To be completely honest, life just gets you down sometimes. The last few weeks I have dreaded hearing the phone ring as to avoid my mother telling someone else we know is dead. I have dreaded opening up the paper as to avoid seeing another familiar face. I haven’t been able to sleep very well knowing so many people we know are hurting so deeply. The loss of life has been completely overwhelming the past few weeks.
I haven’t been able to completely process one phone call before I get another.
So I made a choice.
I decided that agvocacy needed to go. Even though I spend my time online while my children are napping or in bed for the night. It still needed to go. I needed to focus on things that truly matter in life & agvocacy no longer mattered. I wasn’t making a difference & it took too much of my time.
I finally got some time to sit down to delete my account & respond to some emails.
I caught up on the rancher in Nevada & read the message below. I decided that the page needed to stay even if I was unable to maintain it daily.
So I apologize for the back & forth but there it is. There is why I wanted to quit & main reason I decided to stick it out.
I guess, you are still stuck with me. The message is below, the message that changed my mind.
I am sorry to see that you are deleting your page. I wanted to share with you that I have only been following your page for a short period of time. To be honest, I as well as others were sent to your page by another. We were sent here to share our anti-dairy message. I started to look through your page fully prepared to give you everything I had. I seen your post about how you never wanted your cows to become a paycheck and how you cry over your “girls”. I have to say that I needed to read more. What I found is that you genuinely love what you do but more importantly what you do is care for your cows. I know that this is not true to every dairy farm but I now know that there are farmers that do things the right way. I also wanted you to know that your post about antibiotics & taking the calves away from their mothers helped me. I still do not like removing the calves from their mothers but knowing that they are well taken care of helps. Please reconsider closing your page even if you cannot post often because what you have already on here could help people like myself that are just looking for farmers that care. -Name was asked to be private
Krista Stauffer
Latest posts by Krista Stauffer (see all)
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Alls it takes is one and that’s all you need.
Yes! AND that was a nice reminder that what we do actually does matter.
I’m so happy you are sticking it out! I married a dairy farmer almost eight years ago. Before that, I couldn’t have told you the difference between a Jersey and a Holstein. You and I have so many similarities, but you have such an eloquent way of saying exactly what I’m feeling and thinking. I appreciate your passion for consumer education. I wish I had your voice and it makes me happy that you are making a difference. Thank you for what you do!
What you do makes a much bigger difference than you can see. Agriculturalists have always been strong, standing firm for what they believe in. But only a small percentage have actually gone to the front lines to “agvocate”. You are a part of that small percentage.
In this vast world we live in agriculture must survive. Simply because no one can live one day without agriculture, period.
Agriculture is about food obviously, it is so much more, about the conservation of our natural resources, water, air, soil, wildlife. About developing new technologies to allow us to live better on less.
You put it all out there standing up to those that are close- minded and do what they do best, pass judgment unfairly. Assuming that because 1 farmer did something foolish, that we all do it that way. Unfortunately, there are many out there that belive that farmers and mostly Dairy farmers (because all cows are equated with the Holstein) are non feeling animal abusers, which is as far from the truth as you can get. Dairy farmers are probably the most caring there are. Farmers and ranchers do the job they do not for the money, but because they are called to be stewards of the land and animals, to care and protect. Yes, there are the few “bad” farmers, as there are in anything, but the good and the great far outweigh them.
Don’t quit, life does get tough, and overwhelming at times, but you will survive. You may need to step back and reevaluate for a time, but you will get your passion and drive back.
You do a fabulous job doing what you do, you obviously have a passion for your family and your girls. Believe that you do make a difference, you may not be moving mountains but you are planting seeds, seeds that will grow and make a difference in someones life and in agriculture.
Wow!!! Go Krista!!!!!!
What you and others do does make a difference. Look at the Bundy family ranch situation in Nevada. If it wasn’t for people like you who inform the people of this country about what they are doing and what is happening, it would just grow and get worse for ALL of us.
Whether people realize it or not, we are all in a fight for our lives as sovereign and truly free people. The Bundy family drew a line in the proverbial sand. And if I know one thing, ranchers and farmers around the country when pushed will do all they can to stand tall and tough. It’s recognizing that what happens to one, happens to all.
Thank you for doing what you do. It can be heart breaking. In those times, look at the beauty in your children’s eyes, the love and trust that is the beauty. We do this for them and the generations to come.
Glad your sticking around!!!!
I would have missed you! 🙂
I’ve stepped back from my blog some lately also. Not quoting just stepping back and posting less often. I do a lot on Instagram and have found a lot of new followers there. It is like mini blogging. A lot easier and less time consuming. I still post on my blog but it’s just not as often.
Thank you for all you do. Post when you can. You inspire me all the way over in NZ. 🙂
Stay engaged! You did a great job speaking for our group or in Oregon. You don’t need to keep a regular schedule on this to make a big impact! I am glad you are going to keep at it!