Hello Blog

Hello! I have not fallen off the edge of the earth. I have just been busy! Here's what's been going on in my world in my absence:
-trip to Denver for Thanksgiving
-Ordering calendars, losing saved calendars on ordering website, getting ready to re-design and order them again
-Weaning a second round of calves my dad bought
-Attending the Range Beef Cow Symposium for a day
-Trip to Adam's house
-Figuring out and dedicating some time to Adam's Christmas, and birthday (December 27) presents
-Writing, a lot
-Sending out a lot more pictures to various places, with some exciting success. More on that soon!
-Helping with a skit for Farm Bureau meeting (see below)
-Designing and ordering various photo products for a local Christmas Bazaar
-As a landlord, there seems to always be a few things to do in the house area
-A presentation through Farm Bureau that is no light task

Man, that doesn't seem like a long enough list : )

I will be back in the swing of things.....soon. This Friday I am heading to Casper for the Wyoming Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Annual Convetion (they expect you to do show up when you're on the committee), a trip to Adam's after that (where there is no Internet service) then back home to continue writing like crazy, which it's such a blessing to be so busy in that area!
In the mean time, I will make more of an effort to at least put some new pictures up here, and stay caught up in that area.
Speaking of pictures, I would appreciate it if you swung over to the American Angus Association's Facebook page, and voted for my picture by liking it. The photo with the most likes wins. Mine is the one used in my blog header.

More than Insurance

I spent Monday and Tuesday of this week in Cheyenne for the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WFB) Legislative meeting and the Young Farmers and Ranchers Legislative Session, held in conjunction.
The Federation side of Farm Bureau is separate from Farm Bureau Insurance. While they are the same company, the insurance side is - big surprise - insurance. The Federation side is one of the oldest and largest voices for farmers and ranchers in the country. A grassroots approach keeps power at the local level, but a large membership provides a voice locally, state-wide, nationally and internationally. Members vote on policy and legislation and local meetings, and that vote is carried to state and national lobbyists within the organization. In addition to lobbying for ag-related legislation, Farm Bureau also does educational and volunteering activities across the nation.
My family has a long-standing history of involvement in the organization, and I plan to continue that involvement. I believe strongly in what the organizations stands for and the policies it's based on.
If you're interested in joining an organization that provides a big voice for agriculture, this a great one. The Young Farmers and Ranchers arm of the Farm Bureau Federation is designed specifically for 18-34 year-olds, and if you have Farm Bureau insurance, you're already a member of the federation. Being a member allows you to vote on policy and issues the organization is involved with on the political front.
If you're not a person with an ag-background that's fine too. Volunteer, educational, travel and political opportunities are available to all members.