I began my career in 1971 as a partner in a farming operation in Ontario Canada. Moved to Mississippi in the fall of ‘79 and started on my own; with 1,100 acres no irrigation we have grown. Fifteen years ago my son came back after he finished his MBA and worked for senator Thad Cochran. Ten years ago he recruited his sister, a CPA with 10 years experience, to be a partner. Five years ago he hired his wife, also an MBA, with two years at DC and several years at a local bank in human resource. Today we farm 12,000 acres irrigated farmland, run eight trucks, and partner in Delta Air 2 spray planes. How far we have come—machinery, yields, weed control—I will fondly remember all the older farmers how progressive they were and all the work they did that I benefited from.