Kansas State FFA Convention kicked off last night. The campus is now covered in Blue & Gold!
Opening session was great. It had been awhile since I had sat through an entire session, last time was probably HS. I sat with my friend "S" and it brought back the memories. I even leaned over and said. "Wow, I feel like Im in High School all over again." He chuckled and looked back and said, "kinda does, doesn't it?!"
For the last 4 years I have coordinated the luncheons and receptions. This year I'm helping with foundation events and the Blue & Gold Reception. The opening session speaker was Barrett Keene, http://barrettkeene.com/ I really enjoyed his "motivational speech" It might have been geared toward the youth, but it really got me thinking as well.
Every year I get a little emotional about FFA, my personal memories and experiences, and all the great possibilities that are in store for those who participate in FFA.
For those of you who were not fortunate enough to be part of FFA let me enlighten you a bit:
Mission: 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.
Motto:
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.
Check out : https://www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx
How proud I am to call myself an FFAer!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Branding in Action
Pictures of "my crew" (yep Im claiming them) branding. What they don't know won't hurt them.
These are at the barn/pens so not a picturesque as Saturday's out in the pasture
Now onto Saturday's Branding--------------------------------
~250 calves were worked.
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| J & A waiting on Monte....most likely |
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| 3 going at once really speed up the process. |
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| THE WHOLE CREW-minus me taking the picture |
I wish I had taken more but its hard to vaccinate and take pictures at the same time.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Give Away-A Farm Wife's Life
Check out
http://janetphillips.blogspot.com/
For some great necklaces. All you K-Stater's outta love that purple!
http://janetphillips.blogspot.com/
For some great necklaces. All you K-Stater's outta love that purple!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Branding Menu-Cowboy Beans
Last Friday I cooked for a dozen cowboys. I was living the life.
The menu was:
Cheesy Potatoes
Cowboy Beans
BBQ Jumbo Meatballs
Hot & Spicy Jumbo Meatballs
Biscuits
Peach Crisp
Apple Crisp
Maple Cream Sauce (for the crisps)
Here is recipe for the Cowboy Beans
1 large can baked beans
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 can butter beans, drained
1/2 -1 pound bacon, cut up
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c. ketchup
3/4 c. molasses
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
Tabasco sauce to taste
Fry bacon until crisp, add onions and cook. Add ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, chili powder, and Tabasco and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add all the beans. Place in covered casserole dish or crock pot and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
The guys ate a ton of these- I agree, there weren't too shabby.
The menu was:
Cheesy Potatoes
Cowboy Beans
BBQ Jumbo Meatballs
Hot & Spicy Jumbo Meatballs
Biscuits
Peach Crisp
Apple Crisp
Maple Cream Sauce (for the crisps)
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| The aftermath, minimal resources at a bachelors house. Oh the stories I have |
Here is recipe for the Cowboy Beans
1 large can baked beans
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 can butter beans, drained
1/2 -1 pound bacon, cut up
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c. ketchup
3/4 c. molasses
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
Tabasco sauce to taste
Fry bacon until crisp, add onions and cook. Add ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, chili powder, and Tabasco and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add all the beans. Place in covered casserole dish or crock pot and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
The guys ate a ton of these- I agree, there weren't too shabby.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Branding Season
Well, I'm on my way to central KS to cook for a branding. I am SUPER DUPER EXCITED!!! Next week I will post pictures of the food and the branding itself. For those of you not familiar with the process, history, and terminology..... I am here to educate.This won't exactly be a thesis, but just a small brief overview.
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock to be identified by the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding.
HISTORY-I could yammer about the history dating back to Egyptians (really did) here is proof:
Marking animals dates back 4,000 years, but lets focus on modern day Midwestern history. The modern custom was brought to America by the Spaniards and refined by the vaqueros.Branding was first made mandatory when those in New England were required to brand their pigs.
A branding iron consisted of an iron rod with a simple symbol or mark, which is heated in a fire.
Some ranches still heat branding irons in a wood or coal fire, others use an electric branding iron or electric sources to heat a traditional iron. After the branding iron turned red-hot, the cowboy pressed the branding iron against the hide of the cow.
