Life Changes

No. I’m not writing about Thomas Rhett’s song (although it is pretty catchy don’t you think?). I’m talking about the changes that have all of a sudden seemed to have happened in my life. But first, let’s set the stage...

Back in April when I came back from my internship, I knew I just wanted to farm and keep doing the hard physical labor I was doing in Montana. I wanted some “Jennifer” time doing what I love (farming). I also knew it would be a good time for me to look into job opportunities. I applied for a few jobs and nothing seemed to come through. 

In the beginning of July I started to get more serious about doing something about my job situation. I also decided to apply to grad school so that I could maybe do something short term while working on my degree. All while that was going on, my beloved el’ Jeepo decided to really show how cranky it could be and it was evident I was going to put a lot into a car I was hoping to be rid of or get a new to me car. 

Everything seemed to get set into motion when I went to judge a county fair. The Nicholas County fair. After I was finished judging the show, the Extension agent asked if I had a job yet (a seemingly common question I was getting asked). I of course said “No, not other than farming.” Then, he said, “did you know about the teaching position here?” 

I went on to basically say that I did but didn’t see any point in applying since I wasn’t certified. Long story short, I got talked into applying. 

Skip forward a few weeks and I had to drive home from the county fair. I looked at the caller ID on the home phone (out of habit) and saw that there was a phone call from the Nicholas County BOE. I called them back and they basically said that they wanted me to be the Ag teacher at the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center! 

Skip forward one more week. With this new job (basically) secured, I know I’ve got the funds for a new vehicle. (No more rattle and banging around or low tires!) 

That same day, I received the email to register for classes for my online grad school. 

I know all of this was very long winded, but there is a point to this. To me, it is amazing to think how much all the praying I was doing throughout all of this ended up paying off. If you’re close to me, you know my original plan in college was to get my teaching certification, but it didn’t pan out. You also know that I have always wanted to go West. 

God took me the scenic route. The VERY scenic route. He used several experiences and downfalls to put me right where he feels I need to be. 

• After last fall, I didn’t think I would ever be a teacher. 
• I always wanted to go west, but after the winter in Montana, I sure love my windbreaks in West Virginia
• The jobs I applied for weren’t right for me

God knew I needed to try all my options before I would get to the right one. If you’re being put through the wringer and aren’t getting to where you think you should be, just wait. He has a plan for you. It will work out in the end. He promises us that. One of my favorite verses says: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Galatians 6:9 KJV 

This means that if we wait on the Lord, he will make it all work out “in due time.” 

Life changes happen. It matters what we do about them and if we keep the faith. 

Support Your Youth In Ag

Fair season is in full swing and with that comes junior livestock sales. As a product of youth livestock programs, I can proudly say that funds from those junior livestock sales are a big part of what put me through college. Below I have a few reasons why you or your business should consider purchasing animals from 4-H and FFA youth. 

These youth have put countless hours into their project. The sale at the end of the fair is a culmination of all that hard work. From early mornings feeding and exercising animals to late nights practicing their showmanship skills, these kids are dedicated. Why wouldn’t you want to reward their hard work by buying their animal? 

You can put a face with the dinner on your plate. The big push seems to be to buy local. Buy purchasing an animal from 4-H or FFA members; you’ll be able to know who raised the animal, and if you buy from someone like I was when I was younger, you’ll know the animals life story as well. 

Even if you don’t want an animal to fill your freezer, there are other options. 

Many fairs will offer you the opportunity to resale the animal at a local auction. If your really in the giving mood, some fairs have options to donate and resale the animal through multiple funds such as a scholarship or barn fund. 

You can help youth with multiple endeavors. As I said earlier, selling market animal projects at the fair helped me get through college. Other youth might use the money to help buy a car or their next livestock project. Some might use it to build their herd or flock. 

The most important reason is that you’re supporting our agriculture future. You’re supporting the youth that will go out and help feed the world. So I encourage you to venture out to the county or state fair and talk with these youth. Get to know them and their livestock. You’ll be glad that you did. 

Going Western: Part 5

HOLY COW. This coming week will be week 11, then I’m headed home! I am still in disbelief of how fast this has gone by. It seems like it wasn’t so long ago that I got into this frozen, cold place without my luggage.

This experience has helped me grow SO MUCH. I have gone three months without seeing any of my family, well anything that is familiar. I missed out on lambing season at home for the first time, and I haven’t seen the Mountaineers play a basketball game since they beat Oklahoma in the beginning of January (one of the most memorable games I’ve EVER been to). I must also say that it has made me lose some things as well, such as a pant size. Lifting these bales and walking an average of 2 miles per day has definitely helped! However, I think that one of the most impactful things that have come out of this is that I have grown so much closer to God.

