Farm

Good Morning Picking Wild Flowers! I have been neglecting my blog lately, but I am back and ready to pick up where I left off! I am in the midst of my last semester at Iowa State University and the reality is beginning to set in. I am enjoying my last few communication classes and electives as I wrap up my senior year. Soccer and floral design are by far my favorite classes! I am excited to bring you posts each week recapping the arrangements I make in class! Be on the look out for flowers, flowers, and more flowers! AHHHHHHH

Last week I headed back home to participate in a variety of fun family activities! Friday, Tyler and I started our weekend by hanging out with a few of his friends. We enjoyed great appetizers and company! Have you ever heard of a game called 5 crowns? Me either!! At least I think that was what it was called haha! But any-who it was fun and you should try it!!

Saturday morning Dad, Michael, Tyler and I headed to Sigourney to an annual bull and bred heifer/cow sale. Dad was on a mission to buy a bull and couple heifers to add to our herd. I am overjoyed that it worked in my schedule to join him on the road trip.

We brought home these two lovely bred Angus heifers. Both ladies will be on Dad’s radar as they are due in the beginning of March!! Babies, Babies, and more Babies!! All of our cows should be calving around March and April. We now have 25 cows! Say What!?!? We are continuing to grow out herd, but how do you add quantity without loosing quality?

Before Saturday, we printed off the sale order and highlighted the ones we wanted to pay close attention to on sale day.

For our particular farm, we are looking for good structured heifers that are sound (strong walking pattern) in their path. We also are looking to add the bloodline Angus to our herd. This helped to narrow down our search.

I have had more practice picking out heifers and therefore that is what I am focusing on in this blog, but remember picking out a bull has similar steps.

Make sure to have a budget in mind when participating in the auction. Dad and I talked about how much we wanted to spend before we even left the house on Saturday morning.

Bid for the beautiful heifer with all the qualities you desire adding to the herd. I am proud to announce that our herd has grown by two!

The weekend fun did not end there! My uncle turned 50 last week and he had a surprise birthday party on Saturday night!! Mom, Steve, Michael, Ty, and I had so much fun helping him celebrate! Check out this awesome cake!

Sunday was a great day too, but more on that another time :)! I am excited to be connecting with all of you and I can’t wait to share more posts related to flowers and agriculture!

XOXO

Morgan

This weekend was for sure a busy one! It had been a month since I was last home and making the rounds was certainly needed. Friday night Mom made a delicious stir fry that warmed me inside and out. Once our bellies were full Michael, Tyler and I explored Scream Acres in Atkins. It was a perfect combination of festive and spooky fun.

Saturday morning’s sun appeared way to fast but I jumped out of bed and headed to Dads to meet the vet. Every Fall we conduct palpate pregnancy examinations to determine our cow’s due dates.

To be a sustainable and viable cattle operation we occasionally need to make difficult decisions regarding the cows. This year we are going to sell one cow because she appeared open during our examinations. As we continue to grow our goal is to only keep the best genes in our herd.

We are currently managing 22 cows and in the next few years our plan is to grow to 30. We corralled the cows into a round pen to be filed one at a time into the chute. Once in the chute the cows received vaccinations and pregnancy exams. The vaccinations will keep them healthy throughout the winter and spring months.

I enjoyed spending time on the farm and I am looking forward to coming back to help manage the cow herd in May. Once the job was complete we headed into town to buy supplies for our annual hay rack ride.

I enjoyed catching up with great friends this weekend! Shout out to Morgan C and Kassie!! It was great to see you ladies 🙂

Until next time!! Have a great day Picking Wild Flowers!

Good Morning Picking Wild Flowers and Welcome Back! 

This weeks marks my first appearance at the Farm Progress Show. I was thrilled to be part of such an empowering event! This morning I am sitting here sipping my coffee and meditating over what took place this week!

I have had the privilege to work with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Agriculture for going on three years. This Summer Lisa, WIA Communications Specialist, was hard at work interviewing and capturing the story of 8 amazing #WomeninAg. During the Farm Progress Show I had opportunity to connect with the women. I have never met 8 women more deserving of this award. The Impacting the Land recognition was about finding women that made great contributions to managing and protecting their land.

I made a lot of memories at the 2016 Farm Progress Show. Working in the Iowa State University Tent really opened my eyes to future possibilities. I am excited to enter such an amazing industry. Farmers are some of the most humble and hard working people I know. I could feel the passion radiating off each individual as they shared their own story. This week was particularly special because my dad was able to join me at the show.

I was able to walk around with Dad and Bruce for a little while before heading off to my Beef Science Lab. The FPS is a great place to get ideas and motivation. I loved seeing all of the innovation and excitement! There are a lot of great things taking place in agriculture.

