Foundations...A Story For My Grandchildren

 I enjoy our Sunday morning chats. If the truth be told I'd probably still get up early on Sunday mornings and collect my weekly pictures and thoughts even if you all didn't read them. However the fact that you do take the time to be part of this visit is an encouragement and I value the relationship.

One of the many groups that joins us in this visit is grandchildren. They are often part of our stories. One day seven year old Jackson said, "Grandpa, I read your blog". I was surprised and asked him when he learned to read. He said, "I leaned to read in 1st grade". This morning's thoughts are written for grandkids. Please look over their shoulder and join us as we tell this week's story.

One May morning 32 years ago a truck I didn't recognize pulled on our yard. Shannon introduced himself and said he had come to ask me to sell seed for the Roberts family who owned Dekalb. I told him I was not a salesman. He accepted that but asked if he could come back in a week. During that following week Jan suggested we maybe think about his offer. She said the commission could help out with Christian School tuition. A week later we told Shannon we would try it for a year.

I was nervous, lacked confidence, and didn't want to impose on folks. My first stop was to Ervin and Byron's operation. I got out of my truck, kept my eyes on the ground, and asked if they needed any seed corn. They said they didn't. I told them I figured, and thanked them for their time. Ervin then said that they would try 20 bags of soybeans. That was my first sale. Three decades later the seed business has become one of the cornerstones in the foundation of our farming and customwork operation. 

Jan and I wanted to say thank you to those who took a chance and bought their most important crop input from us. So we decided to have an appreciation supper in our farm shop and invite families rather than just the customer. Jan went all out and we served homemade buns, a potato casserole that has become known as "Dekalb" potatoes, sweetcorn, tomatoes from the garden, and homemade ice cream. Everyone's kids played ball on our yard while the grownups enjoyed the fellowship. 

Jackson, Jayden, Lane, Malaki, Sydnie, and Brynn, These little guys sitting on Grandpa's lap are your dads, Kurt and Karl. Grandma is serving us lemonade. And your Great Grandma Francis, who you never got to meet is sitting behind Grandma in our old farm shop.

Today your Moms and even some of you older ones help serve our annual event. It's interesting that in 32 years it has not rained during one of our appreciation suppers. The Roberts family joined with Pfizer in the late 80s. Monsanto bought Dekalb in 1998. Bayer completed it's purchase of Monsanto in 2018.

These days you younger kids play with your friends on the machine shed apron. Grandpa especially had a large cement apron poured for not only for you and your friends to ride on but for your friend's parents to load their seed on. Clean aprons are inviting and build friendships. Don't forget about the aprons in your life as you grow up.

You older grandkids are growing up so fast. You and your friends like to hang out in the machine shed part and visit rather than play ball on the grass like your folks did. That's good. You are building relationships that will last the rest of your lives. When you find the friend you want to spend the rest of your life with and have a family of your own with, cherish that special friend. Treat them with respect. Make sure that special friend has the same faith and values you have. It was different in the old days. Grandma and I got married young. We kind of finished growing up together. God gave me a blessing in Grandma that is the foundation of my life today. Be sure and remember to pray that you can be as blessed with your spouse someday.

I couldn't be more thankful for the helpfulness and work ethic you kids have, big and little alike. This past Wednesday evening you joined in and helped clean up without being asked. It warms Grandpa's heart to see you help others. As you all go through life remember to give 110%. Don't be scared of responsibility. And continue to care about others.

About 15 years ago the Dekalb culture started changing. It happens often as companys get larger. Back in the early days Doug Roberts knew his dealers by name and customers were first in the decision making process. I owe Dekalb a debt of gratitude. Our seed dealership kept me cutting edge. It taught me that I did have the ability to help others be successful in their farming operations. And it's income helped with your parents' as well as others' Christian Education. It also helped me share including equipment and 4-H support at our county fair.

A few years ago we started wondering about an additional seed company like the retailers and store fronts had. In 2015 Bill came by a time or two. He spent most of his life in helping manage Pioneer, and was currently working for a family called Becks. The Becks story was intriguing to us. And it wasn't long until your Uncle Karl and Aunt Kristin started a Becks dealership with K and K Seed.

Becks has grown about 20% per year and today has become the 3rd largest seed company in the US. This past summer your Grandpa has decided to let our Dekalb dealership go and help Karl and Kristin sell Becks. There are three main reasons for this change. Third is that it will simplify our family's life not serving two masters. Second, after 5 years of side by side comparisons with a split planter in multiple counties, we have found that we can better help our customers be more successful with Becks. Becks purchases genetics from Dekalb, Pioneer, and Syngenta, as well as there own so they are very diversified. And finally and most importantly, the Becks family and our family's culture match. We both value relationships. We both like putting our customers first. We both reward loyalty. And we both have a faith based business that is our foundation and in that business scenario our goals are to honor God and bless others.

 Kiddos. I need to hurry along before I lose you with too many words. The buildings Grandpa builds all have cement foundations. That's so after 40 years the poles are not rotted off. And you will still be able to use them.

Your parents are building buildings with cement foundations so your children will be able to enjoy and use them after many years. Solid foundations are the key to a productive life. After I'm long gone don't forget about the kind of foundations you choose to build on.

Your Grandma and I were so blessed to have your parents as our children. We chose to give them as much responsibility as they could handle. It served them well.

Your parents are now working along side of you kids and giving you that same value of not being scared of responsibility. When you have children of your own, don't just teach your children. Teach your children to teach their children the values you choose to pass along.

How can you teach your children to honor God? Yes, teach them the truth. However truth is not God's end game. In the Bible He asks us to glorify Him by being productive. The Bible calls it fruitful. That includes being generous with what God blesses you with.

Our country is a mess right now. Grandpa has done his best to keep the values and freedoms Grandma and I have enjoyed to continue for you and your children. Have the courage not to be fearful. Courage is contagious. Fear is contagious as well. Both are hard. Pick your hard. Also don't use tough times as an excuse to be idle. So many good folks have idled down with work, with relationships, with life in general because of Covid.

Kids, you have absolutely nothing to be scared of with God as the foundation of your life. Grandpa has tried to show you that the last year and a half. Think on your own. Ask God for wisdom. Some folks think wisdom comes with age. It does not. It is only God given. Our family's identity is not measured by what brand of corn we sell. It measured by the relationships we have. You all are such a blessing to us. You are not ours. You are not even your parents. You belong to God. And he has put us together as a family. With His help let's continue to honor Him. To serve others. And with the right foundations, to make things happen. We love you all.