It's the Final Countdown!

As I should be finishing up Scholarship Applications, applying to colleges, or rinsing my steers.  I'm writing this blog. It hit me this is the final countdown. I just finished the first half of my senior year. 2015 is almost over, and 2016 is right around the corner. There definitely are some things I'm going miss majorly about home, but there also others not so much but everything has helped shape who I am. I have a lot of people to thank of how I have gotten to where I am today. I was texting a good show friend a few weeks ago as she said "One more week!" I said, "Thank goodness, I am so ready to be at the calf show this Friday." That is one thing I will definitely miss. I know in College I will not be missing class as often as I did in high school. I will be the first to admit. I miss A LOT of school my teachers, friends and family would all vouch for me. I firmly believe though what missing school and showing cattle has taught me a few things.

 1) How to not procrastinate. It's better to have everything done before you leave.. especially for a steer show... I've never been to a steer show where someone has made me study for a Chemistry Test.

 2) Life experiences... How many people can say they have shown cattle on the Green Chips in Louisville or the legacy of the National Western Stock Show?

 3) You are going to lose to win.. When you win, you believe... I'm guilty of this you have done everything right.. but when you lose I take a step back and evaluate what I did, and take advice from others to improve on myself.

4) Smile, Even if you pulled an all-nighter driving to a show or setting up stalls smile. You are alive, you are blessed to be here and have stock that is good enough to compete at this level.

5) Friendships, Some of my very closest friends I have met at a calf show, at a calf sale or anything involved in the beef industry.

6) Handshakes are very valuable. How many people do you know can make a deal without a sheet of paper and just a handshake?

7) Pride, I have never had a textbook teach me how to take pride in my work and being happy with what I have accomplished.

8) The value of a dollar. This industry has taught me a lot but the value of a dollar is one thing. A dollar more a pound on a fat steer can go a long ways!

9) Being Kind.. Being kind to others will only reap kindness in return.

10) Hard work does, in fact, pay off. I have been told by judges this calf won't turn out or that calf won't be good in the end by others. It just has made me work harder and work for everything I have gotten in the beef industry.

 There are many things the beef industry has taught that a textbook hasn't even came close. As I am officially half way done with my senior year.  I will be attending the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in the fall I can't even imagine not having the opportunity to show as much. There is going to be a day I will have to retire. I am definitely not ready. But one thing I will be ready for is the things showing has taught me and the life experiences I have gained.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Quote: Everyone has their own different life experiences which make them who they are. No two people's life experiences are the same. And mine are just unique to me. - Keisha Knight Pulliam 

Kids Against Hunger

     Today my FFA Chapter packaged meals for Kids Against Hunger in Hastings, NE. It's amazing that 32 middle school and high school aged kids could make a difference in just two hours. In just two hours our FFA Chapter packaged 14,700 meals. This is apart of our Holiday Party that our chapter holds for those students who achieved their fruit sales goal. After packaging meals we enjoyed two games of laser tag and pizza. Our meals we packed was most likely going to Haiti. We don't know where the meals we packed go but what we do know that is we helped give food to someone that was in need.
Here are a few facts about Haiti.

• Two and a half million Haitians live in extreme poverty. Haiti is the poorest country in the northern hemisphere. 
• Haiti is only five hundred miles from South East Florida. That's like someone driving from Omaha, NE to Denver, CO. Haiti is really not that far from us. 
• Two out of three Haitians live on less than $2 US dollars per day.

   I'm blessed to be involved in an FFA Chapter that is willing to help others. Even though we don't know the people we are helping. I am thankful we were able to make a difference. Even if it was small.

This is the group that helped package all the meals! So glad so many are willing to help.

Quote: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others". - Mahatma Gandi  

What Makes a Fluffy Cow Fluffy?

Have you ever wondered what makes a Fluffy Cow Fluffy? Most fluffy cows are bred to have lots of hair but the hair isn’t so fluffy without the required work.

This is what a fluffy cow looks like before it is all clean. This is my Crossbred (he has both Chianina and Maine influence) Market Steer named Lautner. He weighs 1,300 lbs. I plan to exhibit him at the end of January at the Sioux Farm Empire Show in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Follow these steps to see how Lautner transforms into a clean fluffy cow.

Step One: Blow the dirt out of Lautner’s coat.  A blower is a tool like a blow dryer it blows air to through the long hose.  First picture is what a blower looks like. This takes less than five minutes.

Step Two: Grab the garden hose and start rinsing Lautner by putting water on his coat. This takes 20-25 minuets, because you want to get his entire coat really wet.

Step Three: Take the Gain Dish Soap turn it upside down and disperse it all over his coat. This is called “soaping”. This takes five minutes

 Step Four: Take the scrub brush (first picture) a plastic brush with a handle and bristles used to scrub the coat and get all the dirt out. This also helps deep condition Lauter’s coat. This takes 5-10 minutes; I am making sure I get all the soap “scrubbed in” all over Lautner’s coat.

Step Five: Rinse the calf with the garden hose, making sure all the soap bubbles come out.  This takes 10-15 minutes (this step is repeated from step two)

 Step Six: I use the scotch comb (example is the first picture) and brush Lautner’s hair. Lautner’s hair is still wet. This step takes 5 minutes.

Step Seven: Blow the calf out with the blower; the blower was used in the first step. This step is very important. This is how Lautner’s hair dries and becomes fluffy. This could take a while, generally takes 30-40 minutes until he is completely dry.

Step Eight: I apply conditioner out of the spray bottle and brush it in with a human hairbrush.

After all theses steps Lautner looks like this. He is very clean and his hair is soft.

You can definitely see a difference from the first picture to this one. This process in total takes roughly 1- 2 hours per calf. This process is done by most competitive showmen during the winter 2-3 times a week and everyday during the summer to prepare for various cattle shows.