OFI 099: 2015 Aggie Awards | Happy New Years Episode

Here are the questions from our 2015 Aggie Awards Survey.  Thank you all for participating!

1. Fruit Of The Year

Red Delicious Apple - It's All In The Name

Tomato - Because Everyone Always Says "What About The Tomato?"

Apricot - Why Not The Apricot?

2. Sheep Of The Year

Merino - "Oh, Your Wool Is So Soft"

Suffolk - "Take Me To The Fair!"

Katadhin - "Let Of Lamb Anyone?"

Other (please specify)

3. Horse Of The Year

Mustang - "Wild And Free, Like I'll Always Be"

Percheron - "Hands Please, More Hands"

American Thoroughbred - "2015 Triple Crown Winner, Need I Say More?"

4. Pig Of The Year

Duroc - "Brown Is Beautiful!"

Hereford - "I Like My Farm Animals To Match"

Yorkshire - "I Like My Pigs Like My Pudding"

5. Vegetable Of The Year

Carrot - "Orange You Going To Vote For Me?"

Okra - "If It's Not Deep Fried, It's Not Food"

Cucumber - "Trying To Answer This Question Is A Pickle"

6. Goat Of The Year

Pygmy - "People Or Goats, I Love You All!"

La Mancha - "You Are Making My Ears Look Big"

Boer - "Grow Em Big, Grow Em Strong"

7. Grain Of The Year

Rice - "Two Words: 'Kris' & 'Pies'"

Corn - "On The Cob, Butter, Salt, Ummmm"

Oats - "Meal, Bran, Cookies!"

8. Rabbit Of The Year

Alaska - "The Last Frontier Of Rabbits"

American Fuzzy Lop - "Well, Just Because It's A Fuzzy Lop"

Vienna - "Because Of It's Beautiful Singing While It Rows My Boat"

9. Beef Cow Of The Year

Beefmaster - "It's All In The Name"

Hereford - "What Do You Want?  Horned?  Polled?"

Angus - "We Have Cool Commercials, Televisions Shows......"

10. Dairy Cow Of The Year

Jersey - "Jersey Shore, Ever Heard Of It?"

Holstein - "You Look Like a Black & White Map Of The World"

Brown Swiss - "Ever Heard Of Swiss Chocolate?"

LISTEN TO US ON SATELLITE RADIO!

WE ARE CONTRIBUTORS TO "FFA TODAY" ON RURAL RADIO SIRIUS XM CHANNEL 147! "FFA Today" airs on Rural Radio Sirius XM Channel 147 Saturdays at 7:30 AM Eastern and Sundays at 6:30 PM Eastern.

Please let RURAL RADIO know that you like hearing us on their channel! Here is how to contact them and leave feedback:

Email: [email protected]

Website: RuralRadio147.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RURALRADIO147

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OFI 098: Producing Meat Chickens | FFA SAE Edition | Ethan Quackenboss | Campbellsport High School FFA

HOW NOTES:

Off Farm Income's Website: www.offincome.com

INTRODUCING ETHAN QUACKENBOSS!

Ethan comes to us from Wisconsin this week.  He attends Campbellsport High School in Campbellsport, Wisconsin.  He is participating in two SAE projects - placement on an 80 cow dairy and entrepreneurship raising his own broiler chickens.  

I found Ethan when he was profiled in an article written by a publication called Agri-View.  You can see the article here.  Ethan hopes to start his own custom harvesting business in the future and he is currently growing his broiler business.

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Dairy Placement and Raising/Selling Chicken Broilers

HIGH SCHOOL: Campbellsport High School

MASCOT: Cougars

FFA ADVISOR: Mr. Kirk Kramp

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ETHAN QUACKENBOSS:

Click on the picture below to be taken to the Campbellsport High School website:

Ethan's FFA Advisors' Email Addresses: [email protected]

Quackenboss Poultry Farms Facebook Page

Campbellsport High School's Telephone Number: 920-533-4811

FFA LINKS:

National FFA Organization

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's)

Support FFA 

Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000.  In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants.  With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward.

REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA:

Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world.  FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food.

Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation.  The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth.

Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store:

"Because American farmers are able to provide for so many of us, they give more and more of us the freedom to pursue goals and livelihoods beyond growing the food we need to survive."

