My FFAvorite Week...

To continue my adventures during National FFA Week, I set my alarm for an early drive down to one my favorite chapters: Owatonna FFA. Although I'm not sure how our relationship developed, I'm sure glad it did. In order to show their appreciation for their faculty, students and community, the Owatonna FFA members had an appreciation breakfast. Again I got to see my good friends, Kelsey, Matt, Travis and Steph. It was great to catch up with them and see them in action as leaders for their chapter.

But hey, I didn't come to sit around and chat- I came for work! So, I found my way back in the shop flipping pancakes with Brooke and Caleb. It was a lot of fun to just shoot the breeze with them while making breakfast. Once it was time to clean up, Steph, Kyle and I did some dishes and rocked out to some Queen, "Bohemian Rhapsody". (Or at least I did...) Again, I'm glad that I came to Owatonna because I got to meet another young leader in agriculture:

Kyle...grew up on a dairy farm and they milk about 140 cows, twice a day.In addition to his involvement with General Livestock judging, Kyle is active on the State bound Owatonna Wrestling team.Although he isn't quite sure where he wants to go or do, he knows that agriculture will be apart of his life. (I think the U of M is a good choice...)Yet again, I have met another outstanding role model for the younger guys in production agriculture.

Brooke...is staying quite busy with college classes right now as a PSEO student at Riverland. Once she graduates this spring she would like to finish up her generals at Riverland and hopefully find a college for Radiology.

Caleb...has a growing interest in the dairy industry even though he has grown up in town. He started working at a friend's dairy farm when he was younger, and since then he has been hooked. In fact, he is planning on going to SDSU next fall for Dairy Science.

... Mr.Spindler has some pictures from the event, but I'm just waiting on them! Here is part of the chapter at Teach AgDay!

P.S...Congrats to Kelsey as she was recently elected to serve as the Region VII FFA President. Also, to Matt for his decision to serve our country in the military. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK!!! (can I come back???)
Mr.Spindler and Ms. Tinaglia- Thank you for being such great mentors and advisers to the members of this chapter!

On Thursday...over 200 blue jackets invaded Saint Paul at the State Capitol for National Teach Ag Day!It was great to not only share our experiences about Ag Ed with legislators at the capitol, but to hear their own blue jacket stories. Also, I chatted it up with some FFA members from West Central, Verndale, Foley, Perham and Randolf FFA.

This was my first time meeting these members/chapters and I'm glad that I took the time to stop and talk with them. After having some conversations with them, it was unanimous-they love being at the capitol, feeling apart of something bigger and they LOVE THEIR AG TEACHERS! Our team pictured with Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba and Commissioner Gene Hugoson.

Then, I quick ran back to campus for an Animal Science test. I hope I passed!

Instead of lumping everything together in this single post, I am going to make another post probably tomorrow or so about the final 3 visits in FFA Week! Thanks for tuning in.

Kicking off National FFA Week!

As you may know it is National FFA WEEK!!!! To get things started Crystal and I made some trips around the state of Minnesota to hang out with some cool FFA members.

In Belle Plaine, we stopped in to stuff our faces with pancakes. Yes, the Belle Plaine FFA Chapter had an all you can eat pancake feed, a Euchre tournament and silent auction in honor of a past agricultural educator. Proceeds from the pancake breakfast went to Camp Courage. It was great to re-connect with Olivia, Sam, Erin, Cody, Darin and Krystal. After filling our bellies and placing our bets on some t-shirts, we continued further south to Mankato for Region VI Ski Day. As a region VI FFA member, I could not imagine missing an event that has always been so much fun. As my brother Jason would say, I caught some " sick powda' " on the slopes.

(He used to work a ski-lift in Idaho.)

In addition to visiting with Kirsten, Megan, Liz, Trey, Brandon and Evan-

Me, Kirsten,Brady and Tyler. I definitely was not looking...

I had an awesome time visiting with my friends from Marshall FFA including Tyler and Brady. I really enjoyed catching up with Tyler being we both graduated together, were on the same officer team and he is always a great listener.

Brady... is the Region VI FFA Star in Agriscience! If you need to know anything intellectual about math or science, talk to him. He is a hard working guy and I know that he will go far in life. For what? I don't know, that's up to him.

...Oh, and I got to chat it up with my ever faithful adviser, Mr.Lanoue.

Afterwards we ate at a really sketchy Dairy Queen... Yeah!

On Monday we got up early to make a road trip to Detroit Lakes FFA! Crystal and I were invited to share some insight and activities on FFA with a freshman class.

A POWER-Spongebob! You had to be there...

At lunch, Blake, Dylan and I put on our game faces to sell some root beer floats. Needless to say, our good looks and rapping abilities were helpful in the persuasion of some students.

