Advice from an old timer

Ever since I was a primary member with 4-H I have been walking my boots down the aisle ways of the California Mid-State Fair. Every year something changed; my boots, my hair, my braces, my pigs, my face. Each year I grew a little taller, a little smarter, and a little older. But the one thing that never changed was my reaction every time I walked into the grounds.
That smell. City folks may not get it, but the smell of shavings, greasy fair food, kettle corn, all of it. That smell took me back to the best times of my life-- sitting on tack boxes spraying eachother with water bottles and hoses, balancing a pig board on our knees playing speed or some spin off game of war. It was the best times of my childhood.

I always used to say I had two favorite holidays; Christmas and fair time. So year after year, even when I changed to FFA and showed cattle instead, I embraced fair, I lived at fair. And the rest of the world ceased to exist during fair.

So now that I am finished with my final year of showing, I have some words of advice for those just beginning, and even some advice for those who don't have  much time left:

Soak it up. Do not let the drama of the fair ruin it for you. So what you didn't get first place with your hog? Stop throwing your tack down and storming off after yelling at your parents. It isn't about getting first place. It's about you and that animal. It's about the early mornings, late nights, frustrating days of halter breaking, and it's about the little moments when your pig is so exhausted he lays his head on you, or the times during fair where you go to tie up your steer and find yourself laying your head on him for hours. It's about the reason you do it in the first place. And let me tell you, if it is about the big check at the end of the week, or that flimsy little banner that proves you're better than everyone else... you're doing it for the wrong reason. 
You can spend thousands of dollars on chasing banners to prove nothing in this world.. or you can spend months raising and loving an animal so they can feed the world. It can mean something more than an outside party telling you you're good enough. It can mean that you get a lifetime of memories and satisfaction.

 If you need to make a hard decision (whether it be about a boy, or a college acceptance letter) go blow out your steer. There is something about the sound of the blower that drowns out the rest of the world and leaves you with your thoughts. Trust me on this one.

Be the kind of person who won't lose patience with their steer after getting whipped by its tail over and over again. Be gentle.

Always start blowing on the left side. It is much harder if you do it last.

If you win, be proud but humble.

If you lose, be proud to be humbled.

Help out the new guys. Yeah they haven't been in the show world much but you have to start somewhere. And it wasn't so long ago that you too were the baby.

Don't be afraid to speak your mind. Do not let others hurt your animal and do not hurt others' animals.

If someone isn't taking care of their animal, rip them a new one by all means. If they can't be proud and passionate about our industry and what we do, they shouldn't be a part of it.

Remember the why.
Why you started. Why you kept going.
And if it isn't a good reason why, then change it.

Be thankful for this experience.

Don't be afraid to feel. These animals we put on this earth by God to nourish one another. What Mother Nature gives us she will soon take back one day. So make it the best life they can ever have. Give them the kisses. Cry when they leave. Feel it all. Even the bad parts. Because it will fill your soul in a way no one can understand.
And when you leave your animal for the final time, do not be afraid. They are going to serve the greatest purpose; to feed the world. And that is something you both should be proud of.

My Friday show reveal!

The butterflies are going crazy right now as we are counting down the hours until my first segment of my very own airs... heres the information for those who want to hear it live tomorrow morning:

I will air on Farm City Newsday, which starts at 5 AM California time.
This is on the station News Talk 920 with KVEC Radio. How to find it on the internet: Search for KVEC radio San Luis Obispo,
(go to the site)
Then when you're on the site, look at the very right hand side of the drop-down toolbar opitons, where it will say "Listen Live."
Click on that.
Right in the middle of the page it will say LISTEN LIVE WITH OUR ONLINE PLAYER...click on that. (it is in black writing for some reason so make sure you are looking for it)
It should start playing, make sure your volume is up.

My segment plays around 5:10... but listen at 5 AM just in case.
Thanks! love you all!
I know its early but that's when farmers listen to it.
Welcome to Farm Broadcasting.

An Open Letter to my FFA Steer

One of the hardest goodbyes happens when showing livestock. Let me tell you something. Out of all of my years of showing, I had a special steer named Buckley. He had made the most progression I have ever seen an animal make. He trusted me and I trusted him. He not only was an amazing production steer, but he was an amazing animal. 

Buckley was bred and born as a beef project. This was his main purpose throughout his life. He carried that purpose on his shoulders with pride, because he is making the ultimate sacrifice; giving his life to feed the world. And if I knew Buckley, he was more than happy to do that. 

But just because we knew our fate from the beginning, it didn't change a thing about how we fell dependant on each other. There is nothing I will miss more than washing him as he whines about being tied up, or tickling his tail as he wiggles his whole backside, or the hours of licking my jeans until they are soaked. 

