S574: Watching/Topic Exploration

First of all, this is SO exciting that we have completely free reign to choose our inquiry project topic!

Honestly, I knew pretty well what I wanted to write about right away.  Since I've grown up in Indiana, it is all I know.  Luckily for me, I am not one of those people who despises our flat land and snowy winters; I in fact love everything about my state.  Thus, the first narrowing of my topic ideas came to me in that I knew I wanted to write something that revolved around Indiana life.

The true Hoosier topics:  corn, trucks, euchre (clearly I'm from rural Indiana) all bounced around in my head.  I have in fact checked out books from the library before to learn more about corn.  Don't laugh!  It was informative!  My dad and brother both drive trucks, and I feel like I would rather leave that domain to them.  As for euchre, I prefer to leave that just for a game to play with friends; I would rather not evaluate and investigate a fun hobby that I use to unwind.  Even though I quickly shot down all of the ideas that first came to mind, the next idea is what I am deciding to stick with:  farms.

I did not grow up on a farm.  I have lived in a subdivision my whole life.  I work in the city.  BUT-I love farms, farming and farmers.  My grandpa has a huge farm in northern Indiana, and that is where my extended family lives.  I go up there probably ten times a year, and every time I go, I love that farm even more.  What better to inspire a topic than love?

When my grandpa passed away this summer, the question came up as to who was going to take up the farming.  Of course living three hours away, this was an impossibility for me, not to mention my complete lack of knowledge and experience.  However, a tiny and persistent voice in my mind kept wishing that I could farm that land.  I would love to be able to work the land that has been in my family for generations, to produce something out of nothing, and feel the accomplishment of harvest time.  Even though I know I can't take on the farm in real life, I would love to know what it takes to farm.

I am thrilled that I have the opportunity and motivation to do this research thanks to this class.  I know a lot of the knowledge might be things that are tricks of the trade, secrets passed down through the years, and I won't be able to get my hands on those.  Quite frankly, if I were able to learn them, I would opt not to share them online-sorry!  There are some lines I will not cross.  Nevertheless, I look forward to learning about a trade and lifestyle that is so close to my heart.