Beginning a new chapter: Nebraska.

As many of you now know, I am no longest an Ohio resident. While my heart will always belong to the Buckeyes and the Buckeye state, my journey in the land of the Nebraska Cornhuskers officially started last week. I am excited, anxious, nervous, and optimistic about where this journey will take me, and am confident that residing out west will be a great move for me, both personally and professionally.

Plans for my big move began after I accepted at position with Beck Ag, Inc., a group of agricultural sales and marketing consultants specializing in experience-sharing marketing for many companies within the industry. Ranging from seeds to chemicals, and animal health to ag advertising, my coworkers bring a variety of rich experience to the Beck Ag team. I am very excited to be involved in "sharing the agriculture story" on behalf of our customers with the many growers and producers around the country. In my specific role I will be responsible for database support, conference metrics and result summaries, and will work with our AgTeleExperts and Project Managers to ensure the success of each project. This job will be anything but monotonous and is sure to challenge me and keep me learning each day.

As a part of my westward travels, I also got to spend Easter in Norfolk with Brian, his family, and my Dad and Cathy. The Wenig/Anderson parent meeting could not have gone better, and we had a ton of fun cooking, coloring eggs, playing cards, and coaching our star Easter egg hunter Michelle at the community egg hunt.

Looking forward to posting more often on life updates and my encounters in Nebraska.

Until then...
GO BUCKS!

Time and Change...

            The past three weeks have flown by. Between trips to Iowa, Nebraska, and Washington D.C. and interviews in Lincoln and St. Louis, I have been grateful for the time I have been able spend at home in between all of the commotion. While the majority of my time at home is spent preparing for interviews, doing laundry, catching up on sleep, and spending time with my wonderful family, I also have a to-do list of things I would like to get done. One of them is a blog overhaul.

 Following the trends of some of my friends and fellow bloggers, I intend to transform my blog a bit over the next few weeks. I hope to add some background info about my hometown, my life, and my passions, as well as showcase the talents of many of my friends in their agvocacy efforts.  I also hope to launch my own 101 in 1001 challenge as I began the next phase of my life.  As I try to conquer a more consistent weekly routine, I hope to keep you all updated on my life, pass along any newsworthy items, and post pictures of my latest adventures. In the mean time, I love getting blog suggestions or recommendations of other bloggers to follow! 

Brad and Brittany's Wedding and Washington D.C.

     As promised, I will now update on the rest of the month of March. Hours after graduation and packing up my house in Columbus, Brian and I started our road trip to Iowa to spend the week with his family and get ready for his sister Brittany's wedding. After 12 hours in the car together we finally arrived in Marathon, IA at his parents house. Brian headed off to Omaha for work meetings and I had a great time spending time with the Anderson's -- Loren, Lisa, Brittany and Michelle-- until he returned on Wednesday.

Brian's sisters, Brittany and Michelle

    The weekend quickly approached and we had a ton of fun on Friday at the rehearsal dinner. Saturday came, and the big day was finally here! Brad and Brittany had such a wonderful ceremony and reception filled with friends, family, and lots of fun. I was honored to be a part of their big day and wish them all the best in the future.

After a whirlwind wedding weekend, Brian and I headed back to Norfolk to get ready for a work trip to Washington D.C.. I was super excited to head to the Nation's capital, as it was Brian's first trip to the city. We had a great itinerary planned for the group of dealers he took and we managed to visit the Holocaust museum, WWII, Vietnam and Korean Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Arlington Cemetery, and many many more.

Cherry Blossoms!

     Excited for a busy week of traveling and interviews ahead. Will update you all in the next week or two on where my next move will take me!

How Firm Thy Friendship...

In the next few weeks I hope to catch you all up on the events of my amazing March. As I continuing my crazy travel and interview schedule, I hope to fill you in on my MS graduation, Brad and Brittany's wedding, and Brian and I's trip to D.C. So, to kick it all off....

On March 20th I officially ended my time as a Buckeye student. Notice I say student, because the Buckeye part, never ends. I was overwhelmed with the memories of the past 5 years as the day approached. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I feel to have been able to attend the world's best institution, study with some of the best professors and peers, and experience life through the glorious Ohio State lens. Your support has come in many forms, and has propelled me through the tests and kept my spirits high throughout the process. Know that I appreciate all of you and hope to keep in contact with you wherever my next journey takes me.

A few highlights of my weekend....

Yep,  I did it! And got the paper to prove it right away!

My wonderful Grandparents. 

Night before graduation. Dinner downtown with my family!

