Fields and Fencelines

Book excerpt: The family farm was a place to learn values, work ethic, and develop character. For Author Mark Hillenbrand, it was a place where happy childhood memories were created and discipline and routine were important. Deeply rooted in the hard work of planting and harvesting, raising cattle and chickens, and maintaining the property and machinery, is a sense of responsibility and belonging. His father instilled in him— with words but mostly by example—the importance of cultivating a deep respect and sense of stewardship of the land and its creatures. From Mark’s first time driving a tractor at age ten, to tree planting as a young man, to assisting his father during his last harvest, the farm provided life lessons that bound the family together and extend to the next generation. At once nostalgic and realistic, Fields and Fencelines is a collection of stories that appeals to a simpler, holistic approach to life and reveals the insight and wisdom gained from growing up on a family farm.