Category: Agriculture

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Agriculture Shine On Shine On Ag women in Ag

Shine On~Women In Agriculture~Jennie Hodgen

Shine ON~Women In Agriculture~Jennie Hodgen

Shine On~Women In Agriculture~Jennie Hodgen

Shine On, Shine On was the subject of a blog post that I did a while back.

Here is the link to my first Shine On, Shine On post!  I have decided that there are a lot of people that help me “Shine” and I am going to feature them on my Shine On, Shine On series.

This year I decided to start a new spin on my Shine On series and add a little more of agricultural spin. I am excited to be bringing you these interviews. My goal is to share these fine ladies stories with you all.  Help me welcome my this Shine On Lady,Jennie.

From historic homesteaders to contemporary cattle ranchers, women have been the cornerstone of America’s agriculture heritage. In fact, the 2012 Census of Agriculture notes that nearly 1 million women are working America’s lands. That is nearly a third of our nation’s farmers.  Women are also scientists, economists, foresters, veterinarians, and conservationists. Women are in the boardrooms and the corner offices of international enterprises, and are the owners and operators of small businesses. Women are property owners and managers. Women are policymakers and standard bearers. Women are involved in every aspect of agriculture.

Shine On~Women In Agriculture featuring: Jennie Hodgen

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your career path.

I am one of those people who enjoys reading peer reviewed journal articles for fun, takes the picture of my kids doing acrobatics on the horses and then tells them to sit back down, and realize how lucky I have been in my life with the opportunities people have given me. I was a typical ranch kid who decided I wanted to be a doctor, but majored in food science/animal science because they had the same course requirements and I could use my FFA & 4-H scholarships. After inorganic chemistry 2, I decided to save some lives (I’m selfishly concerned about the ones who didn’t make this choice) and have a more enjoyable and tastier time. When they finally made me leave school (my dream of being a professional college student was dashed), I did some HACCP & pet food ingredient consulting, taught high school home ec, and did food sanitation trainings. My PhD advisor hooked me up with a dream job in an animal health company as their meat scientist which has allowed me to move as my husband moved including back to his family’s farm and my daily view of corn fields and cows with our 4 kids.

Tell us about your role and what does your “typical day” looks like.

For the last 10 years, I have helped oversee quality and safety projects on meat from animals given our products, sustainability & animal welfare efforts, consumer messaging, and work with some of the smartest and genuine people. All with the goal to answer packer, processors, retail, foodservice, & consumers’ questions, hopefully give our customers solutions to best keep animals healthy and efficient, & give the company insights on what type products or services we should be looking into.
Travel days and home days are very different (I work from home when not traveling). Home days I do laundry while on conference calls, take pictures of my cows or kids while working on power points or answering questions, trying to get myself invited to various conferences or companies, oversee homework, read books (or in some cases recite books), remind kids America Ninja Warrior Hodgen style can only occur outside or in hotel rooms, & picking up suppers for the guys & MIL out in the fields (spring & fall only).
Travel days depend on how productive my home days were, but my favorite are visiting the sites we have research trials going on.

Who is/was your biggest influencer or mentor? What did you learn from them?

We only get one? I owe so many people thanks. I’ll go with my mom who’s advice has always been correct: watch out for snakes, don’t lie or you lose trust, there will always be someone better than you so as long as you do your best, that’s all anyone can ask, do it right the first time, be helpful, depend on God.

How do you define personal success? How are you working to get there?

“Did I do God’s work today with the right attitude?”

It’s a work in progress, but thankfully HE gave us tools and people in my life who are willing to call me out on it.

How do you think a women’s role(s) in farming/ranching/agriculture has changed over the last decade?

For a lot of women in agriculture there have been positive changes this last decade, but also some negatives come along with this. I know we are supposed to focus on positives but I miss collecting drawings left on the tables after my talks so… I see fewer females bringing their kids to agriculture events and meetings or staying home altogether because they don’t have to worry about the kids behavior during the meeting or they are worried they won’t be taken seriously. Don’t make me be the only one encouraging my kids to play fort under the banquet table or draw awkward pictures of the presenter.
& for the sake of my sanity and competitive nature, quit trying to do it all. It’s okay to excel at what you are good at -supportive wife raising kids, helping when you can on your farm/ranch, agribusiness woman, rancher but for goodness sake don’t have a spotless house at the same time.

Learning from our mistakes is an important part of life. Would you mind helping others and share a mistake that you have made and what it taught you in the process?

