Monday Motivation: Why I Farm Roadtrip Week 39

With all the negativity going around in my Facebook newsfeed, I'm extra motivated to share these positive Why I Farm stories. As I approach week 40 of living on the road, these farmers keep me inspired.

Kansas farmer: Greg Peterson

"I farm because I think it’s a noble occupation. It is a lot of fun to work with machinery, crops and animals and to be outdoors. There’s a lot of enjoyable aspects of it, but also there’s a cause behind what you’re doing. You’re providing people with food to eat. You’re taking care of living beings. You’re taking care of the earth. It’s not a dull job. It’s full of surprises, it’s different every single day, and you get to work with your family. I think the family side is probably one of my favorite things. It’s a 5th generation family farm started in the 1800s. You think about all the previous generations, your ancestors, your grandpa, your great-grandpa working on the same land as you, doing the same kind of things as you. That’s really cool and something a lot of people don’t realize. Right now it’s my dad and my brothers and I mainly that work on the farm, but my mom and sister help too, and we’ve got a few other people that contribute. I think for us, the brothers, we grew up playing with farm toys together and wanting to grow up to be like our dad. That was always the dream." -Greg Peterson of the Peterson Farm Bros near Assaria, Kansas

Virginia farmer: Lauren Arbogast

"I grew up in the city. Eleven years ago I jumped hook, line and sinker into agriculture when I married into a third-generation family farm. My overall perspective is that if this is where my journey was leading and this is really what I was called to do, then I’m going to embrace that and do everything I can to be fully present on that journey. I wouldn’t raise my family any other way. Sometimes I’m jealous when I see my kids in the tractor or running down the long lane to the bus in the mornings. I just think, 'How blessed are we that we get to raise our kids in this manner with responsibilities and chores? And teach them to steward the environment, the animals and the land we were blessed with and given charge of.' For me, that’s a lot of why I farm and why I do what I do." -Lauren Arbogast of a diversified crop and livestock farm near Rockingham, Virginia

Minnesota farmer: Wanda Patsche

"God has provided for us. He allows us to farm, and we just love it. We’re thankful that He put us in this position. It's very humbling, but at the same time we're very proud to be farmers. To me, there’s nothing more special than providing food for other families, and that’s what we do out here." -Wanda Patsche, of Minnesota Farm Living, raises row crops and pigs with her husband near Welcome, Minnesota

I hope you're challenged to be thankful for the opportunities you're given this week. Go out and make the most of it! Happy Monday! Thanks for reading!

18 Tidbits of Wisdom from AgChat National Collegiate Congress

I've blogged about my feelings for the AgChat conferences and community before, but after my experience at AgChat National Collegiate Congress, it deserves a post all to itself.

For those of you who haven't had the chance to participate, #AgChat is a weekly Twitter discussion every Tuesday night from 7-9 p.m. CT. Over the last two years, it's opened a lot of doors for me to grow personally and professionally.

Recenly, I had the opportunity to attend my second AgChat conference and serve on the NAMA social media corps. I was really impressed with the event. It gave me an opportunity to network with peers from other schools as well as professionals with varying fields of expertise. Learning with such a diverse group made for a very rich experience. The students panels offered great insight and were unlike anything I'd ever participated in. I came back with several pages of quotes. Here are a few of my favorites:

Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr. - Oklahoma Pork Council

"Words live forever"

"Dead air time is okay. Stop and think, especially when you're angry."

"There is room for everyone at the table. It's going to take all of us."

Katie Glick - Time Management Tips & Tricks Breakout

"Keep trying. Be diligent."

"You can do it all, just not all at the same time."

"Review the guest list before attending a professional event."

Jade Halliburton - Student Panel

"People don't really care what you do. They want to hear why you do it."

"You have to make ag relevant to people that don't think ag is relevant to them."

Travis Haney - ESPN

"There's always going to be a hunger for good stories."

"Don't overlook the people you meet."

"Set as many lunch dates as you can."

"Read as much as you can."

"Write as much as you can."

"A good story is a good story."

"Don't miss the journey."

Jenny Schweigert - Executive Director of AgChat

"Viral posts and high reaching numbers are great. They are not everything."

"One-on-one conversations have great value."

"You don't need to be everything to everyone."

Huge thank you to all the wise speakers that shared their tips and advice with all the young professionals in attendance. I learned so much and can't wait to keep up with everyone I met each week on #AgChat. Watch this video to see how you can join the conversation.

I'm Feeling 22... A Year In Review

Yesterday was my birthday. It was fantastic! As I curled up in bed with a full stomach, after a delicious dinner date at The Cafe, I reflected on all the blessings of the last year. Now that I'm feeling 22, here's my year in review.

