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Friday, February 25, 2011

The Tradition

If any of you happen to be followers of some of my dear friends from North Dakota, then this blog is a repeat. However, if you aren't lucky enough to know the secret that the B. Williams has a blog :), I will help you out and show you this gorgeous print.

Now, I understand this picture probably doesn't do the cowhide and barn wood framed picture justice, but I still like the words an awful lot.

"Some folks just don't get it. They think owning cattle makes no sense. It takes too much time, too much equipment, not to mention the expense."

Man, isn't that the truth. But (and that is a big but), it still was the best thing I ever did and you can bet my little kids are going to little cattle-showing, livestock-judging, 4-H junkies, too.

"But, the fondest memories of life-they might think sounds funny-was made possible by Mom and Dad, 'cause they spent the extra money."

And in the far far future, when the little Purfeersts hit the show circuit, you better watch out because if their father has anything to say about it...their going to be darn competitive too. :) 

Mark and I both know that showing cattle brought our families closer together, gave us some of our best friends we could ever have and it taught us the work ethic and values it takes to make it in this world and we want our future kids to have all that as well.

"You see, the most important lessons helping values grow so strong, come from loving cattle...and passing the tradition on."

Thursday, February 24, 2011

101 in 1001- The List

Let me yell it off the rooftop--I HAVE A LIST!

However, I need to pack my clothes for a cattle show and I really don't want to type all 101 goals...so, you are getting only ten. Sorry, but I have to take this slow.

So I present you, 10 of 101 in 1001. :)

Relationship
1. Get married. (You have to start with something easy.)
2. Have a dinner date party with couple friends.
3. Take dancing lessons as a couple.
4. Go see a musical/play.
5. Go to a comedy club.
6. Surprise Mark with breakfast five times.
7. Spend a whole weekend lounging in bed.
8. Take a anniversary trip.
9. Call Mark every morning on my way to work for two weeks straight.
10. Go on a sushi date.

Well, I have time and you might be curious, so I guess I will do 20 of 101 in 1001, too.

Livestock
11. Take cattle to Louisville.
12. Own my own heifer.
13. Donate to the NDSU Judging Club.
14. Coach a 4-Her to the top 10 in state judging.
15. Become a member of the Young Producer Council.
16. Become a member of a breed association.
17. Judge five shows.
18. Respond to five articles related to the beef industry.
19. Write three agvocate blogs per month for 5 months.
20. Make all the breeding decisions on my own heifer...and get a calf. (I better get a move on #12.)

But that is it, no more! I am going to pack! Have a great weekend! I will be washing cattle, blowing cattle, fitting cattle and probably enjoying some cold drinks with friends! Can't wait!

See 21-59 here and 60-101.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Country Girls

A year ago, I started a blog. I named it after what then were the three most important things in my life.

In a year, my life has changed tremendously, but my passions haven't. I still love cattle and I spend every day writing about the beef industry. I still love a corn farmer and the rural life we live. And, I still love my country girls, despite the fact that we are scattered across the upper Midwest.


They make me smile, they make proud and they make me regret decisions from the night before.


 I don't know how I got so lucky to meet all of these girls in college, but I know they made it all that it was. Last weekend, we all were back in Fargo to celebrate Little "I" and it was like we never left. I missed our craziness, our gossip and our laughs and I am sure Chubs Pub missed us all as well! :)

I hope all of you have a group of friends like this. Maybe it is just one or two old high school friends or maybe it is a group of guys that are like your brothers. I know my 'country girls' will always be a part of me, they will always be there for me and it will only take one road trip, phone call or plane ride to get us all back together again.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Dreams and Goals

I am the type of person that needs to proclaim my goals from the rooftop for the whole world to hear...because if not, I never do them.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am a pretty motivated person, but if I am the only person counting on myself, I will easily let myself down.

So I making a list, checking it twice and writing it on this blog.

I don't quite know what it is going to pertain and how it is going to look. I am debating between a 101 in 1001 list or just a simple list of 10 things I need to do. I am leaning towards the 101 in 1001...

So, my first goal is to decide on 101 goals this week and post it on this blog next week.