So there is a little ice cream company who had a listeria issue with a competitor with a shared adjective in their names. I called the wrong one to ask them to come talk to a group about what they had learned in the process. So many lessons. 1. Don’t agree to set something up until you have time to review who you are talking to and why. 2. Double check always especially when your contacts are both named Jennifer 3. Take the lecture humbly, & listen carefully because they will bring up good points 4. Some mistakes- even accidental ones are very costly and take a lot of time to repair 5. Guilt over the mistake is useless- & in this case weight gaining because I tried to compensate by eating my way to forgiveness with ice cream.

How would you define “women in agriculture?”

Homo sapiens with only X chromosomes involved in some aspect of the activity of providing a food, fiber, etc product.

What in your opinion, is the most important topic in the agriculture world right now?

There are thousands of Ag products being grown & supported by hard working individuals who are trying to do the best they can with the resources available to them.

What is in your daily toolbox? Planner? Phone? Computer? Special item(s)? Why do you carry it with you?

My carryon backpack weighs more than my suitcase frequently so you can assume- correctly- that sometimes I carry everything but the kitchen sink (mainly because I don’t want to bring the dirty dishes). I like to be prepared for anything I suppose: fruit rollup shortage, camera 1 (iPhone) & 2 (go pro) dying, no flash drives or charging cables for 20 people, …

In closing, do you have any advice, quotes for young women, or anyone that is starting their career in agriculture?

It’s not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted.
Mary O’Connor

Nothing is all good or all bad. Trying to find perfection will leave you with no options.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Have fun, and watch out for snakes!

Jennie~Thank you for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions. I am lucky that our paths crossed.( I hope they cross again sooner than later.)

Here are a few more reasons that you help me Shine On:

🌟I love your attitude. It shines through all that you do.

🌟 I love your passion about beef and agriculture. I know that you are making a huge impact on our little world. 🙂

🌟I appreciate your efforts in teaching people the “truths” about where their food comes from.

🌟Your a hard worker and it shows.

🌟Your a beautiful person inside and out.

🌟Your go-get-them attitude is a great example for those of us around you.

🌟Strong women stand together when things get rough, hold each other up when they need support, and laugh together when there’s no reason to.

When I think of you, this quote comes to mind:

“The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” -Amelia Earhart

My message to you, dear friend is to keep Shining On!!

Thank you for just being YOU!~Naomi

You can find Jennie on:

Instagram -Jennie

Instagram-Cornie.The.Cob

Instagram-Beef Pros

Facebook

Twitter

Shine On Women in Agriculture Jennie Hodgen Photo Credit: Emily Grace Photography

 

 

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Agriculture Shine On Ag Uncategorized women in Ag

Shine On~ Women in Agriculture~Bailey Farrer

Shine On~ Women in Agriculture

Shine On~ Women in Agriculture~Bailey Farrer

Shine On~ Women in Agriculture: Bailey Farrer       (Photo Credit to Linde’s Livestock Photography)

 

Shine On, Shine On was the subject of a blog post that I did a while back.

Here is the link to my first Shine On, Shine On post!  I have decided that there are a lot of people that help me “Shine” and I am going to feature them on my Shine On, Shine On series.

This year I decided to start a new spin on my Shine On series and add a little more of agricultural spin. I am excited to be bringing you these interviews. My goal is to share these fine ladies stories with you all.  Help me welcome my this Shine On Lady, Bailey.

From historic homesteaders to contemporary cattle ranchers, women have been the cornerstone of America’s agriculture heritage. In fact, the 2012 Census of Agriculture notes that nearly 1 million women are working America’s lands. That is nearly a third of our nation’s farmers.  Women are also scientists, economists, foresters, veterinarians, and conservationists. Women are in the boardrooms and the corner offices of international enterprises, and are the owners and operators of small businesses. Women are property owners and managers. Women are policymakers and standard bearers. Women are involved in every aspect of agriculture.

Shine On~Women In Agriculture featuring: Bailey Farrer

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your career path.
I grew up in the small town of Royal Center, Indiana, where my family owns and operates a purebred seed stock operation for cattle and swine. I was a 10 year 4-H member and traveled across the country showing cattle and swine. I received my bachelor’s in Animal Sciences and Agricultural Economics- Farm and Agribusiness Management and Certificate of Entrepreneurship from Purdue University. After graduation, I joined Elanco Animal Health full time as a Beef Sales Rep and moved to Southern Oklahoma. After the last two years visiting with cow/calf and stocker producers, I moved to our Channel and Distribution Team working as an Account Executive for National Feed Companies for Beef, Dairy and Swine. I reside in Northeastern Oklahoma where my fiancé and I raise show calves and breeding stock as well as Australian Shepherd dogs.

