Meeting The Big "O" - updated.

Meeting the Big "O" can mean so many things.  Ok, get your mind out of the gutter and it is not Oprah.  The self proclaimed Big “O” is the broadcast and agricultural icon of today, Orion Samuelson.

He was at Wagner Farm promoting his new book, You Can't Dream Big Enough.  Just to give some background on him.  He left Wisconsin, probably for a better football team, to cover the agricultural beat for WGN in 1960.  Today his agricultural reports can be heard in over 260 radio stations and his weekly television program seen on 190 stations.  Basically he knows his stuff in the agricultural world.
So being a farming idiot, why would this interest me?  Well, he wrote a book about his 50 plus years in broadcasting. Now that interested me plus now being a IL Field Mom it would be good info for my first farm tour on May 18^th. Thanks to a colleague of Former Farmer's we were able to secure tickets.  Thanks Todd! Logistically it would be tough with the citizens but the best babysitter was free that night. Thanks Mom!!

I have not read the book, but his 120 minute presentation was interesting. He believes consumers would be surprised to hear our food already has some form of GMOs.  Organic are overpriced, but cudos to the farmers who can charge $6 for a gallon of milk.  Famers and Ranchers use to only be responsible for feeding Americans. Today's they farm on less land, feed more people outside our borders, produce more raw materials for clothing and produce energy/fuel.  Interesting.  

He shared stories about celebrities, WGN personalities and politicians  Sounds like he had no love for Nixon.  The respect for the American farmer and rancher was evident the moment he stepped on the stage.  He talked about early agriculture challenges for China and Vietnam which include growing enough food and crops that produce yields equal to the American farmers. The biggest take away was his commencement speech to the 2012 U of I graduation class. He told them to look at life as a book that started the moment they were born. Each moment is an entry and events are a new chapter. Some are good and some are learning experiences.  

  

Of course Former Farmer wanted a signed copy of his book.  This was the second printing because the first edition was sold out back in December.  When we are done reading the book it is up for grabs.  Just ask.  

On a side note, when our weather finally settles down the kids and I need to spend some time at Wagner Farm. Hopefully we can learn more about farm life then what the Old McDonald Farm song talks about.