Thankful Tuesday: Motivation = Inspiration

The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan  

It's been a while since I have posted for Thankful Tuesday's, but let me assure you there are things day in and day out that deserve more praise and thanks than I could ever write about. Today I would like to spend some discussing motivation and what has led me to the journey I am currently mapping.

If you would have told me in the spring of 2010 that I would be moving to BFE Kansas and starting the most important stepping stone to my career, an irreplaceable experience most could only dream of, I would have quite literally laughed. In your face to be exact. 

You see although I always had every intention of a career in the agriculture industry I was raised in a society that deemed agriculture as dead, that there was no room for some random girl to make a livin. Honest.  But, let me also tell you that these things were said with love and my best interest in their hearts. The people involved did not view agriculture as it's whole, and the variety of paths you could choose and neither did I. But, determined not to let my dreams die I did not settle and kept pressing on.

I may have gone about this backwards, not going to go college right out of high school, but how do you in your right mind rack up that kind of debt having no idea what you wanted to do only who you wanted to be? Unlike the majority of my peer group I opted out of being riddled with debt (and am actually on my way to being completely debt free) by working and then figuring out exactly what type of education I wanted to spend MY money on!

I started out at the very bottom, a harvest time scale girl. Amazingly I LOVED this job and every harvest a part of me wishes I could be back out there chatting up the locals as they delivered their hard earned grains. My love for this position translated into above average work ethic and job satisfaction so the company I was with decided to take me on full time at the main mill, which for Ohio is a pretty good sized operation. But, with this move I lost my motivation when I was trapped in an office all day never seeing anyone besides my co-workers and the glare of a computer screen. I wanted something more than to be a pencil pushing number cruncher. I wanted a career not a job. I wanted to be apart of something bigger than me and to know that at the end of the day the team I was working with was effecting peoples lives positively in the form of agriculture!  

I stuck it out though, and gleaned as much knowledge as they were willing to give me. Unfortunately some company's have no desire to grow certain positions, all they want is for you to come to work each day follow the rules and go home. You know that's fine if that's what your looking for but at that point in my life I was yearning for more. 

One day I was having an issue contacting one of our DDG (dried distillers grains) trucking company's and went to google the main office number when God intervened. I happened to click on a link with the exact name I was looking for but it was different, it was a Agriculture job placement agency based out of Kansas City. I immediately got out of the site in fear of my manager somehow finding out I was on a job hunting site even if it was by complete accident (or divine intervention as I like to see it.) All week long it tugged and tugged at me I looked at the site again, none of the job listings seemed like they would be a fit for me. I sucked it up and spent the next weekend perfecting my job resume for a what the heck all they can do is tell me no, and sent it in.  

 With strong prayer, faith and a stroke of good luck I stumbled upon my current company where I was offered a job as a risk manager. Yep me. A lil ole farmers daughter from southwest Ohio and they wanted ME. :) makes me smile and happy all over just remembering that call!

I guess the point is I was motivated by all the negative commentary on my life decisions that other people thought would get me no where. If I wouldn't have followed that yearning God placed in my soul from the time I was a very young girl I would have missed the inspiration to reach out and discover a world I had no idea existed. If your reading this don't give up on your dreams there is a reason your passionate about certain things and sometimes all you have to do is let go and enjoy the ride.

I know that this kind of jumped all over the place and there are so many other amazing details to this story that I left out, but I guess you'll have to wait for my book in ohhhh say 20ish years, you know once I've taken the cattle industry by storm.

I am thankful for the career path I have been given through hard work and determination to prove that my dreams WILL become reality.

Love to you all,

Guess who's back, back again Aly's back, tell a friend

Now this looks like a job for me 
So everybody just follow me (@AgriQueen)
'Cause we need a little controversy 
'Cause it feels so empty without me

How's that for a throw back? You're welcome.

