A Walk Down the Dirt Road with: Laurie Link

For this edition of A Walk Down the Dirt Road I'm featuring Laurie Link. She is a Missouri farm mom who blogs over at COUNTRY LINKed. I enjoy following her blog not only because she is another Missouri girl but because she takes some BEAUTIFUL pictures. She even had some displayed in the Agriculture and Farm Bureau buildings at the Missouri State fair this year.

 If you don't already I really suggest you go and follow her blog!

Designed by Erin Ehnle 

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Tell us a little about yourself and your family:

I am a momma who loves working, living and raising kids in the country and on the farm.  I love to laugh and feel like I am truly blessed to live this life of mine.  I try very hard not to take that for granted.  My husband and I have been married for 12 years and we have three farm kids.  Wyatt is 9, Kendall is 7 and Tessa is 4.  We moved home to my family’s farm five years ago to be closer to family and so that we could help on the farm.  My parents have been farming for over 40 years and I am raising the fifth generation of farmers.  My husband works for a wonderful seed company, Burrus Hybrids, and I love being a stay at mom.

Laurie and her husband 

Kendall, Tessa, and Wyatt

Why did you start your blog? 

I started COUNTRY LINKed because I wanted people to see and read about what it is like to live and raise kids in the county on a farm.  I like to write about what fun, interesting, one of a kind things that farm kids get to do.  Being raised a farm girl and living back on the family farm I feel that I have a chance to really show people what a Farmer’s life is really like.  This experience has also giving me the chance to get to know others across the country who farming is also their life/livelihood.

Talk about your farm?

It is beautiful.  We live up on a hill and can see pasture, row crops or hay fields in every direction.  We are diversified farmers, so depending on the year we raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa, cattle and hogs.  Right now my husband and I also cash rent some farm ground and it is planted to soybeans.   

What are some of your hobbies?

Taking pictures, quilting, reading, spending time with family, blogging and taking pictures.  Picture taking is my main one right now, but I do love to make quilts and enjoy a good book. 

What’s it like being a Livestock Show Mom?

Crazy!  Interesting!  Stressful!  Fun!  I showed for many, many years and saw mainly the good that comes from showing livestock.  I want my children to experience the thrill and fun of showing, but also know the dedication and hard work that goes into it.  As much as I want them to succeed, I also want them to work for every ribbon they receive and to be grateful for what they achieve. 

What is it like living in the best state in the US (Missouri)?

It is humid!  But there is no other place that I would call home.  I lived in Kansas and Texas, and they are nice places to live with good people, but this is where I was born and raised.  I love the beauty of this state and the diversity in landscape.  I am happy and proud to raise my children here and feel like they have bright futures as Missourian’s. 

What is your favorite part of being involved with agriculture?

This one is hard.  I don’t know if I could have one favorite.  I love the people, the work and the beauty of it all.  Agriculture is in my blood and it encompasses so much of my life.   There are no harder working, dedicated, compassionate people than farmers and farm families.  I enjoy the work that goes along with being a farmer.  Some jobs are not my favorite, but what other profession is there that you can have a tractor seat be your office chair or every day can be take your child to work day? 

If you could vacation anywhere where would it be?

At an all inclusive resort in a beautiful country, so that all I have to do is relax on the beach watching the waves.  Someday I would also like to travel to just take pictures of people living life in the country. 

 

When you grew up were you involved with either 4H or FFA?

Yes, I was involved in both!  Some of my best memories and some of my best friends are from being involved in 4-H and FFA.  When other kids were wondering what they were going to do all summer, I was trying to figure out how many days of the summer I would actually be home and not at a camp or on a trip or at a show. I was an 11 year 4-H member and an active FFA member for five.  I attended many county, state and even a few national events.  I also served on our State 4-H Council for three years, one of which I was President.  I severed as my FFA chapters President my Senior Year of high school, the same year that our chapter got its charter.  

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?

“Choose your spouse carefully.”  I believe he put it something like this; you may not always like the job you have or where you even live, but you do have to want to be with the person you marry no matter what you are doing  or where you are living.  

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Thank You Laurie for doing this feature!! If you would like to do a feature shoot me an email at diariesfromthedirtroad@gmail.com