Goats on a dairy farm I photographed for a freelance story.

People seem to have one of two assumptions about growing up on a farm: It’s grueling or idyllic.

Somewhere decidedly in between was the case for me – and probably for most northwest Ohio farm kids in the 1970s and 1980s. Yes, there were chores, but they taught me how to be responsible. Roaming around outdoors and playing with animals were the foundation for a lifelong love of nature.

At some point in high school, I decided I wanted to be a reporter in the midst of the action. While I covered the occasional ag story at every newspaper I ever worked for, I never really sought them out. I would joke that I didn’t go to college to write about farming.

A quarter century later, here I am.

I realized a few years ago that there are a lot of good stories to tell in rural America. Sure, farming is a lot different even than when I grew up. But that’s part of what makes agriculture interesting.

There are siblings who want to keep homesteads that have been in their family for generations after their parents die. Farmers who continue working despite illnesses. People who return to farming because their careers were unfulfilling. Those who believe farm to table has always been a way of life, not a trend. And many, many more ag-related stories.

Now I want to cover them all.