more than not be post about my family as well because they are the real reason that I do what I do. So, I guess this post is my New Years Blogging resolution, it just took a bit to write it all down.

Producing Results... AFBF theme for 2011

This week has been a blessing in my life. Spending time with American Agriculturist is always a highlight in my life and the theme for 2011 is an inspiring motivated for us all.
All day, day in and day out, I work towards producing results and so do the men and women of American Agriculture.
I al looking forward to time spent with the Women Leaders of the American Farm Bureau.
Each encounter here in Atlanta brings us opportunity to see friends from across this great nation of Agriculturist.
Did you know, that one American Farmer feeds 155 people as compared to the 49 we could feed in 1970's and by using modern environmentally sound farming practice, Agriculture has greatly decreased environmental impact.
Oh well, happy to spend time at this great luncheon learning more about Producing Results for Agriculture.

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Having fun...

Well, Brian and I made it to Atlanta. We have spent the morning on the Expo floor. It's amazing. I am still wondering how the got all those huge pieces of agriculture equipment in this building. There are tires taller than me.

I am also loving that I have gotten to meet some of the friends that I have made through Blogger and Tweeting. Am looking forward to talking with Janice (aka @JPlovesCOTTON ) about Genetically Modified agriculture products and Ag social media.

Hoping it does not snow too much to get home though. Seems like most of TN farm bureau is here in Atlanta.

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Better than I was and More than I am...

I have had a few days to think about what I wanted to write in this blog next, but I was listening to a Tim Mcgraw song that played at my wedding and I just knew what I had to write about. See, I am more than I was before I met Brian and I want to try to explain that.

I was blessed to be able to represent my county at this years Young Farmers and Ranchers State Convention in Franklin, TN, at the Outstanding Young Women's Competition. And I was even more blessed to do pretty well. I won for District 4 in our state and was up against some really outstanding awesome young women, but I would have never been there if not for my husband. The ladies that interviewed me really got me thinking about writing this on my blog too... it was on of my questions - what do I think that I have gotten the most out of YF&R? (or something close to that - I was a little nervous...) My answer is easy - my relationships with the great people that I have met and my love of all forms of American Agriculture.

When I met Brian, I was a senior in college bound for medical school. Yes, I had grown up on a farm and a daughter and granddaughter of vets, but agriculture never got a passing though in my head. And even worse, I tended to be a "organic food snob". Then came Physics class and a tall drink of water that was nicknamed "Fred" and I just knew I could not date a Fred but I found out from the professor that his name was Brian and I could date a Brian. Time passes, and we dated. He suffered through speeches about how I did not need a man, about how I was to be independent, and other such dribble drabble... And still he kept hanging on. One year and three months latter, we got married. And have been married going on 14 years and three kids worth.

But getting back to why I am passionate about agriculture and why I feel it is a blessing in my life... We had made it through medical school, with Brian working a full time job, and often driving home 2 hrs to bale hay or work cattle. Then through 3 years of residency, Brian still with a full time job and still with managing the farm - I did at least have the common decency to pick a medical school and residency close to the family farm, and then we moved home. Finally after much prodding, I went with Brian to a Young Farmers and Ranchers Fall Tour here in TN. It was the best decision that I have ever made about a trip. I met the nicest people, and made friends and even got elected to the state committee. Brian and I became active at the county, district and state level in farm bureau and YF&R. The more that I have learned about agriculture the more I have learned that this is a group of people and a cause and a way of life that I want to help fight to preserve. These people care not only about our farms, but our land, and our food.

I know it sounds trite but if you eat thank a farmer and I thank God every night that he gave me mine. Because without Brian I would never have become the person that I am. I have been blessed to be better than I was and more than I am every day that I get to spend in his world. And it is a nice break from mine. Don't get me wrong - I love medicine - always have and always will... but there is a certain grace and beauty in the American Farmer's Love of his land and his animals.

A long day

Well, its been a day. I am lying here watching Sherlock Holmes with Brian and am happy with the day. I made it into the top ten in our state for outstanding young women's competition and now I am just going to have fun with the discussion meet.

I got to talk to a great panel of three judges from Farm bureau about why I have so fallen in love with agriculture and the people involved in it. It was fun to explain how I ended up in this role of Agvocate and rural family doctor.

Then Brian took me to Carabas for diner - braised beef short ribs and a nice Shiraz from Argentina make me happy that there are farmers in this world.

Night Night...

Rushing Rushing

Been a Crazing Morning at the McLerran house. Why is there always so much to do in December and so littl etime to get it all done?

This morning Hubby and I are off to the Tennessee Young Farmers and Ranchers Year End Convention and I am competing in the Outstanding Young Women Competetion and the Excellence In Ag - this year the Excellence will be just for fun with my friends cause I thought that someone else from our County was going to compete and alas they didn't so for county honor here goes nothing. Cause with my work load and deciding oh last week to enter, I have NOT preped enough for this...

And so we have to pack three little people to get them ready for various outings. The girls are off with My Mom at 2 to go to the Celina Christmas parade adn ride in the Girl Scout Troop 1035 Float - which I am missing... and Cord is off to my GrandPa's house to be spoiled by Pa Bob and Ma Linda and play with now 18 week old Bentley - their Maltese Puppy.

I am truely blessed to have such a GREAT supportative family.

Well, Here goes nothing...