Ok so after a horrendously long absence I have a case of blog fever tugging at my shirt tail. I wish I could be one of those consistent weekly update kinda people but lets get fureal here that probably isn't going to happen in the near future. 

Just thought I'd break that to you. Don't be upset I value each and everyone of you  but as a full time employee, full time student, runner of the houser and mother to these adorable faces

I just can't get it done.

How I compensate: Numerous quick shout outs on Twitter and Facebook keep my bases covered most day's of the year. (Follow me on Twitter @AgriQueen) Oh, and for those of you out there in my shoes trying to convince your cattleman dearest that the new iPad is the latest accessory to match your black cayman Rios well it may work but from experience, a month and $700 bucks later ummm I still don't get tho job done. I even have one of these handy bluetooth keyboards!

On the agenda my Dad is coming to town next week with my Aunt!! I can't wait to spend time with them to show where I work and live, it's going to be great! We will eat tons food, watch football and skip happily down the yellow brick road.

OOk so after all that rambling out being gone... I just wanted to let you know I have a couple of exciting posts coming up in this next week! Also, if you remember a post from last year (Fall Delivery) we are getting geared up to bring in more of these calves in October I'll keep you up on the down low probably mostly on instagram  (alypen3060) I take really exciting pictures *wink*wink*

Until next time peace out girl scouts.

High Five Friday's

Aww young ones we meet again for our Friday social.

So i've been contemplating starting a petition to change the name of Friday to Firday. Why you ask? Well I have a couple reasons, the first is, I inevitably spell Friday as Firday (I just did it again...) every time I type the word out so this change would save me the hassle of using the backspace button and second because it just makes it sound so warm and cuddly like a soft place to warm after a long hard week. Genius, I know, now only if we can train it to start serving the margaritas at noon, I think I would be on to something....

My High 5's this week!!

1. This has been my gorgeous forecast all the week long! I love living in the dessert! 

2. I received Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman's new cookbook on Tuesday!! I was so excited because I pre-ordered it back in December so I didn't even have to think about it, the book just came to me. 

Yes I had it delivered to my office and yes I now own both books!
Groupie in it's highest form.

This cookbook is jam packed full of amazing recipes and I plan on trying a couple this weekend for our Shake Your Shamrocks party!! 

3.I discovered this excellent article about the correlation of red meat and a healthy diet and how the scientists who originally were "informing" the public that it was bad for your diet, didn't even use a relevant scientific study to determine this. It then shows you that red meat is NOT bad for you. Check it out here, you will be glad you did!

4. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY won in the second round of the tournament last night!! On the road to the championship, GO BUCKS!! If you couldn't tell I am a lil hometown proud... Oh and Go KState Wildcats, I guess your my new hometown lol.

5. I found this and it's freakin hysterical. Your welcome.

Happy Firday my lovelies!!!

Water Rights, Cattle Fights and Drought Sites! Oh My!

I am really looking forward to this weeks weather forecast not only because of the predicted warmth but because we also have a slim chance of rain!!

The most recent drought map

Moisture is needed terribly in our region (SW Kansas / Panhandle) because of the horrible drought we have been suffering through. Last year we only received a quarter of an inch of rain for an entire 12 month period at one of our feedyards just north of Liberal. It's dry. We have been in a state of emergency for near a year after the wild fire last spring.

Farmers are truly starting to fear this upcoming season for several reasons. First, many of them used so much of their water right's in the 2011 season that they actually started taking from their 2012 rights, already putting them behind on top of not getting any moisture this past winter.

 If you are not familiar with this terminology the legal definition of a water right is, a right to use in accordance with it's priority, a certain amount of water in  a specified time slot. Example: In SW Kansas the farmer that owns the water right is only allotted so many acres of water per year and if he goes over this allotment he will pay a fine and be deducted from the following year's allotment. However, last year when we were declared in a state of emergency, and it was instituted that no one will pay a fine it will just come out of the 2012 allotment because in order to get the crop to harvest or even the insurance cut offs, they had no choice.