Now on to the next part of my journey. But as our wise President Gee says ... "I do not wish to bid you farewell, only that you fare well in your next endeavors."

Go Bucks!

March: In the Running for the Best Month of 2011

As a kid I often hated the month of March. Rarely did school close in March, March had no scheduled holidays, March was often filled with rainy, cloudy days that prevented us from going out to recess, and March meant we still had several days left of school.

But, as I have grown older, I have come to appreciate the month of March much more. Unlike the March's of my youth, this March -- March 2011, is going to be hard to beat throughout the rest of the year. Why, you may wonder, is this March so wonderful and deserving of such praise? Let me brief you on the many events that have happened, and will happen, this month.

I spent the first day of March on a beach in the Dominican Republic. Brian and I spent 5 days down south with a few of his co-workers. We enjoyed quality sun time during the day, fancy dinners in the evening, and rounding off the day with some blackjack in the casino. It was certainly my idea of a great vacation.

After returning from vacation, I spent March 3-16 finishing up edits on my thesis and completing my associateship work in the College office.  I was able to participate in the selection of the new College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Ambassador Team and helped organized the CFAES Buckeye Scholarship competition for high-school students.

March 20th will mark my second graduation from Ohio State. I am excited to once again walk across the stage in the Schottenstein Center at Ohio State and receive my Masters of Science in Agriculture degree from our honorable President, Dr. E. Gordon Gee. I am so grateful and thankful that so many members of my family will join me in Columbus for the celebration. 


Days after graduation, Brian and I will hit the road to head back to his hometown, Marathon, IA. We will celebrate our one-year anniversary on March 25th. Quite the celebration it will be, as Brian's sister Brittany will marry the love of her life, Brad Ganeff, on March 26th. Brian and I are both very excited for Brad and Brittany and are honored to be a part of their special day. 


March will be sent out with a bang as Brian and I head to Washington D.C. on March 31st. My Grandma Wenig has always said I have "Potomac fever" because of my love for our nation's capital. I am excited to be a tour guide for Brian on his first trip to D.C. and spend some time with him and some of his dealers. 


And March wouldn't be March without the glorious display of athletic prowess in March Madness. So very excited to cheer on my BIG10 champs, The Ohio State Buckeyes, as they tackle the competition throughout the tournament. 


Hoping everyone else is enjoying this month as much as I am!

Ohio has spoken.

A good friend asked me last night how my goal to blog more was going, clearly with utmost sarcasm. He's right. I clearly have not kept up with blogging as much as I should, but feel redundant in copying blogs and topics from others and don't want to waste your time. This morning I assure you I am not. I would like to pass on a letter sent from Congressman Zach Space representing Ohio's 18th District. Congressman Space writes....

Dear Mr. Pacelle,

I was disappointed and troubled to hear of the recent decision by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to move forward with attempts to further their political agenda and force it on the people of Ohio. This news proves that clearly you and your organization have not been listening.

HSUS was obviously not listening when residents across the state of Ohio spoke in one voice – overwhelmingly supporting Issue 2 and ensuring that Ohioans regulate our own standards for animal care. HSUS was obviously not listening when a majority of Ohio’s federal and state delegation endorsed the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board (OLCSB) – overwhelmingly denouncing the HSUS’ efforts to undermine it. And HSUS was obviously not listening when farmers across the state of Ohio weighed in on this disastrous policy – overwhelmingly opposing it.

In addition to a majority of Ohioans, Issue 2 also had great support among Ohio’s legislators, Governor Strickland, and groups representing animal interests, including The American Humane Association, and the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association. It is unconscionable to me that an outside group would come into our State and claim that they know better.

The OLCSB was created just four months ago with a strong mandate by the people of Ohio, and it would be wrong for it to be hijacked by overzealous special interests based out of Washington, D.C. Our board will ensure that livestock and animals in Ohio are treated humanely and that our agricultural producers – a major sector of Ohio’s economy – are not unfairly penalized with unacceptable regulations.

The experts that will make up the OLCSB are the best sources for determining Ohio’s minimum standards of care for our animals, and not a liberal group whose real intentions are less about animal care and more about control over what we in Ohio eat.

Your attempts to dictate our state policies regarding animal care are misguided, and I will not stand for them. Ohio’s standards of animal care should be determined by those who know the issue best and have a vested interest in the outcome – Ohioans.

I joined the farmers of my district to support the passage of Issue 2, which passed with almost 64% of the vote on November 3rd. Ohioans statewide have spoken. It is clear exactly where they stand on this issue.

Mr. Pacelle, Ohio has spoken. Why haven’t you been listening?