I am very much a routine oriented person. When I got here and I had no semblance of a routine, it stressed me out! I finally got into a routine where I would do some Bible study and say a little prayer before heading out of a morning. When I started working with the sheep, it felt like I was constantly praying and asking God to help me get the lambs out of the ewe, or to help me get a lamb to live. I am so thankful that this experience has taught me and helped me grow closer to God, because I feel more at ease because of it. I sure miss my Sunday’s at church, but I still think spending time with God every day has helped me so much.

This is going to be a shorter post, and I promise to do a full recap of this whole ordeal the week I get back. I do ask that since I seem to have the worst luck flying (going in circles around Pittsburgh, and losing my bags) that you keep me in your prayers on the 27^th so that everything goes as well as possible. Hopefully the 3^rd time is the charm! 

Also:  LET'S GO MOUNTAINEERS!

Going Western Part 4

FINALLY. A break in the weather...at least for the good part of a week anyway! Lambing is starting to slow and quiet down here a little bit. At last count, only 23 ewes left to lamb and the last day they should be able to lamb is the 15th. Am I excited? YES. I've also been able to go two weeks without having to sleep in the barn, which is very, very nice. 

I've still had my share of weird stuff happen. Last Monday I had a ewe bloat then die. I also had to help pull a very, very dead, stinky lamb this past Monday. Both of which are things that I never want to deal with again. 

As many of you have seen from Facebook, the 28th was my "birthday" and I had the day off. I went to Great Falls so that I could both see some different parts of Montana as well as have a little retail therapy. It was a gorgeous day! This also gave me an excuse to dress in something other than a long-sleeve t-shirt and jeans as well as wear makeup for the first time in two months. I never thought I'd miss something like that, but apparently I did. 

My plane ticket is booked for the last week of March and then this will be over! I am excited and sad all at the same time. I am excited to go home and see everyone that I've missed for the past (what will be) three months as well as see all of the calves and lambs that Mom and Dad have done a pretty good job of keeping me updated with. I am sad that I will miss out on seeing Montana when it is green rather than blindingly white. I am going to miss these people (the frigid cold, not so much) and I wish I would have had more time to do some sight seeing, but you know what? I can always come back, and I plan on it (but I'm doing that in the summer)!

Going Western: Part 3

 

Initially when I started this third post, it was pretty dark. I had just started doing night lambing duties instead of night calving and it was (still is) pretty darn stressful. The evening prior I had to spend the night in the barn because the roads were so bad. I was tired, and stretched pretty thin. I have cried more this past week than I have in a very, very long time (okay, probably since I started college). I have cried because I am stressed beyond belief, ridiculously tired, and I am homesick. I need a break. I am hoping that since this week is the last of the synchronized ewes, that I’ll be able to take that break next week and since the forecast is looking like it should be much better weather than the past few weeks.

            Now, to move on to some of the new things I have been able to experience. Since I have been basically taking over lambing duties, I’ve had to experience both the good and the bad. In the past two days, I’ve had three lambs that were coming wrong. The first just had a leg back (which was a simple fix). The second was the one that I hope to never experience again. The ewe had her first lamb fine so I decided that I would go back in and check for a second one. There was a second lamb but all that I felt was ribs. Apparently, the lamb was coming sideways instead of front feet and head first. I eventually got everything shifted around to where I could pull the front feet and the head up into the birth canal and got the lamb out! Thankfully and a little bit to my surprise, the lamb was alive! The third dystocia was a ewe that had a lamb with its head back. It wasn’t exactly the easiest to solve, but eventually the lamb made its grand entrance and is also alive!

            These past couple weeks have been difficult and trying no doubt, but I keep reminding myself that God won’t give me anything I can’t handle and that there is always a way. I just have to remember that.

Until next time!

Going Western Part 2

Ya’ll, calving more than 25 head of cows is chaotic. We had a day that it seemed all we were doing was pulling calves in the barn or separating cows that calved at the same time and were trying to claim another’s calf. Even though it is rather chaotic, seeing God’s constant gift of life and all of its amazement is rather constant. To think that everything went so right to get all of these babies is pretty awesome to think about. I did get to do something I haven’t done before as well as hope I don’t have to do often this past week, I helped pull a calf during my night calving duties. It was a rather difficult pull because the heifer wasn’t helping us at all, then when she went down, she didn’t go down “right” and that made things even harder. Thankfully, we got the calf out healthy and then the heifer went right to licking it and all was well.