The drought also effected the cattle production and market as well. Obviously when we have no moisture we have no grass therefore we have nothing to feed the cattle. I have never seen so much hay moving south in my life! It seem's almost every semi I pass is loaded down with hay out of the north heading to the panhandle and throughout western Oklahoma and Texas. There are many ranching operations out of the region that have gone to the extreme of moving their herds north in search of fruitful pastures. Those who could not find any, moved to late or flat couldn't afford it ended up culling (: to reduce or control the size of (as a herd) by removal of especially weaker animals) much more of their animals than they normally would in order to sustain the quality of the herd on what they could afford to feed them.

The situation doesn't look any brighter coming into this next warm season. Experts are already forecasting a hotter and drier summer than what we had last year, increasing concern for farmers and ranchers. Irrigation systems are already making their rounds of the field and cattleman are still trying to plan the future of their herd.

The purpose of this post is to bring awareness to anyone who does not understand, comprehend or doesn't know about the situation we are in, in the South West. We are the heart of the cattle industry and if something doesn't change quickly, we will have even more severe consequences in the future than what you think we are facing now.

So my request to the readers is: go pull out your tom-tom and start doing the rain dance!!

High Five For Friday!!

Hey y'all!
That was pretty forced. I'm not southern. I'll stop now.

Well it's fabulously Friday and I'm going to share with you my five favorite things I learned/liked from this past week. Seeing as how it's National AG Week they are all going to be AG related. Eeps! An entire WEEK and POST all about loving agriculture it's an agnerd paradise!

1. The Peanut Farmer. Check it out here. Hallelujah for Reese's and PB&J!!

For your enjoyment:

2. This Diagram say's it all, there's no such thing as a vegan!! Cattle make our world go 'round and support nearly every aspect of your life. Eat beef = support your community. 



3. Truth: Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family. Found here.

4. It takes a combine 9 seconds to harvest enough wheat to make 70 loaves of bread!

5.  I am Ag Proud because without agriculture where would I be? Not only does it affect my life in the way of food and other products but it affects me in my monthly income as well. I aspire to inform and educate the consumer and my community, hopefully through my light and silly personality, as to how relavent it is in their lives as well. 

Thank you to my parents for investing such strong values and appreciation in my life for the men and women who make my meals possible but also for giving me the education to pursue my dreams!

Why are you AG Proud this week?



Thankful Tuesday: Peanut Farmers

Well here we are again my little dumplings, it's Tuesday and that means we are 2/5's our way through the work week. 2 day's closer to Saturday. 3 day's away from coffee on the patio (weather permitting.) And 288 hours away from hogging my cattleman selfishly to myself for a precious little while. It will be our second weekend in a row with little to NO schedule *insert happy dance*!! Please tell me your as excited as I am?!!


Anywhoooo, it's time to get thankful and remember to find life's little glasses of lemonade. This week I am thankful for the peanut farmer. I'm sure your saying to yourself, that's random, but I'm Aly and I am random. My inspiration for agvocating the peanut farmer came to me last evening while I was happily munching away on a dozen couple peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies. They were delicious, obviously, and if you don't believe me just ask me. 


So here are a few facts about peanuts and there effect on your daily adventure.


Peanut Facts: Found at the National Peanut Board website located here


Farming:

• There are four types of peanuts grown in the USA — Runner, Virginia, Spanish and Valencia.
• Peanuts are planted after the last frost in April or early May and heaviest harvesting months are September and October.
• The peanut growth cycle from planting to harvest is 120 to 160 days or about five months.
• The peanut plant originated in South America.
• The peanut plant produces a small yellow flower.
• Peanuts flower above ground and then migrate underground to reach maturity.
• A mature peanut plant produces about 40 pods that then grow into peanuts.
• Most USA peanut farms are family-owned and -operated.
• The average peanut farm is 100 acres.