Blake... I met him for the first time at camp this summer. And since then, I am glad that I took the time to talk to him at camp. He is an incredible leader for his chapter. I can see the strong desire in him to improve and set a positive example for his fellow chapter members. Someday, I can't wait to see when he runs for state office.

Nursery Landscape mock CDE competition!

I can't wait to go back and visit in March to see the officer team!!!!

...and the Chinchilla.

Finally, whilst driving back to Saint Paul, we had an excellent idea in calling our good friend Dustin from the Staples-Motley FFA Chapter. He told us to come and crash the ag. room- so we did! The Plant Science class was learning about fruit in class so they made a delicious fruit pizza. Got to see another awesome FFA member from Staples-Motley, the one and only Ryan Bart! You may know him as the amazing fiddle/mandolin/guitar player from State Convention. Also, I met the adviser Mr.Lindgren and his daughter Megan.

Megan... is currently a freshman in high school. She shared with me her love of singing, dance lessons and participating in Special Olympics. She is quite the exciting individual.

Dustin... finishing up his term as the Region II President. Getting to know him this past year has been a pleasure and I truly appreciate his dedication and loyalty to his chapter and the members of Region II.

Dustin and Crystal got into a fight...

My orthodontist told me I may need my jaw broken, so I'm working on finding a replacement.

Tomorrow will be another great day. HAVE A WONDERFUL FFA WEEK.

Breakin' it down, to Build others up!

The same day after my time in Mankato for SOPD, I called my good friends from Sleepy Eye FFA up. They informed me that they were having an FFA sponsored dance that night, so I was in! Most dances that I have been to are for the organizations needs, or to raise funds for a trip somewhere. However, this was a unique event. In light of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the island of Haiti and killed over 150,000 people on January 12, 2010, Sleepy Eye FFA stepped up to the plate. Instead of collecting the funds of the dance for their chapter needs, they were humble enough to collect them for the needs of the American Red Cross in their pursuit to help the citizens of Haiti. I'm not sure how much money was collected, but based on the number of students there, it was a good turn out. You know what? It shouldn't matter how much was made. What matters, to me, is the thought and intent of helping others. Sounds cliche, but I have no other way to say it. It was a good time to catch up with my friends from Sleepy Eye including: Nate, Kristina, Genesis, Valeria, Tony, Brandon, Ben, Chris,Laura, Aileen, Cynthia and Ms.Hoffman! Thank you for your dedication to service. Oh, I also got to see my Grandma because she lives in Sleepy Eye. She rocks because sometimes a college kid (me) needs a place to crash and home cooked food.

Trust me, I made it... but the next time was a little embarrassing.

State Officer Professional Development- Pioneer,MN Soybean, MN Pork, AgStar

#1 FFA members, you may say "wow this is a lot" but, truly I believe that this information from the State Officer Professional Development days is beneficial, and worthwhile. Bear with me! =)

I will admit it. I HATE MATH. I'm terrible at it. However, the following equation is one that I CAN do...

Solve: 8 FFA members + Highway 169 S + 4 agricultural companies + 2 soybean cookies + 1 meat thermometer at 160 degrees + 1 Pioneer T-shirt + 55,227 farm visits=

A. 7
B. 3 sheep

C. π

D. 1 amazing day in Mankato, Minnesota for State Officer Professional Development

If you guessed D YOU ARE CORRECT!

...if you guessed B, you are totally wrong and possibly worse at math than me.
Nonetheless, the 12th of February was a exciting and busy day to meet more people behind the partnership with Minnesota FFA.

Our first stop was with...

Minnesota Soybean Growers Association

We met with Mr.Jim Palmer, Executive Director of the Association. He treated us to some non-traditional chocolate cookies that have soybeans in them! Here are my 2 take away messages:

1. Minnesota is the forefront leader in soybean. Yes, I knew this, but I didn't realize the extent. North America's largest soybean processor is in our very own Mankato,MN. Also, soybeans are the number one protein in the worldwide diet! You can trust that the future of soybean production will prosper here in Minnesota not only because of the importance this little legume provides for animal feed, human consumption and energy- but because of the people who dedicate their lives to growing this exceptional crop.
2. We had a challenging conversation with Mr.Palmer about the negative images that are portrayed of agriculture today. More and more, our industry is attacked. What are we going to do about it? We as FFA members need to continue, if not, start being advocates in our community about agriculture. The passion we have should not be limited to the day we wear our FFA jacket, it should be a part of our everyday lives! Thank you Mr.Palmer and everyone at MN Soybean for your continuous support and advocacy of agriculture.
   *MN Soybean is a 4 STAR partner of MN FFA!!!! THANK YOU!

Our next stop was actually, more like our next step because it was right next to MN Soybean...