Tell us about your role and what does your “typical day” looks like.
I’m not sure a “typical day” exists…but I will try! My job allows me to travel across the country and interact with marketing teams, technical consultants, feed sales reps, dealer/coop managers as well as customers of our feed additives. When I’m at home, each night consists of doing chores and checking calves. Some nights we are done early, and some nights there isn’t a thing that goes right. I enjoy that every day is so different, because that’s what keeps this job fun and pushes me to continuously learn.

Who is/was your biggest influencer or mentor? What did you learn from them?
My biggest influencers would be my parents as well as my first boss, Katie Cook. My father instilled my love for livestock and opened my eyes to the entire show industry. Without his influence, I wouldn’t have the passion for agriculture that I do, or really be involved. My mother is truly my go to for everything and understands me better than anyone. I’ve learned from her how to “do it all” and not put my values and passion in question for anything. She has an ability to manage time better than anyone I know and never forgets the little things that makes everyone’s day better. Katie Cook is a true Boss. When I moved 13 hours away from home for my first job, she was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. She’s a strong, faith based, independent leader that can and will, take over the world. On top of that, she gives the best advice with my best interest in mind. I wouldn’t be who I am, and where I’m out without the guidance of these three people.

How do you define personal success? How are you working to get there?
Personal success fluctuates day to day for me. I’m a big list maker and work to accomplish the short term goals as well as the long term goals. Success to me would be to provide value in all that I do. My favorite quote sums it up pretty well. “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’. Erma Bombeck. I believe it’s important to keep the long term goals in mind, but feel the satisfaction of accomplishing the smaller, short term goals frequently.

How do you think a women’s role(s) in farming/ranching/agriculture has changed over the last decade?
I think that women have continued to be an important staple in agriculture. I remember my Grandma Farrer teaching me how to process chickens and feed sows, chores she’s been doing since she was a little girl. I believe more women are making the decisions in their operations today, and finding their fit into the business. Regardless of what roles we have, I believe we will continue to support the improvement of our industry.

Learning from our mistakes is an important part of life. Would you mind helping others and share a mistake that you have made and what it taught you in the process?
I have a tendency to want to do it all, and be involved in everything. It’s allowed me to meet and interact with more people than I ever imagined, but I’ve also lost focus on what my priorities are at times and where my time needs to be spent.

How would you define “women in agriculture?”
“Women in Agriculture” are just as diverse as “Men in Agriculture”. We put our boots on just like men do and get those boots dirty every day. Part of work is showing up and getting the job done, and in that regard, men and women are equal in ability.

What in your opinion, is the most important topic in the agriculture world right now?
Clean food. Consumers have such a swayed opinion of where their food comes from and the process of what it takes to produce anything from farm to fork. I think we owe it to our industry to focus more on educating others and telling our story.

What is in your daily toolbox? Planner? Phone? Computer? Special item(s)? Why do you carry it with you?
I’m a mixture; I keep everything on my iPhone so that I always have what I need at my fingertips. From work schedules, to meetings, to when cows are due, my phone has everything and I couldn’t function without my calendar. With that being said, I love making to-do lists. The gratification I get from crossing things off is something that won’t ever be replaced, and is an easy way to keep track of what all needs finished.

In closing, do you have any advice, quotes for young women, or anyone that is starting their career in agriculture?
Whatever your passion is, stick to your gut and never give up. We are our own limitation to what we can accomplish. Once you know your why, “why you do what you do”, anything is possible.

 

Bailey~Thank you for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions. I am thankful that our paths crossed. I appreciate all you do.

Here are a few more reasons that you help me Shine On:

🌟You have a good attitude on everything you do. I appreciate your “GO TO IT ATTITUDE.”

🌟I also admire your fun, witty spirit. You are fun to be around.

🌟You always “brighten” up the crowd.

🌟Your a hard worker and it shows.

🌟I love that your smile is very contagious.

🌟You are going to be an amazing wife. Best wishes to you and Taylor on your upcoming marriage.

🌟You make those, myself included, feel comfortable when we are around each other.