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack 

LISTEN TO US ON SATELLITE RADIO!

WE ARE CONTRIBUTORS TO "FFA TODAY" ON RURAL RADIO SIRIUS XM CHANNEL 147!  "FFA Today" airs on Rural Radio Sirius XM Channel 147 Saturdays at 7:30 AM Eastern and Sundays at 6:30 PM Eastern.

Please let RURAL RADIO know that you like hearing us on their channel!  Here is how to contact them and leave feedback:

Email: [email protected]

Website:  RuralRadio147.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RURALRADIO147

OFI 097: A Farmer's Christmas Morning | Merry Christmas - 2015!

 

Merry Christmas to all of you from Autumm, Hattie and I.

Here are the words to the short story I wrote about farming at Christmas:

All across America today people are waking up with a special feeling.  A feeling that they can remember from childhood.  The excitement, reassurance and peace that a crisp, Christmas morning brings never goes away.  Most Americans, except our public safety workers and military have a well deserved day off to spend with their families.

 

There is another who will work today.  He or she will not punch a time clock.  They will not have a supervisor give them an assignment.  They will not envy those who do not have to work.  That somebody is an American farmer or rancher.

 

Somewhere in Idaho, Nebraska, Virginia or in any other state a farmer crawls out of bed before day break, warms up the house and pours a cup of coffee.  He checks the thermometer and sees that Christmas Day will start in single digits.  He will look outside and see that a fresh blanket of snow has fallen, and continues to come down.

 

Layer by layer, the farmer gets dressed for the morning chores.  Long underwear, wool socks and a wool sweater goes on.  Bib overalls, snow boots or packs and an insulated jacket follow.  A warm hat and insulated work gloves that will have to be removed many times to unlatch gates, cut baling twine or untie feed bags are next.  Once the ensemble is complete he steps outside.

 

There is something different in the air on this Christmas morning.  The first breath outside the house is clean and refreshing as it chills his lungs.  It takes the farmer a few steps towards the barn before he notices that something is different.  He is not sure what it is, he is only aware that something has changed.

 

Something about the normal morning routine is not routine at all, and it causes him to stop in his tracks and take notice.  Standing there, the peace of this morning becomes almost palpable.  The normal hum of motorists who have to start their commute this early is absent - they are home in bed on this special morning.

 

It’s not just the lack of vehicle traffic that has changed though.  The new snow on the ground and the falling snow above creates an insulation.  Sound travels differently during a snow storm, and everything seems quieter.  Even the cows notice this peace.  Instead of calling their normal bellow when they know the hay is coming, there is faint murmur from just one.  Almost a “good morning” and “Merry Christmas” rolled into one.  The livestock can tell that something is different this morning as well, and they want to acknowledge their farmer without disturbing the peace of this special day.

 

The farmer is still standing there, using all his senses to understand what is different about this wonderful morning.  As the snow clouds above him begin to gray with the first light of day he can get a good sense of the snow falling around him.  he notices the flurry of activity in every direction absent of sound.  he notices that all of this turmoil of snowflakes falling and settling makes him feel peaceful.

 

Now, fully aware of the differences he has been trying to identify, he lingers even longer.  Absorbing the silence, the chaos and the peace.  Standing still, allowing the weight of this day to rest on his shoulders, he thinks about the meaning of Christmas.  Quickly…. silently there is a bow in his head and a quick prayer of thanks and perhaps, happy birthday, is sent.  Thoughts of loved ones who have passed enter the mind and a quick Merry Christmas is passed to them, hoping they can hear it.

 

The farmer is suddenly aware of the life that he has been blessed with, the land of which he has been made steward and the animals over which he has been given dominion.  Joy follows this epiphany.  The kind of joy that starts deep down in the stomach and raises the shoul...

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OFI 096: Growing & Selling Poinsettias | FFA SAE Edition | Dale Fisher | Ripon Christian High School FFA

Take Our Fun And Silly Survey: Give Us Your Votes For The 2015, Off Farm Income Aggie Awards - Vote For The "Best Fruit Of 2015!"

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3Z5YYLN

SHOW NOTES:

Off Farm Income's Website: www.offincome.com

INTRODUCING DALE FISHER!