Minnesota Pork Producers

We were joined by former FFA members, and leaders for MN Pork: Trudy Wasweet and Jill Resler. I learned so much about the current status of the pork industry, the future and ways that I can help our pork producers out. So here is how you can help:

1. EAT PORK! Not only is it delicious with some BBQ sauce, but it is even just as healthy as eating a portion of skinless chicken breast. Minnesota is ranked second in the nation for hog production, just behind Iowa.In 2008, Minnesota pork generated $7.6 billion dollars! Today, our pork producers aren't doing the best because of the economy, mis-information about the H1N1 virus and even antibiotic scares. However, we must know that you cannot get the H1N1 virus from pork! Also, antibiotics are strategically used in the swine industry, and not an everyday use. They are used to promote the health of the pig in producing quality, wholesome pork!Finally, next time you are in the store buy some pork, and make sure to cook it to a safe temperature of 160 degrees.
2. "Piggybacking" on the previous comment, let's advocate! For 20 years, the Pork Ambassadors have made their presence known throughout our state. To be an ambassador, you do not even need to have come from a swine background. What matters is your passion for the industry! You might just get your head carved out of SPAM.Stop in at the Oink Booth at the state fair to learn more about the swine industry, or pick up some chocolate covered bacon!
   Minnesota Pork Producers are proud to share this message, "Our family is proud to feed yours."... love it. They sponsor the Swine Proficiency Award. Thank you Trudy and Jill!

Next stop:

Beth Lauwagie, past MN FFA Officer, welcomed us to Pioneer for some lunch, and her expertise with internships. For those of you who are looking to work in the future, mind you not just in the agricultural industry, but work- PIONEER offers some great internships to give you the edge and experience for the job you want. Not many companies offer a Sales Internship, but Pioneer does! Not only would you get experience working with sales, but you would get the advantage of working with a company that has a legacy of leadership in the world of business and agriculture.

Pioneer sponsors the Forage Production and Grain Production Proficiency Awards. Thank you!

Our final visit was with:
AgStar is a branch off Farm Credit Services. They focus on financial services such as loans and lending to agriculturalist across the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin in 69 counties. AgStar enhances the life in agriculture and rural America. AgStar makes sure they know the people they serve because last year they made over 55,000 farm visits. ONE YEAR. Jeanne and Jody both speak highly of their work, not only with financial assistance, but assistance with agriculturalists. They gave us some awesome gift bags! Thanks. AgStar is a 1 Star partner as well as the sponsor of the Stars over Minnesota (Star Farmer, Agribusiness, Placement, Agriscience)

A new beginning...

It's not to say that my life is restarting, but let's say a new chapter is being added. Today, I was initiated into the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity: Lambda Chapter here at the University of Minnesota. ΑΓΡ is a professional fraternity centered around building better men in the agricultural industry. I am happy to finally be a member of a fraternity that: is so active on the Saint Paul campus with the variety of agricultural student organizations, contributes to the well being of the campus community through philanthropy and has a rich history in agricultural leadership. In fact, the late Dr.Norman Borlaug is an alumnus of the Lambda chapter here at the University of Minnesota. Thank you to my new brothers, especially my big brother Matt Pearson, at ΑΓΡ for welcoming me to the brotherhood, I look forward to the next 4 years in the house!

I move...

...that a congratulations go out to the Marshall FFA Chapter for their success of advancing to the State competition in Parliamentary Procedure!
Am I a little biased on writing about the chapter I call home? Yes, but they deserve just as much recognition because they are awesome too.
I remember last winter at the U of M Invite, the same Parliamentary Procedure team of Sam, Meghan, Brad, Spencer, Kayla and Emma competed. The results weren't the most favorable for them, but it was a learning experience. When it came to the Region VI Novice Parli Pro contest they got 2nd! But, they needed to place 1st in order to advance to state. So, a year of practice goes by and we are at the present day. This team, composed entirely of sophomores, was sure that they could win the Novice Parli Pro competition, however they were informed that they were no longer 'Novice', and they would be competed in regular Parli Pro. Despite the odds against this young team, they prevailed last week at the Region VI Parli Pro contest, and are now going to state!!! It has been a very long time since Marshall has had a Parliamentary Procedure team, so it is great to have the "MARSHALL" jacket in the state contest this year. Congrats! I am super proud! So, again... CONGRATS TO:

Sam, Spencer, Meghan, Kayla, Emma and Brad!

REGION RUSH!

It's that time of year- Proficiency applicants revising their records, State degree candidates fine tuning their resume,Future region officers preparing for interviews,Advisers are going crazy with all of the work, CDE teams are practicing,eating,practicing,sleeping,practicing,practicing AND ON TOP OF IT ALL- FFA Week is just in a couple weeks!

I congratulate all Minnesota FFA members who have been:

-Investing the time into to take their SAE to the proficiency interviews. Yes, the application looks pretty intimidating when it is empty with no numbers. Trust me, once you get through one year of records, the next seems easier followed by the next. My first year took about 2-3 hours to fill out. This year, just about 30 minutes. Good luck at your interviews!

