Sometimes in your life, you realize that there really are bittersweet moments. They may be the few times when you have worked hard to realize a goal and then it actually does become a reality. I'm not really sure whether a bittersweet moment has actually crossed my path, until now.
This past week I strived at achieving a goal. I wanted something and I went out and got it. I have no regrets. But I do have feelings. When achieving your dream also means ending someone else's, that is not a feeling of defeat...but rather an almost empty feeling. Remember that when one door closes, another door opens...and life does go on.
So the next stage of my life is to represent the members of Michigan Farm Bureau, as Director At-Large. I will not take this job lightly, I will do my best to promote agriculture and stand up for the thousands of farmers in Michigan who rely on a group of people that truly care about this industry. I will help to promote them, to educate them and to encourage them, because farming is not just a way of life, it is life!!
Until next time,
Jennifer
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
From Sheep Farmer, to Dairy Farmer, to Board of Director?
Welcome back to The Milk Can. I'm sorry for not posting anything in a couple weeks as I have been preoccupied by seeking a position with the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors. It's a hearty task to take this on, but one I am very excited about. Not only for my professional goals but also to have the chance to help agriculture grow and flourish here in the state of Michigan!
Growing up on a sheep farm, I never even thought about a career in agriculture. You see, those late nights in the barn helping a baby lamb learn to nurse it's Mother just wasn't what a teenage girl had ambitions of. I wanted to work in a big city and a big office and wear fancy clothes. In my senior year of high school, I decided I wanted to be an accountant. I loved numbers and math, and my accounting teacher said I would be great at it!
Well, after working my way through a community college, I landed a job with the State of Michigan, at a Secretary of State office, where you purchase your drivers license and license plates. A great job, with full benefits!! College became a thing of the past and I would be "not smart" by giving up a job like that. That's when my husband came into the picture.
Now many years later, I am fulfilling all of my childhood dreams. I do all the accounting work for our farm and I get to dress up when we go to meetings. How great!!
In 2003, I was appointed to serve on the Promotion & Education committee for Michigan Farm Bureau. Four years later, I was elected Chairperson of that committee and was allowed a seat on the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors. My term expired in December of 2008 and since then I have felt a loss. So I have kept busy this year by starting this blog and using other social media tools to connect to consumers. I have been speaking to various service clubs in my area about agriculture, what we do on the farm and why we do it. That has been great! Although we live in a rural county, it's been amazing to me that people who even live around agriculture still don't understand it.
Well anyway, I am off to the Michigan Farm Bureau State Annual in Grand Rapids today. I will give this race for a Board seat my all, and who knows, maybe Friday I will win the election and will be the newest At-Large Board member. If not, I will still be the dairy farmer from southern Michigan helping to spread the word about Ag and how important it is in my daily life and yours!!
Until next time,
Support your local farmer!
Growing up on a sheep farm, I never even thought about a career in agriculture. You see, those late nights in the barn helping a baby lamb learn to nurse it's Mother just wasn't what a teenage girl had ambitions of. I wanted to work in a big city and a big office and wear fancy clothes. In my senior year of high school, I decided I wanted to be an accountant. I loved numbers and math, and my accounting teacher said I would be great at it!
Well, after working my way through a community college, I landed a job with the State of Michigan, at a Secretary of State office, where you purchase your drivers license and license plates. A great job, with full benefits!! College became a thing of the past and I would be "not smart" by giving up a job like that. That's when my husband came into the picture.
Now many years later, I am fulfilling all of my childhood dreams. I do all the accounting work for our farm and I get to dress up when we go to meetings. How great!!
In 2003, I was appointed to serve on the Promotion & Education committee for Michigan Farm Bureau. Four years later, I was elected Chairperson of that committee and was allowed a seat on the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors. My term expired in December of 2008 and since then I have felt a loss. So I have kept busy this year by starting this blog and using other social media tools to connect to consumers. I have been speaking to various service clubs in my area about agriculture, what we do on the farm and why we do it. That has been great! Although we live in a rural county, it's been amazing to me that people who even live around agriculture still don't understand it.
Well anyway, I am off to the Michigan Farm Bureau State Annual in Grand Rapids today. I will give this race for a Board seat my all, and who knows, maybe Friday I will win the election and will be the newest At-Large Board member. If not, I will still be the dairy farmer from southern Michigan helping to spread the word about Ag and how important it is in my daily life and yours!!
Until next time,
Support your local farmer!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Farmers Feed Us
Would you like to win free groceries for a year? I bet the answer is "YES"! Well, if you live in the "Great Lakes" state, Michigan that is, you can enter to win!
Go to http://www.farmersfeedus.org/ and learn about ten different farmers and their families, answer a trivia question and you could win free groceries!
Go to http://www.farmersfeedus.org/ and learn about ten different farmers and their families, answer a trivia question and you could win free groceries!
Remember I told you about a video crew coming to our farm back in September? Well, everything is finished and on November 16, 2009 it goes "Live" on the Internet, on radio, TV, print ads and in Spartan stores across the great state of Michigan. If you don't live in Michigan, you can still go to the website and check it out-it's awesome to see some of the wonderful farmers and their operations. And, you can learn about agriculture too!
The weather that day was a little cool and cloudy, until of course, it was time to video tape someone talking. My husband Bruce, was the chosen spokesperson. But when the video crew came, they decided that maybe I should do it. Uh oh! Let's just say, camera fright!?! Things heated up then rather quickly. I have never been too shy to talk about anything, but when it was just me and the camera-I couldn't get a word out edgewise. Luckily the crew was patient and it all worked out fine! Take a look:
I have to give Thanks to the Michigan Ag Council for their perseverance in promoting agriculture in Michigan. Thanks also to the following organizations who participated in bringing this to consumers: Michigan Milk Producers Association, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan Beef Industry Commission, Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee, Michigan Apple Committee, Dairy Farmers of America, United Dairy Industry of Michigan, Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, West Michigan Ag Alliance, Michigan Pork Producers Association, Hamilton Farm Bureau and 30 county Farm Bureaus from across the state.
The other fine farmers you will visit on the website are representative of the farmers in your state too. We all strive to take care of the land, water and animals that provide our family its livelihood. We are three generations of family, and there are even more generations involved in other family farms. Did you know that 98% of ALL farms in Michigan are family owned? That's huge!!
So visit the website and meet ten farmers from Michigan who care about the future of agriculture in America!!
Until next time,
Remember, Farmers Feed Us Everyday!!
Monday, November 2, 2009
How Much Water Does A Cow Drink?
How much water does a cow need to drink in order to produce 10 gallons of milk each day? Well, for those of you that said 20 gallons-you were right!! A cow needs to drink at least twice as much water as the amount of milk it produces.
And did you know that a cow can drink up to 50 gallons of water a day? Does that mean that a cow can produce 100 gallons of milk each day? Not really, I don't know any cow that can produce that much milk in a day. However, there are cows that can give 100 POUNDS in a day!
Anyway, we are quite happy with 10 gallons!!
Until next time,
Drink lots of MILK!!
And did you know that a cow can drink up to 50 gallons of water a day? Does that mean that a cow can produce 100 gallons of milk each day? Not really, I don't know any cow that can produce that much milk in a day. However, there are cows that can give 100 POUNDS in a day!
Anyway, we are quite happy with 10 gallons!!
Until next time,
Drink lots of MILK!!
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