Education

More than 11,000 FFA advisors and agriculture teachers deliver an integrated model of agricultural education providing students with innovative and leading-edge education, enabling them to grow into competent leaders.


•92% offer agriscience; 71% offer advanced agriscience and biotechnology; 59% offer agricultural mechanics; 49% offer horticulture; 43% offer animal science; and 24% offer environment-related

•In 2001, 59% of qualified agricultural education graduates pursued teaching, 35 agriculture programs closed due to lack of qualified teachers and 365 agriculture teachers teach in more than one school

•23% of teachers have five or fewer years of teaching experience

•The shortage of qualified agriculture teachers is the greatest challenge facing FFA and agricultural education.
 
Thease statics which a drew directs from the National FFA Websites, are recently updated. Ag teachers, ar hard to find, so think twice about you job path and see where it leads you! Step up and Stand OUT!

PALS

PALS mentors teach young students about the science and business of agriculture. They also serve as positive role models, helping their mentees learn to set goals, and build positive self-esteem.


Yesterday, I spent about an hour and a half with my “PAL” Austin. We started off the year shy, quiet and would barely look at me. Austin is your typical 2nd grader, loves sports, hates math and his favorite class is lunch. What I didn’t know about Austin until yesterday, is his excitement for agriculture.

Mallarie (our chapter president) brought 2 baby calves and one cow to the school where our PAL program is. As lightning struck and thundered growled, we didn’t think we would be able to take 2 classes of 35 kids each outside to see a livestock. For some this would be there first time seeing a cow and calves others, this was just another awesome learning experience to go home and tell their parents. Slowly, the frivolous weather came to a halt, and we grabbed the kids and headed outside. Austin grabbed my hand and was pulling me outside with a grin on his face. That is when I realized how excited he was.

Once everyone was outside the kids ooo’ed and awed at what they saw, felt, smelled, and experienced. As our last PALS day came to an end I couldn’t help but feel sad to see my new friend Austin, become a 3rd grader. But what I do know is that we taught them a lot, and but mouth they will teach others. That is why we need to educate the public on agriculture! No age is too young or too old to learn.

Encouter with the storms!

Last night in my neck of the woods, farmers, where scurrying around doing there best to finish up plowing and planting. As the clouds over head started to tumble as my brother and I watched, I saw 3 tractors speed by down the road heading back home to take cover. While taking pictures I sort of felt like a storm chaser not gunna lie, but when I saw the deer along the fence row start to run I knew I better head inside. About the time we started to walk back a huge gust of wind blew me over! My brother and I hi-tailed it inside our house and watched the storm move faster. With the windows all open in the house I smelt the rain start pounding our house.

This morning as I walked outside to do chores I notice 3  tractors sitting at the edge of the field. Dear everyone, please take cover when it storms! Tornadoes cause an average of 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries in the U.S. each year. Lightning occurs in all thunderstorms; each year lightning strikes the United States 25 million times. Is the #1 cause of deaths associated with thunderstorms...more than 140 fatalities each year. Causes more than $1 billion in damage to property and crops each year.

Wild Horses

They where the first to discovery land out west, hitting the ground running with and appetite for adventure. Many say that the first pioneers where humans and technically Adam and Eve where, but before them was animals that God created two by two. They where the first pioneers, many wild horses today are not protected. They are very important part of agriculture.

Free-Roaming             Number of
State        Wild Horse Population   Wild Horse Adoptions

Arizona                275                   217
California           3,492                   623
Colorado               943                   309
Idaho                  669                   156
Montana                189                   114
Nevada              24,321                    39
New Mexico              70                   483
Oregon               2,635                   329
Utah                 3,420                   257
Wyoming              7,615                   438 

This was a statistic taken in 2000, think about the numbers now in 2011. 

http://wildhorsepreservation.com/

Let's protect the unprotected! 

another experience

I haven't worked with cattle long and I have only shown in two shows. So far I love it! The very first time I worked with leading around my heifer, things didn't go well. I was drug across the ground and then lost her. As she was going in circles trying to get free, I had fallen and she almost stepped on my head since she was jumping around.  Then I had to hold onto my steer while my cow guy chased after the heifer. He was spooked and I was stressed and then he jumped over a pile of hay and took me into the straw too. Luckily I didn't let him go. I definitely learned from that and I know to never let a calf step on your foot as your walking it because all it does it cause chaos! To this day I still have a scar from the burn that I got from the halter. When I look at it, it reminds me to always be prepared and to show them who is the boss! ha ha  I am sure that I will encounter many more things as I continue to work with cattle!

