Schools, 4-H, Convention and more: summer intern progress

 

 As our Canadian Angus National Convention has wound down in Lethbridge, it is once again my turn to report on  my activity as an intern. Since I last blogged, I have been extremely busy with 4-H shows and sales along with school visits. Once again the school visits have been very well received. I have been to five other schools, and one of them I even sent two days talking to all of the grade 4 and 5 classes. The kids are very excited to learn about how beef cattle are raised and what it takes to take care of them. The kids are also very excited to learn about our junior programs. It continues to amaze me that even at such a young age they are all so interested in the summer job and exchange programs. I have even had a lot of interest from kids who didn’t live on farms but were still wondering if they could attend our programs.

June is show and sale month in Alberta, and I have spent a large amount of my time on the road attending seven shows in eight days at the beginning of June. The enthusiasm of 4-Hers has been high at all of the shows that I have attended with lots of interest in the heifer project. I am finding that a lot of the younger 4-H members really like the idea of the heifer project. They like that they can keep her and continue to show her. At 4-H shows, I also talk to kids about our programs offered by the CJAA and have handed out many registration forms. Most of the kids are unaware of the large number of programs that we offer and were very interested in continuing to develop the cattle knowledge that they have gained through 4-H in the CJAA. The last show that I attended was the southern Alberta regional l 4-H breeding show, for this show I had received some of our new promotional material, red and black Angus bracelets which were a huge hit with the 4-Hers and other people in attendance.

From there many of the office staff, the Alberta Angus Association and Southern Alberta Angus Club members were thrown into a flurry of planning events for convention, and I spent the week leading up to convention helping with set up, promoting the event and contacting media. Once convention started Erin and I took a break from our duties as summer interns and attended the CAA convention as Robert C. McHaffie Junior Ambassador competitors along side Breanna Anderson, Megan Rodger, and Laurie Noiseux. The Convention was a great opportunity for me to talk with my fellow Angus breeders and hear some suggestions that they had for us with the internship. It was also very encouraging to hear how many of you have been reading the blogs that Erin and I have been posting.

So far this internship has been amazing experience; I have met so many great people and have heard a lot of positive thoughts about juniors participating in our programs. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store, and if any of you will be attending the Calgary Stampede, remember to stop by and visit us interns at the Cattle Trail.

Posted by Stacey Domolewski Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Miles of Memories: Summer Intern's first Month!

I cannot believe that it has already been a month since Stacey and I were in Calgary at our week of training!! Needless to say the time and effort that we put into that week have been very helpful in the last few weeks. I have been keeping myself busy by delivering five school presentations and attending four 4-H events across Saskatchewan the past weeks!

Students dressed up as people involved in the beef industry

                My school visits kicked off in Landis talking to students in grades 2-5. All of the kids LOVED the workshop that we prepared for them. The most enjoyable part hands down has been the dressing up part of the workshop where we dress the students in costumes representing the many people that are involved in getting beef from the pasture to the plate. Then later that week I was off to my home town of Plenty and on Thursday gave presentations on beef education to the grades 4/5 and then the grades 3. Once again they all had a great time and showed a keen interest in the beef industry and particularly what the cattle eat and how their digestive system works. Not only have I given presentations to elementary students I also had the opportunity to be the key note speaker at a Life Long Learning Event. All I can say is WOW there is nothing that can prepare you for that! It was an amazing, and nerve racking experience, but I am so happy that I had this opportunity. To my surprise I was asked if I would consider ever being a key note speaker for other schools because they thought that the opportunities I have had through CJAA and SJAA have been so great and inspired the students to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them and if they have a passion to do their best and they will be rewarded. 

 After the week of school presentation I headed down south to Ceylon Saturday and gave presentations at the Borderline Feedlot Field Day. I had a rough start to the morning  with a flat tire but I still managed to get there on time. The 4-H youth were split up into age groups of 6-10. 11-14, and 15-21. They circulated to three different stations and at mine I discussed with them the benefits of a heifer project and described to them what the CJAA and SJAA were and what they had to offer. 

