You can tell a lot about a person by seeing the things they protect.
For example, I think most parents spend a large portion of their life keeping their kids from getting hurt, no matter how old they are. The favorite dog on the place may be allowed in the house on cold nights while the rest of the critters are left outside with a blanket and a place to shelter down. A favorite tractor may get the coveted spot in the equipment barn that is far enough from the door to not get the dirt and leaves blown on it but also close enough to the entrance to be viewed and accessed when necessary.
Car shows are prime examples of how a little extra tender loving care and regular maintenance to something can overcome the tests of time. But is it enough in a modern world?
We often hear “Things just aren’t built like they used to be,” and while I agree the overall quality of materials tends to not last as long as they once did, is that the only thing working against us?
I consider agriculture to be an industry that understands and upholds value, and I think it goes without saying that farmers are by no means lazy people who aren’t taking care of things.
One of the biggest societal changes we’ve encountered is the regard in which we care for things that matter to others. Along the same lines that people treat others differently these days, the amount of respect other people have for the things that you value has diminished.
Truthfully, I write this with some bitterness in my heart. My family’s ranch was broken into last month, and the uninvited guests took no mercy on leaving behind things that mattered to us. None of the things they took hadn’t been cared for. They were in a locked house that sees pretty routine traffic through it, or in the barns under sheds, several miles from the nearest public road and the locked gate leading up to it. If it could be loaded up, they took it upon themselves to help themselves to it. From the boxes of baby items that were being stored up there to the branding irons hanging on the wall, it was all loaded up and carted off. Even the drinks from the fridge were too tempting to be left unbothered.
The ordeal has me reflecting on how the things that matter and are cared for by us are viewed by other people, and unfortunately, I think the outlook is grim for the future. Simply maintaining and caring for the things that matter to us isn’t enough anymore. They need to be fiercely protected.
As National Forage Week approaches June 18-24, I think it’s time we take a step back and think about how we are protecting the things that matter most to us, including the future of our industry. People will not leave it alone, so it’s time to prepare to safeguard the security of our livelihood with all we have, because a security system and some extra cameras going to deter anyone.