            Last week, I got to change things up a bit and help shear sheep before they lamb. I wasn’t the one with the shears, but I did help get the sheep up on the shearing trailer so that the three people that were shearing could get it done. I’ve never seen shearing happen (like it’s actually supposed to get done) except at the shearing contest at the state fair. It was amazing to see how they maneuvered the ewes and just kept going! My back would hurt so bad! It was also interesting to see how much of a true difference there is between black-faced sheep wool and high-quality fine wool.

            These past couple days have been COLD, thankfully, the wind wasn’t too terrible last night, but the snow sure was coming down! I think the main thing I’m wanting to say is, always, always thank a farmer or rancher. They are always going out and checking on their animals or crops so that you, the consumer stay fed and clothed. I will forever be thankful for the “milder” winters that we get in West Virginia, I understand that we usually have wetter snow and the air is more humid (making it sometimes more miserable) but I think I will always remember the ranchers of the northern part of the US during the winter because this weather is something I’ve never seen.

Appalachian Girl goes Western

This spring semester, I am interning at a ranch in Central Montana to fulfill a requirement for a couple classes in order to graduate in May. I’ve decided that I’ll make an attempt at doing weekly or bi-weekly installments of my experience. I’ll be here until the first part of April, so we’ll see how this goes!

            Last Tuesday, the 9^th, I endured what seemed to be the longest travel day of my life. My flight out of West Virginia was delayed two hours because of fog at Dulles Airport. I had to change all of my flights around so instead of landing in Great Falls at around 2:30, I landed at around 10 that night. To top it off, my luggage didn’t make it on the plane in DC (after a 7-hour layover, which was tons of fun I might add) so when I landed at 10 o’clock, I had very, very little luggage. Thankfully, it made it on Wednesday.

           

            The next few days I was without a vehicle so I just accompanied hands and the rancher’s family to move cows or feed cows. I also helped with pre-calving vaccinations. Now that I look back, I was and still am almost always thinking “we couldn’t do it that way in West Virginia” or that “this just doesn’t happen that way in West Virginia.” For example, to move cows, they use their trucks. On our farm anyway, that is near impossible. Sometimes we will use our RTV to toll cows with feed, but the rest is done by walking. Sure, many producers use 4-wheeler’s and RTV’s to move cows in the state, but the luxury of a heated or air-conditioned truck is nearly unheard of.

            Another difference here is the wind. IT CONSTANTLY BLOWS. A couple days ago, it snowed, was close to 0 degrees, and the wind howled all day long. It was absolutely miserable for bovines and any humans involved. That was the moment, as much as I have completely wondered why we do what we do in West Virginia with such hilly ground, that I realized I miss the mountains.

            I still think though that the biggest thing other than the time change and getting used to the different climate, is the fact that there are SO many cows. I don’t think I’ve seen so many bovines in my life except maybe (which is a big maybe) since we visited a feed yard while I was on the livestock judging team.

The small-town feel is something that is still around a little bit at home, but it’s like reliving my youth being in this town. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming and even though I don’t know anyone when I’m driving, they still will wave.

            There is certainly a lot for me to get used to on this little adventure. I’m still getting used to the idea that I won’t be home until early April and will be completely missing out on my own calving and lambing, but I’m really trying to stay positive. I miss the mountains, and I will most likely go.

Getting to Know Me

Growing up: I was raised on a small cow/calf and club lamb operation in central West Virginia. As I grew up in 4-H and FFA, I integrated registered Limousin and registered Suffolk in to my herd and flock. The Limousin was because we had had success with the breed as a terminal cross and it was predominately what my cousin was raising at the time. We had used Suffolk rams in the past and I wanted to be able to show in the purebred show at the state fair. Suffolks were a good fit because they still had plenty of muscling to compete in the market lambs but they also didn't have the wooly heads and legs that Hampshires have. Since my Dad and I do the majority of the shearing, we didn't want to have to shear heads a whole lot. 
I was extremely active in 4-H with livestock judging and I even was top individual in a few contests. Notably, I scored a 397 out of 400 my last year at a sheep judging contest. I also have been relatively successful showing with having multiple breed champions at the state fair with both my sheep and Limousin with animals that I raised. I have also been in the masters division with my purebred sheep for many years and been in the top 10 in beef showmanship. Besides the livestock end of things, I have served in multiple leadership positions in my 4-H club such as President, Vice President, and Secretary. At 4-H camp I was the chief of my tribe and received the Heart H award. 
I was also very active in my FFA chapter and through high school the majority of my livestock projects were completed in FFA. I served as chapter secretary and treasurer as well as the financial and chapter outreach chairperson. I was successful at the state level in public speaking having been in the top 3 two years in a row. I also won the state proficiency award in diversified livestock production in 2014 and received a silver status nationally. I have received the state and American FFA degree as well. 
In my breed associations I have been more active with Limousin as I am the WV Limousin Breeders secretary and serve on the Board of Directors. I also serve as the treasurer for the junior association. I have been successful at junior nationals having a 1st place magazine ad in 2016 and 5th place in 2017. I also was 5th in the photo contest and 2nd in public speaking in 2016. In 2017 I was 1st place in sales talk. 

