Outstanding in their field — Agriculture in Northeast Michigan

Each morning, in a dim lit, quiet living room, usually around 5 a.m. (sometimes 4, sometimes slightly later), within my hands, I cup my current favorite mug, filled with just the right temperature of coffee … coffee from the coffee maker that has been cooled with a touch of cold water, and glide my awakening body back and forth in a creaky rocker, while pondering a wide array of topics. I am pretty sure my husband winces, as I take a breath to break the silence about 20 minutes into my meditation. He sits across the room in his rocker recliner, drinking his coffee and waiting for me to declare, “It’s time I make my oatmeal.” This announcement is followed by, “You can watch TV now. I am done.” Then I exit to the kitchen.

But, many times, before I make that declaration and exit, I announce, “I’ve been thinking.” This is where he winces. That thinking I do produces an awareness or idea that has crossed my mind, and I am now prepared to share. Sometimes the words set a tone that he braces himself for, because he is going to be roped into a grand project that I conjured. It might be that the wood fence in the front yard has got to be painted. It might be that we need direction signs built and painted to guide vendors for the Northern Michigan Fiber Festival. Or, it might be that we need a longer dining room table and there is one on Marketplace that looks reasonable. No matter the topic, he is somehow going to end up feeling a repercussion of my thinking.

Well, just before Christmas, I thought up the idea that there needs to be a regular article in The Alpena News about agriculture in Northeast Michigan. I could practically read his mind indicating relief that this project didn’t involve him. And I continued, “I’m not going to do it alone.” He had a serious expression, that of a husband who is actually listening and wondering where this is going. I told him, “I am going to contact Bryanna Beyer.” He nodded approval of my choice, and commented, “Ya. She will be good.”

Bryanna is our neighbor. I have observed her energetically promote agriculture in our area, both for her and her husband’s farm, and farm products, and as a promotions and education advocate for Huron Shores Farm Bureau. She is an Alpena Community College business management graduate, and active Farm Bureau board member, wife, mother, farmer (Beyer Farms), and a 4-H leader.

Mary Kelley Centala

If you take Bryanna’s comparatively young energy, and pair it with the experience I have accumulated with age, she and I should be able to pull this agricultural column project off. I grew up on a dairy farm, graduated from Alpena Community College with a journalism degree, then from Central Michigan University with a broadcasting degree, and landed my first job out of college at WBKB-TV as the agriculture anchor of a farm program called AgMart. That lasted for about six months, before the news director decided I was needed as a general reporter. Life went on, and reporting faded in my background. I became a wife, mother, small farmer (Heritage Acres), Master Gardener, shepherd, dairy goat herder, 4-H leader, greenhouse owner, grandma, and president of Northern Michigan Fiber Festival.

Bryanna and I both have a deep down desire to promote and educate about agriculture in our community. We are going to help you look around our area, and introduce you to agriculturalists and those who are associated in some way with this vast career/way of life. We want you to connect with this community and its intricacy.

Sometimes the articles will be written by Bryanna or myself, or both of us. Sometimes we will have guest writers who are the agriculturalists themselves. One thing is for sure. We are all bound to learn.

Bryanna and I are confident that as you read the articles in the weekly column, throughout its duration, you will agree with us. We in Northeast Michigan are blessed with some talented, hardworking, problem-solving, innovative, sincere agriculturalists, who are, without a doubt, “outstanding in their field.”

Courtesy Photo Mary Kelley Centala is seen spinning yarn with her granddaughter, Maggie.