All posts by lauren chase

Hello all!

The 2011 editors have moved NCBA's Young Producer Council's Cattle Call over to Wordpress: http://thecattlecall.wordpress.com/

This decision enables us to have a more modern look and helps with the ease of posting.

We are still actively seeking submissions so PLEASE be thinking about your daily lives, cattle industry issues or any story that the public should hear about. Send content to Lauren Chase, editor of YPC CC at lauren.chase4@gmail.com.

THANK YOU AND HAPPY TRAILS!

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As I've described in an earlier post, my job for the Montana Stockgrowers Association is to visit our member ranches and take photos/videos to promote the cattle industry. My first...and second stop (loved it so much that I had to go back the next day)...was at Ehlke Herefords in Townsend, MT. Day One, which is posted below, I talked about how lively calves are and how ranching families care about the animals, their families, and the safety of the end product. Day Two, I spent with the Ehlke's hired help, Ryan Hamilton, who took me around in the tractor to feed. Boy, when those cows see that big, round bale coming, it's a race to see who can start chomping first. Ryan talked about how he likes doing things on the ranch "the cowboy way." He would much rather be on horseback or on foot while in the herd as to keep the cows' stress down. When he started talking about his job, I could really tell this is something he is passionate about. Keeping the cattle safe and calm is his number one priority - and he loves it. Ryan also said that he hopes to have his own ranch someday.

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I’ve seen photos and I’ve seen them from a distance, but being up close to a newborn calf is unreal.

My first ranch stop this season for the Montana Stockgrowers Association was at Ehlke Herefords in Townsend. Their breeding philosophy is to “focus on the female. It takes an exceptional cow to produce replacement quality breeding animals.”

The ranch is operated by owners Mark and Della Ehlke, with daughters Lacey Jo and Jane’a and a hire employee, Ryan.

As I pulled in the snow-covered driveway, I saw the red and white cows grazing on hay with navy blue mountains behind them. They looked at me for a bit, but realized I wasn’t overly interesting and went back to eating.

Mark, Jane’a, Ryan and I went out to give the new cow/calf pairs some hay.

I had seen cow/calf pairs during the summer, but nothing like this.

The lil ones were only a handful of hours old and nestled comfortably in a pile of warm hay. Naturally, Mom was right by their side.

Immediately, I smiled and didn’t stop smiling until I left.

The day-month old ones leaped over small hills to get to tasty udders and called out with moos when they couldn’t find any.

I don’t think I could have been any happier. And what made it even more special was that Mark, Ryan and Jane’a smiled, laughed, and obviously, loved their work. I think that’s what ranching is all about…just doing what you love.

I’ve said it time and time again, and will keep saying it: In ranching, there’s a feeling of tangible, genuine passion for not only raising animals, but providing care for them…providing care for the family unit, and providing care for consumers’ quality of meat. That’s exactly what I saw at the Ehlke’s ranch.

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I keep getting asked: Why are you obsessed with beef? It’s time to tell my story of how I came from knowing nothing about agriculture to being a passionate advocate.

The world’s most productive land for corn is where I call home: Iowa, and I am the product of a long line of farmers of that land. However, my grandpa, the last relative I had working the fields, sold his farm when I was little.

I can remember thinking it was a blast to go to Grandpa’s place and jump around in the hay barn, but as I grew older, in the state’s second largest city, those memories faded; along with any excitement for farming.

In high school, I played basketball and our team was fortunate enough to go to state championship games. In our division, there was a high school that sat just outside of city limits. Naturally, when they made it to the championships also, our fans intimated them by dressing up as farmers and waiving around cutout cardboard ears of corn.

And off I went to college at the University of Iowa.

I had always been interested in natural science, cultures, and meeting new people so I chose to double major in journalism and anthropology. I dappled in local news, but something always felt missing; maybe a broader view or lack of travel during work.

The summer of 2010 changed everything.

Combing anthropology and journalism, I took an internship at the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) in Helena, Montana as the multimedia communications intern.

Before I went there, I couldn’t even picture what a ranch was, but I thought it would be a great way to learn about that portion of America.

