It's Show Time!

It's Show Time! When life get's tough, get creative, & keep the show rolling on!

This time last year, I released the "It's Yam Time" tee shirt, in advance of our October county fair. Along came 2020... In June, it was announced that this years county fair in October would be cancelled all together. My heart hurt for all the youth involved with FFA and 4H projects. You see, many of the animals are raised or purchased many months in advance. Some possibly back in 2019, before all the current events. I was one of those youth in the 90's raising animals and there was just a month or so out of the year that we didn't have a calf in the barn, getting it ready to show at the fair. With the proceeds from the livestock show and sale, I put that money towards my first vehicle and college expenses. Due to my involvement in both organizations and my animals, I was awarded several scholarships, learned responsibility, and leadership skills that have made me who I am today. 

The county fair was where we had our first booth for this business, that led to so many more opportunities. In 2019, the Yamboree was our best show to date and we were looking forward to it again this October.

The very night (in June) I learned of this year's fair closing and the possibility of a new show being organized, I drew up this design. My first thought was that I would create and sell t shirts, with a portion of the sales going to the youth showers. This week, it was announced the there will be a new Upshur Co Youth Expo to be held the third week of October 2020. A show will keep rolling on, with modifications and safety precautions in place. Therefore, I am now releasing this set of tees and will use a portion of the sales to purchase or add on money (depending on how many shirts we sell) to youth projects that make the sale. (when purchasing animals at the fair, it is more of a donation type event as the purchaser doesn't usually keep the animal they bid on.) I am so happy to see that an organization has been created to allow the show continue for the youth. 

The design features all the animals that will be a part of the livestock show - dairy heifers, steers, rabbits, pigs, goat, and chickens. There is also a basket of fall leaves and sweet potatoes and a pie - things that are symbolic of our fall fair season. It's powerful what can happen when we get creative and choose to keep the show rolling on! I truly hope that together we can all make a difference in the youth of our county. 

You can find the two shirts on our website (bleached or baseball), by messaging us, or we will have some available at the Gilmer Area Farmer's Market on September 12 from 5-8 (please note different times for the final farmers market of the season - food trucks and live music as we conclude the farmer's market season.) While you are on our website, be sure to check out all of our other tees and flannels that have a rural / county fair / animal theme going on - such as The Farm that Built Me, Hangin' with my Heifers, I Goat This, or the new Christmas on the Farm. 

National FFA Week

I discovered through social media that this week is National FFA Week. My years in FFA were 4 of the best years of my life and have made a lasting impression on me. I will say that my years in both FFA and 4-H taught me more than any other class or subject in school ever could have and I'm not just talking about learning about cows, sows, and plows. It's so much more than that!

I had two of the very best at teachers in the entire state of Texas - Mrs. Witt and Mr. Thomas! 

FFA Banquet with the best two ag teachers! 

From the National FFA Website
National FFA Week is an opportunity for FFA members, alumni and sponsors to advocate for agricultural education and FFA. It's a time to share with local, state and national audiences what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day.

I was invloved in ag classes all four years of high school, became involved in showing cattle, parliamentary procedure and skills teams, horse, livestock and floraculture judging teams, was an officer for 3 years, and the list goes on. Horse judging allowed me to get a college scholarship and go on to compete in  horse judging contest in college and travel across the country. 

I traveled across the state with Mrs. Witt to state conventions, livestock shows, and competitions. She usually made me ride up front, because I was the one of the group that would never go to sleep in a vehicle, so I could help her stay awake. So many awesome memories traveling to Houston, Ft Worth, Lubbock, Amarillo, Stephenville, College Station, Nacogdoches, Commerce, Texarkana, and many places in between, as well as a trip to the National FFA Convention to receive my National FFA Degree. 

Senior year, with my heifer Rosie. I believe this was at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. 

I remember one of our first assignments in freshman ag was to introduce ourselves to a person in school authority and shake their hands. And by shake, it was a firm hand shake, even if you're a girl! I was a nervous girl shaking the assistant principals hand at lunch that day, but we were learning about public relations and business skills in that moment. 

We learned about responsibility, determination, team work, a strong work ethic, organization, public speaking, and how to conduct a meeting. We also were taught to properly fill out job applications, resumes, and job interview skills. While I've never had to fill out an application for the jobs I have worked, I did compete in the job fair my senior year in high school. I was always a tshirt and jeans kind of girl, but that day I wore my Sunday best dress and everyone was shocked, but I had been taught to dress for the interview and be professional. I'm amazed at some of the job applications I have been handed, the kids I've interview and the slouchy attire I've see as someone walks in off the street and ask for a job. I know without a doubt, they did not go through the Gilmer FFA program or they would have been way more prepared. If you really want a job, clean up, dress up, fix your hair, introduce yourself with a firm hand shake, and tell your prospective boss how you can help them. Fill out your job application and resume neatly and completely. You can also make things like "feeding cows" have a much more impressive description as you are "responsible for the nutritional well being and safety of the bovine species."

Freshman year - my first show steer (born and raised on our family ranch)

One year as I was filling out my class schedule for the next year, my counselor told me "I was too smart to be in ag," that I needed to be in an honors math class instead. That made me so mad and I had to kindly tell her that I would be staying in ag. I was showing and selling steers at the county fair through FFA, the sale money would in turn be placed in my college savings account as well as qualify me for several scholarships. That was real life math to me. I would be gaining life skills, record keeping, and community service that would make me much more prepared for after high school. She didn't really like it, but I stayed in ag! 

Mr. Thomas even give me some dating advise one time. Simply "if you wouldn't marry him, don't date him." I think that wisdom helped me end a few relationships and how wise it is. 

I also took my first floral design class in high school and went on to win the state floriculture award in the summer of 1999. I had a cast on my arm at state convention, but that's a whole other story. Looking back at some of the wreaths I made then, oh my, but that's  when I started making rope wreaths. They've come a long way! I remember the crazy mock wedding we had in class. We recycled silk flowers for the wedding and I believe I was the preacher who over saw the ceremony!

State FFA Convention, 1999, receiving State Floraculture Award

FFA will always have a special place in my heart. Truth be told, I hated school, yet I was a smart kid (I was one out of the top 10%). It was my involvement in ag and FFA that made me want to get up and go to school. That's were my friends were and two great instructors, who were and are still friends to me. At times, the school district thought about discontinuing some of the vocational courses and I personally think it would have been detrimental to so many people. I'm so thankful for the experiences I had in FFA and the wonderful people who helped make them happen. Without a doubt, Mrs. Witt and Mr. Thomas are the two teachers that influenced my life the most. 

I know I'll forever remember my years in FFA and hope that I can give back a portion of what I was given.