Spirit of Champions~NPower 2012

Pictures  of the gym for general assemblies during
NPower

July 9-14 found the state officers along with 80 students from 4-H, DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, and NHRI in Aurora for NPower.  *Take note, this is one conference that has no acronym...crazy, I know?! 

NPower is...

Nebraska's youth leaders

Networking to

iNfluence community change and

iNitiate positive action for the 

Next generation

Over the 3 day sessions, students experienced leadership and personal growth, and of course had a whole lot of fun!  It wasn't out of the ordinary to see us running around with water balloons for water olympics, pick up lines being exchanged after the dating workshop, peanut butter being cleaned out of student's hair during the dining workshop, or swing dancers in the lobby practicing what we learned at the dancing workshop.  To understand how fantastically amazing NPower truly is, check out these videos of all the fun that went on during the 2 sessions of NPower 2012:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWU7S8UFitc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT60mcwCCnw

Glenn's Gang

We all know that when you get state officer teams from 6 different states together for NLCSO that a gnome named Glenn is bound to be smashed, right?!

Okay, maybe you're a little confused?  That's probably a good thing.  It got your attention though, didn't it?! :)

National Leadership Conference for State Officers (NLCSO) was held June 19-22 in Aurora for state officers from Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, and Colorado.  We were given the chance to identify strengths and weaknesses as a group, learn advanced interpersonal communication strategies and presentation and delivery techniques.

NLCSO also strengthened our bonds as individual teams and allowed us to form new bonds with other teams.  Some of the greatest people I've ever met were attendees of NLCSO!  From dancing outside in the parking lot using someone's car for a stereo system to watching Smokey and the Bandit, those 3 days are full of memories that will never be forgotten!

Now, for the explanation of this gnome tidbit from before...whichever team put forth the most effort each session was awarded Glenn (the gnome) to keep until the next session.  Unfortunately, Iowa broke the gnome~no further comments on this subject will be made at this point. :P
No gnomes were actually harmed in the participation of NLCSO. 

The team with Seth Pratt (back left),
the National FFA Western Region VP

The Leadership Games~COLT 2012

So, I must apologize... it's been waaaay too long since my last blogging activity! :/

Over the past 4 months, the Nebraska FFA State Officers have been busy with Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT), the National Leadership Conference for State Officers (NLCSO), NPower, State President's Conference (SPC) and Business and Industry visits (B&I's)...yes, you will soon come to find out that we here at Nebraska FFA love our acronyms!  Keep reading to discover what COLT is all about and look for my future blogs devoted to the other previously mentioned summer activities. 

The main stage for COLT 2012~The Leadership Games

Our four COLT sessions were held May 17-30 in Aurora, NE.  COLT is for FFA chapter officers to learn how to effectively serve their chapters.  Focus is on individual leadership skills, as well as how to work as a chapter officer team.  Officers experience hands-on leadership activities, share and learn great ideas, and create an action plan for their year of service. 

While I had been to COLT two times before as a secretary and then vice-president for the West Boyd FFA chapter, never had I gone as a chapter president.  Not only would facilitating COLT be a new experience for me, the president's position was new to me too...needless to say I was a little worried about how COLT 2012 would go.  I had nothing to worry about though~my presidents were all AMAZING groups!  I am so blessed to have gotten to know each member at COLT and what makes them tick as officers of the largest youth organization-FFA.

<-- The walls of the gym -->

During each of our last sessions together, we decided to take a few minutes to capture our thoughts as to what we all took away from COLT.  Here's a few of the thoughts we came up with:

• Bake a big enough pie for everyone! :)
• COMMUNICATION is key in every situation.
• Welcome change to better our chapters and our lives.
• Make our own story, go against the grain, experience our own life~be ourselves!
• It is our duty to tell our own stories about agriculture.
• To be a great leader we can't have all the power to ourselves...we have to share it.
• The things we learned here at COLT will help us, not only in our year as FFA chapter officers, but in our daily lives. 

So, for all COLT presidents and other officers~I absolutely loved getting to know everyone!  The growth that I saw over the 3 short days of each session was amazing...I can't wait to see what we all accomplish over this next year!  

