Tag Archives: farm

Giveaway: No More Food Fights!


This week a milestone was reached on my Facebook page – 6,000 ‘Likes’ and counting. For those of you not invested in social media, you may laugh at the celebration of such an event, but I consider it a worthy accomplishment. In fact, each new conversation brought about by each new connection should be considered an accomplishment when it comes to sharing more about my passion – a better understanding of food and agriculture.

To honor that progress, I will celebrate with a giveaway. As I move forward in my agvocacy efforts, begin looking at career opportunities, and set personal goals, one thing continually rises to the top cluster – I want to use my experience by helping others have better conversations about our food system. This includes everyone from the farmer to the consumer. And recently a friend and Indiana Dairy Farmer put together a book that illustrates this need well.

No More Food Fights!

food dialogues fights conversations

No More Food Fights! by Michele Payn-Knoper provides perspectives for the Food and Farm side of the plate.

Michele Payn-Knoper has put together a great guide for both food producers and food consumers when it comes to critically thinking more about the conversations we have that center around food and farming. No More Food Fights! is two books in one; each side discussing issues relevant to either the Farm or Food side of the plate. Along with MPK’s experience, the book includes perspectives from 35 individuals from both sides of the plate that add so much to the conversation.

In the Food side of the book, MPK illustrates the frustration we face with each trip to grocery in our food buying decisions and guilt. She encourages us to use our 6 senses to obtain a more meaningful food conversation: Touch, Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Common Sense. She illustrates each point well with perspectives from her own experience along with others to discuss those questions and doubts we all face.

On the Farm side of things, MPK addresses those who question the need to take time out of the busy schedule, to advocate for agriculture and share their own experiences. It’s not a matter of if a conversation will happen, but will your voice be present at the table. To emphasize how to approach these conversations and guide us through  to better dialogues, Michele utilizes 6.5 points of discussion: Identify influencers, Find their hot buttons, Translate agriculture to their hot buttons, Invest 15 minutes daily, Strategize where you can reach your target audience, Follow an action plan to develop long-lasting relationships, and finally the half-point of the equation – Put your passion to work!

I promise this will not be a disappointing read if you’re interested in better discussions about food and farm topics. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, you just might read both sides of the book.

How do you enter the giveaway?

I really want to thank those of you who follow along with each and every one of my posts here on the blog, on Facebook, and Twitter. BUT I also want this to emphasize my intentions to build bridges for food and farm communication. To fix this, I have TWO books, one for an individual on each side of the plate – Food producers and Food consumers.

Fill out the entry form below. All entries will be entered into a drawing and a winner will be selected from the Food side of the plate and another from the Farm side of the plate. Each winner will receive a copy of No More Food Fights! by Michele Payn-Knoper.

I ask that you do 3 things…

  1. Like the I am Agriculture Proud page on Facebook. We’ll go by the honor system here. You can live with the guilt if you don’t.
  2. Share this link with your friends. Encourage them to learn more about and consider engaging in conversations about our food system in a civil manner.
  3. A) If you win, read No More Food Fights!, take notes, and then share it with someone on the other side of the plate.
    • B) If you are not the lucky winner, consider buying a copy of No More Food Fights! and/or sharing a copy with a friend on the other side of the plate.

Giveaway has closed.

Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, Monday, April 29. Winners from each group will be selected via Random Number Generator and notified by email, based on completion of entry form, on Tuesday, April 30th and will have 24 hours to respond. Books are provided by Ryan Goodman and no immediate family members of Ryan Goodman or Michele Payn-Knoper are eligible for the giveaway. Participation in the contest guidelines and future sharing of the books by selected winners will be based on the honor system.

My favorite YouTube channels for ag, food, and farm


What are your favorite online channels for videos related to agriculture, food, and farm topics?

Screen show from The Peterson Farm Bros - "I'm Farming and I Grow It"

Screen shot from The Peterson Farm Bros – “I’m Farming and I Grow It”

I have my own subscription list on YouTube of my favorite video channels. It includes everything from my favorite music artists, some good devotional updates, and plenty of farmer bloggers. But I couldn’t find another list to grow my collection. So I decided to create my own.