So, it's up to you to hold me accountable, I can not let myself down and now, I can't let you down either. :)

If anyone has any tips, let me know! Is there anything I definitely should add? Anything I definitely should not? I want to have professional goals and personal goals plus some exciting things to check off my list.

I have been thinking about doing this for weeks and there is nothing holding me back but myself; which is often the case in my life. Time to conquer that and take on life...one goal at a time!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

A Blizzard, A Blizzard, A Blizzard

Yes, it's a blizzard in MN.

I wonder how many times we say that a year? This winter it has seemed extra bitter, extra cold and extra snowy. It's really not that bad and I usually try not to complain, but today I am a little sick of it.

To be honest, I was kind of hoping for this storm. I wanted a good excuse to get snowed in with my fiance and I also needed some snow for upcoming engagement pictures, but the wind and the blowing isn't as glamourous as I thought it would be.

However, on the upside, the snowed in part with Mark is pretty glorious and I feel like it has been a good excuse to pig out before I start my wedding workout this week. I don't mind eating waffles for breakfast, egg sandwiches for lunch, salmon roast for snack and steak for dinner.  Plus, throw in some heath bars and carrots and I call it a good variety! :)

Speaking of wedding workouts, I picked out a wedding dress. It's gorgeous and it was the toughest decision of my life. No joke. I had three dresses that were great and you want to know what my deciding factor was? This was the one I felt beautiful in even after I pigged out at lunch and especially when I sat down on the chair. My other one I was deciding between (which was equally beautiful) was not so flattering in the seated position. :)

And let's be honest, this girl is not going to skimp out on the prime rib on her wedding day. I had to be practical and beautiful...and this dress was that. So look forward to a beautiful vintage wedding, complimented with a gorgeous lace dress! Can't wait for November 5th to get here!

Alright folks, stay warm out there! I hope any baby calves that are on there way decide to wait just one more day and I hope it either stays beautifully white until my engagement pictures, or it gets to be a lush green and 75 degrees by March 1.

I know, I know, but if I am going to dream, I better dream big!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Part 2: A Country Girl's Wedding Registry

I failed miserably at my wedding registry post last week, but don't worry, you won't be disappointed this week.

My second item on my dream wedding registry should be a staple in every woman's kitchen and I don't plan to survive (or cook) without this thing, I first just have to figure out how to buy it.

Let me first explain, there is a bit of history with this week's gift and it goes all the way across the ocean.  When I was in France, I had a host mom who was a great cook (read this blog).  She could make just about anything you could wish for and it was always always amazing...and the best part of all, it took her barely any work.  Her secret?  The Thermomix TM 31.



The first time I set eyes on this thing, I was dumbfounded.  Now understand, there was quite a language barrier the first few weeks and when my host mom pointed at this little machine every time I asked her how she made supper, I thought she was crazy! :)  It took me a few weeks, but I quickly learned how impressive this thing really was.  It cooks, chops, dices, blends, bakes, steams, weighs, whips, blends, emulsifies, kneads and then best of all...it basically cleans itself when you're done.
The Thermomix TM 31 is a "complete kitchen" and literally was used more then her stove, oven and microwave combined.  It was amazing and I need it.

The glitch comes at the "I need" part.  Not only is the Thermomix a little pricey ($1,500), but it is almost impossible to find.  Foodies across the United States are raving about it and everyone wants one, but you can't just go online and buy it.  You need to purchase it from an independent representative and there aren't many of those in North America.  In fact, after doing some research, it appears like the only one may be in Florida.

Regardless of a few challenges, I promise this super kitchen is worth the cost and the struggle to get it.  I want one so bad that if I was a little kid I would lay on the aisle at the store and scream and kick until I got it.  But, I am not a little kid anymore, so instead, I am just going to save my pennies and splurge one day.  And, this is one splurge Mark can't complain about because I promise it is going to benefit him in the end. 

Hopefully, I shared with you a little secret that enticed you to look a little further.  Check out this blog, this blog, and this website for more information.  If for some reason, you want to run to France and pick me up a Thermomix, please do!  It honestly would be my favorite gift for life and I you would have a permanent invitation to dinner at my house!  Until then, I will keep dreaming. :)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Oh Lady O


It seems like Oprah is bound and determined to make the headlines in her last few months on CBS.  She introduced her long-lost sister to the world—on air—a few weeks back and this week…heck, she goes vegan.

