Introducing Our New Writer Kristin Bigelow

I love to travel, and I’ve been to a lot of places including Europe and South America.

My absolute favorite spot in the whole world is the wicker loveseat on the front porch of my parent’s home.

The air is filled with floral notes from the salvia growing in the flower beds, and the petunias, zinnias, and daisies flaunt their vibrant robes of color from the planters and hanging baskets they call home.

On an especially quiet evening, the sound of grass rustling beneath the feet of the cows in the pasture next to the house, or the occasional snort or stomping of a hoof can be heard.

Every year in May and June, the frogs in the neighbor’s pond croak out their welcome to summer. This time of year, the fireflies contribute those neon pops of color to the night sky.

I was raised in a household heavily involved in agriculture. My siblings and I grew up on a dairy farm that was started by my grandfather, making us the third generation.

My childhood was spent raising and preparing 4-H livestock projects for the Blair County Junior Livestock Show and Sale held each August.

The Williamsburg Community Farm Show was the highlight of my summer each year – my family spent hours loading, unloading, and entering exhibits such as antique farm machinery, baked goods, floral exhibits, grains and forages, and crops. Participating in the Blair County Dairy Promotion program as a Dairy Miss, Dairy Maid, Dairy Ambassador, and then serving as the 2009-2010 Blair County Dairy Princess was a life altering experience for me – it was like a mirror that reflected how fortunate I was to have been raised in agriculture.

Growing up on a dairy farm gave me the opportunity to learn a strong work ethic and the importance of responsibility at an early age.

My parents and grandparents led by example – if you want something, you work for it. Nothing is free, nor should you expect things to be handed to you on a silver platter. You earn it – plain and simple.

I sometimes struggled to balance my responsibilities on the farm along with everything else – maintaining good grades, playing basketball, participating in 4-H and Dairy Promotion, and school activities. To be completely honest, there were plenty of times that I resented the farm – while all my friends got to hang out together after a basketball game or practice, my sister and I jetted home to milk cows.

Another instance is when I was fifteen years old and was fortunate enough to win the state Voice of Democracy contest sponsored by the American Legion – I specifically remember saying “I wish my dad could be here” when I accepted my award; but someone had to be at home milking the cows and taking care of the farm. Sacrifices had to be made - that was a hard lesson to learn.

Looking back now, I can see how those life lessons have shaped me into the person I am today. That resentment toward the farm that I often harbored as a teenager blossomed into a gratefulness of the beautiful hand that I was dealt when I was born a dairy farmer’s daughter.

As I was serving as a dairy princess, I had plenty of opportunities to share my story with the public – that’s when my eyes were truly opened to just how fortunate I was for my upbringing. The beauty of seeing a calf take its first breath when it’s born, the miracle of those tiny seeds that were planted in the field popping up and stretching toward the sun, being a part of the few who feed the many – it was an incredible way to grow up.

I’m grateful to still be involved on the family dairy farm today, helping to milk and caring for the calves. I’ve worked in the retail industry for ten years now since graduating from Penn State, and being in the barn with the cows gives me the chance to decompress and unwind after a hectic day.

I am fortunate enough to volunteer with 4-H and the Blair County Dairy Promotion Committee, both of which are near and dear to my heart. I am also thankful for this new opportunity – being able to share my passion and the stories of others involved in agriculture throughout the Cove.

Though it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, when the barn chores are done and the evening sky is beginning to darken, I head for that wicker loveseat. As the crickets chirp their harmony and the wind rustles its cooling breeze through the trees in the front yard, I’m reminded just how blessed I am for the life I’ve been given – blessed that this is home and blessed for my agricultural roots.