Dale is a freshman in high school who is starting his own niche plant business.  He is growing poinsettias to sell at Christmas time as well as mums to be sold on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.  Dale was a featured guest who appeared on FFA Today.  He is just getting started in this business and has several years of FFA ahead of hi to develop this project.

I hope you enjoy getting to know Dale Fisher.

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Growing and Selling Poinsettias

HIGH SCHOOL: Ripon Christian High School

MASCOT: Knights

FFA ADVISOR: Mrs. Allison Hoover

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DALE FISHER:

Click on the picture below to be taken to the Ripon Christian High School website:

Dale's FFA Advisors' Email Addresses: [email protected]

Ripon Christian High School's Telephone Number: 209-599-2155

FFA LINKS:

National FFA Organization

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's)

Support FFA 

Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000.  In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants.  With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward.

REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA:

Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world.  FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food.

Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation.  The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth.

Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store:

"Because American farmers are able to provide for so many of us, they give more and more of us the freedom to pursue goals and livelihoods beyond growing the food we need to survive."

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack 

LISTEN TO US ON SATELLITE RADIO!

WE ARE CONTRIBUTORS TO "FFA TODAY" ON RURAL RADIO SIRIUS XM CHANNEL 147!  "FFA Today" airs on Rural Radio Sirius XM Channel 147 Saturdays at 7:30 AM Eastern and Sundays at 6:30 PM Eastern.

Please let RURAL RADIO know that you like hearing us on their channel!  Here is how to contact them and leave feedback:

Email: [email protected]

Website:  RuralRadio147.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RURALRADIO147

//

OFI 095: Rural Decline & Rural Development | Garoleen Wilson - Director of Economic Development; Smith Center, Kansas

Take Our Fun And Silly Survey: Give Us Your Votes For The 2015, Off Farm Income Aggie Awards - Vote For The "Best Fruit Of 2015!"

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3Z5YYLN

WELCOME TO OUR 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW - 19,750 DOWNLOADS IN OUR FIRST YEAR!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

SHOW NOTES

KEY IDEAS:

In this week's episode we introduce you to Smith Center, Kansas - A "Happy" Place:

Garoleen Wilson is the Director of Economic Development in Smith Center, Kansas - The Geographic Center Of The United States. She contacted me a while back to discuss the issue of Rural Decline.  After listening to episode #87 about farming on the rural interface, it dawned on Garoleen that the dynamics and challenges of Smith Center were the complete opposite of where I am located.

There are interesting challenges but also advantages in a community as rural as Smith Center.  For example, broadband internet came to Smith Center much later than Kansas City, which might seem like a disadvantage.  However, when it finally came it was installed with the newest technology, fiber optics.  So, Smith Center actually has better and faster internet capabilities than a large city like Kansas City.  This gives me hope for my internet connection some point in the future.

However, jobs and population in Smith Center have continued to decline.  The need for entrepreneurship continues to become greater and greater.  They are 90 miles from the nearest McDonald's for Pete's Sake.  My farm is 3 miles from a brand new McDonald's.  So, you can see the contrast.

In Smith Center they must be very innovative to generate economic activity.  One of the innovative ideas is the "Meet In The Middle Bicycle Festival" which will be held for the first time ever in 2016.  The ideas is that it will become the "Sturgis of Bicycles" or "Sturgis with less leather and more spandex."  It sounds like a great time.

LINKS:

Smith Center Economic Development Facebook Page 

Smith County, Kansas Facebook Page

Discover Smith Center Facebook Page

Smith Center Chicken Festival

Meet In The Middle Bicycle Festival Facebook Page

North Central Kansas Facebook Page

Email:

Garoleen's Email Address: [email protected]

Website:

City Of Smith Center, Kansas Website

LISTEN TO US ON SATELLITE RADIO!

WE ARE CONTRIBUTORS TO "FFA TODAY" ON RURAL RADIO SIRIUS XM CHANNEL 147!  "FFA Today" airs on Rural Radio Sirius XM Channel 147 Saturdays at 7:30 AM Eastern and Sundays at 6:30 PM Eastern.

Please let RURAL RADIO know that you like hearing us on their channel!  Here is how to contact them and leave feedback:

Email: [email protected]

Website:  RuralRadio147.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RURALRADIO147