This is the group of kids that made the trek to Grand Island for the 2017 NJLSC. They're more important to me than the awards I received. It's the memories. 

 

College: I am a Senior at West Virginia University majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education. I plan to graduate in May 2018. I have had courses in livestock production, soils, forestry, agribusiness, computer skills, teaching, and livestock evaluation. I have been on both the President's and Dean's List.
I have served as the President of the WVU Block and Bridle and in 2015 attended the Midwest Quadrathlon where my team was 3rd in the quiz bowl portion of the contest. In 2016 I was a member of the WVU Livestock Judging team where we most notably was 3rd at the Keystone International Livestock Expo. I was 6th individual in beef and 9th in reasons. The judging team experience is something I will treasure and take with me forever. 

Community: I have helped in many volunteer projects with my organizations as well as my Church. I have been a 4-H camp counselor during my time in college as well as completed many volunteer hours with my club. In my church I serve as the Sunday School teacher for middle and high school. I have been able to help with our Christmas from the Heart project as well.  

Hobbies: Some people might say that showing livestock is a hobby, I see a hobby as something that you enjoy but still doesn't take over your life. It's something to do in your spare time. I've never met anyone who shows livestock who has a whole lot of spare time. However, my hobbies would include livestock photography, watching WVU football and basketball, creative writing, and reading a good book.

Telling my Story

4/15/2017 
I've recently attended two conferences with nearly the same message: Tell Your Ag Story. They said that the non-agriculture community wants to hear our story. But I also left wondering, "how do I tell my ag story?" In some ways, I feel like I've been doing it because of the posts that I make about my calves, lambs, and of course my pigs from last summer, Howard and Bernadette. Sometimes, though, I don't feel like I'm doing enough. I wonder if the fact that I ONLY share with my friends and family is enough. They pretty much knows what goes on because the majority of my friends and family are from agriculture backgrounds whether they actually grew up on a farm or not. The question is, how do I do more? 

10/11/2017
As you can see, it's been a while since I've looked at this post I began in April. From finals, to AI'ing in May, to Junior Nationals, and aging out of 4-H and FFA; it was a busy few months and I just now caught a break to look back!
When I think now about telling my ag story, I still think that posting photos, videos, etc. about life on the farm is incredibly important. I also think that (although I don't write near as much as I should) that this blog is a way for me to tell my ag story.
When I was in Washington, DC getting on the Metro, we (my Mom and I) had asked a woman to make sure we were getting on the right train. Afterwards, she asked what we were in town for. I told her that we were there for National Ag Day and I had been on Capitol Hill talking to representatives about why they should support agriculture. She then asked how I felt about GMO's. This was actually the first time I had been asked about them. Although I'm not a row crop farmer, I have a general understanding of the importance of GMO's. I went on to tell her why we need them and that they are going to be one of the ways that we "feed the 9."
This was a way to tell my ag story without really telling MY story. I was able to share my knowledge with someone who probably rarely sees a cow or cornfield. Now that I think back on this experience, I know that I can inform people about agriculture without really having an in-depth knowledge of the topic they are asking about. I know that I have many avenues of telling my Ag story whether it is online, writing, or through just common conversations on the Metro in DC.
I am going to try to post more and tell more about my story, and make it a goal to write about what we're doing on the farm so I, Jennifer Friend, can Tell my Ag Story.

An Open Letter to my First Show Heifer

Thank you. Thank you for being the start to something I'm eternally grateful for. Thank you for being the first. Thank you for always being there as the one I could say, "that's my first show heifer." Thank you for teaching me how to avoid getting kicked or butted, since you were the first to do that too. You were the one that gave me calves to show and keep as replacement heifers. You were the start to my herd.

