South Africa: The Adventure of a Lifetime

This past January, six of our state officers made their way to the southernmost part of Africa, the country of South Africa. A country full of history, beauty, and of course agriculture, they were in for quite the experience. The trip is called the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers, otherwise known as ILSSO. There were a total of 75 state officers from around the country who had the opportunity to travel with National FFA to this wonderful place. Below you will find the most memorable parts of each of the officers' time in the country to give you a glimpse of what the trip is like!

Annie: My favorite part was watching South Africa break every stereotype that I had for it. We tend to think that South Africa is a third-world country, when it truly isn’t. They are making great strides with agriculture and though they are not as technologically advanced as we are here in the States, I see that happening in the near future. I believe if they continue to build as a country South Africa will be as strong as ever. Getting to experience this developing country that has both beautiful land and people was an opportunity I will never forget!

Avocado farms, Table Grape production, Corn on the Cob, and Bourkes’ Luck Potholes.

Peyton: The most memorable part of this experience is the new perspective it granted me. During our travels, my eyes were opened a little wider each day as I embraced the diverse agriculture, kind people, beautiful landscape, interesting history, and fascinating culture of South Africa. I gained a greater appreciation for not only some of the blessings we have at home, but also for all of the unique differences which make each place around the world its own. I am so thankful for the new ways in which this trip challenged me to forget any expectations or reservations I had and simply be completely present and open-minded in each experience I encountered. If you ever get the chance to travel to South Africa, go! It will be an incredible journey that you never forget.

Views from the top of Table Rock Mountain & Peyton, Cassie, and Caleb at the ostrich farm.

Caleb: On day six of our journey, we got to visit a village called Kliptown.  Kliptown is one of the most impoverished areas of South Africa.  As we walked through the huts to the Kliptown Youth Project, we walked by three little kids in front of their house.  Once they saw us, they immediately busted out laughing.  Seeing these young lads laugh to the point of crying hit me right in the feels. I realized how important it is to make the most out of the little things.  In life it doesn't matter what surrounds you, it's all about how much fun you have.

Kliptown Youth Program

“From Poverty to Opportunity”

Carli: For me, the opportunity to visit another country and view specific agricultural facilities was the most memorable. Having never traveled out of the United States and having never flown before, the chance to travel and see agriculture in a different setting was amazing. Seeing the similarities in production while comparing agriculture there to what we see in Iowa was very eye opening!

Carl’s First Airplane Ride!

Rachel: After many farm tours and visits of tourist attractions, it is hard to pick one memorable moment. From corresponding with the local people to seeing their innovative ideas in action I can proudly say I gained a vast amount of knowledge while abroad. However, one moment that truly stuck out to me was when I was able to recognize the amount of shared faith I have with the people of South Africa. While visiting a local apple and pear farm I came across an old shed that the farm hands had turned into a worship center. Not only did this open my eyes to the presence of God even in faraway lands but it brought me great joy and happiness to share a bond with the local people through Christ our Lord.

Abalone production, African Penguins on the beach, table grape production, & Robben Island.

Cassie: For me, the most memorable part of traveling to the country of South Africa was visiting the African Leadership Academy. This was an institute where 200 students from across the continent of Africa aged anywhere from 17-22 gathered to learn about how to become better leaders for their nations. Each and every student that we met had such a passion to learn, and all for the purpose of making their homes a better place. Not only were these students motivated, but they put their dreams into action and actually made a difference in their communities. A passion to learn and a willingness to do are what truly made these student remarkable.

African Leadership Academy Courtyard, Cafeteria, and Classrooms.

Thank you all for your support while we were away!

Peyton, Cassie, Rachel, Carli, Annie, and Caleb

ILSSO Travelers

Iowa FFA Officers

Face Your Fears

 There is no doubt that life comes with choices and risks. As we grow up, we encounter more choices that need to be made and more risks that need to be taken. When making these decisions, there is one common word that is attached to everything we do, fear.

Fear is actually important when making life decisions because it makes us think about consequences or outcomes. If you’re scared of jumping off of a bridge because you don’t think it’s safe, fear comes into play and perhaps saved you from a lot of pain. When fear holds you back from opportunities is when it becomes a challenge.

When going through life, my biggest regret is the chances or opportunities I didn’t take. In hind site, my biggest accomplishments are those risks I took!

I grew up in agriculture, and naturally I became very passionate about the industry. As I grew up, I wanted to share my story with everyone around me. I took photos, shared them on social media, and struck up a conversation with anyone who wanted to talk about farming.

Before I knew it, I was in college and surrounded by amazing peers who also were passionate about agriculture. I realized that my ‘advocating’ had hit a plateau, because the people I was surrounded by didn’t need to know my story and I stopped talking about why agriculture is important.

Then an opportunity came along that stopped me in my tracks. I thought about it and even turned it down a few times, because I was scared. I was looking fear in the face and letting it win.

Once I realize that my reasons for saying no were about fear, I decided that I wasn’t going to let that decision keep me from an experience. Therefore, I competed in my first pageant in the Miss America Organization.