Last Sunday saw me going back north to home and attending the Handel Multiple 4-H Achievement Day. This is my old club so it was awesome getting to go and talk to kids that I used to be in 4-H with! Not only did I do a talk to the kids about the benefits of the heifer project I also helped them throughout the day with team judging, juding cards ,etc. 

Young 4-H member putting in his best effort 

To wrap up that  busy weekend I travelled to the St. Walburg Regional Show in northern Saskatchewan. There was strong Angus representation at this show which was great to see. There were also a lot of heifer projects as well as cow/calf projects.  I spent the day mingling with 4-H member and parents talking about the heifer project as well at the CJAA and SJAA. There were a lot of members who were interested in the junior associations so hopefully we will see some of them out at the junior events within the next year! After the show I gave a presentation to the members at the banquet about the heifer project. The parents told me that they liked to see Angus representation at their show since there are so many breeders up in that area.

This past Monday and Tuesday I was in Lloydminster attending the 4-H Expo. It is such a great show and there are so many 4-H members in attendance which I love to see! There are thirteen clubs that attend that show making it one of the biggest regional shows in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Today I stopped in at Paradise Valley on the way home and talked to an amazing group of grade three and four students! All of them were knowledgeable about the beef industry and very interested in what 4-H has to offer. 

The future of the Angus breed

4-H shows are getting into full swing and the rest of my summer is filled up with numerous 4-H events and junior events! My next stop is Spirit Wood for their Regional and then back home to my old Regional show in Kerrobert. So far this experience has been so amazing and rewarding and I am very thankful to have this amazing job with the Canadian Angus Association!

Posted by Erin Toner Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

This is Just The Beginning: Summer Internship so Far

Wow, it has been a busy two weeks since starting at the Canadian Angus Association. Our training began on the first of May in Calgary.  It was soon dubbed ‘Cassie’s boot camp’ because of the many hours we were engaged in developing workshops and promotional material to give out at 4-H shows and in schools. While in Calgary we also met with Cameron Horner from Alberta 4-H to discuss working with 4-H to promote the heifer project, and learned about the many different positions within the association.

in our school presentation kids get to
dress up and see the stages of beef production

After this whirlwind week Erin and I parted ways and returned home to start promoting. Since then I have attended 5 schools (one I attended four grade 4 class rooms in two days). The kids were very interested in seeing what beef animals were fed and how we take care of them. When the 4-H program and junior Angus programs were mentioned kids were very enthusiastic, they liked the programs we had to offer and thought that raising  their own cow would be ‘fun’ and ‘neat’. I left all the kids with registration forms for our junior associations and hopefully we see an increase in membership!

talking to some young 4-Hers about showing heifers

 I am currently working on a presentation that I will be giving to an entire elementary school on Tuesday with lots of pictures of junior Angus events. As 4-H show and sale season is just beginning to kick off I have had the opportunity to attend two of them recently. First was Rimbey, it was a beautiful day with lots of young and enthusiastic members. I talked to a lot of kids about the heifer project. These clubs all must have done a very good job at recruiting because I had a lot of first year 4-Hers tell me that they were only taking in a steer to start with but next year they wanted to have a heifer too. From there I headed over to Wetaskiwin  to attend their show and sale. This district had more older members who were interested in the CJAA . In both clubs I talked with both the enthusiastic  juniors and also their parents who were for the most part were very supportive of the heifer program. I also answered a few questions about our green tag program and the Canadian Angus Association. Overall it has been a very eventful two and a half weeks.

 As school starts to slow down and 4-H shows begin it is scheduled to be a very eventful month, I can’t wait to continue promoting Angus, and will see all of you from the Brooks area at their show and sale May 28th.

this quote got the attention of a lot of 4-Hers

Posted by Stacey Domolewski Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

March and April Did you Know's?

SmashBurger, America's fastest growing, fast casual "better burger" restaurant, has opened in Calgary!  Please see: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/smashburger-makes-its-canadian-debut-in-calgary-2012-05-02.

If you are interested in seeing where all the 2012 Gold Shows will be held, please check out this link to our website: http://www.cdnangus.ca/members/goldshow.htm.