- Practicing for CDE competitions. I wish you all the best as you compete against the best in your regions for the opportunity to represent your chapter at the state level. If you are not sure if you are practicing enough, evaluate what you do in a typical day. Is time spent on Facebook more valuable than your CDE? You decide.
-Gathering the successes of the past 3-4 years you have had at the local an state level while filling out your State Degree. This is quite an honor, and it is the highest level of membership you can receive in Minnesota. Not only will this help you in a possible pursuit of running for a State Office, but also provide a stepping stone to the most honorable award in our organization the American Degree. Only 1/2 of 1% of all FFA members receive this award. You can be that.
-Not getting enough sleep because you are so nervous about region office interviews! So far, out the of the 8 regions in our state, Region VIII and Region VII have slated the 2010-2011 officer team. I know that later today, Region I will be having interviews, followed by Region V this weekend. To all candidates- I wish you all the best.I believe that being elected as a region officer is exciting, but never forget what it was that lead you to this position, and why you were drawn to it.Thank people that helped you.
If you are not elected, again- never forget what got you to interview. Think about what you have accomplished over the past 2-4 years, you still have many more to make a difference in this organization. AN OFFICE SHOULD NEVER DEFINE YOUR SERVICE TO FFA.

Alright, enough of my rant- good luck to you all at your regional events!

I'm off to my animal science lab, we are evaluating carcasses... FUN!

-OH! One more thing-

If your advisers has been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, stop and take sometime to thank them for everything they do for Agricultural Education. It's alot.

Nourishing People- State Officer Professional Development

A packet of Cherry Kool-Aid. A 'heart healthy' box of Cheerios. A steaming hot bowl of Kraft Easy Mac. A refreshing 12.oz can of Sprite. A 1lb bag of Robin Hood flour. A McDonald's Egg McMuffin. One pan of warm Betty Crocker Brownies. 3ft of delicious Strawberry Fruit-by-the Foot.

Any idea as to what these all have in common?

Yes, they are all edible food. And, yes reading all of those just made my stomach grumble, but more than that, they are all products that contain ingredients developed by the same company. This company, being one of the largest private, family owned agricultural companies in the world. Founded in 1865, and currently employing 159,000 in over 68 countries worldwide in effort to create better food, this company most certainly defines it's mission in "Nourishing People."

Any guess what company this is?

With the organization of Mr. Paul Hanson, former Iowa State Officer, our state officer team had a nice day to experience the leadership behind Cargill. Additionally, we got to discover more about the history of this family owned company, including a tour of the lake-side mansion! PS they have a 1 acre pool. YES 1 ACRE. Thank you to Joyce, she gave us a nice and informative tour.

My highlight from the day was the AMAZING pasta bar they had for lunch.

(Seriously, you could pick out the pasta, sauce, vegetables and bread and they would cook it right in front of you. CUSTOM order!)

Just kidding. The pasta was good, but not as good as the leadership and strenghts development training we had with Paul. He really knows his stuff. I know my strenghts:

1. Individualization
2. Learner
3. Strategic
4. Ideation
5. Achiever

...but I had never thought of them in the way Paul was able to identify. It was something you had to be there for, but since the 6 of us were the only ones to go, here are the 3 things I am taking away for each of you to know.

• This past semester, I had all A's EXCEPT for a C in College Algebra. According to statistics from a Gallup poll, people believe that I should spend more time focusing on making the C an A. Which relates to common myth: "You will grow the most in your areas of greatest weakness." However, Paul helped us understand that instead, we will grow most in our areas of greatest strength. FOCUS on your strenghts, and use them. We each have our own individuals strenghts and weaknesses, USE YOUR STRENGTHS to help others.
• A strength is something that leaves you feeling strong. I'm not saying drinking Whey protein and hitting the gym, type of strength. I mean an activity that you can perform or do near perfection every time. For example, if you can sit down and sight read sheet music consistently, that is a strength. If you enjoy learning about science, people and love to ask questions, that is a strength. Most of all, after reading music, or learning about a subject or solving a group problem- if you get a rush, and almost feel like you could do it again- it isn't just a niche, its a strength of yours. USE IT for the better of yourself and others.
• Paul gave each of us a challenge at the end of the day. My challenge was to "UNLOCK OTHERS POTENTIAL." How do I know this is right for me? Well, I feel strong when I can sit down with a group of people, and learn something about someone else. I get a rush when I can get someone to share a piece of their mind, get them to volunteer or step out of their comfort zone. I feel strong when I see that someone has realized their potential. What is it what makes you feel strong, and how will you challenge yourself to use it each day?

It was truly an awesome day. Thank you Paul and Joyce.

The people at Cargill believe, "We help customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and are committed to sharing our global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges."