Well, my goodness. MCFB hasn’t had a chance to put together a magazine in a few months. When Ms. Anne Deniz, (MCFB’s all around Wonder Woman) asked me to write an article, I was kind of surprised by how long it’s been! She also reminded me that I was in my final few months of Presidency. What?!? Really?!? I guess that living life in the fast lane has that effect.
So, winter moved into spring and spring into summer. Here I am, in the last three months of being your president. Four years seems like an eternity and parts of the years certainly felt that way, but my reality is that time has flown by with me strapped into the seat laughing, crying, bored and scared.
It’s a Sunday morning in late July and I’m sitting at my kitchen table looking into my orchard. It’s gonna be a scorcher today! My pistachio trees are showing signs of “flagging” meaning that the nuts are filling up the shells and the yellow leaves at the tips of the branches aren’t getting many nutrients because of that. It’s a great thing to see! Watching my trees go through their life stages is relatable to me. Every year there is new growth, maturity, harvesting of nuts to share with the world, shedding and pruning of what no longer needs to be there and then resting for the next chapter.
I’ve shared in past messages that I never saw myself in a leadership role. As I put my trust into God and the universe’s hands, I said yes to opportunities that challenged me. Like my trees, over these last four years, I’ve grown in ways I didn’t know I wanted until it happened, if that makes sense. I’ve gained confidence in listening and asking questions. I’ve learned to lean into not having it all together sometimes. I started really trying to live by the saying “let go and let God”. I started shedding and pruning what doesn’t belong in my life anymore in order to make room for the new growth and maturity. Being invited to speak with various organizations, I’ve been able to give away what I’ve learned by educating folks on the importance of agriculture. Sometimes I take needed rests and relish the “bored” in order to recharge and ready myself for whatever comes next.
I’m looking forward to handing over the reins to a new, fresh President. It’s good for an organization to have new leadership that offers different perspectives and new energy. He may not feel as excited as I do, but as I step into the role of immediate past President, he will have my full support and a good back up person to call on as needed.
I believe that God puts us exactly where we need to be, when we need to be there. It has truly been an honor and privilege to serve as your President. While California Farm Bureau has made some significant changes, I hope Madera County Farm Bureau has stayed consistent enough in our dedication to this community to deserve your continued support. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with me, supporting me and for coming along on my amazing adventures. Life is short so say yes to the bumpy journey!