Congratulations, Betty Lou Scott!  Betty Lou was recently named one of the five national Farm Credit Canada Rosemary Davis Award winners!  This leadership award for ‘Women in Agriculture’ is richly deserved!  As her prize, Betty Lou is currently in Boston, Massachusetts at the 2012 Simmons School of Management’s premier leadership conference for women.  Here is the information about Betty Lou:

http://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/AboutUs/Responsibility/rosemarydavis/12award_winners_e.asp

… and here is the list of previous honourees, among them some stellar and significant Canadian Angus personalities: http://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/AboutUs/Responsibility/rosemarydavis/previous_winners_e.asp.

Finally, Director Jim Colodey provided this link to a local article about our impressive agricultural leader:

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/80140-she-s-leader-her-field.

Jim Ginn of Clinton is the RBC Royal Bank Ontario Environmental Stewardship Award winner!  Ginn Family Farm (Ginn) is CAA Membership #5262562, tattoo letters GFF and is a Red Angus – based operation.

Page 16 of the February, 2012 Ontario Beef magazine features an article on Gord & Pat McArthur of Heatherlea Farms in Caledon with their ‘farm fresh’ beef.  Heatherlea Angus (Heatherlea) is CAA Membership #5051052, tattoo letters GEM and is a Black Angus – based operation.  On Page 18 and 19 of the same publication, a profile is written of 5^th generation beef farmer Dale Pallister.  Dale is a feedlot operator as well who runs 425 Angus / Simmental cross cows and “… prefers the Angus breed because of its strong maternal traits and good feed conversion.”  Dale is involved with the Ontario Corn Fed Beef Program.  Finally, pages 30 and 31, provided by Canada Beef Inc.’s Communications Manager Annemarie Pederson, spotlight the High River Angus brand that permeates the south-eastern United States with exclusively Canadian Angus beef.

Bob Switzer graced the cover The Western Producer one week this month judging a bull show, so it’s kind of like he was everywhere since the March 2012 Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Connection features, as their cover shot and story, Bob & Gail Switzer of Aneroid.  Sandy Bar Ranch, Ltd. (Sandy Bar) is CAA Membership #5051260 with tattoo letters IJP.  As a Past CAA President, I appreciate seeing folks like Bob receive attention.  Pages 12-15 are the feature story on the multigenerational Switzer family.  The magazine also includes profiles of new Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association representatives to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association such as quoted Angus booster and breeder Reg Schellenberg of Beechy who runs 400 commercial Angus cows.

The March 29^th, 2012 edition of The Western Producer features a story on page 114 about the success of ‘Alberta’ rancher (he’s a former lifelong Saskatchewan breeder) B.J. Scheirlinck, wife Jody and family at the Medicine Hat Bull Sale.  B.J. Cattle Co. (BJ’s) is CAA Membership #5232575 with tattoo letters BJCC.

This news article appeared in the Calgary Herald and numerous local papers regarding the Calgary Bull Sale:

http://www.discoverairdrie.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1315&Itemid=6.

Posted by Rob Smith, CEO Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Betty Lou Scott receives 2012 FCC Rosemary Davis Award

April 2, 2012 - 4:22am By MICHAEL GORMAN Truro Bureau

Betty Lou Scott was recognized recently with an award from Farm Credit Canada for her long-standing contribution to agriculture. (MICHAEL GORMAN / Truro Bureau)

MOUNT THOM — Even after all these years, Betty Lou Scott walks to the barn with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. The Black Angus cows that have become the trademark of WindCrest Farm may dwarf her in size, but her enthusiasm for the animals more than makes up for it.

"I’ve always loved animals," she said during an interview on Sunday.

For more years than either of them care to count, Scott and her husband, Bill, have operated this farm atop Mount Thom where the purebred Angus cattle they raise have developed a solid reputation. Bulls from WindCrest have made their way throughout Atlantic Canada and into parts of Quebec and Ontario through the years.

"We’ve sold more breeding stock than people would realize," said Bill. "We’ve turned a lot of cattle black."

