Working with three different extension offices this summer is allowing me to observe many empowering county projects. Today Washington County Extension held a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day.

Seeing the kids excited about Farm Safety put a huge smile on my face. Kids are craving the opportunities to learn and this is the prime age for them to absorb all of the information placed in front of them.

Green: Green for 4-H, Green for Clover Kids, Green for Clover University, and Green for Innovative, Inventive, and Energy. Green is a reoccurring theme throughout Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Amy Green, WA County Youth Coordinator, even has the last name “Green” as she holds up her hand and says 1, 2, 3, 4H to get the youth’s attention.

Today’s #FarmSafety topics covered equipment safety, disability awareness, gun and PTO safety, hand washing, stranger safety, 1st aid station, and sun, mower, and chemical safety.

Washington County invited a special guest to visit with the kids before lunch. Kaj O’Mara with KCRG weather safety and the mobile weather lab talked with the students about being weather prepared at all times.

Does this look like a typical Iowa day or what!? Haha it might be just my imagination but its very possible that Iowa’s temperature will raise from 34 to 91 degrees in one week. The kids sure had a laugh!!

After lunch the sessions continued with chemical safety. A farm scene was drawn to show chemical drift. Spraying might affect the apple trees, the barns, or even “Sally’s” bike. It is important to be aware of drift potential and the dangers posed to applicators.

The office was buzzing with excitement from morning to afternoon. The kids walked away with #Safety bags, an “All Aboard the Safety Train” t-shirt, and curious minds as they continue to learn about #FarmSafety through actions on their own family farms.

Now GO and be GREEN for #safety; 4-H style!

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Welcome to a world where I as an adult get to make messy slime and lava lamps, travel jungle explorations, and get to be a veterinarian for a day! I introduce you to #CloverU; a pre-kindergarten to 5th grade adventure.

Follow #CloverU and Picking Wild Flowers this summer to see the crazy, awesome lessons we have planned! We are still taking registrations so be sure to sign your kids up today (Johnson, Washington, or Iowa County)! I feel empowered to spike a love for agriculture and science in others.

Clover University has been inspired by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). All of the camps are designed to meet one of the topics listed. I have been busy planning away and here is what the summer has to hold:

Vet Science Camp (Grades 4 and 5)

Vet Science Camp will be filled with black lights, germ glow, banana shots, and ruminant stimulations. Kids will learn how to read/administer feed and medication labels while enjoying a fun “feed mix” snack. We might just bring in live animals to play with! 😉

Digging Deeper (Grades 2 and 3)

Digging Deeper kids will begin their day with Nature Bingo and a walk around the fair grounds/park. Camp goers can expect to test taste vegetables/seeds and to learn how plants grow. To really experience what it is like to garden; kids will plant their own sunflower to take home. Sunflowers are annual so don’t worry parents; it is only one season!

Messy Science Sensations Camp (Grades K and 1)

I had some fun in the office this week! I tested all of the experiments to make sure I was a pro! k-1st grade kids will love getting messy with slime and lava lamps! Messy Science Sensations is all about using 4 of our 5 senses (nose, touch, ears, and sight).

Kids will really dive into their imagination as they become scientists! The goal of the camp is to peak curiosity in the world around them.

Washington Camps (k-5th)

July and August I will spend some time preparing camps for Washington County. Be sure to check out the Washington County Extension and Outreach site for more information. Camps include Babysitting Education, Jungle, Bug Mania, Parachutes, and Oceans of Fun. Stay tuned for more!

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

 

 

 

Blog published on https://blogs.extension.org/womeninag/

By Morgan Ball, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag Student Assistant

This week I had an important question posed to a article I posted on Facebook that discussed “Five Smart Habits for Young Farmers.”  The question asked me to explain the importance of branding as a grain farmer.

Original article: http://www.agweb.com/article/5_smart_habits_for_young_farmers_naa_sara_schafer-naa-sara-schafer/

I decided to pander the question.

Branding is an influential aspect to any business. A brand allows you to connect to others through your operation. Focusing on building a positive reputation and connections people can relate to.