Free-range or open range grazing is less common today than in the past. However, branding still has its uses. The main purpose is in proving ownership of lost or stolen animals. Many western US states have strict laws regarding brands, including brand registration and required brand inspections.
Most brands in the United States include capital letters and numbers, often combined with other symbols such as a slash, circle, half circle, cross, and bar. Brands of this type have a specialized language for "calling" the brand. Brands are called from left to right, top to bottom, and when one character encloses another, from outside to insides.
For those of you unfamiliar with this process I hope this shed some light on the subject, for others is might have simply been a refresher course.Either way, I hope someone learned something.
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock to be identified by the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding.
HISTORY-I could yammer about the history dating back to Egyptians (really did) here is proof:
Marking animals dates back 4,000 years, but lets focus on modern day Midwestern history. The modern custom was brought to America by the Spaniards and refined by the vaqueros.Branding was first made mandatory when those in New England were required to brand their pigs.
A branding iron consisted of an iron rod with a simple symbol or mark, which is heated in a fire.
Some ranches still heat branding irons in a wood or coal fire, others use an electric branding iron or electric sources to heat a traditional iron. After the branding iron turned red-hot, the cowboy pressed the branding iron against the hide of the cow.
Free-range or open range grazing is less common today than in the past. However, branding still has its uses. The main purpose is in proving ownership of lost or stolen animals. Many western US states have strict laws regarding brands, including brand registration and required brand inspections.
Most brands in the United States include capital letters and numbers, often combined with other symbols such as a slash, circle, half circle, cross, and bar. Brands of this type have a specialized language for "calling" the brand. Brands are called from left to right, top to bottom, and when one character encloses another, from outside to insides.
For those of you unfamiliar with this process I hope this shed some light on the subject, for others is might have simply been a refresher course.Either way, I hope someone learned something.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
TWINS?
I've been out of town for almost every Tuesday it seems. In the meantime the twins have been "released" into the pasture so no more bottle feeding and no more pictures. I guess Twin Tuesday will have to have a name change.
They are doing great though, my grandpa checks the cattle and keeps me up to date. They are probably much happier out in the green grass rather than inside the bar. Next time I have a chance, I might grab a horse, take a ride, and get some updated pictures.
I want to brag a little and share with you all that my uncle now has his photography website up and going! YAY!
http://www.harrywhitneyphotography.com/
Check it out and let me know what you think.
They are doing great though, my grandpa checks the cattle and keeps me up to date. They are probably much happier out in the green grass rather than inside the bar. Next time I have a chance, I might grab a horse, take a ride, and get some updated pictures.
I want to brag a little and share with you all that my uncle now has his photography website up and going! YAY!
http://www.harrywhitneyphotography.com/
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Feather Hair Extensions
The newest fashion trend is Feather Hair Extensions. I had no idea what they were, my mom knew about them before I did. About 2 weeks ago I saw them with my own eyes. They are kinda a Bohemian, earthy, fashion trend. Its better to see a picture than me try to explain them.
They come in a variety of colors and designs. Some blend in while others look like a fishing lure.
Its not a trend I will probably start participating in. Its not because I believe that birds are being raised and killed just for this new fashion trend as mention in an article I just read. The feathers are a by- product of the birds and in some cases the feathers are those that have been "dropped or shed." (the bird is still alive). I'm sure you will start hearing about people boycotting and getting upset over this new fad. I don't believe that there are farms raising birds, mostly chickens for hair extensions. I personally believe that this one of the uses for feathers when a bird is used for meat consumption. Why waste, isn't society pushing for recycling?
They come in a variety of colors and designs. Some blend in while others look like a fishing lure.
Its not a trend I will probably start participating in. Its not because I believe that birds are being raised and killed just for this new fashion trend as mention in an article I just read. The feathers are a by- product of the birds and in some cases the feathers are those that have been "dropped or shed." (the bird is still alive). I'm sure you will start hearing about people boycotting and getting upset over this new fad. I don't believe that there are farms raising birds, mostly chickens for hair extensions. I personally believe that this one of the uses for feathers when a bird is used for meat consumption. Why waste, isn't society pushing for recycling?
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