Yep…the five letters us farmers and ranchers hate to see together. V.E.G.A.N.

Tuesday afternoon, as the Twitter feed went crazy, Lady O preached to her faithful followers the value of veganism.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to watch the show at the airport, so what I know is from tweets, Google searches and YouTube videos.  I haven’t been a loyal fan in quite some time, in fact, just thinking back, I only ever got to watch Oprah for that short two-week period between high school sport seasons, but I will actually admit I always have liked Oprah.  Goodness, she is a living legend.

However, today I am awful disappointed in Lady O.  She failed me and she failed the agriculture industry.

Throughout her hour-long segment (though my Tweeps suggest there were lots of commercials), she spewed her non-scientific view on the health values of veganism.   Of course, she had some real sources—the self-proclaimed food expert himself, Michael Pollan—defending her stance and it sounds as she did at least provide Cargill the opportunity to share some of our story.

However, the damage is done.  While the agvocates were filling their #Oprah feeds with the value of beef and animal products, hundreds of other Tweeps around the world were pledging to go vegan for a week.

Uurgh.  It makes me sick just typing it.

And, it comes just on the tail of the new USDA dietary guidelines released suggesting the importance of meat and poultry products in a healthy, balanced diet.  Oh Oprah—why didn’t you join the media bandwagon that is starting to say good things about our industry?  Why didn’t you interview the farmers and ranchers that are working so hard to share our stories?   And why oh why didn’t you give the great staff at Beef Checkoff or a similar organization the opportunity to the share the real health benefits of beef and animal products?

No.  Instead you call up Mr. Pollan, convince all of your staff to go vegan for a week and have a not so healthy or helpful discussion about the animal industry.

It hurts Lady O.  I thought we were friends.  I really wanted to be on your last give away show and I really wanted to continue to look up to you as a successful and inspiring person.  Instead, as a journalist, I am disappointed.  You skewed the story.  You didn’t let the dairy farmer’s daughter even finish her point.

Fortunately for us, we were all listening.  We had a mighty fierce discussion during your show that got us all fired up and ready to go.  And meanwhile, you unfortunately just joined the ranks of Suzanne Summers and Carrie Underwood as naïve celebrities preaching your personal, poorly-backed cause.   

You see Oprah, we didn't really care if you want to be a vegan.  Good for you, you clearly have more power than all of us…we like a good steak and a cold glass of milk far too much.  However, we really care if you use your celebrity status to preach to the world to the values of veganism.  It not only hurts our business, but it hurts our lifestyle.

I will give you some credit because thankfully, you gave us some credit.  You let Cargill in and surprisingly Mr. Pollan had a nice thing or two to say, however, even with all that I won’t forgive you yet.  I am patiently waiting for an apology—and I would like to see it in a form of a talk show where you actually talk to us.  Let us share with you what we do.  There is more to meat than the packing plant, there is the thousands of farmers and ranchers working everyday to keep our animals healthy and your food safe.  Why don’t you give us a call the next time you want to talk about animal agriculture? We will be happy to be on your show…especially if you make it a give-away show, too. :)

Until then Lady O…we are officially friends off. 

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Meet Bill Donald

I have been doing a lot of video stuff at work and I thought I would share some it with all of you. The video work is all new to me and I am learning as I go, but I am really enjoying doing it.  This feature of NCBA President, Bill Donald is my favorite so far. Click here to watch it.  

Speaking of NCBA, I am at the NCBA Annual Convention all week in Denver, Colorado.  I am excited to catch up with some friends, get intimidated by the amount of people and go outside of my comfort zone.  Plus, I will get to work a lot and learn a lot.

While I am gone, head over to our Facebook site for updates and/or our website for new videos and articles from the show.

I owe all of you a big thanks for supporting everything I do at BEEF.  I have officially been a full-time employee for over a month and I still really enjoy what I am doing...which I think is a good sign!  If you are going to be at NCBA, stop by booth 5105 to say hi!