Sincerely,

Congressman Zack Space

I am impressed with Congressman Space's letter, his commitment to his constituency, and his commitment to the betterment of Ohio agriculture. If you would like to read more articles like this, hear more about Ohio's most recent battles with HSUS, or to just learn about the political tactics and outrageous schemes of the HSUS, please visit ofbf.org or humanewatch.org

A limerick to remember.

As many of you know, this past Thursday I was able to travel home for a long weekend and speak to the BG Noon Kiwanis Club over their luncheon meeting. My step-mom Cathy has been a long time member of the club and over the years I have attended their meetings to hear special speakers and have gotten to know many of the members over time.

I was honored a few months ago when Brooke Harrison asked me to speak to Kiwanis as a part of her January platform of speakers all related to agriculture. I thought long and hard of the topics I would want to cover, and how I would give Kiwanis members an accurate snapshot of Ohio and United States agriculture in just 15-20 minutes.

Luckily, the words came easily, and I was very pleased with the message I shared. While I was able to leave my audience more educated on animal agriculture, myths behind factory farming, general innovations across our industry, and consumer awareness, the most memorable part of my day came before I began my presentation.

As a Kiwanis tradition, each meeting members go around the room donating "happy dollars" for the great things that have happened in their lives and communities. As the "happy dollar" circuit was closing, former Bowling Green mayor and highly respected community member Wes Hoffman shared his introductory limerick about me with the group...

For this week we'll hear more about farming,
But to you that should not be alarming,
For our speaker's the daughter
Of the family who brought'er...
And the Wenig's are really quite charming.

Our speaker group up with the grain,
On a farm in Wood County's terrain,
Her career became sealed
When she learned about yield
And why crops are dependent upon rain.

As a girl she was not far away
From 4-H, and, as well, FFA,
She became a real vulture
In affairs agriculture...
...Found a calling she had to obey.

Since her future she now could foresee,
OSU was the next place to be...
There her studies were tough,
Agricultural stuff,
But she finally got her degree.

Now in graduate school she will try
For more knowledge which she can apply...
And we hope she'll succeed
Since there is great need
For a confident world food supply.

Our speaker will give us instruction
On the future of farming production...
She'll explain Issue 2
And just what it will do,
And may warn about cropland destruction.

She'll describe what it means to our fate
To become much more ag literate,
To learn more about growing,
About reaping and sowing,
And the food that we put on our plate.

She will speak of the things that are hot
In the huge agricultural pot...
Though her talk won't be racy,
Let us welcome guest Stacie,
Who'll make sure that we all learn alot!


Thanks to Wes, and the entire BG Noon Kiwanis for welcoming me to your organization so warmly. I hope each of you were able to learn a little about hot topics in agriculture and the role you play as consumers!

Happy Tuesday!

Stacie

My highlights of 2009...

The last few weeks I have been reflecting upon the past 12 months. While I probably say this most years, my 2009 happenings, combined with major milestones accomplished this year,have seemed to top all previous years. I hope this sentiment holds true for the many glorious years to come, but in the meantime... a look into Stacie's 2009.

January started off with a bang, as I boarded the plane and began my 6-week journey throughout Brazil. Armed with 90 lbs. of luggage, 18 friends and classmates, and all the excitement in the world, I felt so very fortunate to travel and study abroad. January (and most of February) allowed for many new adventures. I was able to hike through the rain forest, visit many farms and see Brazilian agriculture first-hand, stay with an incredible host family, and learn more about the history and agricultural economics of this incredible country. February continued my Brazil trip, but also landed me back in the states to enjoy a lot of time with my family and friends. Was awarded Outstanding Member of the Saddle and Sirloin Club and enjoyed traveling back and forth to Columbus to visit with friends before school started back up.

March wrapped up my Alpha Zeta Partners experience with a trip to Washington D.C. My Grandma has always told me I have "potomac fever"and I understand why each time I get back inside the beltway. I love visiting the monuments time and time again, seeing our governing body at work, and learning more about the organizations dedicated to agricultural policy work in D.C. Our AZP group enjoyed 4 days in the city and got to meet with several organizations.

April was a month of big decisions for me. With graduation only a few months away, I spent a lot of time applying for full-time positions with a variety of companies and applying to graduate programs in Agricultural communication. After a lot of soul-searching, I decided my heart still belonged here at Ohio State, and I decided to stay on as a graduate teaching associate and pursue my Masters degree. (a decision I definitely don't regret!) April also allowed my best friend Erin and I to take a road trip to Manhattan, KS to see lots of great friends!

