I'm Proud to be a Floridian!

Hey there! Thanks for keeping up with my blog. It's been a very busy week here in Tallahassee during my internship, but I'm loving it!

Yesterday I visited the an older office in a beautiful building down the road from my office. Let me just say, if you haven't visited Tallahassee, you NEED to. It's one of the most beautiful places. It looks like it doesn't even belong in Florida, because of the scenery and the hills. I feel like I'm in Georgia or another state. It's cold right now, which makes me feel like that even more. I'm in love. I miss my town, and friends and family, but I'm enjoying every minute here.

In Tallahassee, many of the buildings are older and they are made out of beautiful, rustic, romantic red brick. I LOVE this look. The older buildings have this style that makes me want to sit on the balconies and fall in love with a great book and a mug of hot chocolate.

Now that you're in the same mood as I am, you'll appreciate this blog post even more.

Because of my fascination with these great red-brick beauties, the building I visited yesterday held me in awe for several minutes. It wasn't a historical building, so to speak, or a place that you can go and tour, (it's a working office building) but I wish it was. There was this gorgeous luxurious study full of leather chairs and big heavy books. This leads to my discussion of how AWESOME Florida is.

Did you know that Florida was the first place to have cattle? This makes us the birthplace of America's cattle industry! If you've read my other posts, you have heard this already. Being in Tallahassee, and seeing some of our legislation at work, I feel very proud of our great state. There will always be things that need to change, and things that seem unfair at times, but overall, I couldn't dream of living anywhere else.

We found a book called "Florida's Handbook", and we found several editions. This particular one was the 6th edition. The books were written by Allen Morris. It was so neat because this edition covered pretty much everything about Florida from 1957 - 1958. There were around 1.6 million registered voters in the state; now, we have about 11.9 million, as reported by an article by the New York Times in October of this past year. (I'm putting some links to my sources, so feel free to check them out!)

According to this edition, Florida had about 1.4 million beef cattle. We ranked 23rd among the states for number of cattle and calves, but 13th in production. Now, according to statistics from the USDA, we have around 1.7 million, not a huge increase, but (according to this report) we are 16th for number of cattle and calves. According to a report by the Florida Ag Statistic Services, we rank 11th in the nation for beef cattle, 19th in total amount of cattle. (Reports vary depending on the year and source, but most of them are pretty similar.

Here is a picture collage I made of pictures I took while flipping through this awesome piece of history:

I love Florida, and I'm proud to be from such a great state! I'm a history lover when it comes to things that mean a lot to me. Feel free to share your stories about my state or yours, if you live elsewhere in this beautiful country. I always encourage people to research where they are from, because it's something that makes you, YOU. Thanks for reading, feel free to share the facts and always remember to keep learning!

God Bless,

The Beef Queen

Tallahassee: The Next Frontier

WOW! What a splendid weekend I've had!

Hopefully everyone had a marvelous holiday break! As of December 15th, 2012,  I can officially say that I'm a college graduate. I'm the first in my family to graduate, so it's been a really exciting time for me! I earned my bachelors degree in Mass Communications, but my focus is Public Relations. (If you've read my blog before, I'm sure you just rolled your eyes and said, "Duh!"). :)

What's next, you ask? I'll tell you!

This past weekend, I moved up to Tallahassee to start my internship at a law firm just a few blocks away from the capitol. I'm very excited, and today is my first day on the job! I'll be up here assisting one of our agriculture lobbyists that the Florida Cattlemen rely on. I'll be here through May, and I'm already LOVING the town. I'm keeping a private journal of all of my goings on, so I'll be able to look back years from now.

After a long 5 hour drive (made even longer when I got pulled over for exceeding the speed limit - ask my mom, we weren't speeding, it was a case of mistaken identity!!), we found ourselves in Tallahassee. Mr. Winn and Mr. Sam, my two bosses, helped get us accustomed to the area and mom and dad helped me get settled in to my cabin in the woods.

