"As a child, I experienced how precious a farm is..."

Growing up in Nebraska, I enjoyed family vacations on my grandparents' farms. For us kids, those trips meant unlimited fun. We could explore hundreds of acres, swim in lakes or cow tanks, and sled down hills in wintertime. There were goats to chase and pigs to feed. I'll never forget when a game of chase ended with me bouncing off an electric fence, or the time I accidentally pulled the reins sideways on a horse and sent my sister flying into the air.

Those moments gave me a connection to my family's history and to the ground that my ancestors have farmed for more than 150 years. I didn't realize then how hard my grandparents, aunts and uncles worked to keep growing year after year—it was just what they did. Working at Farm Aid allowed me to see farmers in a new light. Now I understand the challenges many farmers face in a system that often seems stacked against them.

As a child, I experienced how precious a farm is, and at Farm Aid I've learned how threatened that life has become. I feel tied to the memory of my relatives and am proud to honor their legacy through my work.

That emotional connection, that shared history, goes to the core of my being. I give to Farm Aid to honor my grandparents, and to ensure that someone else's family can stay on the land, growing good food and creating lasting memories in a new generation.

Will you join me in making a gift to honor a farmer in your family? Or will you make a donation in appreciation for the farmer who grows food for your family? Farmers do so much for us. Let's do all we can to ensure a bright future for family farmers and memories for farm kids like me.

All the best to you and yours.