 These would be the four amazing sessions of COLT presidents. :)

The Torch of Leadership Has Been Passed

And now...Nebraska FFA...your 2012-2013 State Officer Team:

L to R: Johnny Ference-Secretary, Alix Mashino-President, Maci Lienemann-Vice President,
Amber Burenheide-Vice President, Brooke Jindra-Vice President,
Andrew Ambriz-Vice President, Doug Larsen-Vice President

See that girl, 2nd from the left? Yeah...that's me! :) I am extremely ecstatic to serve Nebraska FFA with these 6 other amazing individuals that I get to call my teammates! On March 30, 2012, our lives were changed forever as we heard our names called during the last session of the 2012 Nebraska State FFA Convention. Since then, we've all been a little busy...

The 7 of us have been hard at work since convention brainstorming, planning, and just getting to know one another.  We just wrapped up Images training on Friday.  We now have a couple weeks to catch up on school and things back at home before heading to Aurora for SOD (State Officer Development) at the end of this month.  After that will be Pre-COLT (Chapter Officer Leadership Training), starting on May 8th, with COLT starting on May 17th.  

Throughout this next year I hope to keep everyone up-to-date on the happenings of your Nebraska FFA State Officer team. I am SO excited to see what this year has in store for us, as well as Nebraska FFA!  We can't wait to get out there and meet all of the awesome members that make up the Nebraska FFA Organization!  

Agricultural Issues Academy

Agvocate
ag·vo·cate 
v. ag-vuh-keyt  n. ag-vuh-kit


(verb)
1. to advocate for agriculture


(noun)
1. a person who upholds or defends agriculture




If you would have asked me what this word meant a year ago, I would have had to look it up in a dictionary. But you see, the problem is that the definition above won't be found in any dictionary or on Merriam Webster online.  The true definition of this word lies within those involved in the agricultural industry who strive to tell the TRUE story about agriculture to the world.


One of the first times I ever heard this word used was about a year ago at the Agricultural Issues Academy which kicked off the 83rd Nebraska FFA State Convention.  What is the Agricultural Issues Academy?  For me, it was the spark that lit a fire within me for the agricultural industry, the change in prescription that enabled me to see the need to tell my own agricultural story, and the kick in the rear that I needed to become an agvocate.


This week, I had the privilege of being asked to do a radio promotion for the Ag Issues Academy during the Nebraska Corn Grower's Association's weekly radio spot that airs on rural radio.  Check out the Nebraska Corn Kernel's blog (http://nebraskacorn.blogspot.com/) in the coming days (like Friday) to learn more.  Here's a few pieces of the radio promotion:

Not the most flattering picture of myself, but here I
am AGvocating about beef feeding environments
 during the dinner for the Ag Issues Academy. 

I was one of 36 participants in the inaugural Agricultural Issues Academy held the day before the Nebraska State FFA Convention last year. The academy began as an idea formed from the founding organizations, which include the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska, or A-FAN, and Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association and the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.  Other supporters include the Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts, Nebraska FFA and Tyson Foods.

It was developed to provide FFA students, like myself, an opportunity to work on our advocating skills while learning about current ag issues.

Prior to attending the Ag Issues Academy participants review materials related to the misconceptions and misinformation of animal agriculture, network with a local industry representative and begin building a knowledge base about a particular agriculture issue of interest to them.  

Last year, I chose to center my "misconceptions and misinformation" research around beef feeding environment: feedlot and backgrounding situations.  We were asked to come up with about 10 talking points that we could use to inform and educate others about the topic we chose.

The academy itself is broken into sessions where students learn how to conduct a media interview, including in front of a T-V camera, plus how to use print and social media to convey a message. I can tell you from experience that the media training was a challenge – but the experience was priceless!

Students also visit the state capitol with ag lobbyists. This provides a great introduction to the legislature and an opportunity to meet with our own state senator and discuss important topics.
Because of the Ag Issues Academy and other agvocating experiences like it, I have chosen to pursue career paths around agricultural education, and possibly agricultural journalism.  The bonds I formed with other students who are passionate about agriculture, as well as bonds formed with agricultural industry members, are ones that will last a lifetime.  

