View from the Cab: Coming to my senses

The Casson St. Patrick's Day feast from March 17 / photo courtesy of Rebecca Casson.

We have farmers to thank for food on our table and our senses to thank for tasting that food.

I have finally come to my senses after several days of not being able to enjoy my favorite foods due to a nasty sinus infection. We don’t often realize how lucky we really are until something is taken away from us. I could have just dined on brussel sprouts or spinach for four days as I wouldn’t have known the difference.

Our annual St. Patrick’s Day family dinner tasted good (at least I was told) even though I couldn’t even smell the corn beef cooking in the crockpot for 10 hours the day before. I did get in on some leftovers when my tasting ability finally returned early last week. What a joyful time it was when I could first start to smell food again. In fact, I remember it like it was yesterday. Actually, it was yesterday as of this writing.

I was waiting in line for Lynn and Sheryle’s delicious lunch during the Atkins Seed Service planter meeting the other day when…boom! I could tell we were having pulled pork, broccoli-cauliflower salad and corn. I had never been so happy. I was able to enjoy food again.

Food is an appropriate topic since it is National Ag Month. The world has over seven billion people which means there are over seven billion mouths to feed every day. National Ag Day was just celebrated earlier this month to recognize the abundance provided by American agriculture.

National Ag Day was actually organized by the Agriculture Council of America which is a non-profit organization made up of leaders in the food, fiber and agricultural community. ACA is dedicated to increasing the public’s awareness of ag’s modern role in society.

I marked Ag Month by attending the McLean County Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Awareness Breakfast last week in Bloomington, serving as emcee. This is always such as fun event to be a part of as over 300 people involved in agriculture gather in the same room. Former host of U.S. Farm Report, John Phipps, did a great job with the keynote presentation. We also went to the Prairie Central FFA Hog Roast and Auction last Thursday at PCHS.

(The View from the Cab blog is powered by Petersen Motors in Fairbury)