CCFB News» Bob Rohrer, CAE, FBCM, Manager

Who remembers the Mastercard credit card “Priceless” marketing campaign “there are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s MasterCard”? The commercial identified various items or experiences that the credit card could purchase but ultimately, the card brought you something you could not buy…that once in a life-time moment, that rare connection, the ideal (tears in your eyes) conversation. I was shocked to see that the campaign started in 1997!

My mom taught me that eating everything on your plate was the polite thing to do. I am quite polite. She also knows I will eat nearly anything. For that, I’m self-taught.

We had a family dinner the other evening in Oak Brook. My wife asked me what I was thinking about ordering and I replied with a straight face “an Impossible Burger” and the entire table burst out laughing. They know me. My son and his girlfriend rave about the new plant burgers and how much these fake meat burgers tastes like a real hamburger. Hmm… I can’t be objective because I do not plan on subjecting my taste buds to the fake stuff.

In March, my lovely and loving mother sent my wife a birthday box. My mom’s birthday box is a cherished tradition. We love mom’s birthday boxes because they always come packed with unique gifts, trinkets and random odds and ends that bring smiles to our faces. While the items are typically not fancy or expensive, many items are associated with childhood favorites.

Cook County Farm Bureau will achieve the 100-year milestone in March of 2020. 100 years is a magical number and we have been researching the organization’s history in anticipation of the celebration. 

Cook County Farm Bureau will reach this milestone in about a year, March of 2020. Young or old, 100 years of age is a nice round milestone number.  The dinosaurs and the Incas would probably snort, but we kinda think that 100 years is a big deal!

Mother Goose may have never written the children’s rhyme, “Humpty Dumpty”, if all the King’s horses and the King’s men knew about that magical world called YouTubeania. 

When I was young, I remember my grandfather working constantly, farming from sunup to sundown. So why did he take time off during his busiest season to be the first person to ever take me, his young grandson, fishing? Equipped with a Bamboo pole and worms, I remember catching two massive 5-inch bluegills. Thank you, Grandpa! I have loved fishing ever since.

It’s 1973 and young Bobby Rohrer is on the edge of the couch ready for the show to begin. Yes, the opening to the 1970’s TV show the Six Million Dollar Man.  I loved that show as a kid.

In July, I wrote a column titled "Man versus Nature" which contained a quick overview of the long, losing battles that I continually seem to have with varmints, invasive plants and weather. Unfortunately, the time is right for part 2.

Small community cafes and restaurants provide not only nourishment, but wonderful community gathering places connecting rural people in ways that the phone cannot duplicate for friendship, information sharing, and conducting farm business.  It felt great to reunite with this feeling of farm community. Thanks Farmer Dad and Dave for letting me tag along!

The future of the people of this world will depend on farmers of all types. Let’s support them all.