**Funny side note, I never knew peanuts were a root plant or honestly how they grew at all until a year ago. One of the guys I work with grew up on a peanut farm and explained this phenomenon to me. See even though I am in ag doesn't mean I can't learn new things too.

Peanut Plant Diagram

Nutrition:

• The peanut is not a nut, but a legume related to beans and lentils.
• Peanuts have more protein, niacin, folate and phytosterols than any nut.
• Peanuts have a higher antioxidant capacity over grapes, Concord grape juice, green tea, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots and many more. 
• Peanuts and peanut butter contain over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients.
• Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free.

And just for kicks

Holiday's:

January 24 – National Peanut Butter Day 
March – National Peanut Month
March 1 – National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
March 8 – National Peanut Cluster Day
April 2 – National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day 
May 18 – I love Reese’s Day 
June 12 – National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
September 13 – National Peanut Day 
November – National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month
November 20 – National Peanut Butter Fudge Day

If you ever wonder how life would be without the peanut, just ask someone that is alergic to them. They can't do anything fun...


Did you know that there are over 108 different products made with peanuts. They range from foods, to houshold products, beverages, medicines, cosmetics, dyes, paints, stains and other general products.


Products made from Peanuts found here


If you want to learn how relevant of a commodity this is challenge yourself to go for 2 day's without a single peanut influenced product. 


So thank you peanut farmers for Reese's, Snickers, Coke and most importantly peanut butter cookies! 

**Also, we have had two peanut farmer presidents, Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter. So they are obv oober important.

Kansas Ag Week: Teaching the Younger generations

Were you aware that there were 8 MILLION members enrolled in 329 thousand 4-H clubs and 4-H sanctioned programs? That 33% were in grades K-3, 39% grades 4-6, 16 % grades 7-9 and 9% in grades 10-12. I attribute the dwindling percentages in the older kids to joining FFA (Future Farmers of America) when they are of high school age.

Were you also aware that there are 33 MILLION school age children in the United States? That puts 4-H enrollment at only 24% of kids, which means that only 2.4 out of every 10 kids has ever had any influence of agriculture in their lives. Granted, there are some "farm kids" that are never in 4-H but that is more the exception than the rule.

Wyatt shaking up his ice cream for one
activity during their meeting.

Friends, we have a lot of work to do to touch the lives of these children and teach them the actualities of the agriculture world. There are several groups out there, not naming any names *cough, cough* PETA, set out to convince them that we are wrong and inhumane, if we don't show them otherwise then who is left to blame the kids for believing them? We are. We can no longer just assume that they are being taught correctly about our industry, because that is simply not true. Most are even 2 to 3 generations removed from agriculture which means in some cases their parents and grandparents aren't even educated on what we do for a living. Like I've said before it's time to take a stand, pull our boots up and get to getting, after all that's what we are good at anyway's , isn't it?

A good place to start is by encouraging  the younger generations that are already interested, to pursue a life goal in AG by showing them what a diverse culture we are as an industry, that they actually have options, you don't just have to be a farmer or a rancher. Dream big and go for the gold!

 Wyatt Gigot, the son of Marc and Jackie Gigot (Circle Heifer Development,) invited TJ McClure of Circle Heifer Development, LLC in Garden City, Kansas  to represent him for career day in his 4-H club, The Happy Hustlers.

 TJ set out to inform them of the different options they would have in the heifer development industry. He also, explained to them what actually goes on at his facility.

TJ McClure speaking to the Happy Hustlers
4-H Club

At Circle Heifer, they receive female Holsteins at the age of 6 months. They raise these heifers on a silage/roughage diet, expertly care for them with the help of a veterinarian, breed them and when the time comes send them happily back to the dairy and herd to which they belong. Each heifer has an individual i.d. that can trace their entire record while in the care of TJ and his crew to be sure that she has the attention she needs. Their goal is to provide high quality care, full service development and expertly chosen genetics for breeding to encourage a returning customer.

