When Ruth Kobell’s husband returned from a Farmers Union meeting he had attended with his uncle in Harlem, Mont., he was inspired. The two men had heard then-president of North Dakota Farmers Union, Charlie Talbott, speak. Ruth recalled that her husband was “so impressed that he never gave up the idea of farming or working with Farmers Union.” Farmers Union would soon become something of a way of life for them. Her husband’s attendance at just one meeting changed the course of Ruth’s life in ways she couldn’t even begin to imagine at the time.
Ruth, 92, attended the All-States Leadership Camp 75th Anniversary Celebration in Bailey, Colorado on Saturday, July 16, 2011. She reminisced about a lifetime of involvement in Farmers Union, especially her role in the youth program. To learn more about Ruth’s story, click here.