They’ve also raised children here, maintained and developed 130 hectares, and been involved with just about every group and association you can think of.

This commitment recently earned Betty Lou the Rosemary Davis Award, which honours five women across Canada who are active leaders in agriculture. Betty Lou said the award is recognition of the growing number of female leaders in the industry, something that wasn’t always the case.

"I used to be very much a minority," she said. "The big ranches out west, a lot of them, now they’re run by women."

In many ways, Betty Lou has come full circle.

This is where she grew up. After leaving home to go to university, where she received an education degree, she headed to Musquodoboit Harbour where she found her first teaching job and a husband. Like his bride-to-be, Bill Scott grew up in a farming family.

When Betty Lou’s parents fell ill and passed away, as the oldest of five siblings, she returned to the family farm in 1975, and along with Bill, carried on with the operation.

"For me it was moving back, for (Bill) it was moving to the Arctic compared to Musquodoboit Harbour," she said.

You don’t just give up farming when it’s in your blood.

Bill worked the land to breathe new life into the farm, while Betty Lou worked in the Pictou County school system (she became a full-time farmer after retiring in 1997).

They decided to take over the farm in part because both of them believed that few things could instil the value of hard work in their young children like working on a farm.

That view extends to Betty Lou’s now 33-year involvement with the Salt Springs 4-H Club.

"I really think it is the best youth program going," she said. "One of the most satisfying things I get out of it is seeing kids who are very shy, very withdrawn . . . develop and blossom."

Programs such as public speaking, showing and judging, things she insisted her own children do, develop skills that remain forever, said Betty Lou. She relishes seeing kids who might struggle in other areas shine.

She remembers one boy, in particular, who struggled with academics but realized great success with 4-H.

"If you had given him a million dollars he wouldn’t have been any happier than (he was) with that champion ribbon."

At one point, the herd at WindCrest was as big as 90 registered purebred animals before the fallout from some cases in Western Canada of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad-cow disease, hit the industry.

But you can’t operate a farm for as long as the Scotts have without bucket loads of perseverance and the couple managed to weather that storm, in part thanks to the growing demand for Angus beef.

They’ve watched the land change around them through the years, as windmills and radio towers have sprouted up, but their commitment to the farm has remained steady.

Now, as beef prices are making a comeback, the Scotts are starting to slow down. Both Bill and Betty Lou agree it’s time. They’re down to 17 cows after a recent string of sales.

But as they approach the end of their own careers as farmers, both of them are heartened by the re-emerging interest in the industry. Startup costs can be difficult, but the Scotts see the same merits in farming today as they did many years ago when they moved back to Mount Thom.

( mgorman@herald.ca)

Posted by Tina ZakowskyFeedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

February Did You Knows?

Donna Donaldson brought to my attention that the February 2012 issue of The Furrow, the John Deere magazine, includes a cover picture of Allison Tetzlaff, and the 4-page article and pictures are all about Randy & Kim Tetzlaff and their children Brookelynn, Connor and Allison of Triple L Angus at Viscount, SK. Brookelynn Tetzlaff is currently a member of the Board of Directors with the Saskatchewan Junior Angus Association.

Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed was featured in The Land this past month! You might recognize their featured breeders. Check it out:

http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news/state/livestock/cattle/international-power-of-angus-cattle/2464275.aspx?storypage=1

Just one correction, as determined by Tag Sales Coordinator Cheryl Hazenberg: the statement “Codes start with 124 as the country code for Canada, followed by an 01 designating animals as Angus” is incorrect. The 01 precedes the 124 on the tags. Just so you know…

And if you receive or have access to this Australian cattle ‘bible’, then check out pages 7 and 10 and 11 of their “Summer Angus” (remember the opposite seasons ‘down under’) supplement appearing in the Thursday, January 26th, 2012 edition. Appearing is the Steve Suther CAB article on Gerry Duckworth from Courval, SK as well as a feature on “Performance and Pedigree” featuring our own fearless leader, President David!

