Change

Some people are terrified of change, I would of fallen into this category earlier this week. This week I was desperately holding onto what I've always known. My friends, family, and my childhood. For I knew at the end of this week I would be headed out west to attend College and follow my dreams.

So this week I tried my hardest to see all my friends one last time before I left , I achieved that one. I watched almost every single Disney Princess Movie ever made to remind me of my childhood.

While I was trying to remember who I have always been, I was looking forward to who I could become. College is a time for you to become who you want to become. You aren't with the kids you've grown up with, you can become whoever you want to be. So don't be afraid of the change in your life, embrace it. Change is your life taking a different shape. Like the Disney Princess Pocahontas said it best in her song just around the river bend:

You can't step in the same river twice
The water's always changing, always flowing

That's our life, always changing.

Don't be afraid of it.

God Bless,

Lindsay

The "Pregame"

Just like every other activity 4-H takes tremendous preparation! Last night I was helping out with 4-H work night. For those of you who don't know what this entails- It's a night where most of the 4-H families get together to work on setting up for the fair. You break up into your different projects or "departments" and spruce up your area. For example people in Foods and Nutrition clean the cases where the Grand Champion projects will be placed. In the Livestock barns we put the arena together, set bleachers up, set up our stalls, and put wood chips down. To say the least fair work night is a busy night!


But what really touched me last night was walking into our beef barn and seeing 15+ kids under the age of 10 stomping down wood chips. I know it doesn't sound like much but this really brought back memories for me. This fair will be my last- I'm officially getting too old for all this fun :)


But it also reminds me how much of a family activity 4-H is. 4-H is a great way to make new friends and become closer as a family.  This year at the fair I will try to take pictures and snapshots of all our  fair fun. So keep checking in!


Try to stay cool!


God Bless,
Lindsay

4-H Desensitizing Youth

Hello Everyone!


I want to first let you all read an article posted by CNN on June 23, 2011. To understand the following article.


http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/06/23/does-4-h-desensitize-kids-to-killing/?hpt=hp_c2




I hope you read the article and all the responses as well. The part of the article that really got me fired up was a response, I copied it for you all to read:

I don't and would never support the 4-H. This group helps desensitize youngsters into having no emotional attachment to animals raised for food. For those who say no one should have attachment to animals raised for food, I say "of course". This is how the meat industry stays in business. If children are raised to love all animals and not try to see them as products, they would not be interested in seeing them killed. "Listening to the auctioneer and seeing how excited the children get when their animal is purchased is an incredibly fulfilling experience."
Really? Incredibly fulfilling experience. You mean knowing the animal that trusted you from birth is off to be mistreated before being slaughtered! That's fulfilling? Maybe that's because the 4-H has successfully desensitized these children who may have once be appalled by this. It's simply horrific. Shame on you 4-H for what you do to animals and to children. - Heather King

She obviously was NOT  a 4-Her. I am a 12 year member of 4-H, and I was enrolled in mini 4-H since I was five. Then moved into regular 4-H when I turned seven. Do you want to guess what was my first project was? Bucket Calf.


My bucket calf's name was Sock's. She was a Holstein cross and I loved her. I got up every morning at 6am before school to feed her. And every night before bed we would feed her again. Last fall we had to sell Sock's because she was getting too old, and trust me every person at the Bulk household was crying that day.


 As the years went on I moved out of bucket calf, and into showing steers. I've been showing steers since I was 10, I am now 18. I still cry every time I have to put a steer on the trailer that isn't going back home. I don't know ANY 4-Her who is "desensitized" and doesn't love their animals day in- and day out.


Last year at the county fair I cried with a 7 year old little girl while we both loaded our steers on the trailer. It doesn't matter if your 7 or 18, its still hard to say goodbye to such a great friend!


As 4-Her's we understand why we raise our  animals, we realize that they were put on this earth to help feed our family, friends, and community members. What we don't understand is why people who don't know our story try to shut down the organization we so dearly love! If we could just get them to see the real side of Agriculture, not the side that the media portrays. So my challenge to you is: Find 4-Her's in your area who have livestock, and ask them about their story! Ask them about their livestock project, ask them what they have learned, ask them if its hard for them on Auction night to say goodbye to their animals. Because I promise you every one of them will tell you how difficult it is for them!


4-H does not desensitize America's youth! 4-H teaches you responsibility, leadership, communication skills and so much more! I have to thank 4-H for so many of my accomplishments, I can honestly say I wouldn't be the person I am today if 4-H hadn't been apart of my life! So please don't believe this article take it from someone who is actually IN 4-H, it's a great organization that teaches you so much. And I would recommend it to anyone.


God Bless,
Lindsay

Welcome

Hello Everyone!


For those of you who don't personally know me, my name is Lindsay. I recently graduated from high school and in the fall shall be off to bigger and better things! I will be attending Seward County Community College in Liberal, KS. where I will be majoring in Agribusiness and be apart of the Livestock Judging Team! This summer I attended the Kansas State University Animal Science Leadership Academy, at the Academy we were shown a whole new side of Agriculture that I wasn't aware existed. We were enlightened on how most of our country's consumer's don't have a clue where their food comes from! Most of our nations consumers are two generations removed from the farm, which was little less astonishing. So my goal through this blog is to show people, who don't have a farm in their back yard. What "country" life is like. I also hope to put an end to any negative images that the media puts on Agriculture. So lets start with some background information!
 I wasn't born on a huge farm with thousands of head of cattle- oh no. I was born on a small farm outside of Manhattan, KS. Growing up we raised two steers every year so we would have something to eat in the fall and winter. At a young age I loved being outside, whether it be helping dad with chores or playing with our dogs. As I grew up I was very active with our local 4-H club, I started showing cattle, sheep, and pigs- that was my first love. I absolutely LOVED being in the show ring! As the years passed and I entered high school I joined our FFA Chapter. Through 4-H and FFA I've been given the chance to discover what I truly love to do in this world, and that's be an Agriculture Advocate. Through Agriculture all things are possible- for example next year I'll be attending college with little to no expense. It's crazy how following your dreams, can feel so right!
So that's the beginning, you know a small portion about me. Throughout this blog I hope to inform you more about me and a Day in the Life of your average Kansas Girl!


God Bless,
Lindsay