You were the first beef animal I received a trophy for at the county fair. You were way bigger than me, and that scared me, but you gave me the confidence I needed. You were also the first cow I pregnancy checked (and at nine years old, I didn't know what I was feeling for, but since it was you; it was okay). When you had your first calf, I was so nervous for everything to go right. I was so excited that I could see you calve though. When you finally had a heifer (after two bulls), I was elated that I'd finally be able to keep one of your calves.

It's been 12 years, six of which you were on the show string, and 11 calves. You've given me two feeder steers to show, two show heifers, and four replacement heifers. You're starting to "not be quite the cow" that you have been. Your udder is going downhill, you're teeth aren't that great, and you're not quite as sassy as you were. They tell me it's time for you to "take your last ride on the big truck." Dad told me when you were still a calf that he hoped I'd be in college when you had to be sold. I'm in college, so I guess it must be time. It must be time for me to lead you on the trailer for the last time.

Thank you, Princess, thank you for being the first.

The Struggle of Being a College Farm Kid in the Spring

Spring. Besides summer, it has to be my favorite season of the year. The days are longer, the grass is greener, and the birds start chirping again. Calving and lambing is over, and the babies start bouncing around and having a grand time under the sun. During high school, I LOVED coming home from school to see the babies bouncing around and getting to see them continually developing. I was also able to go outside more and maybe, just maybe, the mud might even be drying up!

Now, as I'm nearing the end of my sophomore year of college, I'm find myself aching to be home and working on the farm, seeing all of the babies, and starting to work more with this years show string. I was able to get my show pigs over spring break, but I haven't been able to really get to know them let alone take them outside. So I've compiled a list of the struggles of the farm kid, in college, during the spring.

• Your parents keep telling you how your favorite cow's calf is looking like the next great one...And won't send you a picture! 

• They turn the cows out on pasture without you. Which seemingly before, they couldn't do it without you! 

• They tell you how much your show animals are growing...but they still won't send you a picture! 

• The warm weather keeps reminding you about what you could be doing outside, yet you're stuck in class (that is probably about farming, making you want to be outside even more!) 

• You just learned to AI and your dad plans to synch the cows during the week when you can't be there and get your practice in

•  The weeks between you and being home for the summer drag on, and on, and on 

• Your favorite part of spring is seeing everything "green-up" and all you're seeing "green-up" is the little bits of green grass that gets trampled by students on campus 

• Sure, you can go to the school's farm and see all the new babies, but it just isn't the same 

This is just a few of the things that I hate about being at college during springtime. A good thing about not being home every week, is that when you go home the drastic changes in the new calf crop or lamb crop is more evident. The awesome thing is, only a few weeks between spring starting and being home for the summer!

 Be sure to comment with some of your favorite things about spring on the farm!

This. Is. It.

On October 31, 2015, I unzipped my FFA jacket for the last time along with around 3,400 other FFA members that had just received their American FFA degree. It is essentially the capstone on many great FFA careers.

As I unzipped my jacket for that final time, a flood of emotions came over me. I tried holding back tears knowing that it was the end of a five year journey. But beside the sad emotions, those tears symbolized many, many memories and experiences that I can never forget. Those tears were not only sad tears since it was the end, but happy tears that it had even happened.

Imagine if those 33 young students from 18 states did not gather in Kansas City at the American Royal to form the Future Farmers of America. Imagine if the chapter from Fredericktown, Ohio did not don their blue corduroy jackets to Kansas City so that they would adopt those jackets as the official dress. What on earth would we wear!? What symbol would we have that essentially everyone from the state of Alaska to Puerto Rico and from the state of Maine to Hawaii know us for?

What I am trying to say is, there are so, so many people that have had a play in making this organization what it is today, and without all of those people, 3,434 FFA members would not have received their American FFA degree this year. They would not have been pushed to buy that cow, invest in that lawn-mower, or try that new type of corn to get the best yield.

Thank you to those 33 boys from 18 states for forming the FFA. I would not be the person I am today, and nor would the thousands and thousands of people that have been in the FFA be who they are either. Think about it, the FFA has produced a President! Anyone of the thousands current and past members could be one in the future!

Personally, I want to thank the good Lord above, my parents, my advisors, and all my friends for the experiences, resources, and memories to make it to this point in the FFA.