Everyone has been extremely pleasant, and I'm so ready to jump in full throttle. I'm currently learning to navigate the websites of the Florida House of Representatives and Senate, and soon we will be in session! (March 5th through May 3rd). The first few weeks will be relaxed but I will have to learn the layout of everything so that I'm prepared to be the best intern I can be when session starts. I have been learning a lot, and it's only my first day! I'm not sure how much I'll be able to share, because there is so much involving legislature and politics, but I'll be posting as much as I can. I look forward to seeing all of my fellow Cattlemen and Cattlewomen at the FCA Quarterly in March, it's a great time full of education, great people, and memories! The legislative quarterly was were my passion was fueled, and it was the first time that I really thought I could make a difference. I encourage you all to get out there, learn about your passions, and then see where they'll take you! My passion took me to the state capitol, imagine what great things you can accomplish if you let your dreams run away with you!

I'm still wondering why it's taking so long for me to get a spot in the senate or the house... I've been here for a whole day! :) If you can, say a little prayer for me. I'm a small town girl, a long way from home in a very intimidating place! Thanks for your support, it's what keeps me going!

God Bless,

The Beef Queen

My Very Busy, Beef-Filled November!

Hopefully, your Thanksgiving break was as awesome as mine!

When Turkey day finally rolled around this year, I was so excited to have a break! My November was packed with the most amazing beef-related events, and I just had to share them with you all.

I love to fill as many weekends as I can with volunteering within my county's Cattlemen's Association or the state association. The weekend of November 16th - 18th, I was able to do both!

As the county Cattlemen's Sweetheart for 2 years in a row (I gave up that title in May this past year), I was able to attend the "Farm City Week" luncheon provided for the tour buses that led residents and visitors around our wonderful county. The tour takes the passengers to different farms and shows them firsthand what Manatee County's agriculture is all about. Last year I offered to help in any way that I could, and this year I was asked about being a tour guide!

I LOVED being a tour guide! I was able to share facts, Ag-related jokes and stories, and I met some awesome people in the process. I invited our current sweetheart to ride along on the bus. If something like this is offered in your area, I highly recommend getting involved. If it's not something offered, look into what it would take to start it. I would talk to some of the farmers in your area, and see if they would be interested in an event or something of that nature! People love to shop locally, and if they can connect a product with a name, face or even family, that would make a huge impact on their impression of our industry!

The next day I led a part of our annual prospect show's workshop for the exhibitors. It's another Farm City Week event, and it's one of my favorites. I used to show and attend the workshop, (it's mandatory, but still fun) and now I'm leading my own workshop! I spoke to the kids about the variety of careers in agriculture available, and it was an awesome time! We even got to cook some steak on a grill with some of the more advanced "show jocks" and spoke to them about grades of meat and how to check for quality. It was an awesome time, and I love hanging out with those kids. You won't find a better quality of youth then you will at your local fair.

The event on Sunday was a little more adult than the previous two. Last year, I was asked to attend the Clearwater Uncorked Food and Wine festival to help out the Florida Beef Council showcasing some of our delicious steak. Last year, the steak was marinated in Sam Adam's, this year, we used Everglades seasoning. DELICIOUS. I tried to leave the samples on the platters for everyone else, but every now and then, I'd do a "beef shot". I'm only human!!

These events always leave me wanting more... BEEF. The people involved are amazing, the kids are great, and I leave feeling satisfied and so happy. I know that if my career path leads me into this industry, I'll never truly work a day in my life! Happy Holidays, thanks for reading!

The Beef Queen

Being Yourself.... Online and In Person

I get asked to speak at a lot of events for young adults, and there are a few topics I love to touch on after my main topic has been discussed. 99.9% of the time, I am asked to educate audiences about Florida's Agriculture, and more specifically, Florida's Beef Industry. This upcoming Saturday, for our county's annual Farm City week prospect show, my speech will be about becoming an advocate. I always include information about our beef supply, but this will be awesome as I get to talk about my journey from my awkward teenage years to self-proclaimed "Beef Queen".