Like I said in my last blog post, if you're an Iowa State student and have
never experienced Hilton Magic, you're missing out!

January

Birthday/Basketball - My last birthday was full of fun and memories. My friend Joni and I dressed up as Legos to claim our 15 seconds of ESPN fame during an Iowa State Basketball game. The Cyclone victory at Hilton was one of the best ways I've ever celebrated a birthday. Getting "I SAW YOU ON TV!!!" snapchats all week was just icing on the cake.

SAEA Quiz Bowl in Atlanta, GA - At the beginning of 2015 I added Georgia to the list of states I've visited. Several Ag Business friends and I went down represent Iowa State in a quiz bowl competition. My team was eliminated pretty quickly, but I enjoyed my first Mellow Mushroom and exploring the big city with my friends. Looking back, Atlanta was my first step toward adulting in 2015 - I flew for the first time without my parents and learned to take major public transportation on my own.

February

NAMA Industry Tour in Milwaukee, WI - If you've been following my blog for long, you know industry tours are one of my favorite things. I just love meeting new people and learning what they do. While in Wisconsin I did a little beer tasting at New Glarus Brewing Co. and met some fantastic marketing folks from Bader Rutter and MorganMyers (including Sara).

I'm scheduled to go to the National Farmers Union College
Conference on Cooperatives again in 2016! I'm so excited!

National Farmers Union College Conference on Cooperatives in Minneapolis, MN - I go to a lot of meetings/conventions/conferences throughout the year, but this was certainly one of the best. My roommate Meghan and I drove up with a fellow Cyclone we barely knew, Travis, and the three of us came back laughing and joking as friends with many new connections across the country. While in the Minneapolis area we toured several businesses with a cooperative structure and enjoyed a museum about the flour milling industry.

Here's the reflection I wrote right after getting back, “I’m motivated by my passions and interest in the community and didn’t know how that perspective fit in the business world until this conference. It was great to hear other people with similar thoughts talk about their successful organizations. This experience certainly has made me consider the business structure I will look for in a future place of employment.”

March

Spring Break in Colorado - Spending spring break on a rowdy beach with a million other college students has never really appealed to me. I don't really like the idea of needing a vacation from my vacation, so last spring a group of friends and I roadtripped out to Colorado. Aside from a bit of car trouble in Kearney, Nebraska the break was perfect. We rented a gorgeous cabin out in the mountains, enjoyed shopping in Breckenridge, and fixed delicious family style meals. We spent hours playing games and watching movies. It was so refreshing! 

Ag Leadership Dinner - You may remember an old blog post about the Ag Leadership Dinner at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. I'm still inspired by the speeches I heard that night and would strongly encourage you to check out Jo Luck's definition of VISION here.

NAMA Casino Night - Our Iowa State National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) helps out at a local casino themed fundraiser every year by serving as blackjack dealers. It's such a fun excuse to break out that little black dress and put on a little make up. This year I drug my friend Ryan along and we had a blast! I'm looking forward to this years event for sure!

April

NAMA Nationals in Kansas City, MO - This is another conference that's at the top of my favorites list. I rode down with my Iowa State classmates and while they competed in the marketing plan competition, I hung out on the social media corps sharing the stories of the event on Facebook and Twitter. I'm so thankful I had this opportunity to network with so many in ag marketing communications. Watching the Best of NAMA awards presentation was so inspiring!

Here's the group from the AgEI Industry Tour! We have a lot of fun together
in the office and on the road.

AgEI Industry Tour in the Des Moines Area - Yep - another industry tour! By now you probably know the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative has influenced me a lot. So, naturally spending a day touring entrepreneurial businesses with them was one of the highlights of the last year. I had my first ever wine tasting on this trip at Jasper Winery and got to see how fruits and vegetables are packaged at Capital City Fruit. Visiting La Quercia was really special to me because I knew it was something my Papa Tony would have enjoyed. Meeting new entrepreneurs never gets old!

May

Beck's Internship - Last May I packed up my little car and moved out to Atlanta, Indiana, just north of Indianapolis, to work as Beck's Hybrids' marketing intern. While I was there I lived in a big farmhouse with girls that soon became close friends. We had so much fun exploring the area and searching for bargains at Goodwill's half off Saturdays. You can read more about my work at Beck's in these blog posts:

May 18 - First Impressions of the Beck's Experience
May 26 - Love for Stories

June

Beck's Internship - Check out these blog posts to see what I was doing in my internship in June.

