ONE ON ONE | Susan Montgomery She's had other jobs, but farming is her way of life

You grew up in Akron. How did you make your way to Trumbull County and agriculture?
I met my husband. This is his family's land. We're the fourth generation to farm it. I was raised in the city, but my mother grew up in a rural community. We have deep 4-H roots and always had animals. She taught us to respect the land -- that we have a responsibility to take care of the land, and the animals that depend on us to survive.
Obviously those values have stayed with you, since you are active away from the farm in promoting soil and water conservation and farmland preservation.
Yes. The land here is good Mahoning Valley river bottom land and we need to nurture it, and treat it well. We want to preserve it.
When times are tough, as they are now, I guess it's difficult for farmers not to sell.
Economics make it easy for a farmer to sell. The challenge is helping them keep their land. No one person has the answers. Farmland preservation isn't about stopping development. It's about planning wisely and making the best possible use of land. In agriculture, we have to form alliances with city leaders. We want to have a sensible plan of growth.
What are some other ways you promote agriculture issues?
I've been Trumbull farm bureau treasurer and a member for years. I do agriculture and preservation programs in the schools. In the Leadership Mahoning Valley program, I represent agriculture in a group that is very diverse. We work to know ourselves and our surroundings better. I've learned about the Ohio political process and how to develop relationships with legislators in Washington, D.C., and Columbus. I want them to know what we are doing in agriculture, and I want to be a resource for them when they are considering legislation that will affect us.
On the home front, you have a full-time dairy operation and there are a lot of facets to that. What do you enjoy most about farming?
I love to be out in the fields. I like to run the big equipment. You can go out there in God's country with nothing but beans or corn ahead of you and see what needs to be done. You can combine for awhile and then look back over your shoulder and see how much you've accomplished.
What is the most difficult part of farming?
That you can do well and hurt your business. There's not many places where that happens. There are always a lot of ups and downs. When you have a good year, there's a lot of product on the market. When there's too much product, then prices drop.
And this is one of those years?
Yes. Years like this one are the reason you try to diversify. There's a crisis with the crops because of the drought. Milk prices have been low, and now the crop yields will be too. If you have a good crop year, then that can make up for poor milk prices. Now the crop yields are poor. There was too much rain at first and not all the fields were planted. Then there wasn't enough rain. In many of Ohio's 88 counties, the corn crop looks good. People driving by fields of tall corn don't understand when they hear that it's not a good crop year. There's corn out there. The plant is tall, but the yield isn't there.
So then what happens?
It's a unique year. Every farm is unique, but a lot of producers will take a hard look at how they are operating. Low yields will drive up grain prices. In dairy, milk prices are well under our production costs, now feed costs are skyrocketing. We have to study daily what our cows are doing and what kind of nutrients they need. That's always changing.
So when times are tough like this year, why do farmers keep farming?
We have a passion for farming. It's a privilege to have enough knowledge to be entrusted with the land. It's the toughest job there is, but it also has the greatest rewards. My passions are family, faith and the land.
Is there any one person who has had a profound influence on your life?
Nelson Mandela. As part of a leadership program, I traveled in Africa and met community leaders. It's amazing that Nelson Mandela is a hero to many and a criminal to others. He believes in the rights of all people and wants all the people of his land to be treated fairly. Also Desmond Tutu, because he deals with the struggles that all people face. He speaks of peace and the beauty of cultural diversity.