Laura Cunningham, Marketing Coordinator at Latham Seeds, expresses “A brand is the image portrayed to those around you, it raises a level of professionalism; it even recognizes how your employees represent your farm/brand.”

Developing a brand can help distinguish a difference between your lifestyle and business.

Rather we know it or not; everything and everyone has a brand. Developing and upholding a brand is completely optional but I guarantee your operation has a reputation in the community. Is that reputation a positive one? Is it recognized by your last name? Do those down at the grain bins know your truck as it pulls up? If you answered yes than that as a matter of a fact is included in your farm’s brand.

Developing a brand that you as an individual created can be challenging but ease into it by following these 5 tips.

Tip 1: Make sure to include room in your budget for marketing dollars.

Tip 2: Utilize your new brand to add value to your products (all folks in agriculture have direct or indirect products- might look a little different but doing business with others can be influenced by a positive brand).

Tip 3: Create consistency with your brand.

Tip 4: Meet your primary target market where they are- on social platforms, grain co-ops, auctions, farmer markets, etc.

Tip 5: While developing a brand think about your employees (or those who make decisions- family, business partners, etc.). What is the mission of your business? What brand will drive motivation among your employees?

I hope the 5 Important Tips of Branding were helpful! If you have any questions comment below and I would be happy to discuss the topic further!

In the mean time here are a few extra resources that might spike your interest.

Recent Webinars: https://learn.extension.org/events/tag/womeninag?type=recent

• Tune up your Farm Market Booth to Boost Sales
• Direct Marketing Meats
• Marketing your Products
• Risk Management and your Agritourism Business
• Targeting your Market Dollar
• Social Media and Email Marketing Tips to increase Farm Market Sales

This week ISU NAMA (National Agriculture Marketing Association) joined 30 other schools in Kansas City to compete against one another for the best marketed agriculture product. See https://pickingwildflowers.org/2016/03/19/april-showers-brings-nama-nationals/ for more information on the process. I am happy to say that our product BACKGROUND CHECK made it to semi-finals. I am honored to be included in such a unique opportunity.

Introduction to our product: 

Parallel Land Solutions, a small startup founded by two farmers in Ames, Iowa, is excited to introduce BACKGROUND CHECK, a map-based valuation tool. This mobile-friendly
website service draws on public data, while also allowing for the integration of user-defined crop production budgets, to estimate farmland values and cash flow projections on a field-by-field basis. Public data is drawn from the USDA’s NRCS and NASS, NASA, and Dayment. In less than five minutes, a field-specific ROI and cash flow report is generated. These reports also include crop history, soil, aerial, topographical, and flood hazard maps.

Snap shot of nationals:

The week began Sunday with the 2016 NAMA Banquet.

2015/16 Officers

Just check out our matching outfits! We were styling in Kansas City!

We received top 10 Annual Report

Making it to Semi-Finals!

Patiently awaiting the awards ceremony!

We might not have made it to the finals but I am very proud of all the hard work ISU NAMA put in throughout the year! We received many other awards that show our dedication to achieving success not only through the marketing team but through our NAMA Club; including the Outstanding Student Chapter and the Student Award. This was my first year being on the Marketing Team and it was a huge learning curve for me! I am looking forward to seeing what my senior year in NAMA brings!

Brought to you by the World Food Prize Foundation, Oxfam America, and Foods Resource Bank 
Tuesday I found myself heading to Des Moines with two lovely ladies who kindly invited me to join them at the World Food Prize Foundation Building in celebration of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug’s 102nd birthday and International Women’s Day.

With networking on our minds; we stopped to say hello to many. Gathering faces I recognized like Cathann Kress, Dean Wintersteen, Senator Joni Ernst, and Ambassador Quinn. Feeling nervous to approach but being comfortable observing from the sidelines; I took my seat to settle in as the keynote began.