May brought with it my favorite time of the year: MY BIRTHDAY!! I spent most of May with my family and friends, who thankfully, gave way to my declared week-long birthday celebration! I also was able to be a narrator at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Recognition Banquet and was named a top 10 senior within the college.

June kicked off my summer internship with Farm Credit Services of Mid-America in Washington Courthouse, OH. My mentor, Jeff Hoak, allowed me to learn the ins and outs of the ag lending system in a hands-on environment. While the internship lasted throughout the summer, June allowed me to meet other interns, attend many farm sales, and meeting with key customers of FCS. June was also exciting as two of my very best friends got married. I was honored to be a part of the wedding of Angela Pickerel and Arik Witker at the end of the month. What a beautiful couple and wonderful celebration!

July continued my internship experience at Farm Credit. I also worked diligently on my 12 credits of online courses to complete my undergrad degree. I was able to spend a lot of time at home with my family as well.

August was spent at the Wood County and Ohio State fairs. I always enjoy watching the next generation of 4-H and FFA members continue to participate in the many traditions of competition, showmanship, and of course, FUN, that come along with county fairs. The end of the August was ultimate highlight of my year. On August 30th I received my Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree from The Ohio State University. Topped off by nearly 15 of my family members present at my ceremony, I was honored and shocked to be a part of President E. Gordon Gee's commencement address.
September brought about my first quarter of graduate school and the always exciting football season for The Ohio State Buckeyes!! I enjoyed beginning my teaching experience, getting into the swing of graduate level classes, and meeting new classmates. Football gave me a reason to tailgate with great friends and even entertain a visit from friends Hyatt, Brandi, and Doug for the big USC game.

October was a huge month of campaigning and issue work for Ohio agriculture. As many of you have read in previous posts, I tried to work as an advocate for animal agriculture as we began our fight against the radical group HSUS. In my spare time I read up on blogs, wrote letters to the editor, and tried to spread the good word about farmers and Ohio ag in an effort to ensure the passing of Ohio Issue 2.

November got off to a great start with the passing of Issue 2. My brother Chad and Aunt Joan also came to visit in November and attending the big OSU-Iowa game with me in the Horseshoe. OSU also clenched a big ten football title with a big win over rival Michigan.

December was extremely exciting for me, as I always enjoy the month leading up to Christmas. After wrapping up my first quarter of graduate school and finishing up exams, I kicked off Christmas Break by spending some quality time with the Boxley side of the family at my Uncle Howard's in Dayton. I traveled home to Christmas shop, visit with my wonderful Grandparents, and pack for a week-long family trip to the Dominican Republic. We had a quite enjoyable white-sand Christmas in the 85 degree weather of the DR. I returned to the US to welcome my best friend Erin's new baby girl Claire Louise Limes Lampe (born on Dec. 24th) and to hear of the exciting engagement of my other best friend and college roommate Allison Agle to her boyfriend Luke. I wrapped up 2009 with a two days spent with good friends Hyatt Frobose and Brandi Buzzard on their visit to Wood County.Now, in January of 2010 I look forward to so much... building upon the many relationships mentioned above, planning future travels, spending time with my supportive family, and continuing to take advantage of all the opportunities my great university, state, and country have afforded me.

To each of you reading, I thank you for the role you have played in another outstanding year of my life. I appreciate your love, support, encouragement, laughter, and advice along the way.

Check back for my updates and adventures coming soon! (I plan to blog more in 2010...hopefully I can stick to it!!)

Vote YES on Issue 2

Believe it or not, each and every resident of not only my state, but our entire country, has some connection to the traditional occupation of farming. Whether they have experienced the hardwork and satisfaction of exhibiting a market animal at a county fair, visited a local farm as a part of a school or leadership visit, or simply purchased meat and animal products at our local grocery, each citizen has somehow made a conscious decision to support local agriculturalists.

While many take these luxuries for granted, I consider my community blessed with such strong agriculture supporters, programming, and funding. Personally, I feel quite fortunate to be able to travel only minutes from home to see how my food is produced. Area farmers and livestock producers literally connect the farm gate to the consumer plate, as they provide a healthy and safe food supply for our community.

The very safety of that food supply is in jeopardy in the Buckeye state. The Humane Society of the United States has made their agenda in Ohio quite clear: slowly erode, and eventually banish, animal agriculture. Much like their most recent campaign in California, Wayne Pacelle and other HSUS officials have promised an Ohio invasion in 2010 if compromises aren’t made on the production of our livestock.