As farmers and ranchers across the country, grow to the idea of utilizing social media and online tools to open the gates of their farms, many are realizing the potential of sharing with video. I have several videos on my YouTube channel (AgProud) to describe every day scenes and practices in ranch life as well as many video blogs (vlogs) with my on-the-spot commentary.

I’ve written before with several tips on how to utilize video with your blogging efforts. It doesn’t have to be complicated; just take a few moments to plan your video. Most newer phones create high-quality video on the go, so special equipment isn’t always required. Video can also be a great tool to diversify your online content and can require minimal editing.

Here are some of my favorite YouTube channels for Agriculture and Food related content:

Gilmer Dairy Farm – Will Gilmer is a dairy farmer in Alabama who has a craft for putting together fun insight from the farm with regular MooTube minutes and catchy tunes from the tractor.

MT Stockgrowers Assoc - The Montana Stockgrowers Association has a great lineup of videos from ranches across the state of Montana. The Bill on Beef video series showcases great individuals who are a part of the industry and getting beef to your plate.

SunUP TV – SunUP is an educational and extension program from Oklahoma State University College of Agriculture. The weekly program offers updates, advice, and current conditions on livestock, forage, and crop conditions across the state.

USFRA Online – The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance has a great collection of videos that include panel discussions around consumer and food issues and farmer highlights from across the country.

Be sure to visit my Ag Videos page to see a longer list of video channels. Submit your favorite video link through the contact form on the bottom of that page.

What do you enjoy seeing in videos from the farm and ranch?

The Wide World of Oregon Agriculture.


Banditas are back!

Banditas are back!

Marie BowersBandita Marie Bowers is a 5th generation grass seed farmer in Harrisburg, OR farming land that has been in her family for over a hundred years. Prior to returning to the family farm she graduated from Washington State University with degrees in Agriculture and Agriculture Economics and Management then spent 3 years in the Farm Credit System.  She currently serves as Oregon Women for Agriculture President and Oregon Women for Agriculture Legislative Chair.  She is also a board member of the AgChat Foundation, which helps to empower farmers and ranchers through social media. Connect with her on twitter: @MarieB41 or on her blog oregongreen.wordpress.com

In my ever so humble opinion, Oregon is the prettiest state in the union.  You have four different climates & topographies; coast, valley, mountains and desert.   When these diverse regions are combined the result is over 220 different commodities or a colorful variety of food and fiber products some unique only to Oregon.

Land of Fruits & Nuts Interpret how you want ;)

If have you eaten US grown blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, black raspberries or hazelnuts recently there’s a very likely chance they came from Oregon.  According to 2011 statistics, 100% of those crops are produced in the Beaver State.

Where the Green Grass Grows

Our farm is not blessed with the type of soil that allows us to grow nuts and fruits, however it is suitable for growing grass seed.  In fact, I happen to live in the ‘Grass Seed Capital of the World’.  Oregon’s Willamette Valley produces the majority of the world’s cool season grasses, mainly fescue and ryegrass.  This seed is shipped all around the world for pastures, erosion control, cover crops and lawns.  To see how grass seed is harvested check it out here.

My home county, Linn County, produces the majority of the world’s annual ryegrass, often used for pastures/forage, cover crops and erosion control.

My home county, Linn County, produces the majority of the world’s annual ryegrass, often used for pastures/forage, cover crops and erosion control.

‘Tis the season

Oregon wins at Christmas.  We lead the nation in Christmas tree and peppermint production.  While I don’t get overly enthused about the holiday season, I do love the smell of the trees and peppermint schnapps in my cocoa. ;)

To learn more about the impact  of Oregon’s awesome farms and ranches check out here.

Oregon Agriculture

Cheerleading for Team Agriculture!


BanditasNew

Did you think the Banditas were gone? Hardly! We will be popping in here and there to keep you all entertained so be sure to be on the lookout for us! 