The Fear of Aging Out

Another fair season has come and gone for me. This made my 16th year showing animals at my local county fair and my 7th year showing at the state fair. However, with the total years of me showing animals rising, my age is rising as well. In fact, I only have two years left until I can't show as a 4-H or FFA member anymore. To tell the truth, that scares me to death. I will then become what my Granny says, a has-been. Everything will start with was, not am or is. I will have to start saying I was a 4-H member or I was an FFA member. I dread the day I turn 21 because the part of my life that I have treasured for so long, showing livestock as a junior, will have to come to an end at the end of that 4-H year.
It is hard not to reflect on everything that I was able to accomplish and participate in, and think of what I could have done more or things that I wish I would have been able to go to earlier. I wish I could have started showing at the state fair earlier and gone to bigger shows, but I also didn't get involved in showing purebred animals until about midway in my 4-H career. 
 Despite all of these regrets and the sadness that goes with aging out, it is still important to look back on all of the opportunities and accomplishments that happened in the past 11 years of showing as a junior exhibitor.

1.  Scholarships: If I would not have been able to show, I know of at least two scholarships that I have received that I probably would not have gotten. There are numerous scholarships that I also probably would not have even heard of if it had not been for showing.

2. Closer to Family: I must say, especially within the past few show seasons, I have grown much, much closer to my family. 

3.  Friends: All of the friends I have been able to make via shows and being in 4-H and FFA in general were lifesavers when it came to my first year of college. 

4. Time management: Those 8 a.m shows definitely proved that time management is super important. Getting up early enough, getting everything washed, blow dried, fed, and fitted in time for the show lends itself towards helping you get pretty good at time management. 

It's going to hurt when I come out of the showring that final time as a junior exhibitor, but it will be so worth it. Tears have been shed, tears will be shed, but I would not trade for any of it.  

 Me and my first sheep Pepper, we dressed up as the Teletubbies!

 My favorite cow, Yea-Sayer; so many opportunities just because of her!

My sheep Softie and I in Master's showmanship

Driving a hog in the round robin round of Masters showmanship at county fair.

 

Credibility

This post doesn't exactly have to do with what I'll typically post however, my subject matter is (what I consider) pretty important. In my college English class, it was highly stressed that we use credible sources (NOT WIKIPEDIA) when we were not only writing research papers (any paper for that matter) but I soon realized that when writing or posting anything, it is very, very important to use credible sources. Not only does it make you gain credibility, but it also puts more reliable sources out there. Facebook (in my 19 year old opinion) is the ruination of credibility. I cannot even begin to count the amount of "sharing" that people do that is not from (what I would consider) reliable sources! Sharing recipes and other things like that is great (I love seeing yummy food) but sharing unintelligent, no common sense links is ridiculous. As you share this hubbub, you're loosing your credibility. That's enough of my soapbox.

Here are a few helpful tips when sharing links on social media:
1. If it's too good to be true, more than likely, it is.
2. If the domain (i.e www.facebook.com is a domain) seems odd or just dumb, it's probably not a credible source
3. Use sources like USA Today, NY Times, basically, any major news outlet (newspapers, news TV...)


That's all for this time!

Bridging the Gap

     As I was walking back from class today, I saw a woman that had a bag with a heart of cabbage on it, and I instantly thought, "Oh look, another crazy vegetarian." Then, as I kept walking, I started thinking (Oh no! I was thinking!). I started thinking about how those of us who thoroughly enjoy meat products really push our "brand" onto practically everyone. I also thought about how vegetarians and vegans are constantly pushing their brand onto everyone as well. There will never be common ground between us "carnivores" and vegetarians. It's just like there will probably never be any middle ground between different religions. It's our "food religion." We are going to eat what we are going to eat and it's going to take a lot for that to change. 
     I honestly think that there is no point anymore in meat eaters like myself arguing with groups such as PETA and the HSUS. They are going to believe what they believe and I am going to believe what I am going to believe. It is those core values that cannot be changed. The one thing that should be changed is that organizations like those above need to provide hard science rather than skewed facts that it seems that they are spreading. Photoshop is a lovely thing, but when it is distorting the facts, then things need to be changed. I am for each side providing hard, scientific facts not lies. The best thing to really do is just: AGREE TO DISAGREE! 
     And maybe someday, we can all enjoy what we choose to eat without being ridiculed for eating what we choose, whether it be all fruits and vegetables or meat and vegetables.

But in the meantime vegetarians and vegans can keep eating their salads and I'll enjoy my ribeye steak. YUM! YUM!