In an effort to protect our largest industry, Ohio farmers, politicians, commodity organizations, and business leaders have joined together in an effort to keep HSUS from controlling our right to local, safe, and efficient production of animal products. Passing in the Ohio House and Senate in July of 2009, a bipartisan resolution was created to put Issue 2 on the ballot. Issue 2, a proposed constitutional amendment, would create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. This board will enable Ohio livestock and poultry farmers to continue to provide excellent care to their animals, while also protecting our food supply and keeping affordable, locally-raised food available for consumers.

It is more important than ever that we not only spread the word about Issue 2 around Ohio, but educate other agriculturalists in the United States about the potential consequences extreme animal activist groups could create with their unreasonable requests. If these groups had their way, it would almost guarantee higher food costs for consumers, put food safety at risk, increase the amount of food imported to Ohio, cause thousands of family farmers to go out of business, and endanger the overall health and well-being of Ohio's flocks and herds.

To continue support for Ohio’s largest industry, I spend much of my time educating voters on the importance of Issue 2. As a state, and an industry, must take a stand by voting YES on Issue 2 on November 3^rd. By maintaining excellent care of food animals in our state, Issue 2 will help to ensure the availability of safe, locally-grown, affordable meat, milk and eggs. By passing Issue 2, each voter will also help sustain the viability of Ohio’s agriculture community, including the jobs it provides and the many economic contributions it makes. Issue 2 will protect our local family farms, and will keep animal control where it belongs—right here in Ohio.

Summer in full swing!

The last few weeks have been both busy and fun for me. The weekend of the 26th I was honored to be a bridesmaid for my dear friend Angela Pickerel, as she married the love of her life, Arik, and became Mrs. Witker! While we worried and worried about the sweltering weather approaching, Saturday turned out to be a perfect day for the big event! With beautiful flowers by Todd Sheets, Angie and Arik said their "I Do's" at Bethlehem Church and followed with a fun-filled reception at Riverview Banquet center in Pemberville.

Heading back from an exhausting weekend, I completed my 3rd (yes, it was only 4 days) week at Farm Credit Services of Mid-America. I really like all the staff here in Washington Court House and have a great time learning about the organization and checking things off my project t0-d0 list.

This past weekend brought more wedding bells (and fireworks), as my cousin Kylie married Paul Lemon on on the 4th of July Saturday. The wedding at St. Al's was beautiful, with another awesome reception at the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at BGSU. After the wedding, I headed to the fireworks in BG with some friends, and home to rest up. Wrapped up the weekend with a family cook-out Sunday and some homework-- how exciting! It was great to see lots of family over the long holiday weekend!

6 am came early this morning, as I am back to work for the rest of the week. Just keep plugging away at my marketing projects for Farm Credit and my online classes to finish up my degree at Ohio State!

Hope all is well with my "followers"

Stacie

Summer is finally here!

After a grueling 26 hour course load this quarter, I can say I am DONE! Today ended my finals week, and after studying, taking tests, and turning in a final paper, spring quarter is over. While this is my last spring quarter--as an undergrad-- I am super excited for summer to begin. ** to the right is my good friend Renee Starkey and I with our Top Ten Senior awards at the CFAES Banquet.

Speaking of summer, I have so much to look forward-- my next few weeks look like this:

This weekend (June 12th) I will be traveling home friday night to attend my good friend Angie's Bachelorette Party at Put-In-Bay on Saturday. Sunday I will make a quick visit to Columbus to carry the college banner and assist in spring commencement ceremonies. Sunday night I will return home once again, and help Aunt Joan enjoy her week at the lake on Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday starts my internship at Farm Credit Services of Mid-America in Washington Courthouse, OH. I am very excited to work for such a great organization, and am eager to learn more about farm lending.
** to the left is the awesome cake FCS got me for my bday during training!

June 26th brings a very exciting weekend-- as I will be headed home as early as possible on Friday to get ready for Angie Pickerel and Arik Witker's wedding. I am very honored to be serving as a bridesmaid for Angie, and am sure to have a great weekend full of memories as I attend their rehearsal dinner and wedding.

Fourth of July brings about another big weekend- as my cousin Kylie Korsnack will be getting married here in Bowling Green. I am very excited to see a lot of my family who will be in town for the wedding!

Things start to wind down for a while after the weddings, but no fear, August brings about more excitement, as I will have county fair, state fair, and of course GRADUATION to look forward too!


In the mean time, thanks to all of you for your Birthday wishes! I was able to enjoy my birthday over the entire weekend with family dinners, lunches, and tons of time with my close friends. I was even lucky enough to celebrate my birthday the following weekend when I traveled to see Uncle Howard, Aunt Denise, James and Brittany outside of Dayton! I am so blessed!

