F2F IV

We decided to head to Omaha again to attend the Farmer2Farmer conference and trade show put on by Farmers Business Network.  It is a good couple day getaway prior to the busy Christmas season.  I always learn a little something, and I like to see what's new and coming.  The first day we sat at a table with Greg who farms east of Calgary, Alberta.  He raises spring wheat, canola, and malt barley.  The next day I sat by Rob, who farms near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, raising spring wheat, canola, and pulse crops.  It's interesting to compare our different farming practices and challenges.  I also had the privilege of visiting with the founder and CEO of FBN who just happens to have graduated from the U of I with an Chemical Engineering degree. There were almost 2800 farmers from across the country and Canada present.
The speakers were excellent as usual, including Captain "Sully" Sullivan ( the pilot who landed the US Airways plane in the Hudson River), Adam Savage ( director and host of TV show "MythBusters"), and Adam Steltzner ( Chief Engineer at NASA' Jet Propulsion Laboratory).

We arrived home Friday evening in time to get ready for our first big Christmas on Saturday.  It was a full day of food, fellowship, and gifts.  I received two new books and a popcorn cake!  We got to keep Scott, Joy, and Justus overnight.  I may have played more with Justus than I spent visiting with his parents.😏  Attendance was down a bit this year, but still a crowd.  I was home doing chores when they took the annual grandchildren picture, but here is a copy with the oldest farmer and my mom with the grands and greats.

 
The previous weekend Dan and Carol took us to the Peoria Symphony/Apollo Chorus performance of Handel's Messiah.  We attended the pre-concert lecture and learned a few more things about Handel and his work.  Handel was a German who moved to England to write Italian operas for King George II.  In 1741, Charles Jennens gave Handel a list of scripture and asked him to compose an oratorio to be performed on Passion week.  Handel completed the composition in three weeks, and it was first performed in Dublin, Ireland on Good Friday, 1742.  All the words of the piece are direct scripture quotes. Since then, it has been traditionally performed on Good Friday, until Christmas became such a commercialized holiday that it is now usually performed around Christmas.  The Apollo Chorus (from Chicago) has been performing it annually for 140 years, over half of the entire life of the Messiah!   I thoroughly enjoy the Morton Community Chorus's version, which we attended also again this year, but the Peoria Symphony/Apollo Chorus was truly professional.

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:25