After my speeches are done, I like to include a little section about college, life in general, and your online presence. I wrote about the elevator speech exercise for my last blog. (For that stimulating story, click here.)

I hear it all the time in my major (public relations).....

"Be careful what you post online, employers will see that!"
"Don't post pictures of the parties you go too, that will get you kicked out of college!"
"Don't use profanity, or you'll go to jail!"

Some of the warnings can be a little intense, but the message rings true. I am friends with people on Facebook and twitter one minute, and the next minute I'm in their class talking about something agriculturally related. It's important to me that I stay professional and polite on my page, because people see that. I hate the thought of someone going to a classroom to speak and saying, "College is not about the parties, it's about homework and being an adult", and then a student "friending" them and seeing pictures that should NOT be posted for anyone to see. That's irresponsible and unacceptable. I'm not saying that people aren't allowed to post on their sites, it's yours to post. However, I DO think you should use discretion.

I like to stress the "Dad-friendly" rule. This got a LOT easier... when my dad joined facebook. It helps keep me in check. Often, I'll see these young girls saying things, and posting pictures, and I turn into that adult. "What are they thinking??"

Social media is great. It's improved lines of communication, it helps with keeping companies and even politicians accountable, if they so choose, and it's made a way for us to reach out and tell our stories. I believe firmly that every person has a story that is worth telling. I would just hate for that story to be one that reflects negatively on your character. I have said all of this to say the following... here are some simple rules for staying true to yourself, but being successful with your online presence.

- Keep social media as "Dad-friendly" as possible. How would you feel if your grandma knew all about your Saturday night?

- Post positive things that you are proud of. Earned a B in chemistry? That's awesome! Failed that test because your teacher "hates" you? Not necessary.

- PG Pictures. We all LOVE to see pictures of you and your boyfriend, but we don't need to feel like peeping toms. Keep them as PG as possible, please.

- Pretend that a future (or even current) employer WERE looking at your page. If you have a problem with your job or a co-worker, find a solution. Don't bad-mouth on the internet. That has gotten people fired before, I've seen it happen.

- Use your best judgement and be yourself. Don't try to put on a front by any means, but act as if your profile directly reflected your life.... because it does. How you portray yourself online is a direct reflection on how people actually see you, especially since most of the people you are "friends" with or "follow" aren't people who are lucky enough to spend time with you to know any better than what they see online.

Please feel free to share this information, and educate someone you know that has an issue with posting negative or harmful stuff online. It's a bigger deal than they think, and it will probably come back to hurt them in the long run. I'm not perfect, and neither is my online profile, but I'm proud of how I come across as a person in real life, and online.

Thanks for reading, have a blessed week!

The Beef Queen

Local Beef: Worth the Hype?

My cousins raise beef at a local farm in Bradenton, Florida. Their cattle are a Maine Angus/Simmental cross, and they make delicious burgers! The beef is sold at the King Ranch in Bradenton, and it is raised right at the ranch. Every season, the ranch hosts a "farm stand", similar to a farmer's market and many local people come out to enjoy the goodies and live music.

I love helping them sell the beef because even though I didn't raise it, I feel proud that local farms are offering people yet another way to enjoy beef in their daily routine. I took a few pictures, but the day was fairly busy as we sold burgers from 11am till people stopped coming! The burgers were made from the beef sold inside the refrigerated room at the small building near the entrance. There were also plants and honey for sale, with a number of other local food options. Dakin Dairy, a dairy based out of Myakka city, sells milk there, as well as at the local Publix supermarkets, which we are super proud of as well.

I love burgers as much as the next person, and you can't beat a locally grown burger. They tend to be a little more expensive, as they take longer to raise and produce, but it sure is worth it. Local is a way to go!

A very happy customer,

The beef queen

My manicure. Had to go all out!

Posing for a pic while Gene does all the work cooking :)

The stand has a room with a fridge, where all the meat is kept, along with informational materials!

I won!

When I got home this weekend, after a busy and stressful week up at college, I was received with two amazing items: Girl Scout cookies, and a prize! What kind? Thin Mints, of course! Like there is any other kind.

