FARMING :: THE STORY OF OUR FARM LIFE

FARMING: THE STORY OF OUR FARM LIFE

BY AMBER MORIN PHOTOS BY SCOTT T. BAXTER

“The gentle “howdy” and “hello friend” given by Hannah and Haidyn pave the way for readers to tag along with them and their parents, Jason and Candice Barnard, and little brother, Ethan, to experience farm and ranch life.”

To tell any story, but especially the stories of our lives and our family, is an invitation for others to connect with us, understand us, and relate to us. The best stories take us on a journey, beckon us to follow along, and we cannot help but say, “Yes, let’s go!” Hannah and Haidyn Barnard welcome children of all ages and backgrounds to join them in reading their newly published book, Farm Kids – Growing up WhiteBarn. Their book highlights a year of their life growing up on their family farm and ranch at the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains in the San Simon Valley.

The gentle “howdy” and “hello friend” given by Hannah and Haidyn pave the way for readers to tag along with them and their parents, Jason and Candice Barnard, and little brother, Ethan, to experience farm and ranch life. As a reader, you will find yourself riding along in the cab of a tractor to plant forage crops, saddling up a horse to check cattle, or playing in the water of a center pivot. Life in agriculture is a balance of responsibility and adventure. The girls describe each job with playfulness that reflects their age and pulls you into their story. They keep you wondering what will be on the next page. Their enthusiasm for agriculture and their daily tasks is heartwarming and infectious!

Hannah and Haidyn’s roots in agriculture run deep on both the Barnard and White sides of their family. Their great grandparents, the Curry’s, Jason Barnard’s grandparents, began farming in the Elfrida area in the early 1950s. However, when asked how far back farming went, Jason says that the family has been farming for as long as they can remember. Candice’s family, the White’s, also began farming in the Elfrida area in the 1950s. With historical knowledge and heritage behind them, it is no wonder that Hannah and Haidyn have a love for agriculture, conservation, and livestock!

Like the generations before them, Hannah and Haidyn wake up before the sun to work on the family farm. They are used to hard work and enjoy the simple things that their rural lifestyle offers them. Both girls love driving the John Deere Gator utility vehicle, riding their horses, and checking cattle with their dad. When asked if they ever thought they would write a book about their lives, without hesitation they said, “No!” The idea for the book came from their good friend, and owner of the X Diamond Ranch, Wink Crigler. Wink encouraged the girls, and convinced them that their story was worth telling. It did not take too long, and the girls took action and egan writing their book. Every night for a year they sat down together and wrote about their experiences on the farm and ranch. Sometimes they drew pictures with their descriptions and had iPhone photos to remind them of what had transpired.

A year later, they had a collection of short stories written in their own words detailing life on the farm and ranch. Their stories covered all four seasons and what was happening day to day - from planting, to growing, to harvesting, and feeding and branding cattle. After all this writing, drawing, and photography, the girls had a framework for their book. When asked what they learned from this is experience, Hannah said, “That you can do anything you set your mind to.” What a great life lesson to learn as a kid! Without a doubt, there were times when working on the book was daunting. The girls, however, stayed committed and the literary testament highlighting their rural lifestyle was well worth the effort for these 8 and 10-year-old authors and everyone who helped them along the way.

When Haidyn was asked what she hoped her readers would understand from reading her book said, “I hope people understand that everything comes from agriculture! Our clothes, the food we eat, even stuff for sports like baseballs and footballs.” Hannah and Haidyn understand that most children do not grow up on farms and ranches and that by sharing their story, Farm Kids - Growing Up WhiteBarn, they offer readers the chance to connect with a farm family, bale hay, doctor cattle, and understand how food and fiber are grown.

To get a copy of the book and learn more about agriculture, look for WhiteBarn Farms on Facebook or go to their website at www.whitebarnhayandcattle.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amber Morin, Western Ag Life Magazine Contributor, Southeastern Arizona Rancher, and Founder of the podcast Agribusiness Conversations.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Scott Baxter is an awardwinning photographer based on The X Diamond Ranch in Springerville, Arizona. . His fine art photography is in the permanent collections of the Phoenix Art Museum, The Desert Caballeros Western Museum, and The Scottsdale Public Art Program. Scott also recently completed 100 Years 100 Ranchers, a ten-year official Legacy Project for the Arizona Centennial. View more of Scotts work at: www.scottbaxterphotographer.com