“It’s more than a part of life, it’s a passion, a lifestyle, a resilient community that works hard to feed the world.”

Ryan Goodman

Agriculture is not simply livestock in a barn or rows in a field.  Day in and day out it is lived and breathed. It is not always easy or pretty, but it is worth it because of the passion that those who live it have. Together, these passionate people, these farmers, create a dynamic community that I am proud to be a part of.

The Beginning

Molly May, Gracie, Brownie, and Snowie–those were the names of my first four goats. Little did I know that those four goats, would ignite a passion in me, that has only intensified as I have grown older. The passion for animals; the passion for growing things; the passion for agriculture and all it has done for me.

Since those four goats during my fourth grade year, I have gone on quite the journey through ag, and have learned some incredible lessons and made amazing memories. Four goats turned into as many as 50 goats, a flock of sheep, miniature donkeys,  pigs, chickens, turkeys, horses, dogs, and cats. Showing those goats at the county level, turned into showing livestock across the sate and even nationally. It lead to contests like skillathon, quiz bowl, Make It With Wool, and livestock judging. My journey in ag took me on some high grounds of blue ribbons and cute baby goats and lows of the losses of animals. It has taught me to be a better person by accepting wins humbly, and bearing loss with grace. That hard work is not to be shied from and to expect the unexpected. More importantly than this, agriculture has given me a passion.

That passion did not stop when I entered college, rather I made an outlet for it to continue in my communication degree, taking every chance I could to talk about what I loved. Writing papers on ag, inviting classmates to my family’s farm, and sharing photos of newborn lambs. So, here I am–combining two passions, writing and agriculture. Through the words I write on this blog, I hope to tell a story. Not just my story, but the story of agriculture. I hope to enlighten and share my enthusiasm for a fantastic community, and I hope that as you read this story, that you will come to appreciate agriculture, and maybe even fall in love with it, as I have.

Rural Ris

Hi! I’m the girl behind the words written here. My name is Marisa Linton See, and I grew up in rural North Carolina on my family farm, Countryview Family Farms. Those close to me have often called me Risa or Ris, hence the blog name Rural Ris.  I have a passion for agriculture and hope to tell its story here, but you already knew that. I bet you didn’t know these fun facts about me:

• I have 3 younger brothers and a wonderful family. I’m also married to the love of my life who I met in a pig show ring!
• Sweet tea, cheesecake, and mocha frappes turn all days into GREAT days.
• I grew up in NC, but now reside in Nebraska with my husband.
• I graduated from Campbell University with my B.A in Communication and NC State University with my Masters of Science in Communication.
• There can never be too much bling in life. Let there be sparkles.
• I’ve been known to slaughter the English language, so bare with me if I do so here.
• Clothes are a love of mine, and I love dressing up.
• I’m deathly afraid of frogs… don’t ask why.
• I love to travel, and have been to Italy, Canada, Scotland and almost all 50 states.
• Although I am 5’10” tall, I still love wearing heels.
• There is a quote for everything, so you’ll  probably see a lot of them here.
• I still get confused at my rights and lefts and am therefore directionally challenged.
• Math and science are a foreign language which is why I became a communication major.

So, that is me in a nutshell. Have questions about agriculture or anything, don’t hesitate to contact me. Please, feel free to engage and comment on the blog, but don’t forget to be respectful.

Enjoy the story!

Best,

Continuing the Story

This blog has provided me some amazing opportunities and allowed me to meet so many people. Through Rural Ris blog, I’ve been able to carve out a career in photography, communicating, and telling the stories of the those living the rural life. While Rural Ris will always remain, I’m proud to introduce M. See Creative, a professional umbrella for my projects, clients, and business. Take a look, and be sure to reach out if I can do anything for you! Learn more: https://www.mseecreative.com/