Oh... you mean what kind of prize! :) While I was in Nashville for the NCBA, I walked around the trade show for a while by myself. It's always dangerous when I do that, because I like filling out random forms and talking to strangers. It is always easier to do this in a trade show setting alone, because most people like to keep moving and get free hats. (Yes, dad, I'm talking about you!)

Turns out, I won an awesome prize from the Beef Magazine booth! It is a book all about the history of the cowboy boot! I am just so excited! I made sure to tweet them to let them know I LOVED it! Even better, the card is stamped with BEEF in big red letters. Who doesn't love that? I am so excited to dig into my new book. It is called, what else, "The Cowboy Boot" and the credit goes to a lot of amazing people, such as David R. Stoecklein, the photographer. If you get a chance to read/look through this book, you need to take that opportunity. I would lend you mine, but I'm too busy lusting over these boots. :)

 

I'm off to volunteer for class, and I will be updating my blog about the Florida State Fair later! Thanks for reading, hope you have a great Monday!

God Bless,

One super excited Beef Queen!

Clearwater Uncorked Food & Wine Festival

As a BEEF industry representative and advocate, I love being able to go to events that not only give us a chance to reach out to consumers, but also to have a blast!

I was invited by Ashley Hughes, the director of promotions and marketing for the Florida Beef Council to attend the Clearwater Uncorked food and wine festival. The cattlemen who joined us cooked up some amazing flat-iron steak, and it was a crowd favorite. We had so many people tell us how tender and delicious it was, and everyone was given a recipe card so they could make it at home! Everyone said they wanted to make it, so I hope that there will be a huge amount of beef served this holiday season!

The recipe, along with many others, can be found online at Floridabeefcouncil.org, and I suggest you check it out!

Not only did I get to hang out with Ashley and some of our awesome cattlemen, I also got to spend some time with the new FCA Sweetheart, Kaitlyn Gill and her mom! I love fellow cattlewomen, because there is never a dull moment!

I wanted to blog about this event, and I wanted to share a story that cracked me up. I was handing out the recipe cards, and people were taking extra cards to share with their friends. One woman in particular came up to sample the steak and I said, "Here's a recipe card." She replied with a disapproving look and said, "My husbands a chef. I think he can figure this out." I told her to enjoy her day, and watched her walk away, eat the sample, and turn around, walk back to the booth, grab a recipe card, and say, "I think I will take this home to my husband. He needs this recipe."

I laughed for ten minutes after that happened, because it just goes to show how people can walk up with one idea, and leave with another. We were able to talk to so many people about Florida's BEEF industry, and it was such an informal setting that people are willing to stop and talk, and share stories.

These are positive lines of communication that need to be opened between producers and consumers. I love my life, and I love the people in it. A special shout-out to my parents, without whom I wouldn't be able to travel back and forth to these events. They are keeping my dreams alive, and I love them for it.

Here are some pictures of the event. Enjoy! Thanks for reading, Have a great holiday!!

The Beef Queen

Myself, Carl M, and Kaitlyn Gill outside of the event trying to avoid helping clean up. :)

There were some interesting characters at the event!

Fellow state Sweethearts - Kaitlyn Gill, FCA Sweetheart 2011 - 2012, Me, Sweetheart 2010 - 2011

Had a blast!!! Hopefully there will be a second annual Uncorked festival!

A Little Off-Topic, but On Point!

I had an awesome day, and I had to blog about it!! Please enjoy!  J

As many of you may know, I am a student at the University of South Florida currently majoring in Mass Communications. My focus is Public Relations, and I could not be happier. I am taking a moment today to not just blog about BEEF, but just to touch on the subject of college for a bit.

I was asked to speak at a middle school recently, and I had an absolute blast. I LOVE speaking in public, and this topic was right up my alley! As I gave my presentation about Florida’s Legacy and about cattle ranching and the Cowboy (and Cowgirl) way of life, I also decided that I would add in some information about college and choosing a career.