One thing I question is the absence of livestock farming at the FPS. I advocate that we bring in livestock producers; trailer companies, hoop buildings, feeding systems, etc. Being a cattle farmer; I was looking for ways to improve our own herd. Crop farming ties in with livestock production, but it may be beneficial to have both! 🙂

Besides that small rant, I could not have asked for a better FPS! It is in a lovely location and the staff are very dedicated to producing a beautiful agriculture show!

Impacting the Land, Julie Walters, said “Morgan you have the whole world in front of you, don’t let anyone tell you that women can’t farm.” 

Happy Friday Picking Wild Flowers! This week I was a diver by day and a fair goer by night. I have really loved working for extension this summer. I can see myself very happy in an extension profession.

The #CloverU theme; Oceans of Fun, had me searching for ways it was connected to agriculture- agriculture is about curiosity and passion. Then Ryker asked me, “why do you always wear a clover on your shirt to camps?” It hit me hard; I wear the clover because it holds a lot of empowerment in such a simple shape. I represent the clover through my actions, and I can say I am proud to demonstrate Head, Heart, Hand, and Health by the coordination of STEM camps this summer.

I am no longer a 4-Her but I am striving to be a mentor and role model to those who are and to the kids I interact with. Attending the Johnson County fair this week brought back a lot of great memories. The photo below popped up on my news feed. It is not the trophies and the ribbons that will last a life time but it is the sweat, tears, pictures and people that truly made the fair feel like a family.

I see many connections between STEM and 4-H. Both create learning, curiosity, and life lessons.

“Oceans of Fun”was a very creative camp. The youth explored ocean creatures, types of water, depths of the sea, and pollution.

All of the campers enjoyed creating stuffed fish. “Did you know, fish have slime on them to protect their scales and that is why they don’t get wrinkly like we do,” one camper commented; just about melted by heart!!

I had a wonderful week fishing for ocean creatures in Washington and reminiscing about my good O’l days showing at the Johnson County Fair.

Check out how cute this fish bowl is! Stay tuned, I may write a summer snack post 😉

Good Morning Picking Wild Flowers!

Today is “my” Friday as I finish up evaluations and press releases before driving down to Missouri for a beautiful wedding ceremony.

Wow Lots to do before we take off at 1:30 PM! Are you having that kind of summer too!? One where it feels like time is flying??

To Do List:

1. Finish blog post (A passion of mine) 🙂
2. Pack!!!!
3. Go for a quick run- Need to get those steps in before a riding in a car for 5 hours 😉
4. Laundry
5. Check cows

But back to the reason that brought you here!

A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes

This week the kids kept me on my toes! Campers enjoyed the story, “Paulo’s Parachute Mission,” where they learned that engineers design parachutes for spaceships; connecting the art of designing to purposeful invention. Youth had the opportunity to explore their five senses, play with a giant parachute and build group/individual parachutes that we launched from the top of the slide.

Above: Abby and Keaton built a parachute with three different suspension lengths. They were able to design a replicate of their sheets with coffee filters, string, and a bull clip.

Working with our awesome volunteers is one great part of coordinating day camps! Katie encouraged the girls to follow the directions as they created three parachutes with different canopy sizes. It has been rewarding to see the County Council interact with the campers.

 Hailey tested her parachute before walking down to the park to release and time.

We had a little bit of a weather scare yesterday. The kids really impressed me as they gathered their bags and lined up at the door. They were calm and collected as we headed to the conservation center.

Lets hope the rest of our camps have sunny and cool temperatures but if not I know we have a great group of kids in Washington County that can handle it! 🙂

Good luck with the fair Washington County- Stay tuned for the last two weeks of Day Camps. #CloverU

30 Washington County campers explored insects, habitats, and all things bug related at the 2016 Bug Mania Day Camp. To be honest; this was one topic I felt a little queasy about. I am not a fan of bugs, insects, or anything that could be considered a “pest,” but these kids really made me feel like I jumped to judge the topic. At the end of the day; this was one of my favorite camps to teach.

Mya was working on creating her own bug from three different head, thorax, and abdomen choices. The campers could be creative and imaginative as they cut and glued the pieces. I learned that the abdomen can include up to ten segments. The kids were surprised to hear this as well. As you can see on Mya’s sheet; she has a couple pieces that have six to eight segments.

The day consisted of many art projects including large group habitats, coffee filter butterflies, insect hats, and finger puppets.

Mariah holds up her insects as she prepares to adventure into a imaginative story plot line for her puppets.

I would say my favorite part of Bug Mania was the variety. The campers had the opportunity to enjoy insect puzzles, BINGO, Bug Hunts, and relay races. I had a great time mingling with the kids and learning all about their adventures with lady bugs, lighting bugs, and caterpillars. Each student had a story to share and it was fun to see them exploring nature on such a beautiful day.

