I grew up on a family farm. I have the greatest memories of having a close family connections. I worked many years farming with my father. He was tough, and there were many days that we made one another miserable. But he was teaching me things about life, that I later came to realize. My Grandmother lived on the farm, so she was integral in my life. I went to her many times complaining about fighting with my dad. She always gave me the same advice, which was that “life gets harder as we get older.” She endured tragedy with the loss of my Grandfather to a farming accident. She endured grief with trying to help one of her daughters with a debilitating mental illness. But she never let it get her down, as she always looked to God for comfort. She helped me find God a few years before she passed in November 2012.

I graduated in 2008 from East Carolina University with a BSBA in Management, and have had a tough time finding a job. I've come to realize that farming is what I really want to be doing. So I'm focusing these days on getting back into farming. There are many obstacles that I have in front of me, but I continue to work at it. Through the inspiration of my Grandmother, and the things my dad instilled in me, I will never quit on my dreams

Begin each day as if it was on purpose.