Life Along The Dusty Trail
Isn’t it funny how the passing of time gives you a different perspective as you look back on how your life has unfolded and see the direction it has taken you?
I received a phone call from a reader of this column last week. He thanked me for sharing our family’s journey in foster care and adoption on the farm. As an adoptee himself, this gentleman was happy to see us share that piece of our lives, and he offered me some sage wisdom moving forward — encouragement to keep fighting for agriculture and uplifting words for me as a wife and mother.
It sure filled my cup as my pickup ate up the miles on the dusty trail on my way home from a speaking engagement. Eager to get home to the ranch and my family, that day I spent a lot of time in reflection about why I do what I do and if it’s worth it to spend so much time on the road away from the things I love the most.
In my prayers, I ask for discernment about what my next steps should be, and how the Lord can use me for good wherever I go. And for me — the answer is abundantly clear. I need to keep spreading the good news of my faith, family values, rural communities, and agriculture however and wherever I can.
And the blessings come from the good people I meet along the road — the people who make up the heart of rural America.
I’m so passionate about sharing their stories and advocating for people across this country who are just like my family back at home that I’ve started a podcast about it. It’s called “The Heart of Rural America,” and I invite you to tune in on Apple or Spotify, and let me know what you think!
We are just a dozen episodes into the show, and I would like to thank my sponsors for their early support of this brand new media platform: CK6 Source, CK6 Consulting, Meats by Linz, Linz Heritage Angus, and Real Tuff Livestock Equipment.
Now back to my original thought — looking back on my life and how it all got started. Many of you might not know this, but in college, I wrote 30 inquiry letters to different agricultural publications looking for a chance to write and get my feet wet as a journalist.
I received 28 rejection letters. One publication offered to let me submit a recipe (for no pay) in the women’s section. And lucky number 30 gave me my big break — the “yes” that allowed me to step into this space of communications and column writing.
What a blessing it has been to have this platform to share agricultural issues, and if you’re reading this right now in your favorite paper, please know how grateful I am that you follow this column.
Since those modest beginnings as a 19-year old kid in college, today looks a little different. A husband, four kids, a dozen foster kids, and more late nights working cows than I can count! Tyler and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, and with all the kids, cows, and chaos, I truly wouldn’t have it any other way!
As I look into what’s ahead for the rest of 2023 and moving into 2024, it looks like my speaking schedule is jam-packed, and I’m eager to meet many of you on the road at these conferences. You can check out my event calendar at www.amandaradke.com.
And although I love speaking at conferences, in the last couple of months, I have had the great privilege of speaking at production sales as a pre-sale seminar presenter. If you can get me in a barn on a ranch or a livestock market for an auction, I’m absolutely in my happy place with people I love — the kind of people with boots on the ground, who pour blood, sweat, and tears into this business, who are fighting to build a legacy and create opportunities for their kids and grandkids, and who never shy away from a challenge.
If you have a sale or customer appreciation event coming up, I would love to help set the tone for your big day, with an optimistic message about the beef cattle business that will get your customers fired up and ready to buy once the auction gets rolling. Let’s talk! I hope to meet you soon on the dusty trail!