I’m a fourth-generation Utah rancher. This is my American dream.

JENSEN — When I think about where our country has been and where it is headed, I am proud to live in Jensen. I am proud to be from Utah and most of all, I am proud to be a fourth generation rancher and to be called a “farm kid.”

I’m one of 312 people who live in a town outside Vernal. We don’t have stoplights or stores, and I drive about 25 minutes to school every morning. To some people, living in such a small town might seem boring or inconvenient, but to me, it is home.

My family grows 400 acres of alfalfa hay and corn fields and our cattle graze on 10,000 acres on grassy mountains and among wildlife in Colorado. The Green River runs through our town, and the beauty of the land is something I never want to take for granted. I love the wide open spaces, the quiet, and knowing the people around me. Everyone is neighbors in Jensen.

There is something special about growing up in a place where agriculture is part of everyday life. I am living the American dream, not because I have a perfect life or because everything is easy, but because I have the opportunity to work hard, build something with my family, and carry on something that generations before me worked so hard to create. My grandparents started with very little, and now my family has a ranch that I get to grow up on. I get to wake up every morning and see the results of their hard work. That means a lot to me.

To some people, being a “farm kid” might mean I am growing up around animals, fields and tractors. But to me, it means so much more: learning to work hard, getting up early, getting your boots muddy, and doing whatever needs to be done. It means making memories with your family in the barn, in the fields, and on the back of a horse.

I wouldn’t trade growing up this way for anything. Being a farm kid has shaped who I am, and I am proud to carry that part of me wherever my future takes me.

Ranching isn’t just a job for us, it is a family way of life. I work alongside my parents, brothers, grandparents, and uncle. Everyone has a part to play. Some days are long and difficult. There are early mornings, late nights, bad weather, drought, and plenty of work that has to be done whether you feel like doing it or not.

My grandparents are a huge reason why I am able to call this place home. They started with very little and worked hard to build what our family has today. They built the houses, put up fences, and started the fields. They didn’t have everything just handed to them. They built it through hard work, sacrifice, and determination. Watching what they have created has taught me what it means to work for something and to appreciate what you have.

Being raised on a ranch has taught me lessons that I don’t think I could learn anywhere else. Responsibility, because animals depend on us every day. Patience because not everything happens when you want it to, especially when you want the cow to calve. Haha! Hard work matters, and sometimes you have to keep going even when things get difficult. The importance of family because ranching is something we do together and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

To me, this is part of the American dream.

Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of America, but I worry that people take that for granted. One time, I was at the state fair showing cattle and someone asked if they could pet my cow. But it wasn’t a cow, it was a show steer. That might seem funny, but it made me realize that some people don’t understand where their food comes from or what it takes to produce it. There is nothing wrong with not growing up around agriculture. It’s not for everyone, but it is important for people to understand and appreciate the work behind the food on their plates.

I see some of the changes in our country through agriculture. For example cattle prices have been doing well over the last couple of years but what could happen to cattle prices when President Trump allows more beef to be imported? I understand people want cheaper beef at the grocery store. But I also think about the ranchers who work rain or shine to raise that beef and depend on it to support their families.

Water is another concern this year. We’ve had to haul and pump 95% of the water our cows drink while grazing on the Roundtop Mountain in Colorado because we didn’t get enough snow this year. Without water, it becomes harder to grow crops, raise livestock, and maintain the land that our families depend on. That can eventually affect everyone because everyone needs food.

America has been through hard times and faced many challenges, but our country has always found a way and has made it work. I hope our country is headed toward a future where people are more grateful, respectful, and willing to work hard like the farmers and ranchers that put food on your dinner plate. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, I think about everything our country has gone through to get where we are today and what kind of country we want to leave for the next generation

I don’t know exactly what my future will look like. I may become a nurse or a professional writer or the next president or something completely different. But I know I always want ranching to be a part of my life. Someday, I hope I can raise my own kids the way I was raised with hard work, responsibility, family, respect for the land, and an appreciation for where our food comes from. It can be their American dream, too.

Note to readers • This contest was produced by The Salt Lake Tribune, Spy Hop and Amplify Utah. It was supported through a grant from the American Journalism Project.