There's No Place Like Home

Dorothy Gale from Kansas was right, there's no place like home. And for me, heading to the 2009 Farm Progress Show Decatur, IL was a trip back home.

I'm proud to say that I was born and raised in Decatur, IL, home of the Staley Bears...now the Chicago Bears, and was once known as the soybean capital of the world.



My parents still live here so I make the trip up every month or so for a visit, and maybe a little golf with my Dad. I've probably made the trip from St. Louis to Decatur more than 100 times since I moved to St. Louis in 1992. And as I was making that drive once again today, I started thinking about how I'm probably the only one, or one of the few who takes the two-lane highway 48 North to get to Decatur instead of Interstate 72 West. My Dad always told me that it saves at least 15 minutes, and who am I to argue.

This road less traveled has an abundance of two things...small towns and fields and fields of corn and soybeans.

It might sound corny, but ever since I started working at Monsanto more than eight years ago, I began counting the number of fields signs that had either Asgrow or DeKalb on it. It was a way to pass the time, and not being in the agriculture business before Monsanto, I honestly didn't pay that much attention. But since I did start to notice, one thing is for sure, the number of Asgrow and DeKalb field signs have grown in number while those of Pioneer have shrunk.

And, I always know that I'm close to home when I pass by Monsanto's soybean production plant in Stonington, IL. Looks like we're building on to it, I thought as I passed by today. That's a good thing.

As I entered Decatur's city limits, it occurred to me that my favorite burger joint, Krekels, was on my way out to the Farm Progress site. I had to stop and get a Krekel burger-a double with catsup, mustard and onion please.

Just like coming home, walking into the Farm Progress, I was met with old friends who also just happened to be Monsanto employees. Some I hadn't seen for two years or more since moving on to a new role. It made me feel comfortable right away. It felt like being home.

Now I'm back at my parent's house thinking about everything that needs to get done tomorrow at Farm Progress. It has my mind racing. It will be hard to sleep tonight. Time for bed, in my old bed, in my old room. There's no place like home.