So to all my fellow FFA members, consider applying for next year’s academy. You’ll love it! And to the parents and organizations who support the academy and the FFA organization-THANK YOU! 


Until next time...go out and AGVOCATE! :) 

March Madness

March Madness. This phrase usually refers to a month full of basketball, basketball, and well, more basketball. What does my March Madness consist of? I'll give you a hint: it isn't basketball...

Alright, so I take that back. The 2nd weekend of March I spent in Lincoln, NE because West Boyd made it to the state basketball tournament...Go Spartans! :) While on the whole school note, another huge part of my March has been devoted to the Speech team. Tomorrow I am headed to Kearney, NE for Nebraska State Speech to compete in extemporaneous speaking.

State Officer application all ready to go!

Well, now that all of that stuff is out of the way, let's get to what has been the most exciting part of March Madness for this girl...Nebraska FFA! :D March 1st was the deadline to get in Nebraska FFA State Officer applications.  While I had been working on mine on and off since Christmas vacation, this deadline still snuck up on me way too fast!  No worries though, the application was to Nebraska FFA right on time! :)

Old and new friends coming together
 at preliminary interviews :)

On March 16th I made the 3 hour trip to Kearney, NE for preliminary State Officer interviews.  I was joined by 25 other State Officer candidates in Kearney and together, we went through 7 rounds of interviews on Friday and Saturday.  These interviews ranged from one-on-one interviews with individual nominating committee (nom comm) members, to group teamwork interviews, to individual interviews in front of all 10 nom comm members.  The nom comm was made up of past Nebraska FFA State Officers, agricultural educators, and other agricultural industry leaders.  I remember coming out of one of the interviews seriously contemplating calling my mother to ask her what else I knew about myself because I felt like I had just given my life story 20 times over...needless to say, the interviews were extremely intense, but it was such an amazing experience!  I think my Facebook status sums it up pretty well:

32 hours, 1 iPod on shuffle, 360 miles, 7 interviews, 10 nom comm members, 25 bonds formed/strengthened with some of the greatest FFA members, 3 hours of sleep, and tons of memories later...I am finally home from FFA State Officer interviews in Kearney. :) It truly was one of the greatest experiences! Now, it's a waiting game till Monday morning. :/

Email informing me I had been chosen as a finalist.
I have never been so excited to receive an email in my life!

After anxiously waiting all of Sunday and part of Monday morning, I received word at 10:30 that I was chosen as 1 of 14 finalists to interview at the Nebraska State FFA Convention March 28th, 29th, and 30th! :D The seven 2012-2013 Nebraska FFA State Officers will be announced during closing ceremonies on the 30th.  Until then, I will be prepping for 3 days of interviews.  No matter what happens, this whole experience will be something I will never forget! :)

The FFA Creed: Part 5

Even though this was supposed to be Friday's post, I figure as long as I had it done by the end of FFA week it still counted right? :) Here it is, the last paragraph of the FFA Creed...

The FFA Creed

By: E.M. Tiffany

5th Paragraph

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

.

Photo Credit-Keeping it Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl

(https://www.facebook.com/lens.of.a.farm.girl or http://www.erinehnle.com/proofing/pages.php?gid=38)

3 lines...41 words...180 letters~1 belief!  

~*~ "I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life...": If I had to choose one thing to believe in, after God of course, I would choose agriculture!  Because of the kind of individuals involved in this great industry, its future has never been brighter!  There is no question that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life.  What are the best traditions of our national life you ask?  Well, in my opinion, these would include the values of honesty, hard work, respect, etc.  

~*~"...and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.": With technology today, not only are we able to exert an influence in our home and community, but we can exert an influence around the world!  While one may think that their voice doesn't matter, I am here to tell you that IT DOES!  I'm just a high-schooler from a small town in Nebraska, but I have the privilege of getting to share my views on agriculture through this blog.  With over 500 views, I am reaching more people than I could have ever imagined!  All you have to do is take a chance, make an effort, and let your voice be heard.  It is up to each of us to take an active role in our part of this inspiring task!

