by Sharon Dunn
I live in a state that is mostly agricultural and my late husband was raised on a ranch in Eastern Montana. People who live off the land have a different mindset than other people. There is so much to admire about these tough salt of the earth people where a good year is when you break even. Like many of my books, my June release Targeted Montana Witness partly takes place on a ranch. In the years that I have been around farm and ranch people, I have found three values that most of them seem to have in common.
First, regardless of past history or disputes, you help a neighbor in need. This means that if your neighbor's car has broken down or slid in a ditch, you stop to help. When someone suffers a setback or a loss, you find a way to help them that doesn't cause embarrassment.
Second, people who live off the land throw almost nothing away. This isn't because they are junk collectors. When you live miles from the nearest tractor repair or auto parts store having old cars and tractors around means you might already have the part you need to fix what is broken down. Scrap metal can be welded and reshaped to repair things.
Three, even if you are doing well financially, it is considered poor taste to show off that that is the case. This means not driving expensive trucks. A nice truck is fine but an obnoxious one that screams "I have money" is not. Years ago, my husband leased some land next to two brothers who were the top bull breeders in the nation. They were probably millionaires. Yet, I watched those men wearing shirts with cut off sleeves and climbing into tractors on hot days and working along side their hired hands.
So much to admire about people who live close to the land. What is your experience with farm and ranch people? Did you grow up in the country? Do you share some of these values? Leave a comment along with your email address. I will be picking three winners to receive a pre-release copy of Targeted Montana Witness (USA only). Also if you want to sign up for my newletter, where there are chances to win copies of books as well, you can go to my website at www.sharondunnbooks.net.
Awesome cover. cheetahthecat1982ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteAs I've shared before at some point, I grew up in Paraguay, S. America, as the daughter of Christian missionaries, working with a primitive tribe we contacted in 1976, which is still thriving today. Therefore, besides learning about other cultures, languages, and sharing Christian values, I also enjoyed the challenge of living off the land, and teaching others how to survive in the "civilized" world. . . The last few years, my husband (who is a minister), and I, reach people for the Lord in rural Montana. . . Learn more about me and "Like" my Western art at www.facebook.com/LualOKrautter Thanks for an opportunity to enter this wonderful giveaway! Would love to win a print copy, especially since you, Sharon, are one of my many favorite CF authors! May God continue to bless you! Lual Krautter Email: krautter62520AToutlookDOTcom
ReplyDeleteLove this cover! I grew up in a rural area just outside a big city, and my husband and I owned farm land that we rented to awesome farmers,
ReplyDeleteI currently live in a rural area. I like that people miss you and check on you if you don’t show up at the post office or general store for a few days. I was sick and stayed at home for almost a month and when I went out, people came over to the car where I was sitting to say hello and ask how I was feeling. I line what you said about helping each other. That’s so true out in the country! watts.vickie@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI love that story.
DeleteNice cover. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
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I was born and raised in NYC. I have never lived in a small town so I love reading about small town settings. My family has never had a great deal of money while I was growing up so I learned to be frugal and not waste things such as food. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLove the cover! This book sounds good. I grew up in a small town.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a small town that was the county seat so I was considered the city girl who married a farmer. I've milked cows, helped raise tobacco, and raked and baled hay. It was a great environment for raising our daughter!
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You know I love your books. Would review. jrs0350@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteWow, I love this perspective. We have never had a large farm, but I did grow up on a small farm with pigs, chickens, rabbits, and a horse. It was fun, but we didn't do it as a livelihood; it was more of a side thing. Thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI grew up - and still live on - the family farm. When I managed a book store my regional manager told me I needed to hire more farm kids. After all, mowing a field is the job; there’s no “at a minimum wage pace”. Farmers work hard, love long and pray a lot! Becca12901 at yahoo
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ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
My grandparents used to raise a garden every year.my dad would help them. One year we had over 100 bushels of potatoes . They also raised purple hull peas, tomatoes , squash, okra, pinto beans, green beans, cantaloupe , corn, and watermelons. I used to spend the summer with them. linda-henderson@stt.net.
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