Farmers + Guy Fieri = 1st Blogaversary!

It's my 1st Blogaversary today so naturally I've been reflecting on what I've accomplished in the past year.  A year ago Scott and I had just come home from the Minnesota Farm Bureau Leadership Conference (which we have attended annually in January since the first year we were married) and, as usual, we came home pretty pumped up about Ag and full of new ideas of things we hoped to accomplish.  One of those was starting this blog.  It was an idea I had kicked around for some time but figured I really didn't have anything to say that people would be interested in.  I firmly believe God places certain people around you when you need them.  During the conference Scott and I had the pleasure of having a meal with the wonderful Lanoue family from Southwest Minnesota.  We enjoyed getting to know them better and by the end of the conversation they had encouraged me to bite the bullet and put myself out there.  Ruth also has a wonderful blog  - Family Farm Experience - I encourage you to check it out!

As is fitting, we attended our 12th Leadership Conference this past weekend and had a blast visiting with our Farm Bureau friends we only get to see a few times a year.

250+ attended the conference - seen here listening to Minnesota Farm Bureau President, Kevin Paap

 Although we attend a lot of educational sessions and listen to speakers while we are at the conference, we also know how to have a good time - in a BIG way!

Human Hungry Hungry Hippos

Oversized Yahtzee

Lots of Bean Bags

Jumbo Jenga

Copperhead Creek

He may not always seem like a fun guy but he is PRETTY hilarious and likes to have a good time - he will do anything to get me to smile!

Packaging 10,800 meals for Kids Against Hunger before our Saturday evening banquet

Looking good Mr. Runge!

The conference was excellent, as usual!  Another reminder why we do what we do - I wasn't raised with an Ag background - but Scott was.  His life is mine and vice versa.  I have come to realize how many people do not understand that without farmers they would have nothing!  Nothing to eat.  Nothing to wear.  No where to live.  Farmers provide steak, bacon, eggs, milk, bread, sugar, flour, corn, wool, cotton, wood, fuel....there is no end to the list.  Things DO NOT come from a store!  They come from farmers!  This was the first year at the conference that I could proudly say I'm not a farmer (rather than feeling a bit awkward being there and not living on a farm) - but that I live in a rural community and Ag is important to my family and friends and impacts me and my livelihood on a daily basis.  I am an AGvocate.  I want to do my part in making sure those in the agricultural industry are recognized for the amazing work they do - they are truly working to feed the world.  The sooner people realize that farmers are intelligent people who research, graph, analyse, and use science and math for the betterment of the earth, and that they are not just people dropping seeds into dirt looking to make a quick buck, the better the world will be...after all - farmers feed their own families, too.

Off my soapbox now...

So, on a lighter note!  If you follow my blog or know me at all, you know that I am very passionate about food and cooking.  I've shared some of my recipes on my blog (which was really my way of forcing myself to clean up my post-it note ridden counters full of chicken scratches of pretty much everything I make in the kitchen - you never know when something will turn out really good and your hubby will love it and say you should make it again and you have to look at him and admit you have no idea what you did because you just started throwing stuff together and didn't measure it or write it down!) Whew!  That was a really long side note.  Anyhow!  I love the Food Network and Cooking Channel and have them on pretty much constantly when I'm home alone - I need the background noise!  I love the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and have always wanted to eat somewhere Guy has.  So.....before we left Minneapolis we went out to eat at the Colossal Cafe.

GUY ATE HERE!!!!

Thanks to a few of our AwEsoME Farm Bureau friends for humoring me and coming with to brunch!

I wanted to have what Guy ate - Flappers with 3 Rivers Maple Syrup, apple, walnut, & Brie cheese - after I ordered mine I was informed that they were out of flappers for the day so I ordered a Cubano sandwich (which was delicious!).  The owner felt bad I didn't get mine and managed to eek one more pancake out of her batter so I could try it - and gave it to me free of charge!  What an awesome place!

Scott had biscuits and gravy - with sunny side up eggs which Guy would HATE!

The restaurant only seated about 15 at a time!  A wonderful experience and something to cross off my bucket list!

It's been wonderful year - thanks for living it with the Rural Runges!