 

Here is an article I wrote for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Agriculture Program and the Women in Ag Learning Network

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag/%E2%80%9Cyou-cannot-create-peaceful-world-empty-stomachs%E2%80%9D-dr-norman-borlaug

https://blogs.extension.org/womeninag/2016/04/01/you-cannot-create-a-peaceful-world-on-empty-stomachs-dr-norman-borlaug/

Article:

Tuesday, March 29^th at 6:00 pm; the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag staff set out to the World Food Prize Foundation Building in celebration of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug’s 102nd birthday and International Women’s Day. It was very encouraging to see a record attendance of more than 300 with many new and familiar faces. All bringing a unique perspective and connection to the topic.

Once seated we heard from keynote speaker, Senator Joni Ernst. “There are not many industries in Iowa that are not touched by Iowa agriculture,” said Ernst. Joni Ernst grew up in Red Oak, Iowa where she lived on a small farming operation with her family. After coming to Iowa State University; Joni spent some time internationally in Ukraine with a family who farmed tomatoes. They had no running water and just one bike for transportation. Once returning to Iowa; Joni wanted to give back to America. A country that she was proud of! Joining the US Military; Joni began her career path.

Senator Joni Ernst is a strong believer in empowering and inspiring women both in America and overseas. “There are four pillars that I live by,” stated Ernst, “The first is assuming risk, the second is showing leadership, third is extending service, and the final is reflecting gratitude.”

Women comprise 43 percent of the agricultural labor force in developing countries. According to the FAO, 70 percent of employed women in Southern Asia and 60% in sub-Saharan Africa work in agriculture. Agriculture is no foreign topic to women all over the world! But, there are a few factors that are limiting women from reaching full potential. In developing countries it is almost impossible for women to own and rent acres. Women feel the burdens of feeding their families on just a small patch of land. If women had the same access to resources as men, they could increase farm yields by 20-30 percent. It has shown that women spend their additional incomes on food, clothing, and education for their children. Closing the gender gap would greatly improve food security.

For the last half of the program we had the opportunity to hear from featured speaker, Olga Tumax. Olga farms and leads 800 women in Guatemala. “In 1999, I began focusing on women and looking into ways we can help one another,” Olga tells us, “I wanted access to land even if it was not in my name; I went to my husband and asked how many square meters of land he would give me.” She is the mother of seven children and through her empowerment was able to send all seven to high school; most children in Guatemala only complete third grade. “We were the first group in the community to build greenhouses. Men told us that we could not do it, but we proved them wrong and now run a sustainable operation. We are hoping to increase our markets,” said Olga. Olga is a powerful women who faces many difficulties. Some in which we take for granted in America with resources readily available. Difficulties including: water shortages, threats, limited access to resources (land, loans, machinery), and gender inequality. “We want to be like Ester in the bible and fight for our rights,” claimed Olga.

Olga excels in all four of Joni Ernst’s pillars. She has assumed risk, shown leadership, extended service, and is very full of gratitude.

Seeing that women reinvest 90% of their income back into the family makes it clear that if we want food security we need to work with women. Success in Agriculture relies on a collaboration effort.

Source: http://www.fao.org/gender/genderhome/gender-why/key-facts/

 

 

 

 

What is NAMA???? National Agriculture Marketing Association and something that has brought a lot of joy and value into my college experience. The mission: Iowa State NAMA educates students first-hand on the real-world principles of marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship within agriculture and the food system. NAMA is both a student and professional organization. Through the student organization I have opportunities to enhance my marketing/communication skills as well as network with both students and professionals.  One opportunity that leads to both education and networking is the NAMA Marketing Team. I have had the privilege to work with an amazing group of ISU students to design and implement a marketing strategy for a land evaluation tool. I can’t give to much away until after Nationals ;). Marketing team began in August and has been in working progress until this point. We are now working to finalize our design materials and presentation. So what goes into a marketing strategy!?

The first step; picking a product.  A product that is unique, eye catching, diverse, and has potential in a specific market. Next secondary and primary research was conducted. This was both challenging and rewarding as we embarked on exploring a product that we did not create but had to learn everything about to allow us to market. The rest of the semester was allocated to drafting the market summary.

Market Summary: marketing strategy, analysis, segment, yearly goals, competitor profile, SWOT Analysis strengths, weakness, opportunity, and threats), key planning assumptions, action plan, launch, push and pull strategies, financial analysis, and monitoring/measuring.