Their Experiences...

• My daughter was walking two herself (heifer and steer) on Sunday as dad was too tired to walk the difficult one and we were just about in the home stretch when the heifer got spooked by something and daugher got pushed to the ground by the steer and then ankle stepped on.  She can walk on it but was very sore in softball today. Think she will be okay but you can definately see a hoof print in her ankle.  Mayo clinic is a awesome place.

• I can remember like it was yesterday, when i was 9 years old, my dad stuck me running a grain cart for the first time. Being so young it took all my might to press in the clutch. The first day went relatively smooth, unloading on the truck sure was a hassle, but i got the job done. The second day on the other hand, i wasnt so lucky, with a full load on the cart i went in to unload on the truck, all that weight and my lack of strength on the clutch, i plowed straight into the side of the semi trailer, putting a huge hole in the side and spilling about 200 bushels of wheat already loaded on the truck. My luck returned though in the form of my mom being on the combine with my dad. Needless to say his angry wrath was weakened a bit when my mom reminded him that he was the one that stuck me on the tractor at 9 years old.

• I had a not so fun experience last May while on a ladder on the feed bin at the hog house. Something I had done a few thousand times, but when I was almost to the top, grabbed the next rung, and there was a yellow jackets next on the back. I fell about 15 feet. I was lucky as the only thing I did was rupture all the ligaments and tendons in and around the ankle, but it could have been worse. I am still getting to go to therapy, but when its all done, it will be right at a year I have been in a brace or worse. Not the best experience, but I am blessed it wasn't worse.

We are those tuff kind of people...most important lesson learned it be careful around livestock. No matter where you are...the fair, a show, at a friends house or even your own house. Be cautious! 

Well...

This was an amazing weekend, sorta...

• Saturday was "Plow Day" where farmers, lovers of antique tractors bring there tractors and spend the day plowing up a huge field on State Road 15. I was blessed to see people pulling over off the road and experiencing this amazing task taking place. With camera in hand I ran out about 300 yard sand started taking pictures realizing that my 4H story for photography would be all about tractors and how amazing they are. With amazement in my eye I quickly took a challenge from a man that goes by Larry Polk. He owns a large company with tractor equipment that sell all over the united states. And there with my hands covering the wheel and my foot slowly letting the clutch up I plowed my very first row! A task I always wanted to exceed and guess what?? I did! 
• Sunday!! Was mothers day and I couldn't be more over joyed to have my mother, I hope you got to spend time with your mothers!!

Another event took place this weekend a senior at my high school hung himself. I never knew him but I hear about how amazing of a person he was. I have been affected by someone close to myself that hung themself. It gunna be a hard day but all I can do it pray for the family. Have a great day :) 

Farm Safety

I'v been working with show cattle for over 30 years.  The first weekend in April I was helping one of our kids with their heifer in the wash rack to get all the winter grime off.  This heifer had been shown last year at State Fair and our Beef Expo.  In fact Bodie won the Junior Showmanship with her at Expo.

 I reached underneath to "pull off one more mud ball" with a scotch comb.  She took offense and kicked me in the side of the knee and dropped me.  Went to the emergency room at Mayo the next day.  Had a fractured Tibia and a crater in the Tibial Plato in the knee joint.  They did surgery a few days later and spent a couple days in the hospital.  Now after a month of being at home I finally got to drive this weekend and go back to work buying fat cattle.  I will still be on crutches and a brace till the 4th of July.

So it can happen to anybody with any animal.  One less swipe of the scotch comb when I knew the heifer was getting tired would have saved us three months of grief.  On the upside I'm glad it was me and not one of the kids.  Also after being wheeled around the Mayo Clinic for a while, you realize there is a lot of very sick people there and I was fortunate to only be a little busted up.  Nothing life threatening.

Always be careful and if your calf seems to be getting tired and impatient, put them away for the day.  There is always tomorrow!

This is a story supplied by a man named Ron. 120,000 farm workers are injured, with up to 1,300 of the injuries being fatal. Most farm related injuries are with tractors, but I don't think people realize just how dangerous livestock can be too. So be safe and keep doin' what you love!

DUCKS !?!

Currently there are ducklings residing in our Ag Room at the high school! I love ducks, they are amazing and my dad won't let me have any but that doesn't mean I can't learn about them. Here are some quick interesting facts about ducks!!

• Ducks live in both fresh and salt water!
• They weigh around 8 pounds and are 16 - 20 inches in length.
• Life span is 2 to 20 years
• Males are called Drakes 
• Females are Duck

Hope you learned your ag fact for the day!!