You will forever be a part of me Buckley. You were always there to hear me complain about anything and everything, while passing people became confused; looking at a girl have a conversation with her steer. 

Buckley, thank you. Thank you so much for opening my heart wider, stretching a patience longer, and making my love for this industry greater. Thank you for wiggling during baths, for licking me when I'm crying. Thank you for giving me a lick of confidence while walking into the ring. Thank you for listening to me and trusting me. Thank you for feeling what I was feeling, and thank you for giving you life for us. 

I'll make you a deal. You don't cry, and I won't cry. I'll see you on the other side. 

Baaaack to Blogging, this time with sheep!

Hello my lovely readers!! Yes I took a break, (Utah State to thank for that, hello Christmas goodies and sledding in the snow) but now I'm back blogging, and boy do I have some information to share with you.

At some point, I know most of you have come across a video made by PETA, called "Why Uggs are Ugly." This video takes footage from a random country at a random farm, and puts pieces of random footage together to lie to you about how Uggs are made. I apologize to you for having to watch such a false video, it makes me sad that people get lied to each and every day about the agriculture industry.
But good news, Supergirl is here to save the day!! Here is the REAL way sheep are sheared, and also the process of what happens to the wool.
And just to make sure you are given absolutely correct information, I dug out my boots and walked into a barn to see for myself. I also got to extend my knowledge too!!

As you can see, this is me standing in a very large burlap sack. This sack was currently half way full of fresh sheep wool that I was stomping down to pack it in. Large scale operations normally use modern and efficient machinery for this, but nothing a little boot stomping can't do! As you notice behind me, there is a corral of sheep waiting to get a haircut. They are relaxed, healthy and calm. 

This is an overhead picture of what the wool looks like on the inside of the sack. Notice no blood, feces, or outside objects inside the inner layer of the wool. This is because when a sheep appears to be dirty, it is only the outside layer of the wool, ensuring that animal has a healthy lanoline filled coat by their skin. Lanoline is the natural-occurring oil produced by the sheep to keep their coat hydrated, and also it serves as a water resistant. 

I apologize for how far away this picture is taken from; I was currently still standing in the burlap sack of wool. Notice this animal is on its side, not throwing its legs up, remaining quite calm, Also notice no blood or dead animals around, because this operation (as well as every other wool operation ) does not kill the sheep for the wool. The only time an animal's life is ended is when their meat is being harvested to feed the world.

The sheep are run into a small alleyway one by one, and walked out by the worker through a gate.

As you notice above, the animal's wool is sheared off in one piece. This is to help the graders and people who are spinning the wool to keep it all together. This animal is currently sitting on its butt, like a dog would. 

 

On the left I got a close up of the animal's face to capture what they are feeling. As you can see the worker is supporting the animal's head. This animal is quite calm. Its eyes are not searching for escape, its mouth is not open, bleeting for help, and it is not trying to get away.  On the right, I pictured what the lamb would look like if it WAS scared, or in fear of its life. You can easily see the difference.

Pictured above is me, stomping down wool. It was getting pretty full at this point!

Finally, the bag is dropped from the tower and sewed shut for transportation.

Below is footage explaining how a sheep is sheered normally. This is not my footage! But they did such a great job getting it that I wanted to share with you!

I am an Agriculturist and I am human

I am a person. I am human. And I have great advice. 
My graduation ceremony of highschool was the 4th of June, and unbearingly cold. It was windy. It was long for 190 students to graduate. And little did I know, it was the last time I would ever see a lot of those people. My principal made a speech before resigning from public education for good. It was a goodbye for all of us. 

This is not his words, and they are not mine either. But they are great. 

The Speech

The Working Man, My Father

Every day I thank God for the things he has given us. I am thankful for he gave me my father. 

I have never met such a hard working, understanding, loving man that compares to my father. 

My father is my hero. 

I have never met such a loyal, passionate, respectable man like my father. 

My father is strong.

I have never met such a down to earth, humble, sacraficing man anywhere close to my father.

My father is my friend. 

I have never met such a knowledgable, inventive, determined man that is anything like my father.

My father is incredible. 

I have never met such an ambitious, reverent, faithful man that will ever be similar to my father

My father is unyielding.

And out of all of the wonderful things in this world God made for me, God made a farmer. 

Annual Walnut Harvest at Lang Farms

A holiday favorite: the walnut. Find out how the hard working farmers of California bring them to your table.
I interviewed several farmers across the Salinas Valley of California. But one in particular, located in the San Joaquin Valley, caught my attention. Listen to what he has to say.