Jennifer ElwellBandita Jennifer Elwell lives near Louisville, Kentucky and is the mom of two. She enjoys her horses, finding creative ways to encourage her kids to eat healthfully, and singing in the church choir (that’s a new found love). She has been the Director of Communications for the Kentucky Corn Growers Associations and Kentucky Small Grain Growers Associations since 1998, while providing graphic design and web services to several national and state associations. She is involved in CommonGround , a national program that works to connect women from both sides of the farm gate, and other state farm advocacy programs. Her latest projects include the Kentucky Farms Feed Me  virtual field trip and education program for teachers and a new blog that showcases Kentucky food and farmers, Kentucky Food and Farm Files. 

I remember really wanting to be a cheerleader when I was a little girl. I remember envying my friends who took tumbling classes and cheered for the local youth sports teams. And it always seemed as if those girls were the most popular. Unfortunately my parents did not have the money for such extra-curricular activities, and I convinced myself that I was too big, too clumsy, and not popular enough. But look at me now. Who would have thought that I would become a cheerleader in my late 30s?

How I got to this point in my life is a long story, but it started with my mother’s love of horses. Horse-crazy lady marries farm boy who shares her love. I grow up on a small farm with lots of horses, and I became Miss Kentucky 4-H Horse Program (that’s not a real title, but if it were, I was “it” in my teens). I’d like to admit that I dreamed of working with horses, but I did not. I was a natural science nerd (still am), and I was convinced I would become a research geneticist. After a series of events not worth mentioning here, I ended up at my land-grant university, the University of Kentucky, studying farm animals. I was thrilled to be one of the many scholarship recipients, which in part was due to my involvement in the 4-H program. I hate to sound like I settled because of a financial situation, but I now know this was my path. (Lesson 1: Money is available for those studying agriculture.)

I soon figured out that I craved a creative outlet, so I weaved journalism and public relations into my studies. I sought out every opportunity that would help me land the career of my dreams. (Lesson 2: Make your opportunities).

So I graduate, my mother bribes me to refuse a job away from home by buying me a horse, and I shortly-there-after land the job I have to this very day, working for farmers. (Lesson 3: Listen to your mother.)

Jennifer talking with a Lexington, Ky. Incredible Food Show visitor as part of the CommonGround program.

Jennifer talking with a Lexington, Ky. Incredible Food Show visitor as part of the CommonGround program.

Over the years I have learned quite a lot: what it takes to grow crops, the struggles farmers face, etc. I talk with the farmers I serve on regular basis. I feel that I have the inside story, which is most often quite contrary to many of the messages dispersed by non-farming intellectuals and sensationalism-loving media. I wonder if I can even compete against the anti-ag rhetoric. After a year or so of wondering what I can do, I suck it up and start blogging. My first post on “Food, Mommy!” was “Why I Choose to Eat Meat.” I expected to get some feedback from those who do not agree with me, but the positive comments far outweighed the negative. (Lesson 4: Don’t be a wuss.)

Now I’m smack dab in the middle of the social media age. My efforts have connected me to farmers, food processors, and agri-business folks like myself from all over America. I continue to learn from them. I have posted about not wanting to buy organic, but I now talk with organic farmers, and I can feel good about what they are doing as well. (Just don’t try to sell me one by stomping on the other!) I continue to educate myself about farming and food technology. I see changes that are being made, not only to meet consumer demands, but what research has shown to produce nutritious, safe food with less impact on our environment. The system is naturally moving in that direction. (Lesson 5: Never stop learning. Never stop moving forward.)

So now I see myself as the CHEERLEADER I have always wanted to be, and my version is a heck of a lot better than being tossed in the air with a skimpy skirt on. And I have learned that being an effective cheerleader for the farming world has nothing to do with how loud you can yell, but how willing you are to listen and have a candid conversation. (Lesson 6: Not everyone has the same perspective as you, so be willing to open your ears before running your mouth.)

The point of this tale is not to showcase what I have done, but encourage others to join the team. We need you! The best part of my journey is that I am just one cheerleader of many, and we come from all walks of life. We are rallying together to make sure the story of American agriculture is being shared in as many places as possible. We are not BIG AG. We are people that appreciate having access to healthy, affordable food. (Last Lesson: Be Agriculture Proud!)