Program Takes Stock of Future of Agriculture
by Tom Giessel, OC Board Member, Larned, Kansas
l-r: Derrick Schacher, William Nelson, and Tom Giessel brought represented multi-generation experience and thoughtful remarks to the Feb. 15th evening program
On February 15th, the Home Mercantile Building in Nazareth, Texas was the venue for a public program focused on “The Next Generation of Agriculture.” Following hors d’oeuvres and a celebration of music and poetry “Mirroring Agriculture on the Southern Plains”, by artist and OC Advisory Council member Andy Wilkinson, his daughter Emily Arellano, and Andy & Alissa Hedges, the gatherings’ attention focused on a panel presentation featuring William Nelson, President of CHS Foundation, Derrick Schacher, a young farmer from Nazareth, and your truly,Tom Giessel, a life-long farmer from Larned, Kansas.
Nelson provided a broad overview of today’s agriculture. His decades of experience and exposure to food and farming issues from the viewpoint of a regional cooperative provided a perspective which very few individuals have experienced. Growing up in rural Minnesota, his roots run deep in rural communities and the family farm. His career has exposed him to the full spectrum of agriculture. His message for the next generation in agriculture to “aim for the middle,” resonated with the audience and set the tone for the meeting.
Local farmer Derrick Schacher, provided a glimpse of what most young families experience as they begin their journey in a rural farming community. The difficulties in securing land and capital are the most common obstacles in getting “a foot in the furrow.” He spoke of doing custom farming, sharing of equipment and utilizing his skills of welding and repairing machinery. Derrick echoed the partnership of his wife and family in the decisions he makes, as well as the commitment to community. Woven throughout his comments was the strong determination to succeed.
As the final panelist, I suggested our efforts to maintain rural communities and family farms have another dimension, beyond the importance opportunity of beginning farmers. At 58 years old, I’m still a few years from retirement, but I suggest that we should take a second look at how “mature” operations ultimately exit farmland and communities. I believe we must re-think how to grow our farms and mold them to be “harvestable” by the next generation. I believe many of today’s farms are not transferable in the current structure and we must find ways to allow the next generation to build their own farms to meet the needs of communities and society.
The most important aspect of the meeting was audience participation, with question and comments. Kim Barker, Waynoka Oklahoma farmer, suggested the family farms of the future would succeed by growing inputs [instead of purchasing them] and re-discovering ways to farm without being a slave to intense capital needs. Other questions revolved around workable ideas on how to begin farming. As with virtually all local issues and problems, answers do not come from afar, but from within. The evening program provided a great opportunity in that regard. Ogallala Commons wishes to thank our sponsors, CHS, Inc.-Dimmitt, TX and Peoples Bank in Nazareth, TX for making our program possible.
Annual Southern Plains Conference Explores Community Health
by Darryl Birkenfeld, Director, Ogallala Commons
A diverse crowd from two dozen communities and 6 states listens to speaker J. Michael Harter at the morning session of the 22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference
When counting up their blessings, most people will list “good health” as one of the gifts for which they are most grateful. Yet, how many realize that individual health depends not just on personal choices, but on the health and wellness of the communities that we live in?
On February 16, Ogallala Commons and its partners illustrated the commonwealth of health at the 22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference…with its theme, “What Makes Communities Healthy? “ The event drew more than 110 people from scores of communities and six states to the Community Hall and Home Mercantile in Nazareth, Texas.
“Probably the most important realization that people took away from the conference is that community health is not some vague notion; rather, it is an every day, concrete experience, and in all its dimensions, it constitutes our economic, social, mental, physical, environmental, emotional, and spiritual wellness,” noted Darryl Birkenfeld, Director of Ogallala Commons. “Rather than being a realm only for experts and professionals, community health is exactly the place where the interest and activity of ordinary citizens can make a profound contribution.”
Among the many excellent speakers at the conference, Elaine Albracht Sullivan from Dallas, TX (a Nazareth native) gave a powerful keynote presentation that explored six dimensions of wellness (social, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, emotional, physical), and helped attendees look at wellness in their own lives and how it is linked to community wellness. Luckily, the weather was just perfect before lunch, when all the participants went on walking tours around Nazareth…participating in a Community Health Observation exercise, where teams of five worked together to make observations and learn about 20 different aspects of community health. After a delicious lunch, Fr. Ken Keller, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Nazareth, also spoke eloquently on “Dealing with Unhealth: the Flipside of Striving for Health”…compiling his list of “Six Illnesses” that our rural communities struggle with and need to overcome. Other conference speakers and exhibit booths also offered excellent resources and tools for improving community health…through entrepreneurship, community health assessments, and affordable housing. The conference closed with a panel entitled, “The Promise of Health: Action Steps” moderated by Tabitha King, a Texas Tech University student and a Rural & Community Health intern for Ogallala Commons.