While some might think that middle school is too soon to start making plans, I think that depending on the maturity level of the audience, it is never too early to start entertaining ideas. There is something out there for everyone. Usually, children around 12 and 13 years of age start to develop passions and interests in certain areas, and it is up to us to encourage that love and interest.

 I could not be more excited with my major, and I really believe that when someone is enthusiastic about what they are doing and what they are involved in, that passion and enthusiasm will spread. That being said, I hope that the group of middle school students have been encouraged and are excited about fulfilling all of the potential and talents they possess.

The reason I chose to blog about this topic today has a lot to do with my major, and why I love Public Relations and the concepts behind it. My PR Issues teacher invited a guest speaker who was nothing short of AWESOME. (I’m leaving the names to the imagination, as I didn’t obtain their permission, and I want to respect privacy and cover my own tail). J

The guest speaker was a 25 year old ball of fire. I was so encouraged when I left class today, and I can’t wait to embark on my career. It is days like this when I thank God for letting me find such an awesome school, such an amazing support group of friends and family, and such a wonderful major that I fit, and that fits me.

Learning about social media and networking fascinates me, and that was a main part of the topic today. I encourage all of you to find something you LOVE, and blog about it. Start a twitter, and follow people with the same interests. I am on twitter @the_beef_queen, and I am also on LinkedIn.

I realize that this blog is a little more scattered than some of my last posts, maybe it is the fact that I don’t usually drink coffee and that I had some today; maybe it is the fact that I get so excited when typing on topics like this that I can’t hold back!  

I can’t wait to start my career as an agriculture advocate, and I plan on using all of these amazing tools that I am learning to accomplish my goals and dreams. Thank you all so much for reading my blog, your support means the world!!! As always, if I can be of any assistance, feel free to follow me on twitter and tweet me or email me at thebeefqueen@gmail.com.

God Bless,

The Beef Queen

A year as Sweetheart

Hey there! My name is Kelly and I am proud to say that I served this past year as the Florida Cattlemen's Association state Sweetheart. I fell in love with the beef industry at an early age, and it was my pleasure to serve such an amazing postition in the association. Throughout my life-changing year, I have been truly blessed and deeply humbled. I have met amazing people that I am proud to call my friends, and I have had some AWESOME adventures!!

I plan on continuing my quest to help give a voice to those farmers and ranchers who have kept agricutlure as amazing as it is, and continue to do what they do. They feed the world, the least we can do is make sure they are represented fairly! I am passionate against animal rights organizations such as PETA or the HSUS (humane society of the United States) and if you follow this blog, you will soon learn why!!

Beef producers treat their animals well (a healthy cow is a happy cow), and we strive to produce an awesome and safe product, that is also nutritous and delicious! I look forward to this new chapter in my life, as I try "freelance advocacy" for a while.... Wish me luck! :)

Enjoy the pics!

My niece Madisyn is growing like a weed!

The whole family after I won the title at the FCA convention last year!

 Outside the Kentucky Blue Grass Airport... had to dress for the occasion. Made a lot of friends on the flight home that day! :)

Tammie McElroy, Myself, and Lindsey John in front of the Kentucky Horse Park. We were all volunteering at the World Equestrian Games for the Animal Agriculture Alliance booth. It was a fun time, and Lindsey (my mentor) and I had fun meeting people from all over the world, including Mrs. Tammie (from California)!! I loved Kentucky, but it was so cold that I was happy to get back to good old Florida.

Here I am at the state fair with Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam! He is super nice in person and I enjoyed having the chance to chase him down and ask for a picture! :)

Sometimes living out in the country = slow internet connectivity, which then = forever to upload pictures to your new blog!!

Ill post more later. Thanks for checking out this blog! I hope to write regularly on all things beef! If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me! I would love to be your source for information, and I find that any time I am asked a question I don't know, not only do I get to reach out and ask someone really cool, I end up learning a lot!! :)

Thanks, talk to you all soon, and God Bless!!

The Beef Queen