My brother Tevye growing up on our family ranch.

Growing up in agriculture means learning life lessons even before you ever step into a classroom. It starts early in the morning, when the world is still quiet and responsibility already waits. Time is measured not by clocks, but by seasons. Maybe by planting, growing, or the incoming harvest. From a young age, agriculture teaches patience and the understanding that the best things in life can’t be rushed.

The roots we grow run deeper than the crops in the field. They are built through responsibility, feeding animals in the cold, finishing chores before school, and knowing that living things depend on you every single day. Agriculture teaches commitment not through words, but through actions of you and many others. The work does not pause for convenience, and neither do the lessons.

There is humility in this way of life. The land reminds us that control is limited, some things remain out of our control. The weather, drought, and storms can change everything. Yet agriculture also teaches resilience. After a failed crop or a difficult season, you learn to adapt, to try again, and to plant hope back into the soil. That perseverance becomes part of who you are.

Growing up in agriculture also gives you a deep sense of purpose. The work done in fields and barns matters beyond the farm gate. Crops and livestock help feed families, communities, and people we may never meet. This responsibility creates pride, not loud or boastful, but steady and grounded in hard work.

FFA is where those roots grow even deeper. It gives language to the values learned through agriculture such as leadership, integrity, service, and hard work. Through FFA, members discover they are part of something greater than themselves, a tradition that honors both the past and the future of agriculture.

In the end, growing up in agriculture is about more than what the land produces. Crops are harvested each season, but the roots of character, resilience, and responsibility last a lifetime. Those roots shape individuals who stand firm, no matter what season they face. And these lessons have affected more than just me. Across the country and around the world multiple people have learned like this as well. Even if all our experiences aren’t the same they can all teach us similar if not the same things.

And some examples are these somewhat old grainy photos. A remembrance of someone’s past lessons they learned. Many of these come from my friends I’ve met through FFA who are now growing role models that I admire dearly.

Izabella Sugg growing up on a farm.

Sakari Frazie growing up on a farm.

Brothers Kagen and James growing up showing animals.

Karyssa Cook growing up showing animals.