🌟I admire your involvement in the show cattle world, in agriculture associations and your community.

🌟Strong women stand together when things get rough, hold each other up when they need support, and laugh together when there’s no reason to.

My message to you, dear friend is Shine On!!
Thank you for just being YOU!~Naomi

Categories
Agriculture friends Shine On Shine On Ag women in Ag

Shine On~ Women in Agriculture~Kay Schrock

Shine on~ Women in Ag Kay Schrock

 Shine On~ Women in Agriculture~Kay Schrock

Shine On, Shine On was the subject of a blog post that I did a while back.

Here is the link to my first Shine On, Shine On post!  I have decided that there are a lot of people that help me “Shine” and I am going to feature them on my Shine On, Shine On series.

This year I decided to start a new spin on my Shine On series and add a little more of agricultural spin. I am excited to be bringing you these interviews. My goal is to share these fine ladies stories with you all.  Help me welcome my second Shine On Lady, Kay Schrock.

From historic homesteaders to contemporary cattle ranchers, women have been the cornerstone of America’s agriculture heritage. In fact, the 2012 Census of Agriculture notes that nearly 1 million women are working America’s lands. That is nearly a third of our nation’s farmers.  Women are also scientists, economists, foresters, veterinarians, and conservationists. Women are in the boardrooms and the corner offices of international enterprises, and are the owners and operators of small businesses. Women are property owners and managers. Women are policymakers and standard bearers. Women are involved in every aspect of agriculture.

Shine On~Women In Agriculture featuring: Kay Schrock

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your career path.

I am a stay-at-home mom and wife. I am very careful what I allow in my life that takes me away from my home. As my kids get older, I am setting aside more time to write, photograph ranch life, and work on my blog. My goals are to become a better horsewoman, learn more about cattle health, and be able to help more on the ranch.

Tell us about your role and what does your “typical day” looks like.

I get up early to spend time in Bible reading and prayer. Then I make breakfast for my family, and homeschool our kids. Usually I workout for 30 minutes each day, or go for a run! Winter days are spent mostly at home in the house. In the summer, I spend a lot of time outside; riding with my husband, moving cows, checking mineral and water, etc. I also love gardening and puttering around my yard. We go to a lot of brandings in the summer as well. Usually I take my camera and get a lot of photos!
My husband is a hired hand on this ranch, but I was not hired on, so I don’t have any responsibilities on the ranch. But I do enjoy helping and learning, so I am out there when I can make it work! I do cook for the crew when they are working cattle on this end of the ranch.

Who has been (who is) your biggest influencer mentor? What have (did) you learn from them?

In photography, my biggest mentor is Chris Dickinson. He has shared his knowledge generously with me and many others. He taught me to see life through my lens with my heart. To pick out and capture what makes me go “aaahhh!”
In motherhood, one of my biggest examples has been Sally Clarkson. She shares openly the struggle of being a busy mom, and how to find rest and renewal in the midst of it all.
In ranching, I pretty much just try to be open to learn from anyone better than myself – which is nearly anyone, since I don’t know much at all!

How do you define personal success? How do you get there?

I believe success is being content and happy every day. The only way I know to get there is to live life for God instead of myself, be thankful, think of others more and myself less, and to be generous and kind to everyone. To find beauty and blessing in every day and every small thing.

How do you think women’s role(s) in farming/ranching/agriculture has changed over the last decade?

Well, I see fewer women in traditional mom/wife roles. Many women have to work in town to help support the family. Many more are starting side businesses to supplement the income. I see it becoming more acceptable for ranches to hire on women, and that is a good thing. I also see a lot of women making a fuss about being a female rancher, or wanting to be recognized as a woman who can do everything that men do. Personally, I want to be treated differently than the guys – I don’t want to lose my femininity in my quest for equality.

Learning from our mistakes is an important part of life, but sometimes rough, part of life. Would you mind helping others and share your mistake that you have made but taught you something important?

Once, I bought a pony colt without having the knowledge to train it. I eventually gave it away, and it has since been trained and sold as a kids pony. I thought watching a few dvd’s would give me the skills to train her. She was ‘just a pony’, after all. But I should have taken time to go watch and learn from a real horse trainer. Then worked my way up to where I had the skills, before trying to train a fresh colt. No one was hurt, the pony wasn’t messed up, but it was a waste of my time and money. If I want to do something right, it is worth some time and money on learning the skills.

How would you define “women in agriculture?”