During my internship, I traveled all over the most beautiful country I had ever seen and interviewed ranchers on camera. Every few weeks, I made videos with these interviews for MSGA's social media websites.

Stockgrower members welcomed me into their homes and patiently taught me about day-to-day operations. But I learned so much more than that.

I learned that ranching is a powerful connection with nature; it is tangible feeling of warmth and comfort for family and neighbors; it is having the knowledge of chemistry, economics, biology, political science, and so much more; it stems from the greatest work ethic I have ever been around, an overwhelming care for their animals and without these ranchers, the world would not eat.

The summer ended too quickly and I returned to college. I graduated in December and in February, returned to MSGA as a full-time employee.

I am now the multimedia specialist and will once again, travel to our member ranches, documenting their lives to help promote the beef industry.

I think it's time the world realizes how much cattlemen and cattlewomen care about their animals, love what they do, and work tirelessly to provide safe, healthy food for everyone.

**Look for future blog posts about my experiences on Montana ranches.**

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Tags: lauren chase, montana stockgrowers association, montana, cattlemen, ncba, young producers' council, cattle call
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There's a new sheriff in town...

Posted on February 15, 2011 20:52 by Lauren Chase

You’ll be seeing some new faces in the management of the YPC Cattle Call. Cari Rincker is proud to hand over the reins to new head editor, Lauren Chase, and co-editors Jesse Bussard, Danielle Schubert, and Meghan Wooldridge. We thank Cari for all her work in helping to start the YPC Cattle Call and nurturing it over the past few years. Our goal as the new editorial staff for the Cattle Call is to tell the story of our members, the young producers, which are the future of the cattle industry. Jesse Bussard will also be taking over as the new YPC Public Relations Task Force Chair.

Lauren is the Multimedia Specialist for the Montana Stockgrowers Association and resides in Helena, MT. Her job is traveling to member ranches to take photos and conduct video interviews for use on MSGA’s social media sites. She will also be producing a series of photo books featuring Montanan ranchers. Lauren graduated from the University of Iowa with two majors: Journalism and Mass Communication and Anthropology. To stay up on the latest beef news news, check out her list of "agvocates" on Twitter and also, follow her multimedia work on MSGA's Facebook page.

Jesse Bussard is pursuing her M.S. and Ph.D. in Plant and Soil Science, focusing on forages and livestock grazing systems, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. She is also an Animal Science graduate of Penn State University and a native of Pennsylvania. You can find out more about Jesse on her blog, Pearl Snaps’ Ponderings.

Danielle Schubert is a junior at South Dakota State University where she is working toward a degree in both Animal Science and Ag Business. She grew up on a commercial cow/calf operation in central Minnesota and is passionate about being an advocate for agriculture.

Meghan Wooldridge graduated from Colorado State with a degree in Animal Science. She currently works for AgInfoLink in Verified Services.

We are currently looking for new submissions from Young Producer Council members on topics that are in keeping with your daily lives in the cattle industry. Photos, videos, opinion articles - you name it, we want it! This is a great way to tell your story to the world and having the young producers, the future of the industry, talk about it from their perspective is the goal. We will be changing the blog from its current platform to Wordpress soon which will make for easier submissions. We will let you know when that change occurs. As for now, tell us your story! Thank you for your continued dedication to the beef industry. If you know of anyone else who might be interested in this blog, please pass the word along.

Please email one of us to let us know if you are interested in submitting content to the blog. Even if you can only submit one photo or article per month, that would still be great! Our contact information can be found below.

Head Editor: Lauren Chase (Lauren.chase4@gmail.com)

Public Relations Task Force Chair & Co-editor: Jesse Bussard (Jrb5218@gmail.com)

Co-Editor: Danielle Schubert (dlschubert@jacks.sdstate.edu)

Co-Editor: Meghan Wooldridge (Meghan.wooldridge@aginfolink.com)

Again, thank you and til next time, Happy Trails!

~ The YPC Cattle Call Editorial Staff

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Tags: lauren chase, jesse bussard, danielle schubert, meghan wooldridge
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New life, same great love for ranching

All I can say is moo

Why are you obsessed with beef?

There's a new sheriff in town...