Sponsors for the 22nd Annual Southern Conference are Ogallala Commons, the F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Castro County HealthCare, Swisher Memorial Hospital, Moore Than Medicine, and Texas Farmers Union.
Faith Community Nursing: A Resource for Building Community Health
By Sharon Hinton
(Sharon was to be a presenter at our Southern Plains Conference, but was prevented from attending by frozen pipes thawing and water leaking in her building. The article below provides an overview of faith community nursing as a community health action tool)A parish-faith community nurse (FCN) is not just a nurse in the church! Parish-faith community nurses are trusted healthcare experts who walk with one foot in the medical world and the other foot in the everyday life of the people they serve. Parish-faith community nursing is a specialty practice where registered nurses (RN) work in partnership with clergy in a church setting to serve a congregation and the surrounding community. Experienced RNs attend additional training to provide customized wholistic care of body, mind and spirit that is appropriate for the faith beliefs of a particular congregation. FCNs are found in all major Christian denominations and religions. A few of the many roles include health educator, health advocate, resource & referral for health services, coordinator of health advocate volunteers, health coach, and clergy health advisor. Examples of programs provided include support groups, health and wellness education, home/hospital visitation and coordination of care, parenting classes, how to age well programs, understanding diabetes, blood pressure checks, and flu shot clinics. FCNs work with a health committee to plan services for the congregation and community. Health ministry is a powerful tool for community outreach and youth involvement as volunteers. Your congregation has many valuable assets in the talents of its members! For more information contact Sharon T. Hinton (806)983-8096, sth.rnr@door.net or visit these websites: http://www.ruralnurseresource.com/, www.gbgm-umc.org/parishnursing, http://www.parishnurses.org/, http://www.hmassoc.org/ or contact the national office of your denomination.
Sharon T. Hinton (RN, MSN) has more than 20 years experience in nursing. She is the Executive Director and lead instructor for Rural Nurse Resource, Inc. Sharon and her family reside in Floydada, TX.
Reflections on the Conference: A Youth Perspective
by Savanna Bragg, 2010 OC Community Intern, Tulia, TX
by Savanna Bragg, 2010 OC Community Intern, Tulia, TX
Since so many of the people who are reading this article are from small towns, he or she will understand how vitally important the health of a community is. Small towns are generally known to have a higher “death rate” in comparison to a bigger town, just because of less resources. The Southern Plains Conference hosted by Ogallala Commons displayed several ways to keep a community healthy, striving, and most importantly, alive. The conference was based off of the circle of interdependent dimensions that support communal wellness. Physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social, economic, and environmental are the seven key dimensions. Speakers from all over the Texas Panhandle, and even from out-of-state, attended the conference to speak about how their job position helps keep a community healthy. Mrs. Elaine Sullivan from Dallas, Texas presented the “Understanding and Appreciating the Development of Wellness.” In her presentation, she covered the six dimensions of wellness, and how each one influences both the community and the individual. Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator, guided everyone on a tour around Nazareth. The point of this exercise was to help everyone visually understand what parts of a town are assets to the health of a community. After everyone returned from the tour and finished their locally prepared lunch, representatives from three local towns, Tulia, Nazareth, and Hart, displayed their specific town's healthy community plan. Father Ken Keller from Nazareth presented “Dealing with Unhealthy… the Flipside of Striving for Health.” He explained the importance of having a recovery plan for a community in the event that an emergency were to happen. In mid-afternoon the conference to resources for building a healthy community, with presentations from Jeff Reid on entrepreneurship, Shannon Kirkland on Community Health Assessments, and Joe Franco on affordable housing.
Southern Plains Conference Follow-up Coming Soon to OgallalaCommons.org
By Julie Hodges, M.S.
Be sure and check out http://www.ogallalacommons.org/ for follow-up information to the 22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference in the next week or so. We have been working hard to gather and digitize the Walking Activity Worksheets, PowerPoint Presentations and other items presented at the conference last week. We will send out an email to everyone when the page is up and running.
By Julie Hodges, M.S.
Be sure and check out http://www.ogallalacommons.org/ for follow-up information to the 22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference in the next week or so. We have been working hard to gather and digitize the Walking Activity Worksheets, PowerPoint Presentations and other items presented at the conference last week. We will send out an email to everyone when the page is up and running.
