Letter from Putnam County Rotary: Join us for Rotary Ag Night March 30

Hello Putnam County Record readers

I want to talk agriculture! The definition of agriculture is ”the science or practice of cultivating soil, producing crops and raising livestock and in varying degrees, the reparation and marketing of the resulting products.” But I think when you look around our farming communities, it is so much more.

Growing up in Standard I used to ride my bike to my friends Priscilla, Nola and Judy, who all lived “out in the country.” As I pedaled, I would watch the fields being tilled, planted and harvested by the hard working farmers, who worked everyday to provide for their families and contribute to the agricultural heritage of Putnam County.

Those men, the Hollys, Naumans, Edgerleys, Bernardis, Mudges, Toedters, Bruches, Hopkins, Gehms and Clausens all waved as I rode my bike past their fields. How hard they worked, day after day; it seemed as if they were always in those fields in their big tractors doing what their ancestors had done before.

Once the consolidation came, I met more “farm kids”: Boyle, Carr, Holmbeck, Wilson, Alleman, Glenn, Griffith, Jessen, Boggio, Biagi, Knapp, Brizgis, Brown, Pletsch, Haws, Schorn and Chambers, to name a few.

What a great childhood I had growing up in our small rural county. The strong agricultural heritage of Putnam County is something we can all be proud of. I hope you have visited the Historical Society Ag Museum that honors that heritage. The Moews sign shines bright every night on the building housing donated equipment and artifacts.

As I have said before, Putnam County Rotary was started by farmers and businessmen who wanted to give back to their communities. Every Thursday night those busy men took time off to go to Rotary meetings to make our county a better place. I am proud to be a Rotary member and I am excited to say that after a three-year hiatus due to COVID we are once again hosting Rotary Ag Night.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at PCHS, we will be celebrating the rich agricultural heritage we can be so proud of by bringing back this fun event. I am happy to announce that Marquis Energy will be presenting the program on not just what they do but their future plans for the facility.

I am hoping to see attendees who are not just farmers, whose families are our farming history, but businessmen from our local banks, County Board members, mayors and council members and anyone else who is interested in attending.

Tickets for the dinner and program cost $17, or a table of 10 for $150, and are available from all Rotarians. Get a group together and enjoy a night out!

PCHS FFA members will also be taking part in the evening through the generosity of Rotarians and supporters of the program. Come meet our future farmers and share your expertise.

I’m hoping it will be a fun, enjoyable, informative and interesting night for all who attend. I hope to see you there. If you can’t find a Rotarian for your ticket, you can email, putnamcountyrotary@gmail.com to reserve your seat.

Come help us honor and celebrate our agricultural heritage. Remember, Service Above Self always.

Debbie Buffington, President of the Putnam County Rotary