Sarah Nigbor

Going to an interview for a story, I always wonder what type of interview it will be. Obviously, the hope is the person I’m meeting with will have a lot to say. There’s nothing more awkward than an interview in which the person gives one-word answers and looks like they wish I’d disappear.

The worst interview I can think of was a man who opened a new restaurant near Somerset when I worked at the New Richmond News. The new proprietor spent most of the interview trash talking the previous owner and how he was going to make the place so much better. It was tough to write the story without making the new guy look like kind of a jerk. Every single quote he provided was negative, condescending and nasty. I kept the story short and tried to focus on facts such as new menu items, décor, etc., but of course, the man’s personality showed in the few quotes I used. Once it was published, he trash talked me all over social media and called me a liar. His business didn’t even last six months, which didn’t surprise me. That was an experience I don’t care to relive.

That was not the case with visiting the River Falls FFA’s Elementary Ag Day.

The students I spoke with were thrilled to share their stories. They were enthusiastic about the stations they’d set up. It was apparent they care deeply about sharing FFA knowledge and opportunities with the little kids there. For anyone who thinks all kids these days are rotten, they need to spend a day with the River Falls FFA students. What a wonderful bunch of young men and women led by an equally wonderful group of volunteer and advisors.

As they led me around the school district property showing me everything from gardening to beekeeping to swine care to making ice cream, I felt a wistful twinge. So much of what they were showing me reminded me of my childhood with my grandparents on Saddle Club Road.

Summer was such an exciting time when I was young. Not only was I released from the stuffy, stale air of the classroom, but each day was an empty slate waiting to be filled with outdoor adventures.

My grandparents had a gigantic garden and I loved nothing more than digging in the dirt with my grandpa. He grew strawberries, raspberries, blackcaps, cucumbers, onions, dill, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, green and yellow beans, sweet corn, green peppers and always a row or two of gladiolas, salvia and four o’clocks. If my grandpa wasn’t in the woodshop in the summer, he could be found in the garden.

While Grandpa’s domain was outside, Grandma reigned supreme in the kitchen. I was kept busy snipping beans, washing berries after I picked them, and helping her can, pickle and make jam. I marveled at how she cut the rows of sweet corn off the cob in one smooth slice. I looked forward to tasting the first garlicky dill pickles of the year, which always made my best friend jealous. I relished biting into a slice of tomato sprinkled with sugar and the saucer of berries next to my dinner plate. Summer flavors that I’ll never forget.

These are memories that not everyone gets to cherish. I think it’ amazing that the FFA is helping kids to experience what make agriculture so special. And they’re more than willing to talk about it to anyone who will listen.