The FFA Creed: Part 4

The FFA Creed
By: E.M. Tiffany

4th Paragraph
I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining, in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

Photo Credit-Keeping It Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl

(https://www.facebook.com/lens.of.a.farm.girl or http://www.erinehnle.com/proofing/pages.php?gid=38)

~*~"I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining, in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself;": Growing up in a rural community, I have learned the value of a dollar.  We all have times in our life where we run into financial hardships, but it's how we deal with these hardships that really tells what kind of person we are.  One can take the easy way out, begging for the help of others, but there is another option.  This option entails working for what you want, compromising with others to satisfy your needs.  Yes, millions of dollars may make life easier, but I would rather earn what I have by working hard.  The satisfaction of knowing that I have earned everything I possess is worth more than any amount of money!

~*~ "in less need for charity and more of it when needed;": Being completely honest, this line of the creed is probably the most difficult for me to blog about because I don't know if I fully understand it myself, but here's what I take it to mean...because life isn't perfect, charity is needed.  Some situations call for more charity than others.  (Yeah, I know...short, sweet, to the point. Haha)

~*~"in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.": The only way to be truly satisfied in life is to be comfortable living in your own skin.  Being involved in many group settings through different activities (especially FFA), I've experienced first hand that your attitude not only affects the way you act around people, but it also affects the way people around you act.  Being honest, compassionate, and respectful are a few ways to "play square" with others.  The Golden Rule pretty much sums up this part of the creed: "Do unto others as you would have them to unto you." 

The FFA Creed: Part 3

Alright people, we're almost half way through National FFA Week 2012. Hope you've been making the most of it! It's Wednesday, so you know what that means...my views on the third paragraph of the FFA Creed:

The FFA Creed
By E.M. Tiffany

3rd Paragraph:
"I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others.  I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturalists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil."

Photo Credit-Keeping It Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl

(https://www.facebook.com/lens.of.a.farm.girl or http://www.erinehnle.com/proofing/pages.php?gid=38)

~*~ "I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others.": Leadership and respect go hand in hand.  One may think they are a leader, but without earning the respect of their fellow teammates, these so-called leaders are nothing more than someone who thinks they have all the control.  

~*~ "I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure,": While FFA members are known to be hard workers physically, working early morning and late night hours, this part of the creed illustrates how far we are willing to go intellectually. Trying to secure all the knowledge and skill possible enables us to be the best possible agriculturalists we can be!

~*~ "and in the ability of progressive agriculturalists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.": So yeah, no pressure on progressive agriculturalists, but our future pretty much depends on them. :) Haha. In all seriousness though, the future of America truly does depend upon the success of progressive agriculture.  Without increased productivity, those 9 billion people expected to be living on Earth in 2050 will go hungry.  Without sustainable agriculture, we will run out of land to produce the food needed for those 9 billion people.  As you can see, progressive agriculturalists have a lot of work to do in the next 40 years, but I know that we are all more than willing to put forth the needed effort! 

The FFA Creed: Part 2

The FFA Creed
By E.M. Tiffany

2nd Paragraph:
"I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny."

Photo Credit-Keeping It Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl (https://www.facebook.com/lens.of.a.farm.girl or http://www.erinehnle.com/proofing/pages.php?gid=38)

I have spent my whole life living and working on my family's farm/ranch.  I have experienced both the pleasant and challenging aspects of agricultural life, but I wouldn't give up either of them!  Although many long and cold hours are spent in our calving barn, there is no better feeling than welcoming a new born baby calf into this amazing world that God has created for us!  While fixing fence in 95 degree weather with no wind and high humidity isn't exactly my idea of fun, the memories I have made working alongside my dad, mom, and three sisters are ones that I will cherish for the rest of my life.  If there were not discomforts of this way of life, we would not be as appreciative for the joys that we experience.

The FFA Creed: Part 1

In honor of National FFA Week, the plan is to blog about one paragraph of the FFA Creed each day this week. (I was given the idea from a fellow AGvocater. Check out her snapshots of agriculture at  https://www.facebook.com/lens.of.a.farm.girl or  http://www.erinehnle.com/proofing/pages.php?gid=38.) 