Second semester has been spent designing materials and creating a pitch to present during the 2016 NAMA Nationals. The Marketing Team is excited for this opportunity and we are looking forward to networking with marketing professionals throughout the agriculture industry.

Checkout what the NAMA Club has been up to outside of class during the 2015/16 school year.

 

Last week when my dad called; I knew there was something he wasn’t sharing. His voice just didn’t seem quite right. Soon he broke the silence by beginning the discussion with… “you know that big wind that came through last week?” “Well, it took down the old corn crib.” My dad knew sorrow would soon be creeping into my thoughts. I couldn’t believe one of the barns that I loved so much could just fall down. Now, if you look at the sides the barn; it wasn’t in the best of shape to begin with but this is a sign (like many things on our farm) that our homestead is really 103 years old! My dad being more practical than I am; declared that it was just a matter of time and we really didn’t use it anyways. To me the barn is a sign of the past. Representing where we came from but with age the farm has seen its days.

I think I am trying to hold on to the memory of the thriving farm that it once was, but my dad helped put into perspective that to create a working and sustainable operation; we need sturdy buildings. Being in college has taught me to be strong in times of hardship. I can feel myself maturing. I am beginning to realize that it is the memories I hold onto and not the physical things after all. I have had an emotional heart over the past few weeks; having seen Josie in her aging state and the barn “Blow’n down!” But I am strong and can see a thriving farm operation in my future. This is just one step in pushing me towards that direction!

 

Josie’s Eyes

I wanted to write a post but pictures do more justice. I am very blessed to have had this opportunity to intern with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Last May I began this adventure and would not change a single moment. I have grown in knowledge, independence, and passion. I am excited to see what the future has to hold and I am looking forward to the rest of my time as the Leadership Development Intern.

 

I am a blog contributor of the Women in Ag Learning Network and this is the post I recently published. I too am a Farmer in Training. 

I remember helping my dad bottle feed the calves when I was 9 years old. Little did I know that it would lead to a career in agriculture. I think many of us go on about our days without taking a moment to count our blessings for all the times we were “farmers in training.” Even playing soccer in high school was a real factor in becoming a farmer. Think of it this way, would I have the determination and put in the effort I do without learning those skills through both winning and losing?

Sara Shepherd’s story is no different, except for the fact that she treasured each and every “farmer in training” lesson she was offered.

In 2012 Sara’s dad was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “I spent the year managing my dad’s farming operation-following step by step instructions he had given me during our farm lessons,” said Sara. Through Annie’s Project, many conversations with her dad, and careful planning, Sara jumped from full time employee to full time self-employed marketing consultant and farmer.

Sara credits early career experiences to her smooth but challenging transition. She was involved in 4-H, FFA, and the Iowa and American Junior Charolais Cattle Associations. Soon after graduating high school, Sara enrolled at Waldorf College in North Central Iowa where she majored in business, finance, and management information systems.

Sara was employed as a Chamber of Commerce Executive Director post-college working in an urban setting with economic development. It was important to Sara to help create strong rural communities with well-developed school systems and successful people.

Sara also worked for the European Potato Board after graduating from North Central. “I realized they work to promote, educate, and grow their agriculture base just like we do for corn, soybeans, beef, and pork. “We’re all really not that different,” said Sara. She began to think of new ways to utilize the experiences from her past to benefit her present and future.

“Doing chores and checking cows as I waited for them to calve really opened my eyes to how much I enjoyed farming, and the possibility that I could do this in the future,” said Sara. She began to discuss with her dad the possibilities of building a farm operation.

Through her prior experience, Sara was able to form a circle of experts and friends she could count on for help. Farming soon became her full time job with free-lance marketing on the side.

As Sara was creating her business plan, she decided to sell bull semen and direct market meat to her local community as a way to add value to her operation. Her prior marketing experience has been very valuable in marketing her bull’s semen. This year she has increased her bulls to 10!

It was important to Sara to really listening to the conversations she had with her dad during their farming lessons. She is utilizing and taking advantage of all the prior experience she has had during her time as a “farmer in training.”