June 5 - Blessed with the Best
June 12 - The Road Less Traveled By
June 19 - Who I Am: A Father's Day Tribute
June 26 - What If and Why

July

Beck's Internship - You can read more about my internship in July in these blog posts:

July 10 - Adrenaline and Professional Development
July 17 - Does It Get Any Better Than This?
July 13- Photo Friday

Adrienne's Reception - Growing up Adrienne was our family's regular babysitter. She was a huge part of my childhood and has been one of my biggest role models. In 2015 she got married and I was lucky enough to get to take photos at her wedding reception. lt was a great excuse to make a trip back from Indiana and it was so special to catch up.

August

Senior Year Started - In August, the senior year that seemed so far away officially began. In the fall semester I took a full load of 18 credits, worked three jobs and participated in all my usual clubs. I was so busy, but it felt good to be back in a familiar routine surrounded by my closest friends.

Becknology Days - All summer long I heard how much there is take in at Becknology Days. Even though it meant another trip out to Indiana and skipping school I decided I had to see what everyone was talking about for myself. I was not disappointed! There were so many people, demonstrations, and learning opportunities. All three days I stayed pretty busy in the Country Store keeping clothing stocked and helping customers find the items they wanted. The last day I snuck away for a couple hours to hang out with my parents who came to check it all out. They were impressed too!

September

Aronia Berry Festival - If I had to choose a favorite time of year, fall would have to be it. Harvest is in full swing and there are so many gorgeous colors all around. It's the perfect season to head to a pumpkin patch... or the North American Aronia Berry Festival right here in Iowa. Last September, my roommate Locky and I drove out and spent the day at Sawmill Hollow Family Farm tasting ariona berry wine, BBQ sauce and dips. It was a fantastic event complete with an aronia berry stomp and many guest speakers. I can get Aronia Berry Cayennne Sauce from this farm at the Hy-Vee a few blocks away from my house. Many of my loved ones received it as a gift this past holiday season!

The Ag Business Industry Tours are always a good time!

Ag Business Fall Industry Tour in Kansas City, MO - On the Ag Business Club's most recent trip to Kansas City I learned about the federal reserve. Pictures weren't allowed, but we got to see millions of dollars being inspected, sorted and counted. I've never been around so much money in my life! Our trip also included stops at a Royals baseball game, Lansing Trade Group and Bayer Crop Sciences.

October

This was our team in Ireland! It was such an awesome group!

Ireland - October was the month of once in a lifetime opportunities. At the beginning of the month, I spent a week with two other Iowa State students touring across Ireland spreading the word of the Startup Gathering on social media. We covered events in 5 cities and caught a little bit of sightseeing along the way. You can read more about each day of this adventure in these blog posts:
Day 1 - Dublin
Day 2 - Waterford
Day 3 - Cork
Day 4 - Limerick
Day 5 - Galway

And if you every plan to visit Ireland yourself, you may be interested in this post from my trip:

10 Things About Ireland Nobody Told Me

Meeting Warren Buffett in Omaha, NE - Sometimes opportunities come around that you just can't pass up. Having lunch with Warren Buffet is certainly one of those things - even when it means being on campus at 4:00am - and you're not a morning person at all. 

November

Camila - For the last part of the fall semester, my five roommates and I were joined by our new friend, Camila from Brazil. In the two short months she stayed with us, we made so many fun memories together. Many nights were spent enjoying movies, wine, popcorn and conversation! I'm so glad she was able to stay with us and am crossing my fingers a visit to Brazil is in my future!

I'm so luck to have made so many new blogger
friends at #AgChat

Econ 495 & #AgChat Conference - Camila was able to travel to Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee with me and several other Iowa State AgEI students in November. (You may remember this Wordless Wednesday post from our trip.) The group traveled the region conducting research about poultry production and the impact of recent avian flu outbreaks. As travel always does, it opened my eyes to all sorts of new experiences. 

After the class trip ended with a fun weekend in Nashville, they left me behind to attend #AgChat Conference. The conference inspired me and was the last push of motivation I needed to tackle re-branding this blog. In just two days, my photography and writing improved. So many ladies generously shared their advice with me. It was also awesome to meet bloggers I've admired for years in real life. None of this would have been possible without Iowa Corn's generous sponsorship.

December

Holiday Parties - Getting together with family and friends one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. December was full of fun gatherings and the chance to catch up with friends that I see way too little. Our roomie gift exchange was a success and the perfect send off for Camila. Best of all, I was able to celebrate the reason for the season with my family!

Re-branding Started - I'd been debating about re-branding/moving/changing my blog for months, but #AgChat conference really motivated me to make a plan. Over Winter Break, it was time to put the plan in action. I wrote these two blog posts about my transition (3 Re-branding Changes I Made In 2016 and 7 Re-branding Changes I Made for 2016). Roots Journey is just that - a journey, and always a work in progress, but I am proud of the progress I've made so far. I'm looking forward to some exciting announcements in 2016!