The FFA Creed 

By E.M. Tiffany

1st Paragraph:

"I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years."

Photo Credit- Keeping it Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.335599573149421.73932.309663002409745&type=1)

As 7th graders, my Ag instructor made us all memorize the FFA Creed and present it to the class. I don't know about the rest of you, but that was EXTREMELY nerve-racking for me.  Public speaking wasn't exactly my strongest suit..heck, I don't think I even had a public speaking bone in my body at that time?!  We took it one paragraph at a time, presenting one of the five each day, and then the last day we gave all five.  I remember pacing back in forth in my room, reading and reciting, trying to get everything memorized.  To be completely honest, memorizing the creed was very difficult for me!

Now, as a senior, and a very active member of the West Boyd FFA Chapter, I realize why I had such an issue with this 7th grade Ag assignment.  I was just memorizing the words; I wasn't taking the time to actually appreciate what E.M. Tiffany meant as he put all of these ideals together.  I took the creed to be just a bunch of someone else's beliefs.  As I have gotten older and found my true passions in life, I know that these are not just the beliefs of E.M. Tiffany, these beliefs are mine as well.  

~*~"I believe in the future of agriculture": In my opinion, there could not be a more powerful way to start the creed!  Not only are those 6 words powerful, they are oh so exciting! The future of the agricultural industry is one that is always changing, always improving.  I'll say it once, and I'll proudly say it again...without agriculture, the food on your table, clothes on your back, and fuel in your car would be, well, non-existent.  

~*~"with a faith born not of words but of deeds": Agriculturalists...we don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk!  While anti-agricultural groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), may think they can outsmart us, they are wrong.  We have faith in the agricultural industry and we are ready and willing to fight for what we know is right!   

~*~"achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturalists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.": We are where we are today because of the trials and triumphs of those who have gone on before us.  By talking to my parents and grandparents I have realized how truly lucky I am today.  Yes, we have our share of difficulties, and they are ones that my great-grandpa would have never imagined us having, but we will take these difficulties in stride, just as past generations have.  One must understand where they have been before they can plan where they are going.  It is my goal as an agriculturalist to do my part in making a positive impact in the agricultural industry for the betterment of future generations.

The Future of Our Youth on Family Farms and Ranches

Jamie and I fencing away! Pictured behind
us is a braced corner post, which is what we
build at the start and end of each fence to
resist the tension coming from the pull
of the wires along the entire fence-line.

Up at 6 am to help Dad with chores~in for breakfast around 8:30~back outside from 9 till noon when Mom hollers that dinner (and it's DINNER, not LUNCH for all you city folk :P haha) is ready~after an hour break, back outside from 1 till 4 fencing, taking a break at 4 for lunch (the mid-afternoon snack)~evening chores until 6 or 7~then inside for supper.

While I know every farming and ranching family has a different routine, this is what a normal day during the summer months at the Mashino operation could look like. Reading that scenario above, did anyone see huge red WARNING signs flash before your eyes signaling a child that is being worked way beyond his or her limits? Not exactly...

Dad helping my youngest sister
 Kaci ~age 8~brand a steer
(a castrated male). Branding
 includes removing the hair off of a
small area on animal's back leaving
a symbol to prove ownership of the animal. 

The Department of Labor proposed a set of child labor rules last fall which would prohibit children under the age of 16 from working with or around machinery, power-driven equipment, livestock, chemicals and other hazards. While this wouldn't apply to youth who work on their parents' farms and ranches like myself, it would apply to other youth employed on farms and ranches owned by someone other than their parents. One question that remains is if these rules would apply to grandparents and other relatives who own the farms/ranches. According to The American Farm Bureau Federation, the Department of Labor announced earlier this week (1st week of February 2012), that there would be a re-proposal of the "parental exemption" of the rule, which prohibits youth from doing various agricultural activities on farms and ranches of which they don't reside.

My sisters and I getting ready to combine
a field of corn for our neighbors. What the
combine did with this field of corn is
stripped the ear of corn from the stalk
and then stripped the kernels off the ear
of corn. The corn kernels can then be sold
or ground up and fed to livestock. 