Ask your child what they learned! I learned that grasshoppers have the strongest legs of all insects. Thanks Sam! 😉

This was my last week with Region 15 Clover University. We wrapped up Iowa, Johnson, and Washington #CloverU camps with Messy Science Sensations.

62 pre-kindergarten to first grade campers explored slime, bubbling lava lamps, alka seltzer, food coloring dispersed in milk, and elephant tooth paste.

What is elephant tooth paste you ask!?

Peroxide, food coloring, hot water, dish soap, and yeast. Adding the yeast last creates the peroxide to rise and pour out the top in a “toothpaste” like manner. The kids loved this experiment. One asked if he could try brushing his teeth with it. 😉

Let me tell you! 62 five year old campers have loads and loads of energy. If only I was a kid again…

Oh trust me… I got my fair share of experiments and fun in this week. Here is my marshmallow tower that I built in Iowa County (reminiscing on the good ol’days when I was at camp haha).

I asked the kids at the end of the day if they liked science and if they could see it as something they continued to explore. Many of the campers agreed they have a love for discovery.

Where is that point in our lives when we get to busy to experiment with our curiosity. Where does it transition from fun to work?

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) based curriculum encourages students to be open minded as they enter all levels of school. Making it more fun and interesting to all ages.  I have seen the goals of STEM in action and I am completely on board with the missions of 4-H and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

I have enjoyed getting to work with all three counties. I have a lot of respect for those who work with students. Each camper has a unique personality and background that they bring to the day camps. It is rewarding to watch an idea click and to see learning take place.

Starting next week I will begin Washington Summer Day Camps. Be sure to stay tuned for Bug Mania, Parachute, Oceans Deep, and Babysitting updates.

This week’s #CloverU Camp was right up my ally! It really tested my teaching abilities as I dug into plant science with second and third graders. Horticulture is my area of interest within my major at Iowa State University. Reading, studying, and testing over the topic was a piece of cake compare to explaining it in a way that would make sense to those who have never heard of the terms: germinate, embryo, and photosynthesis.

I can feel myself growing from a seed to a sunflower with each opportunity I am granted as I express my passion for agriculture. The campers might be exploring the topic but I am learning just as much from them as they are from me!

This summer has really heighted my love for agriculture. Getting kids outside and exploring nature this week is just what we need in a world surrounded by technology. Unplugging and really “Digging Deep” into a topic that feeds, clothes, and provides for us.

One of my campers at Iowa County brought this plant up to me and asked why the corn was blue. It gave me an opportunity to explain why seeds are often pretreated and how it helps to decrease the amount of chemicals applied to the soil. It also gave me a chance to explain where the roots and shoots begin to grow from the seed.

Speaking of seed growth- can you find the embryo, cotyledon, and seed coat? #CloverU Campers can now point and explain all three to you!

Embryo: Beginning of a new plant.

Cotyledon: Provides food for the embryo.

Seed Coat: Protects the seed.

Next week is Messy Science Sensations. Stay tuned for more. Have a great weekend! 🙂

This week’s #CloverU theme had me thinking about the antibiotic misconceptions in today’s food industry. Vet Science  Camp was conducted in Johnson, Iowa, and Washington Counties. Both farm and city kids participated in the day camp. #CloverU is open to everyone who has an interest in learning about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

41 campers studied the signs of stress and illness, what to do in situations of panic, and how to properly handle an animal. We began the camp by comparing the stomach of a human to a ruminant. Did you know cows have 4 chambers and that is why they can graze grass and humans can’t? (I am still in my teaching mode haha).

Looking at the difference between intramuscular and subcutaneous injecions; the kids gave blue food coloring shots to bananas.

After learning how to give injections to an animal; the campers looked at labels and discovered the importance of dosage, expirations, and uses. Lilly looked at her bottle and asked me, “what is a withdraw period?”

I asked Lilly, “when you take medicine at home do you have to wait a few hours before the Tylenol is out of your system to take it again?” She of answered yes and asked it if was similar in animals. “Do the antibiotics leave their systems too?”

A withdraw period is the length of time the farmer has to wait after giving a medication to an animal before taking it to market. Animals have to be cleared of antibiotics before being butchered due to the risk it proposes to humans.

Records are an important part of this process as they are required by sale barns.

The campers wanted to see how the medication leaves our systems over time so we did an experiment to demonstrate this principal. Katie is holding a test tube filled with sodium Hydroxide. I added a pH test solution to her tube which turned the liquid pink. The kids each took turns taking part of the solution from the person’s tube in front of them.

The antibiotic residue leaves the body until it is completely out of the system. Our bodies use it up until we have utilized it all.

After being a veterinarian in training; the kids were ready to play with real animals! We asked the 4-Hers to share with the campers how to care for the animals, signs of stress, and how to handle the rabbit properly.

Stay tuned for more on #CloverU. Have a great weekend and remember to make your own decisions when it comes to our food system. Farmers care!