Expectations aren't always what they seem

This past month, I have had many expectations.

• I would complete my third year as a college student and be ready to move on.
• Some of my closest friends would graduate from The Ohio State University and leave me. Forever.
• I would come home for a week of randomness and running around with my family since it is one of the busiest times of the year -- planting season.
• I would move out to Milwaukee, Wis. for a seasonal internship with Bader Rutter.
• I would kick start my roles on the Student Advisory Team for Agriculture Future of America (AFA).

However, I did not fully meet these expectations. 

I consider myself a fast-paced, goal-oriented person and halfway through this school year, I was so eager to move forward into my senior year! However, now that realization has hit, this expectation of being ready for "the end" has become overwhelming. 

My sister is also moving forward to her senior year of high school and is just as anxious, yet uncertain as I am!

This expectation has made me realize that I shouldn't be so eager to move forward and should embrace the things in my present life, not just the future.

One thing I find increasingly difficult is saying goodbye to friends and loved ones when they move on to different phases of life.

I discovered that a lot of my friends were a part of the 2013 graduating class at Ohio State. This transition has been difficult to grasp and at times, I had selfish feelings that they were "leaving me". 

Now, I have seen that expectation is not just them leaving, but my friends are moving forward towards exciting opportunities that they are interested in sharing with me along the way! Because of today's technology, I can keep in touch in a plethora of ways. 

Even though I am a senior, it is now my time to embrace that opportunity.

Sometimes, I stress out more about coming home than I do about a final exam for class. I always expect that work on the farm with the family will be a chaotic mess -- half the time, it can be! 

However, this past week at home was more humbling than hectic. I spent a lot of time catching up with old friends and family, and even though planting season is always busy, dad made time to relax in the evenings while I was around.

My family has become increasingly more important to me and the expectation I had that a week at home would be "crazy" was not met.

It is true, I did move out to Wisconsin and am currently preparing for my first week of work with Bader Rutter! 

My internship is focused on public relations and I anticipate to learn a lot this summer! However, my expectations for this new experience are yet to be proven.

It is difficult for me to make expectations for the position until I start into different tasks and projects. I have discovered that if I do not have underlying expectations, I will be able to attain more value from the work I will do.

I will continue to evaluate this concept as the summer progresses.

In addition to my new internship, I will begin my role in a new leadership position for AFA.

On the Student Advisory Team (SAT), I help in promoting this national program for youth in agriculture. Each month, SAT meets to prepare for the Leaders Conference that will be held in November, by working to create and expand industry partnerships, advocating to students on college campuses, and preparing programming for other AFA functions such as AFA ONTAP webinars and leaders institutes. 

My expectations for this role have continued to change as I learn more about what I will do for the industry and program. 

These different "expectations" have allowed me to see that expectations are not always as they seem, and shouldn't be. I am continuing to learn that perhaps expectations are simply a way to process our ideas and seeing the potential we have ahead. Things are not always as we anticipate. 

Just call them the Energizer Dairy

In today's news, we have been hearing a lot of recent updates on energy creation. These topics range from wind and solar to shale and biofuels. However, all of them are focused on providing clean, renewable energy sources that can be used for years to come. Your stance may differ depending on the energy type discussed. But, it is up to us as consumers to look at all possible avenues of production to keep the lights on in our homes and the engines running in our automobiles.

I discovered an interesting article published by the New York Times about a new form of energy and fuel. Fair Oaks Farms of Fair Oaks, Ind. is one of the largest dairy operations in the country, with around 30,000 cows. They are showing innovation because they are not only inviting the public to join them on the farm to see their operation and participate in fun activities like cheese making, but they are using the other less-desired byproducts, manure, to create energy.

As mentioned in the NY Times, "the farm is running sophisticated $12 million “digester” facilities that process its overabundance of manure, capturing natural gas that runs electric generators or is pumped underground to a fueling station."

Any remaining manure byproducts are then spread on farm fields as fertilizer. With the fuel being produced directly on the farm, the farm owners were able to build two fuel stations and open them to the public. Because of these pumps, Gary Corbett, chief executive of Fair Oaks, believes they will substitute nearly 2 million gallons of diesel per year.

Think about all of the innovation that went behind this project. From planning how to use the manure, building the equipment and marketing the new fuel station, Fair Oaks has underwent much planning and marketing to make this new project a success. Being featured in the NY Times is a great publicity opportunity and is helping to advocate for new energy methods in the agricultural industry.

Do you feel these new energy outlets are being properly marketed? How do you feel other energy methods like shale, wind or solar compare to the marketing of biofuels and natural gases?

Caroline the American Girl

I have always claimed myself to be an American girl. I am patriotic, devoted to the greater good and involved in providing for our nation through the agricultural industry. A few days ago, I found something that brought me back to my younger-years and passion for being an American Girl.

The American Girl company recently created a new doll set that ties to my background and passion in agriculture. I own two of my own American Girl dolls from when I was a younger girl, and when I discovered a new doll focused on working on her uncle's farm, I jumped on the opportunity to learn more!

I started to scope out the American Girl website and quickly found what I had been searching for: Caroline. The new doll is named Caroline and she is accompanied by a red calf named Garnet.

I could not have been more excited to discover a doll that not only shared my name, but also had a red calf with it. I determined that the calf breed must be Shorthorn. I may be a bit biased, as Shorthorn is the breed of cattle I own, but I was thrilled to see a breed of cattle besides the typically black and white Holstein.

If you are unfamiliar with the American Girl brand, they create these 18-inch dolls and write books about stories these girls have experienced. As quoted on their website:

"These nine-year-old fictional heroines live during important times in America's past, providing "girl-sized" views of significant events that helped shape our country, and they bring the history alive for millions of children."

I find it unique that American Girl is marketing this new doll with a story and involvement in agriculture. It seems to me that agriculture has been making its way into our daily lives more frequently and this makes my outlook for future careers even more exciting! With large companies like American Girl promoting farming and agriculture lifestyles, this will help advocate and educate young girls about this important industry.

I convinced my mom to purchase the calf for me. I couldn't resist adding it into my American Girl collection! Once I receive it, I will be sure to compose a review on their website about how happy I am to see them promoting agriculture in their new collection.

I couldn't help but share a picture to depict my background and American girl self. This is from my county fair in 2011 when I was washing my steer, Caesar. I love the connection you can have with animals and I think this image really shows the bond we had. Do you think they could write a story about me one day?