Thank you, Dave!

Dave Bitner, one of Stephen's biggest supporters and encouragers during our 2008 campaign, passed away this week at his house in Monticello. This is a photo of us, with Dave and his wife Wendy, at a fundraiser Dave and Wendy hosted at their home for Stephen during his 2008 campaign for county commissioner.

Dave had a successful political career as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for 8 years. He was also a well respected lobbyist. He was elected to be the head of the Republican Party of Florida in January 2011, a position that he held until just last week. He died from ALS, which he was diagnosed with earlier this year.

Dave was an outstanding conservative leader in Florida. He was both outspoken and well-spoken. He was always looking toward the next election, and was always looking for ways to help conservative candidates win elections. He was someone who truly encouraged Stephen to run for county commission and continued to support him after he won and held office.

George W. Bush said in his memoirs, and this is not a direct quote, "The reason why good people aren't in politics is because of the way they are treated. If we want good people in office, we have to support them." I know for a fact that the reason why Stephen came to run for office and then win his office, is because of people like Dave, who are willing to spend their lives supporting good people who are running for public office.

Thank you, Dave. The conservatives in the state of Florida will greatly miss you.

What's new

A friend asked me the other day, "So, what's new on the farm?" I think they wanted a good story. Maybe something funny,exciting, or even scary... like a lot of the tales I have told.

But I had nothin'.

A thought hit me, though, before I responded and so I said, "Nothing really new ever happens on the farm. Its really the same story all the time."

The farmer might disagree with me. During his year stint as an extension agent in North Carolina, an old farmer told him, "I don't have 50 years experience farming. I have 50 1-year experiences farming."

And I get that meaning, but really its just the same thing over and over again with little twists and turns in there. At least from my vantage point :)

We either need rain or we don't need rain.

We have some equipment breaking down and some running fine.

We have too much work to do and not enough people to do it.

We have some fields that did poorly and some that knocked our socks off.

Its all at once and never at the same time. Its just different and its just the same.

So other than all that, it's pretty much the same ol' same ol'!




This girl is doing amazing though! She loves her trainer and she is as sweet as can be. I'm just glad I'm not the one training, because Maxine is too strong for her own good and I don't have nearly the energy that an determined 8 year old has!

I guess there is one new thing happening on the farm. A new little bundle of joy is due to arrive in bumpkinland at the end of March! What's one more, right?

PS Photos in this post courtesy of the 8 year old farmgirl