January

Return to Beck's - For the last week of Winter Break, I road tripped out to Indiana to visit my friends at Beck's again. Celina, next year's marketing intern rode out with me so we could work together on a few projects together. It was a great week and it felt good to be productive, but the highlight was showing Celina all the local restaurants with my old roommate Rachel. It was a yummy trip for sure!

Last First Day of School - I had my last first day of school - for a very long time at least just a few weeks ago. It was such a weird feeling. I woke up that day with a bad attitude, but read this blog post and you'll see I got turned around. Now I'm excited to make the most of these last weeks!

Start AgSolver - The last big event of my 21st year was starting a new job. I'm blessed to have a position as a Social Marketing Specialist for the semester. It's only been a couple weeks, but I'm very impressed with the products and team I work with. The only drawback is my office is so close to my favorite Ames restaurant, The Cafe! It takes so much self control to not grab lunch there every day!

10 Ways Iowa Corn Changed My Life

Every day graduation is one step closer. As my last semester races by, I think of all the people that have changed my life over these four years. That list is long, but the men and women at Iowa Corn are certainly near the top. Here are some of the best memories we've made together.

There's just something about that Hilton Magic! All Iowa State
students should experience the thrill of a CyHawk game!

1. CyHawk Series - You're not getting the full Iowa State student experience if you skip the CyHawk games. Whether it's standing in the deafening student section at Hilton or handing out 8,000 t-shirts at Jack Trice, Iowa Corn has touched every corner of my student experience. The Iowa v. Iowa State rivalry is fun in itself, but seeing my favorite farmers and reminders of all their hard work at the games is the cherry on top. Plus, who's day isn't a little better after a high five from Captain Corn?

Meeting Marco Andretti was one of the biggest highlights of the
Ethanol Powered Weekend, but there were so many cool parts!

2. Ethanol Powered Weekend - I never have been much of a racing fan, so if you told high school me that one of my college highlights would be a whole weekend at the Iowa Speedway I would have laughed in your face. Well, college senior me is here to say it's true! Being that close to such fast cars, fueled by ethanol from corn produced on farms of the fans that surrounded me was really neat. Between meeting farmers and munching on sweet corn I learned all kinds of cool facts. Did you know, today over 95% of all fuel sold in the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol?! To top it off I got to ride in the pace car, meet Marco Andretti and tour the pits! (We’ll save the story where I spill a whole cooler of butter patties in the middle of an intersection for another blog post.)

I've had such a good time serving as an officer of ISU Corn Growers with
these ladies.

3. Network - Iowa Corn has given me an incredible network that I'll keep in touch with for years to come. Because of them, I know people who are passionate about agriculture, just like me, across the country. I've had the opportunity to work next to some of the most passionate agvocates (like Carrie and Janelle) while at Iowa Corn. Everyone in the organization inspires me with their work ethic and dedication to Iowa's farmers.

Meeting these Iowa bloggers at #AgChat Conference was truly
life changing! I can't wait to see where this blog takes me after all
 their advice.

4. ISU Corn Growers - For the last four years, when I wasn't in class, chances are I was at a club activity. Iowa State University Corn Growers Association (ISUCGA) has given me a chance to grow my friendships and leadership skills. With my fellow members, I've put on large events, cleaned up the local highway and traveled around the state. Serving as this group's secretary challenged me to grow creatively and as a teammate. Together, we made many memories that will last a lifetime.

Pump promotions with Iowa Corn were such a fun way to travel the state
and talk to people about ethanol.

5. Ag Chat Conference - If you follow my social media, you know I traveled to Nashville in November for an AgEI trip and #AgChat conference. The conference inspired me and was the last push of motivation I needed to tackle re-branding this blog. In just two days, my photography and writing improved. So many ladies generously shared their advice with me. It was also awesome to meet bloggers I've admired for years in real life. None of this would have been possible without Iowa Corn's generous sponsorship. Extra shout out to my new friend Alicia at Pork Diaries for driving me all the way back to Iowa!

During my internship I went on some really neat farm tours with foreign
teams. It was awesome to see them learn about American agriculture.

6. Internship - For many college students, internships are the highlight of their college career. I'm no exception. The summer after my sophomore year I had the privilege of spending three months as the Market Development intern in Iowa Corn's office. In that short time I experienced so much! More importantly than mastering Excel or learning how to ship thousands of t-shirts, I began to understand the global impact Iowa corn farmers make. By attending the Governor's Livestock Charity Steer Show, Ethanol Powered Weekend and hosting foreign teams I learned how important corn is to the livestock, fuel and export industries. There's no way I could remember all the facts and figures I heard that summer, but I will admit www.iowacorn.org has been cited as a source for more than one of my course papers. 