A day later, The Western Producer has also printed a similar story to the one The Land:

http://www.producer.com/2012/02/group-focuses-on-improving-genetics-over-brand-programs%E2%80%A9/

Also included, and consistent with the message they’ve been giving us for half a year, the February 23^rd issue of the Producer also includes the article “Certified Angus program seeks Canadian producers”. Coming out of NCBA, this article focused on CAB’s need for qualified animals in Canada.

Pages 44 – 47 of the February 2012 edition of Alberta Beef features a story on Trail’s End Beef near Nanton who have developed a niche market for their grass-finished beef program featuring Red and Black Angus - based cattle.

Pages 16 and 18 of the Cattlemen magazine for February 2012 includes an article on Shane & Monica Gibson, who transitioned their 300-head cow herd from Red to Black Limousin and finally to Black Angus because “Once we realized what we wanted, we found the best way to get it was to breed for it.” And they were able to do that with Angus genetics. Page 28 of this edition also features “Tips From The Show Alley”, an article about Robert Ballantyne, breeder from Livelong, SK who dispersed his Angus herd in the fall of 2010.

The February 2012 Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Connection includes a cover story (they must LOVE Angus people!) on Jim and Sarah Anderson of Right Cross Ranch near Kisbey, who have a 300 head purebred Red and Black herd as well as background calves, run a commercial fall-calving program, a small bull test and have a barn for various sales and events. What a busy and successful young couple and great grass managers as well! Further, this magazine spotlights Brittney Jordet, the Judging Chair of the University of Saskatchewan Sockeman’s Club and 13 year member of the Aneroid 4-H Beef Club who has built up a small Red Angus commercial herd at home near Hazenmore.

Posted by Rob Smith Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

2012 GOAL Conference

Winning at the Game was the theme behind the 2012 GOAL Conference which was held in Regina, SK from Feb. 18-20.

The conference started with ice breakers to get to know everyone. Saskatchewan Roughriders Stu Foord and Neal Hughes were our guest speakers for the afternoon. They spoke about Winning at the Game. It was an emotional afternoon for Stu who just signed with the BC Lions the day before.

I gave my presentation on my trip to Argentina, which went over really well. Rob Smith gave his report on the state of the breed and what happened in 2011. From what I saw the horizon looks bright. To quote Rob, “We are Angus, hear us roar.”

The next morning we listened to presentations from Michael Latimer, Kajal Devani and Kim McLean.

We left for Optimum Genetics after lunch to view their semen collection site. They were very welcoming and answered a lot of questions on bull development, nutrition and health. We also talked about the process of preparing a bull to export semen to the states. Rod Wendorf showed us how to ultrasound and measure for marbling and rib eye size.

We returned to Regina to attend the Applause Dinner Theatre. This was for many of us the highlight of the trip. The actors and actresses often moved into our section and serenaded our GOAL Conference members much to the enjoyment of their peers.

We returned to the hotel to compete in the “Minute to Win It” competition. I was proud to make it to the top three of the competition only to lose to the girls in the Kleenex box competition. Becky Domolewski competed in the final against Megan Aheran from Texas. The competition came to a dramatic end as Becky won.

The final morning of GOAL was very emotional as retiring board members made their final addresses. Old and new friends said their goodbyes.

Posted by Austen Anderson, Junior Ambassador Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Alberta Beef Industry Conference

The Alberta Beef Industry Conference was held February 15 -17 in Red Deer. With more than 1000 people in attendance, there was a broad exchange of ideas and networking. Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Auction Markets Association, Alberta Livestock Dealers and Order Buyers Association and Western Stock Growers’ Association were all in attendance. The Canadian Angus Association shared a booth with other breed associations. Brian Good represented our association and did a great deal of communicating with delegates about our Angus tags and the Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed program. There were 10 noteworthy speakers that lined-up an extensive review on the global economy, customer satisfaction, COOL, food scarcity and security, exportable markets, and forecast predictions for the upcoming years.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Evan Berger was amongst the gentlemen who spoke. Lead, Grow, Prosper…Think Outside the Bunk was a huge success, and we look forward to building the relationships that were made at this conference.

(left) Ad that was publicized to attendees.

Posted by Brian GoodFeedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca