When I tell people where we live, I’ve actually had a couple folks ask if we had indoor plumbing. They picture rural Nebraska with outhouses and well water that we have to carry in with buckets. (We are on well water, but it has a pump and we have an operating sink!) We’ve come a long way since then, but it was about 1936 when southeast Nebraska got electricity and 1938 when my grandparents got rural electricity through REA.
Until that time, Grandpa and his family used to burn kerosene (or coal oil) lanterns to do chores in the early morning hours or into the evening.
To think, just last week my brother was harvesting corn across the road at 10 p.m. Equipped with lights and GPS, he could work through the night. I guess the combine was burning the midnight oil, so to speak, but back in the 30s, they literally had to burn oil to get any work done.
Until we walk again…
New NAFB president Lindsay Hill (ABN Radio) accepted the gavel from Greg Akagi (WIBW/Kansas Ag Net) during the Friday night president’s banquet to symbolize the beginning of a new slate of officers for the farm broadcasting organization, even though it will be the end of the year before it officially changes.
The new vice president of NAFB is Mark Oppold of RFD TV. I had the chance to interview both Mark and outgoing president Greg right after the business meeting was held on Friday afternoon. Greg says he is looking forward to seeing his family again after three years on the road for NAFB. “I’m going to relax. I’m just imagining that my wife, when December 31 rolls around, will say ‘Happy New Year’ and hand me a 2-3 page list that may take me all of 2011 to accomplish!”
Two of the most coveted awards of the year for farm broadcasters were handed out during the luncheon on Friday.
Current Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS), who is now Senator-Elect for that state, stopped by the NAFB meeting on his way out to the nation’s capitol on Friday. 
The latest research on who is listening or watching what in farm broadcast media was presented Friday morning at the NAFB annual meeting by the great Teddy Haller.
County music star Sammy Kershaw entertained the NAFB annual meeting Thursday night, bringing back an old tradition of live entertainment.
The NAFB Hall of Fame inducted two new members. Taylor Brown, Northern Ag Network, is past president of NAFB and the NAFB Foundation and has been called “Senator” for the past two years as he was elected to the Montana state legislature for a four year term. He and his wife Shannon were thrilled with the honor. Kinda young for this, don’t you think, Taylor?
Also inducted into the Hall of Fame was Gene Millard, NAFB emeritus member and head of Millard Family Farms. Gene was a pioneer in NAFB’s sales and marketing efforts, and served as interim executive director for the organization for a little while. He brought his 90-something year old mother to help him celebrate the honor last night.
There were two different Meritorious Service Award winners this year, for the first time ever. The honorees this year were Denny Waddle of KRVN and former NAFB executive director Roger Olsen. Denny and Roger were both surprised by the recognition, which is always fun, although Roger noted that he never thought it was fair to surprise people with this award – and now he’s sure that it’s unfair!
The New Holland Oscar in Agriculture Award was presented this year to Mark Oppold of RFD TV for his work covering the flooding in Tennessee earlier this year. Coverage of the flooding on RFD TV helped to raise about $50,000 to help those affected. NAFB is sincerely grateful to New Holland – represented here by the “retired” Gene Hemphill and Sean Dorosz, for sponsoring this award that recognizes the best of the best for excellence in farm broadcasting.