As a fourth generation agriculturalist, I know what a HUGE impact agricultural life has on a person. I have spent the past 18 years of my life working on my family's farm/ranch, as well as helping neighbors on their farms and ranches. One thing I have learned through all of this is that no one can succeed by themselves. We all must work together to accomplish what needs done. With the world population to reach over 9 billion by 2050, US farmers and ranchers have the responsibility of increasing their production of their food products (crops, livestock, etc.). By putting restrictions on the age of laborers on family farms and ranches, they will be putting restrictions on the amount of food US farmers and ranchers will be able to produce, leading to a shortage of food and billions of hungry humans.

While I know that accidents happen and yes, innocent lives have been tragically lost due to farm accidents, the same is true of about any other job, not just agriculturally based ones. Stripping youth of experiences on farms and ranches is no way to make these accidents less prevalent. In my opinion, this would make this issue worse. Most of us know that it's easier to learn while you are young. Starting to work on farms and ranches at a younger age would enable youth to learn how to go about agricultural practices in the safest and most efficient ways.

I'm lucky to have parents who own our farm/ranch, which allows me to work on it no matter how these child labor rules end up. But, I feel for other people my age and younger whose parents don't own the farms and ranches they work on. If these rules do become law, so many youth who dream of one day owning a farm or ranch of their own will be deprived of the experience they need to serve as the next generation of agriculturalists.

FFA

If you haven't guessed already, I have been involved majorly with my school's FFA chapter. I have served as Chapter Secretary, and am currently serving as this year's Chapter Vice-President. I am planning to run for a Nebraska State FFA Officer this spring.  FFA is a HUGE part of my life and it has played a major role in shaping the person I am today.

What is FFA you ask? Well, first off, it is not just the "Future Farmers of America", as it once was thought of. While the National FFA Organization still is based on "achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists" (straight from the FFA Creed...check it out: https://www.ffa.org/about/whoweare/Pages/TheFFACreed.aspx), with that comes so many more opportunities made available to anyone from every walk of life. The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Through the National FFA Organization I have learned, and am still learning, so many life skills that will carry me far beyond these dirt roads.


Just as the American flag is a representation of what it means to be an American, the FFA emblem plays a similar role in the hearts of FFA'ers across the nation (including Puerto Rico!) Here's a quick look at what elements come together to represent the history, goals, and future of this organization.

The cross section of the ear of corn: "Unity"
-Whether you live in Maine, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or one of the states in between, corn is grown somewhere in your state. Corn signifies unity and, from the first Thanksgiving feast on, it has historically served as the foundation crop of American agriculture.

The rising sun: "Progress"
-The rising sun signifies progress and holds the promise that tomorrow will bring a new day, shining with opportunity. I have a feeling the creators of this emblem would be in total shock if they saw how the industry of agriculture has developed in this technological age and how it's evolved to meet the next generation of consumer demands.

The plow: "Labor and Tilling of the Soil"
-The FFA Organization is founded in agriculture, the backbone of our country. Without the labor and tillage of the soil done by our forefathers, our country would not be where it is today.

The eagle: "Freedom"
-The eagle reminds each and every FFA member that they have the freedom to explore new horizons for the future of agriculture.

The owl: "Knowledge"
-As the time-honored symbol of wisdom and knowledge, the owl symbolizes the knowledge required to be successful in the agricultural industry.

"Agricultural Education" and "FFA"
-The words "Agricultural Education" and the letters "FFA" are emblazoned in the center of the emblem to signify the combination of learning and leadership necessary for progressive agriculture.

While this may be my first post on FFA, it definitely won't be my last. Any questions about the National FFA Organization, please comment or head on over to this website: https://www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx.

This would be my sister and I. FFA is a family tradition passed on from a father to his daughters. :)

These would be a few pictures of my officer team. We are an amazingly dysfunctional group, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. 

   

Dud Degrees? Think again.....