Of course it was scary! I legit hadn’t performed a dance in three years and hadn’t done a dance solo in about eight years. Then there was the fitness portion, which you can just imagine how intimidating that is! But then there was the interview, where I got to explain my passion for agriculture. My entire platform was around agriculture, and I got to talk to other contestants and supporters about my passion and even brought visitors to my farm, someplace they had never been before!

My new motto is that if you can walk on stage in a swimsuit, you can do anything. More importantly my experience in pageants taught me how to reach out from my agriculture industry and really advocate to people who aren’t connected to their food. Fear could’ve kept me from meeting friends, traveling to new cities, serving my community, and from sharing my story. As 2018 approaches, remember that fear is just a word and even make it a resolution to try something that scares you; it may just be life changing!

Lexi Marek

Past FFA Member

FarmHer Marketing and Communications Manager

Lexi Marek is the 6^th generation on her family’s diversified livestock and grain farm from Southeast Iowa.  A graduate of Iowa State University, she is now the Marketing + Communications Manager at FarmHer, based in Urbandale, Iowa. Her daily duties include sharing the stories that FarmHer covers from women across the country through traditional and digital media. The FarmHer TV Show on RFD-TV just launched a Lexi also hosts the new segment of the FarmHer TV show called ‘The Next Generation’. Lexi enjoys traveling anywhere and everywhere but the end goal is always to end back on her family’s farm raising pigs and cattle and continuing the future of agriculture.

An Open Letter to My FFA Jacket

Dear FFA Jacket,

You’ve grown and changed with me in the past five years. We both look a lot different than when we started. A lot of things have changed since the first time we met, but I wouldn’t trade the adventures we’ve had for anything. I can still remember getting ready for you to come for the very first time. My whole freshman ag class set about measuring our shoulders, seeing how long our arms were, and trying on old jackets. When I finally decided what size you should be, the order was placed and I waited patiently for my very own corduroy jacket to come in. Once the jackets were finally in, I laid my eyes on a perfectly folded jacket with my name right on the front. I very carefully took you home to show my parents. Mom made me try it on and for the very first time I zipped up the jacket that would hold so many memories.

The first year we spent together was filled exploring all the things we could do. At National Convention, I saw thousands of other people with those blue jackets on. I hunted down someone in a jacket from every state I could find (Never did find the Virgin Islands that year). We took on our first contest with six other members and their jackets when we did Conduct of Meetings that spring. I started to add pins to you and break in that stiff corduroy. We began to form a bond as I also began to bond with the other FFA members around me.

Our next year together was a little different. My family moved and all the sudden the words on the back of my jacket were different. I had a different place to call home and with it came a different FFA chapter. I began to doubt whether I really cared about wearing the FFA jacket anymore. Maybe it was something I only enjoyed for a little while? Luckily, I decided that wearing the blue jacket was worth it, even if things weren’t the same way they’d been in the past. I started to realize that this new place I was in was better because you were there.

As my FFA jacket, you’ve seen me in every situation. Running through my high school’s halls searching for last minute banquet supplies, repeating parts and speeches for contests in waiting rooms, anxiously preparing for interviews, and laughing with some of my best friends. You were there for all of my best learning experiences. You were even there for some tears.

There’s no doubt, I’ve changed in so many ways since I got my first FFA jacket. I’m just happy to know that every time I zip up my blue corduroy, something amazing is going to happen. So, from an FFA member, thank you.

Sincerely,

Ally Babcock

North Central State Vice President

5 Ways to be an Advocate for Ag

Farming is not a job, it’s a way of life. If you farm, you understand this saying is completely true. From melting cattle waters in 20 below zero or loading square bales in the hot summer sun, farmers and ranchers today understand that agriculture is a day to day is a day battle with mother nature, crop prices, and machinery break-downs. It seems that it’s more and more often we have another fight from activist groups and uneducated consumers. With this struggle growing day to day it is important to ready and prepared, here are the top 5 ways to be ready to advocate for agriculture.

1.     We are all in this together. Don’t single out any one part of the agriculture industry because you want to or can. We need to work together to combat the negative image that is painted of farmers and rancher, and we cannot do that if we are fighting ourselves.

2.     Dress professional, and be personal when you meet someone the first thing that they see is the way your dressed. Even though it seems small but wearing a shirt with sleeves can make you look like you know what you’re talking about and give you more credibility in the public eye. Don’t be afraid to give farm tours or sow them pictures of your operation, it tends to put a face with the name and make farmers people not just someone in bib-overalls.

3.     Be ready. No one wants to think that when you go to the grocery store that you will have someone ask you questions about their food and how it was produced. But in many cases the places that we don’t expect to talk about these thing that we are asked, from the State Fair to your local grocery store you need to always be ready with the information that the public wants to know.

4.     Know the science not just the facts. This seems like a strange thing to say but rather it is GMOs, water quality, or living conditions of animals everyone has their own “facts” and everyone thinks that theirs are right. But nobody can argue with science backed by where it came from. This make you look like you did your homework and gives you credibility.

5.     Be nice. I don’t think I need to go in depth on this last one. At the end of the day if you can be nice and treat others the way you would like to be treated it goes along way.

If we follow these 5 basic rules, we as agriculturalists can advocate for our way of life.

Chase (CD) Brinegar

Southeast State Vice President