I would say any woman who has a job in agriculture, or her husband works in agriculture. Ranching, farming, advocacy, etc.

What in your opinion, is the most important topic in the agriculture world right now?

Bridging the gap between organic vs. traditional food sources, and the care of animals. GMO’s, organics, pesticide usage, animal care… all things that scared consumers want to know about, but unfortunately they are often misinformed. I would like to see more quality, easy-to-understand websites and initiatives on this subject. Education is a powerful tool. If we can help consumers understand the truth, they will be more willing to buy our products.

What is in your daily toolbox? Planner? Phone? Computer? Special item(s) Why do you carry it with you?

Phone is a necessity! Calculator, calendar, camera, notes, and so much more! You can create a spreadsheet to track calving, pasture usage, or just about anything, then create a shortcut (like an app) so you can access it on your phone.
I try to carry a knife anytime I am outside. If I am horseback, I carry energy bars, chapstick and water, because it is so dry out here, and you never know how long you may be gone.

In closing, do you have any advice, quotes for young women, or anyone for that, starting their career in agriculture?

If you really want to live this life, then be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. The perfect job will not be handed to you on a silver platter. You have to prove that you can work hard, be dependable, and just be a decent human being. You may have to start out working for free on the weekends to get some experience. Be creative! Find someone you look up to and ask if you can help them. Never burn your bridges. You never know who you may need later, or who may need you. Relationships are extremely important. Be gracious, don’t gossip, be kind, be diligent. Good help is hard to find – be that good help and you can get a job anywhere.

Is there anything you would would like to add?

Never think you know it all! Never stop learning. And be careful what you put online – even private messages can be screen-shot. 🙂

Kay~Thank you for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions. I appreciate all you do. I also appreciate our few chats and your support! 

Here are a few more reasons that you help me Shine On:

🌟You have a good attitude on everything you do. I appreciate your “GO TO IT ATTITUDE.”

🌟I admire your willingness.  

🌟I admire your faith!                                                                                                                                                                                           

🌟You are a great example.

🌟Your a hard worker and it shows. 

🌟I love your western story. I love that you share it. Keep up the good work.

🌟Surround yourself with people who make you hungry for life, touch your heart, and nourish your soul.                                 

 

 
My message to you, dear friend is Shine On!!
Thank you for just being YOU!

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#NeverForget 9/11 Agriculture American

Fun Fact Friday from the Circle L~ 9/11 and Ag

I am proud to be an American!  (Photo Credit to Kelsey Sherfey)

I will never forget what I was doing on September 11, 2001!  
I was relatively newly wed.
I was a first time mom.
I was working at Double A Feeds and we had on the ABC News Channel.  They were discussing a report that had come in about a plane heading toward the World Trade Center towers in downtown Manhattan.  We watched as the first plane hit and my eyes began to fill with tears. We watched the second plane hit; and I still can not put into words what I felt.
I was overwhelmed! I remember that I prayed for our country, my family, families affected, law enforcement, emergency personal, and asked God to forgive and to protect.  
Fourteen years later, the tragedy is an event that we should never forget. We all know September 11th forever changed our country. We should use this day as an opportunity to teach our children about terrorists. Looking back on the September 11, 2001, I believe that we as an agricultural community, are much better prepared to respond to an attack now than we were then.
We should now turn our attention to the actions terrorist can take to attack farmers and our food system.
We should advocate for amendments dealing with terrorism and agriculture, and for providing more safeguard for farms and ranchers to deal with potential issues.
Consider this: more than 40 percent of our food is imported. Even though we all try to buy local food, and gardens are important to several Americans, the reality is that we rely on other countries for our food. My family enjoys fruits and vegetables from other countries in the months that we do not grow food in Nebraska. Has our food from other countries undergone the same standards as what we’ve raised on farms in the United States and Canada?
Even though we are sensitive about our national security, do we really want to rely on other countries for the majority of our food? Is our food being held hostage?  The increasing regulations, lack of understanding about today’s modern farming and constant scrutiny of American agriculture is causing more food production out of the United States and Canada. 
I believe in the USDA and the FDA; that they are protecting our food. I know they have high standards for the food entering American households. 
So on this Fun Fact Friday from the Circle L, I want to encourage you all to tell your story.  I also want to encourage any questions from consumers that do not understand where their food comes from. 
I also want you remember the men and women that fight for us everyday and for those who lost their loved ones on 9/11!
Happy Friday, dear friends!!