** Chad, me, and Brittnay out in BG on my 21st Birthday!

As a follow up to my birthday-- Grandma Wenig got me a really neat address book and recipe box for my 21st birthday. If all of you, and yes I mean ALL, would take a second to think of a favorite recipe (or two or three) of yours or something we have shared together and send that to me -- along with your address for my address book-- I would really appreciate it!

Love to all!
Stacie

Plans for 2009....

After much debate, advice from others, and some real soul-searching, I finally have plans for next year. With much enthusiasm, I will still remain a student in the fall of 09. I will be starting a masters program in Agricultural Communications and will still be in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences here at Ohio State. While my job search yielded offers, and serious consideration with Syngenta, my love and pride for Ohio State cannot be denied.

**at the right, Me, and my friends and neighbors Jena and Gus spell out the O-H-I-O tradition in D.C. in March.... with a little help from the Washington Monument of course!

I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity, and owe much thanks to the faculty I have worked with over the past three years, in addition to my mentors in the Dean's office, for their help in providing me this opportunity. . As many of you know I am an active College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Ambassador where I spend a lot of my free time recruiting students to the university and our specific college. During my graduate admissions process, I knew I had made the right decision when these roles were reversed, and the faculty and administration of CFAES made special efforts to retain me in their graduate programs. I am so very EXCITED to start back in a new role and am eager to share with all of you as this next phase unfolds.

**picture is of my best friend, Erin, friend Dustin Brown, and I at the Wood County 4-H Camp Counselor reunion a few weeks ago!

In other news, we are almost half way through spring quarter!! Classes, clubs, and preparing for our College Recognition Banquet are keeping me quite busy. On May 7th I will be serving as a narrator for our college wide banquet and will be named a Top 20 Senior-- one of our college's top awards. In addition to our college awards, I will be having dinner (along with other students) next week with E. Gordon Gee-- Ohio State University President, as I am recognized as in the President's Salute to Outstanding Academic Achievement.


Oh.. and if I couldn't forget-- I bought a new car! Well actually a mid-size SUV-- but none-the-less... I am now a proud owner of a red Mercury Mariner (yes, Uncle Bob and I are twins) and passed on my blue chevy truck to a 16 year old first time driver at home!

Hope this finds all of you well! Make sure to email, call, or heck-- COME VISIT me!

With love,
Stacie

Back in the States!

Needless to say, I had the time of my life in Brazil this winter. I hope each of you enjoyed following along as I posted my thoughts, activities, and a few pictures about my journey through Central America. I was so very fortunate to travel to wonderful places, learn so much about the agribusiness and production agriculture climate in Brazil, and meet so many amazing people throughout the 6 weeks. ** To the right is a picture of my host family and I on one of my last nights in Piracicaba!

So.. you are probably wondering... Whats next for me?

Well, that is a good question-- and if I knew for certain, I would share my plan with all of you. BUT- with many opportunities still out to jury, I will just update you on what I have been doing in the 4 weeks since my return to the states.

I have been able to spend quite a bit of time at home in Bowling Green. From family game nights, attending Cate's first 4-H meeting with her and a few basketball games, catching up with family and friends, and getting some quality rest and relaxation, I have stayed quite busy.

In addition to time at home, I have also spent some time in Columbus catching up at club meetings and such. Two weeks ago I spent 2 days in Minneapolis interviewing for a job with Syngenta Seeds, and I spent last week in Washington D.C. with my Alpha Zeta Partners group studying organizational change by meeting with several agriculturally-related organizations.

Now, I find myself back at home for just 5 more days before school starts back up again for Spring quarter! I am very excited for my spring quarter classes and schedule (Yes, I am a dork) and for the spring excitement on campus in Columbus.

When spring quarter wraps up in June, I will be staying in Columbus for the summer to complete an internship with Farm Credit Services of Mid-America and will be taking my FINAL 2 Classes at Ohio State before graduating in August!

Eleven day trip!!

We headed off last wednesday night to begin our 11 day trip all around Brazil. As of tonight, we are in our 5th hotel and have at least made pit stops in nearly 20 cities. While the last 4-5 days have started running together with little sleep and long bus rides in between-- I will try to recap a few of the highlights.

- Friboi/JBS Beef Processing Plant- here we got to walk through the whole process-- literally from unloading the truck, stun gun, removing the skin, halving, cuts, and all the way to processed corned beef ready for the shelf!! Very interesting, but definitely not for those with weak stomachs!

- Nova India Semen Farm- we got to visit this farm, featuring over 30 head of Brazil's top bulls, and tour their holding pens, embryo transfer facility, laboratories, and even watched them make a few collections.

- Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture- we visited the Brazilian equiavlent to the USDA yesterday and got to learn about the different sectors of agriculture around the country, ask lots of questions, and drew many conclusions about the similarities and differences between agricultural support programs in the US.

- CNA (similar to US Farm Bureau)- one of the most interesting places we visited! We spoke with representatives about lobbying the government, agricultural education and vocational training, and the leadership among Brazilian farmers in controlling policy decisions.

- HOT SPRINGS!! Best day ever! We got to spend the entire day Saturday at a Brazilian equivalent outdoor water park! After 8 hours of floating thru the lazy river, fighting the waves in the wave pool, and reading an entire book, I was sufficiently RED but loved the relaxing day!

Other visits have included: ABCZ- Brazilian Zebu Cattle Association, Beef Feedlots, Driving Tour of the Capital of Brazil-- Brasilia, visit to INMET- the national meteoroloy institute of Brazil, any several road stops along the way!!

With 5 more days of travel left before heading back to Piracicaba, we are running low on sleep and are quite sick of sitting on our bus for 4-5 hours a day, but are ENJOYING every minute!!

**sorry no pictures, internet is kind of slow and pictures take far too long to upload!

Nature Girl 2 - - Santos and Sao Paulo

This past week and weekend we spent 4 days in Santos and Sao Paulo-- both cities east (closer to the ocean!!) of Piracicaba. After traveling wednesday night, we started out on our second hiking journey first thing thursday morning. This time we were going to hike along the coast, visit some lowland estuaries, and eventually end up at a BEACH! Beginning with the end in mind-- I was easily able to get through the mud and mountains knowing that shortly we would be sunbathing on the beach. Upon our arrival, we all stripped down and spent an hour or so in the ocean. We then walked along the beach (we were the only people there!) and explored for a while before heading back to the bus.

Friday morning came early, as we set out for the Porto de Santos-- one of the largest ports in Brazil and South America. Here we visited with the port authority, and traveled down to one the bays to tour the ADM facility. We met with the ADM elevator operators and got to tour their storage and ship load out facilities. I found this especially interesting after spending my summer internship at a Cargill Barge load out facility. **left view from one of the terminals, right Gus and I-- past and future Cargill interns in our hard hats!

After grabbing a quick lunch, we went to the Santos aquarium and then on a 2 hour boat tour of the port and surrounding areas. It was really interesting to see all the products that are handled throughout the port, and it was great to relax on the boat with the group for a few hours. Friday night we spent at a local shopping mall and retired early to get ready for another busy day on Saturday.

Saturday was a pretty relaxing day as well, spending all morning at the Sao Paulo Zoo and the afternoon at the Sao Paulo Art Museum. It was cool to see all of the animals, compare with the Toledo and Columbus Zoos, and enjoy the sunshine. The art museum was very different, but they had a neat Chinese art exhibit with many pieces focused around the olympic games.

Saturday Night was a definite cultural experience-- as our whole group headed to a Samba club in Sao Paulo. We got there at 11-- which was very early for them-- and waited around til after midnight when the crowds starting rolling in. While we received many stares from Brazilians, we still danced the night away, regardless of how rediculous we probably looked. Sunday morning we shopped at the "Hippie Market" downtown and ate lunch at a traditional Brazilian BBQ. This restaurant served us over 32 different cuts of meat (bite size pieces) along with cheese, potatoes, and a salad bar, for over 3 hours!! Needless to say it was pretty quite as everyone easily fell asleep onthe ride back to Piracicaba last night!!

Overall a very good weekend!! Spending three days in class this week before heading off for an 11 day trip!! Have been able to get some souvenirs but hoping to find some more things in the next week or so!! Ohhh.. and one special person should be receiving a piece of mail in the next few days!! Watch your mailboxes to see if you are the lucky one!!

P.S. For those of you wondering... ** I have yet to find Juan Valdez or a Dick's Sporting Goods store!! hahaha : )

Weekend with Host Family

After returning from touring on Friday, we quickly showered, packed, and got ready to be picked up by our host family. The father, little brother and sister-- Marco, Joao Vitor, and Cintia, came to pick me up around 7:15. We headed to their house-- only about 10 minutes from the hotel. Upon arriving I met the rest of the family, took a tour of their home, and sat down for dinner with the whole family. Later in the evening went over to Marco's parents home on the other side of the city where I learned to make Fezuada (a native dish of Pork and Black Beans). Being that it was a long day, we headed home and went to bed early friday night.