Last year our ISUCGA group went on an industry tour to Pioneer in
Johnston, Iowa. I learned so much!

7. Twitter Takeover - Anyone who knows me, even just a little, knows I'm passionate about sharing the stories of agriculture, especially on social media. That's why I was so giddy when Iowa Corn asked me to take over their Twitter account for a day last semester. It was so much fun to share how the organization and ag community have impacted my life with all their followers.

8. Wardrobe - This is one of those unintended benefits of involvement with Iowa Corn. I lost track of how many Iowa Corn shirts I've collected a long time ago, but I'm confident I could get through a week or two without repeating a one.

9. Farmland - Last spring, ISUCGA pulled off a wonderful Farmland Screening and Panel event. That night, guests watched the documentary Farmland, and had the opportunity to ask questions of six local Iowa farmers. Organizing this event is one of my biggest accomplishments of the last four years, but it wouldn't have been possible without the support of Iowa Corn. They lent us Captain Corn and the 8 foot farmers, plus donated cups (made from corn) so everyone could enjoy popcorn and drinks with the movie. The experience just wouldn't have been complete without popcorn!! 

10. Industry Visits - The Market Development internship and ISUCGA opened doors to visit many ag businesses. I've learned more about livestock and seed corn production thanks to Iowa Corn related trips. You can read more of what I learned at a cattle feedlot, dairy days, egg facility and Pioneer in their individual blog posts.

It's safe to say college wouldn't have been the same without Iowa Corn. I'm so thankful they've been part of my agricultural journey so far, and I can't wait to see where the future leads. To learn more about their organization and how it can change your life go to www.iowacorn.org. To keep up with all they're doing with farmers and college students like me around the state follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Thanks for reading!

7 Re-branding Changes I Made For 2016

If you've been following Roots on Facebook or Twitter lately, you've probably seen this post pinned to the top of my social media pages and wondered what it means. 

"Last week I applied to graduate from Iowa State. It hardly seems possible that 4 years have flown by. I decided if I have to graduate, my blog should too. In the next month, there will be lots of changes around here. Thanks for your patience with Roots' growing pains!"

More details are coming soon, but for now there are some exciting things you should know about my re-branding progress...






1. I've stopped using my personal Twitter handle. If you've been following me at @AnySense035 and wondering why I dropped off the face of the earth, make sure you go follow me at @Roots_Journey instead. Now that Roots has many readers I haven't met in real life, it's much less confusing if I just use one account. 

2. Number one has really helped me accomplish change number two: Share more focused Tweets. Even though you may not be able to tell by looking at my timeline, there is a method to my madness. All my tweets are somehow related to my travel, agriculture, thrifting or entrepreneurial goals. This has helped me gain a more "adult" following and keeps me from getting too distracted on social media.

3. With that, I also want to be a more engaged community member with people who care about the same topics as me. To do this, I'm being more intentional about scheduling time to participate in Twitter discussions like #FoodieChats on Mondays and #AgChat on Tuesdays. These conversations have been the starting place for some great relationships and awesome projects I'm excited to tell you about later. Attending #AgChat conference in Nashville last month was just the beginning of travels to meet my online friends. 

This is my current profile picture everywhere.

4. I also switched all my social media accounts to use one consistent profile picture. Along the lines of number one, I haven't had the privilege of meeting all my online followers. I'm easier to keep track of across the different social media platforms if people are familiar with a certain picture. (My current picture is almost 4 years old and due for an update, but I'm all about baby steps around here!)

5. While I was making sure each of my social media accounts looked consistent, I went ahead and made as many of them @Roots_Journey as possible. Now, I'm @Roots_Journey on Instagram and Twitter, plus a few other channels I plan to use more in 2016 like Pinterest and YouTube.

6. I bought my domain! Domains are pretty cheap, but to me this was a really big deal, meaning I'm serious about developing Roots as I grow personally and professionally. Now you can find my blog by just typing in www.therootsjourney.com to your address bar!

7. If you're a regular Roots reader you may notice a few tweaks to the layout of my website. Nothing has changed too dramatically, but I've added some social buttons to the sidebar so I'm easier to connect with. Also, there are new tabs across the top so my most popular posts about travel and Ag Jobs A to Z are easy to find.

I hope these re-branding changes make Roots more fun for you to follow. As always, feel free to comment or email with any feedback about the new look! Thanks for reading!

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