It caught me by surprise. As I was glancing at all the Facebook chatter, links, updates, and social news, I saw a caption. It was a link to an article titled “How Dairy Cattle Judging Made me Rich!” Nothing could have captured my attention any quicker than this tidbit linked to the “Bullvine” page. Immediately [...]
It happens every time. The ice cream is setting before me, and in my anticipation for the first bite of this creamy confection, I rush the process and the result is a “brain freeze.” It is easy to prevent if I would just eat more slowly. Supposedly the cold stimulates a nerve in the roof [...]
We have a story to tell in our role as dairy farmers. There are countless opportunities to share it with others. It may not always be the setting we like or feel comfortable with, but our lives have dimensions that exceed those who work in the concrete jungles of a city, far removed from farm [...]
It should come as no surprise, but I enjoy the thrill of competition and being competitive. No matter what the score, I will continue to root for my favorite team and never give up or in to the thought of losing. In fact, that term does not fit in my vocabulary. Kellogg cereals says it [...]
Recently, my agriculture pursuits allowed me a venture into pop culture, as I made time to read The Hunger Games. Now the movie has been released and it prompted me to compare the author’s theme with the future of agriculture. Synopsis If you are not familiar with the fictional novel, it takes place in a [...]
From the musical, “Porgy and Bess,” George and Ira Gershwin composed the memorable song that begins with the phrase, “Summertime and the livin is easy.” I mean no disrespect, but summers on the farm are far from easy and 2012 has already given us quite enough of Mother Nature’s wrath. The heat, the storms, the [...]
For nearly four decades, my career path has found roots in the educational system. As a “baby boomer,” I have observed changing attitudes of the generations of students I have taught. With each, I have attempted to discover teaching methods that addressed the “so what” moment with an “aha” response. The graduation season is upon [...]
Years ago, a little girl by the name of Virginia, posed a rather simplistic question that has lived on far beyond anyone’s expectations. Perhaps you could read it one more time and find the same meaning that I will now speak of. It was not so much that her inquiry of whether Santa existed was [...]
With all due respect, move over, Einstein. I have developed my own theory of relativity as it relates to positive youth development. Endurance = Motivation x Challenge squared. At each 4-H dairy event this year, I have observed youth in the learning environment and I am curious as to what methods are used to teach [...]
Those of us who embrace agriculture are keenly aware of the ever-widening gap of fact and fiction when it relates to our lifestyle. The fair is not just a “fair” atmosphere, but an excellent one rich with opportunity to showcase our passion for the land and living things.
They are barely able to walk and yet they pick up the end of rope halter and make their first debut in the show ring. We can hardly wait to watch them grow up and move closer to the other end of the halter. Yet turn around and they are graduating from eighth grade, high [...]
It’s no secret that experiences define life. I’ve had my fair share, but I find myself continually challenged by the youth I spend time with. However, they come with strings attached and one of these is their continual pursuit of new technology. Many have never known a day without touching a computer. When our sons [...]
2010 … It has been a “dickens” of a year! The challenge of the American job market has loomed in blogs, coffee shop conversations and in every form of printed material. It can even be likened to the plot of the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol. It seems that our country is haunted [...]
The events of the past two years have given us cause to stop and ponder the quality of our life. Along the way, it would be good if we could take time to recognize some life-altering moments that provide the secure notion that dairy farming is indeed sustainable AND that we can feel satisfied with the quality of life that a dairy farm offers.
“Thinking outside of the box.” We use the phrase to refer to a nontraditional idea. Perhaps the exact definition isn’t so important, but we should never underestimate the value of such logic. Maybe the following 4-H dairy program is an example of an idea created outside of the normal parameters. Dairy “COW”reers Day will be [...]
While recently catching up on some reading, I saw an article that caught my interest. It was titled “Is your child ready for farm chores?” Since I work with dairy youth programs, this topic captured my curiosity. However, as a parent who had regularly enforced chores upon our sons, I had not posed such a [...]
The most beloved Christmas poem of all time begins with the phrase “‘Twas the night before Christmas.” Although it speaks of a family’s preparation for Santa’s visit, here at the office we are on the eve of a new year and there is the usual hustle and bustle to plan the 2010 calendar, review 2009′s [...]
If you listen to country music, you have heard Toby Keith’s new song, Great American Ride. Over the past couple of months, I have heard it countless times while the 4-H and collegiate judging teams have been traveling to different judging competitions. Strong connection As I was singing along, there was a moment I realized [...]
Just like story of Camelot, the Ohio State Fair emerged in 2009 rather like a knight in shining armor. In the midst of the dismal economic times for the dairy industry, the fair may have been just what we all needed to rescue our spirits. In case you did not know, the theme was “Share [...]
I have either observed or been a part of many competitive events in my lifetime. Watching the Olympics on television has been almost like being there. Then there was that time I watched a dairy judge take 15 minutes to decide what two-year-old would end up with the blue ribbon. I’ve even attended OSU/Michigan games [...]
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