Saturday morning -- for the first time in Brazil-- I got to sleep in! When I got up my host Mom-- Cleide-- had made a delicious breakfast. Cleide and I then walked about 5 blocks to visit Cintia (sister) at the clothing store she works at. When we got home we changed our clothes and packed our bags to head 30 minutes out of Piracicaba to a summer cottage. We spend all afternoon swimming, having Brazilian BBQ, dancing, and playing cards. It was a lot of fun-- and was definitely something very similar to many of our summer cookouts in Ohio!

Saturday night we headed back to the city-- got cleaned up and ate some more (Brazilians love to eat!!) Vinicius (brother), Cintia (sister), and Cleber (their cousin) and I headed out around 10 o'clock to visit some of their friends and go to a few bars around Campus. We had a great time and met a lot of people-- even some who spoke english!

Sunday was absolutely perfect-- as all we did was sleep, watch movies, and eat. It reminded me of being at home as well... especially when my host dad Marco turned on his favorite show TWO AND HALF MEN!! We talked about how that was my dad's favorite show too! (It is really amazing how much American music and television programs Brazilians follow). Everyone slept in, ate lunch, watched 27 dresses, and got cleaned up before I headed back to the hotel around 7. All-in-all it was a great weekend with a great family. I really enjoyed spending time with such wonderful people-- and could find some many similarities between my family and theirs.

Friday Touring.

Friday was spent touring around Piracicaba-- seeing the central market (much like the North Market in Columbus) and visiting the Cathedral in the town square. We were able to spend some time shopping, walking around, and took a lot of cool pictures. After lunch in the downtown area-- we headed down by the Piracicaba river and took more pictures at an old abandoned sugarcane mill.
We spend the afternoon touring Coplacana-- a local sugarcane cooperative. Coplacana has its headquarters in Piracicaba, but has several branch locations to serve all of its members. We were able to tour their office building, their seed and animal feed divisions, chemical warehouse and their supply store. They were truly a full service co-op-- complete with a automotive center to help their farmers out with anything they needed. After leaving Coplacana we headed outside Piracicaba to visit a new biodiesel plant. The new plant will be online in about 10 months-- and will be able to process several different grains to produce biodiesel. This was one of my favorite stops thus far, as I was able to ask a lot of questions to help compare and contrast the differences between biodiesel and ethanol production.

Flowers, and Palm Trees, and Oranges.. Oh My!!

We took a break from classes yesterday to travel out of Piracicaba to tour different farms, agribusinesses, and processing facilities. We started off on the wrong foot, as our bus driver got us lost and almost 2 hours late to our first tour. Our first stop was at Veiling Hollambre-- one of the largest flower markets in all of Brazil. Here, nearly 500 flower buyers gather each day to bid on a variety of different native and exotic species. We got to walk through the thousands of racks of flowers, watch as buyers bid on flowers, and talk with a worker from the market.



From there we visited a 25 acre greenhouse that produces many ornamental products to sell at the market. Gustavos--manager of the operation-- showed us several different species of palm trees, both native Brazil.. and others extremely rare brought back from other countries. Gustavos was a graduate of ESALQ-- the school we are studying at-- and in addition to a tour, he shared with us his career path, marketing and entreprenurial advice, and other information about trade and agriculture in Brazil.
** left some cactuses in colorful pots, and right.. MUMS!

After leaving the greenhouse we switched industries, now on to citrus. We toured a seed generation and seedling facility. Here, they produced seedling for lime, lemon, and orange trees. We toured the greenhouses and learned about the bud grafting process for selecting different traits. From there we stayed with the same group of guides and traveled on to a orange processing facility. Oranges are brought in by the producer, put in a special holding room to ripen, and are then cleaned , inspected, and package for delivery. Our last stop of the day was at a GIANT orange grove. We got to walk down into a valley, surrounded by orange trees, pick one off the tree, and ENJOY. The day in all was a definite VITAMIN C overload-- as at everystop we have oranges, orange juice and more- but definitely a very fun day!

Pictures....

No new news to report.. but uploaded more pictures and wanted to share them with you all. As requested, I will try to take some pictures with me in them!!

** As we drove uphill all day... we decided to stop and take some pictures!




** On the left, Friday night when we finally got our luggage we were extremely happy! Me smiling and embracing my missing suitcase!!

** On the right, Jena and I at the dairy co-op we visited. We wore white rubber boots to tour the milk and yogurt processing facility.





**To the right is most of our group after a night out to dinner with our Brazilian friends. Heitor, Eloisa, and Jackie-- all students at ESALQ-- are spending almost every day traveling, learning and teaching us more about Brazilian culture.