Examples of careers at his company are:

• General Manager - usually requiring a Bachelors of Animal Science background
• Large Animal Veterinarian 
• Animal Nutritionists
• Commodity Re-seller
• Artificial Insemination Specialist
• Office and Computer help
• Human Resources
• Cowboys
• Feed truck Drivers
• Mill Operators

Heifer calves being trained in stanchions at
Circle Heifer Development

One of my favorite questions from a member to TJ was, "What is your favorite part of your job?" He answered with, "The fact that our organization impacts the entire circle of life in the dairy industry.  Raising the calves from 6 months of age through breeding, we will hopefully see many generations of the same herd through our facility." 

A large point that he really wanted to drive home was that there are many many options for a career field in agriculture. A lot of the time kids are only acquainted with area their parents work in and don't realize how much our industry really has to offer.

TJ is a great leader in agvocacy and truly cares to teach others about his field. What are you doing to teach the consumer about your part?

I of course have to add this picture of Wyatt's little sister, she's too darn cute!

Lauren wanted to take a "silly" picture :)

Until  next time...

Modern Day Dust Bowl

So if you are unaware those of us out on the plains have been experiencing dust storms due to the extreme drought we have been facing for the last year and a half... To be honest they really suck. My eyes hurt, I keep coughing and now my sinus' are plugged.

A friend of mine said, "In Kansas, we like to share our land with our neighbors."
LOL at least somebody found the lemon aide... 

But, enough about me what about the animals and the actual ground that's blowing around? Poor guys will be choking up dust for a week.

According to some predictions because of the lack of moisture for such an extended period, we will be experiencing this more often.

What did we learn today? Dust pictures aren't just for history books anymore, this is real life for us. Keep the plains in mind and for goodness sake send us some RAIN!!

A Great Example of Agcovacy

Article from NCBA found at :

http://www.beefusa.org/newsreleases1.aspx?NewsID=2282
This article is such a great example of standing up and fighting for the rights of agriculture. I just want to give a big thanks to Mark Knight for representing all of us in Washington D.C.

What will you do to make a difference?

The Stand

I've been doing some thinking about AGcovacy and how I can get more involved. I love to talk about agriculture, commodities and beef production. My passion is in the cow-calf sector, but in reality every aspect of our industry is just as important as the next. The packer buyer is just as much of necessity as the rancher calving his herds at midnight in mid February, if we had one without the other we would have nothing. So as a team we need to support one another.

I have an issue that every time I come up with a great idea/story to write a blog post about it ends up being a research paper instead of a quick and easy post and in consequence never ends up on my blog. I am working on fixing this problem and any thoughts are welcome.

It's crazy to think, when you are so emerssed in the agriculture industry, that there truly are people out there that have no idea about how animals are raised, milk is produced and how meat gets to the counter. Even in small beef community's such as mine, there are children being raised with the idea that we are evil and our products are unsafe. They have no idea that without the farmer or animal grower there would be no trips to the grocery for that hamburger or lean steak, no cereal down the breakfast aisle and lets not forget the milk to soak it in. Teaching these reality's has never been so important as now. It is so crucial to stand united and to help the consumer discover the true story of beef instead of the imposed outright lies from organization's such as HSUS (the Humane Society of the United States.) What are you going to do? What actions will you be taking to help consumers discover the truth about you?

Join me in the stand for agriculture, not only to show the true light but to save an industry and feed the world.

Real Farmers, Real Food - As told by Miss America 2011

Although, I am normally not a huge advocate for the Miss America contest, I don't dislike it for any reason and this girl has got it going on in agriculture. Way to step up in your position and support our Farmers and Ranchers today!

It is so true that many people in our country have no idea where their food comes from, or a single person that is in the front line of animal or crop production. How can you sit there and have a pointed opinion about an industry that you have never fully researched. Take some time today and visit http://www.realfarmersrealfood.com/ before making anymore judgement on the people who sustain your every day life.


- Affectionately, Tornado Aly