Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Inside: 'Heartland' Farm And Ranch Special Section

In today's edition, we celebrate the importance of agriculture with the release of the special farm and ranch section "Heartland." It is appropriately called Heartland as agriculture is the heart of the land and the rural communities.

William Jennings Bryan once said, "Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country."

That statement still rings true, and is even more reason we need to recognize those who continue to get up before dawn, 365 days a year in all kinds of weather.

This year's effort is a culmination of the work by Victoria Smithey (Pine Bluffs Post), Daria Anderson-Faden (Western Nebraska Observer), Forrest Hershberger (Sidney Sun-Telegraph) and Jeff Rice (reprinted from Sterling Journal-Advocate).