Throughout life, we all encounter individuals who show respect, or lack of respect, and

Joy Carter Crosby
SEPF Editor

those who become easily aggravated versus those who choose patience. Farming is no different. Farmers often deal with people who depend on them for food and fiber, yet still show little regard for their land, equipment or hard work, while others demonstrate genuine respect and understanding.

Recently, I saw a Facebook post from a Florida farmer showing a photo of a planted field where individuals had driven through with no regard for the tiny seeds or young crop just emerging from the soil. Farming is hard enough with tight margins; this is one more burden farmers do not need. According to comments on the post, it doesn’t seem to matter whether it is a recently planted field, hay field, or sod,—some individuals still show little respect for the land or the farmer who works it.

I remember a year when my dad’s corn had just reached harvest. Some of our young cousins, who were not raised on a farm, were riding their three-wheelers and decided to have fun by riding through the “dead” corn. At least that’s what they thought. As it turned out, they learned a valuable lesson that day when they had to pick up each ear of corn and clean up the damage they had caused.

In another Facebook post, I saw a thank-you message from an Alabama farmer who noticed something different with people showing respect and patience as he moved equipment on the road. He shared how motorists pulled over and waited patiently while he passed with farm machinery.

The post included several comments such as:

“We appreciate y’all!”

“Thank you for farming—even during the tough years!”

“God bless our farmers.”

“We love our farmers! Keep doing what you’re doing!”

“The importance of farmers can’t be overstated.”

“Blessings and best wishes to our farmers!”

“May God bless you and your family for choosing to farm. The sacrifice and hard work are real. Thank you to all farmers!”

These comments come from friends, neighbors and the very people you feed. Keep doing what you’re doing despite the disrespectful actions of a few. You are keeping us all alive and well-fed.

By Joy Crosby

My grandmother Evelyn was a force of nature. She called me “honeybunch” and shared my childhood love of sparkly, dangly earrings. Her hair was a deep red, and she kept it that way through much of her older age. She loved me unequivocally and completely, and she was proud of me.

I remember that love fondly, but I also remember the deep pain of losing her, after she lived with Alzheimer’s disease for ten years. I remember what would ultimately be her last visit for Thanksgiving, when she looked at me and said, “I don’t know you, but I feel like I can trust you.” If I think about that day, I can still hear the words in her voice.

Those words were some of the saddest words I have ever heard, and the most motivating. In her honor, and in honor of all the parents and grandparents we have lost, my colleagues and I have dedicated our lives to understanding how to prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. For the next few months, I’ll dig deeply into these diseases, and how they affect Southeastern growers.

This month, let’s start by defining what dementias are. Simply put, dementias are problems thinking and remembering severe enough to interfere with your ability to do normal activities of daily living, like find your way home, pay your bills, or remember the names of people you know. Dementia is the name we give to the symptoms, but there are many diseases that can cause dementia symptoms, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementias from stroke, and frontotemporal dementias.

Each of these diseases are unique. Alzheimer’s disease often starts with problems remembering – like a loved one repeating the same question again and again, even though you have already answered. Parkinson’s disease often starts with a tremor – movement that happens while you’re resting your muscles. Vascular dementias usually follow strokes, but people can have mini-strokes or even vascular diseases outside the brain that block blood flow to the brain in small amounts. Over time, that lost blood flow becomes a serious problem.

Whatever the cause, dementia symptoms are not a normal part of aging. All of us are a little slower later in life, and we may struggle with remembering names of new acquaintances. We certainly might walk into a room from time to time and forget why we are there. But dementia symptoms are not the same thing, and it’s important to know the difference. Dementias are medical conditions, not normal aging, which means that if you notice the symptoms, you should make an appointment to see your doctor.

If you live in the Southeast, you probably know someone who has lived with one of these illnesses or cared for someone with dementia symptoms. In the Southeastern states, we have about 25 percent more people living with the diseases that cause dementias than in other parts of the United States. In my home state of Georgia, we have at least one county in the top ten nationally (out of more than 3,000 counties) for high rates of Alzheimer’s disease. Georgia is not alone – Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Carolina each also have a county in the top ten.

One of the most common things we hear in our clinic is the misconception that dementias are simply genetic. Next month, we will develop a toolkit of things you can do to reduce your dementia risk, and it starts, as you might suspect, with plants.

Common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
• Memory loss.
• Difficulties solving problems or making plans
• Getting confused with day, time, month, or year
• Problems finishing conversations
• Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps
• Mismanaging money and falling for scams
• Spending less time with others
• Mood and personality changes

By Lisa M. Renzi Hammond
Institute of Gerontology | College of Public Health
University of Georgia