Saturday morning turned hot as we started our first day of rice harvest. Our first field was sweet rice. The weather is predicted to remain hot, which I may not enjoy during volleyball practice in the gym, but it'll help ripen the rice fields in California.

Growing up on a family farm definitely has its advantages, as well as its disadvantages. For instance, not every kid can say that their family helps to feed the world. Although, some people don't have impatient dads to come home to due to the late harvest year that has just begun. But winning our volleyball game tomorrow might cheer him up, so I’ll pray we win!

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Lauren LaGrande is the latest in a family farming tradition that began nearly 100 years ago. She is a sophomore at Maxwell High School and is active in FFA, Future Business Leaders of America, volleyball, basketball and softball. When she’s on the farm, you’ll often see her with her trusted companion, Hank, the family dog. Lauren’s great-grandfather grew his first rice crop in the Sacramento Valley in 1916 and the family has continued this tradition ever since.