| Brent Olson Columns: Well, I'm Jealous | Grain Cart | Dead Tomorrow | Disaster Lady (8/4/99) | Grandpa's Changes (8/12/99) | Sign Language (8/26/99 | Moving In (9/2/99) | New Daughter 9/9/99 | Black Hills (9/16/99) | Boris (9/23/99) | Duck Hunting (10/1/99) | Sheeps Head (10/7/99)
Brent Olson is a well known humorist, public speaker and author. Even though he admits to knowing nothing about growing cranberries, the fact that he raises 1200 acres of corn, wheat, and soybeans also qualify him as a farmer. In additon to being a dirt farmer like us, he farrow-to-finishes hogs, whatever that means. It sure sounds like we don't want to end up where the "finished" porkers do. Brent knows something about laughter being good medicine for stress. In fact, this year was the keynote speaker at the Rural Mental Health Conference. Brent lives on the edge of the praire in western Minnesota, which sounds pretty much like the wild west. His wife, Robin, is the program director at a rehabilitation center for disabled adults. The Olson's have three children His weekly column, Independently Speaking, will be a regular feature in Cranberry Stressline. It is also carried by newspapers and is distributed nationwide by DTN/FarmDayta. Some of our detractors may suggest his column fits in with the rest of Cranberry Stressline as it is alleged to contain more lies than one would hope to find in a serious publication. Alas, at times it is even educational, and occasionally inspiring. Several of Brent Olson's essays on life in the Midwest are collected in his new book: The Lay of the Land; A View from the Prairie, published by J&L lee Co., PO Box 5575, Lincoln NE 68505. ( 888-665-0999). He enjoys feedback, and if the sows aren't farrowing or the beans don't need to be sprayed he may even respond. He can be reached at: bolson@infolink.morris.mn.us |