Very rarely does something that I read on the Internet, outside of the Facebook gossip/rumor-mill, leave me speechless with my face resembling the 'scream mask'.  Today though, an article on yahoo.com did. Its title? "College Majors That Are Useless"  (http://education.yahoo.net/articles/most_useless_degrees.htm)  Being a senior in high school, about ready to embark on the next stage of my life which includes deciding on a college major, I figured I would give the article a look. I was flat out flabbergasted as I read the #1 so-called "Useless Degree": Agriculture. Animal science and horticulture rounded out the top five.  Now, just curious...do the people who did this outlook study like to eat, live in a house, drive, wear clothes, or breathe?! If they keep discouraging ag-related degrees, they're going to have quite a difficult time trying to do those tasks. With the world population set to reach 9 billion by 2050, how do these people expect to feed, clothe, and transport everyone without agriculture?  The average age of a farmer is 57.  In a study done by the USDA in 2007 (a little outdated, I know, but the information is still extremely relevant) the number of farm operators over the age of 45 is 2,549,212, compared to only 732,322 under the age of 45. In the next few decades, a vast majority of our farmers will be getting too old to carry out the day-to-day tasks that agricultural life demands. In addition, with the advancements in technology, the older generations of farmers will be left in the dust because of their inability to master the use of this technology.  You would think one would see the need for a large and strong younger generation of agriculturalists that will help account for this loss. 

Now, let's take a quick look at another article in Yahoo's Guide to College Majors series: "What Are The Most Effective Degrees?". (http://education.yahoo.net/articles/most_effective_degrees.htm?kid=1KWNT&svkid=EZPJ&partner=1946&usid=15673d90-42ef-11e1-b6ab-002219651dc9) Alright, so the top 5 most effective degrees are business administration, psychology, accounting, information technology, and health care administration.  Unless individuals with degrees in business administration or accounting can grow a field of corn from their cubicles and individuals with degrees in psychology are now learning to read the minds of cattle and swine, none of them will be able to produce enough food to sustain this rapidly growing population.  Now, don't get me wrong, two of these definitely earn their position on this list in my opinion: information technology and health care administration.  We all know we are now living in the information age. Smart phones, iPads, GPS...without these tools, our lives would be almost unthinkable.  Agriculture itself would not be able to sustain 9 billion people's existence without these forms of technology.  By the same token, if there weren't farmers and ranchers to utilize these forms of technology, thousands of employees in the IT field who work on components of agricultural technology would be out of jobs.  Looking at the big picture, if agriculture means as little as people say it does, then the world's population will all go hungry and no one will be left to fill the positions these jobs provide. 

No matter how you look at it, agriculture has and always will be an extremely important industry in today's world. The food on your table, roof over your head, clothes on your body, and fuel in your vehicle all are made possible by God and agriculture. I am proud to say that I have picked one of these so-called "dud degrees". 

Where I Come From

Hey everyone, my name is Alix Mashino. The place I call home is in north-central Nebraska, also known as God's Country.  While the land is great, the people here are even greater.  I am blessed to have been born the oldest of four daughters into a family with down-home values and a love for agriculture that runs deep.  As an agriculturist, I feel it is our duty to tell our own story to the best of our abilities.  We are each experts in what we do.  If we don't tell our story, others without as much knowledge will tell it for us.

Like I said before, I am the oldest of four daughters, born into a farming/ranching family.  I wouldn't trade this life I live for anything.  Every day, my family and I go to work for the best industry--Agriculture!  We background cattle during the fall, winter, and part of the spring months.  Calving season in the spring is also a busy time for us, as we have around 250 Black Angus cow/calf pairs.  We also raise corn, beans, oats, wheat and a little alfalfa.  Waking up early on the weekends to feed cattle, knowing that each of our bottle calves would eventually end up on someone's supper plate, spending more time in a John Deere tractor than anywhere else during the summers, and having scars from barbed wire while fencing in the heat of the day has made me and my sisters the farm girls we are today. Ones that can do anything just as well as a boy can, if not better, I might add! :)

Well, now you all know a little more about my background.  While I have so much more to say, I will save it for later posts.  Becuase this blogging thing is all new to me, I'll do my best to do it right, and would appreciate your comments.

Until next time, go out and AGvocate!