As my official first "post" I am going to provide some background about me!
Hello and welcome to The Farmer's Gal blog! My name is Justine and I am currently living in the lovely state of Nebraska working on my Master's of Science in the area of Meat Science. The plans are to graduate next May, get married in July, and sometime in between find a job in Iowa! I have been involved with production agriculture since the beginning and am not planning to shy away now!!
I like to consider myself a non-traditional Meat Scientist. Yes I do find the science and industry very interesting and have delved into learning about meat and muscle biology. But I see myself more suitable in the area of consumer or producer education. I feel my background in beef production is well-rounded; a result of being raised on a cattle farm, various internships, coursework, and other opportunities I have been given in this industry.
As my life continues to unfold, I plan to share my story with my fellow farmers and future consumers. I plan to post about my research project (when I figure out what exactly it is) and how it relates to the industry, work done on the farm, and of course wedding plans! It is going to be a fun ride, so make sure you stick around to read about it :)
As a side note, I must admit I have been wanting to write a post for quite some time now, but have had trouble finding time, coming up with stuff to write about, and frankly just putting myself out there! After attending the Reciprocal Meats Conference (RMC) this June and listening to Tracy Chapman, and her session titled: Just Ask a Woman - Women's Beef With Meat - an Emotional Look at Buying Beef, I realized there are more uncertainties about our industry than I could have ever imagined! Being in academia and attending conferences, I continue to hear speakers and industry leaders tell us to "advocate our story, share with the world how we are producing safe and wholesome food". I feel confident now to say I have felt the motivation and passion to do just so. Over the past few months, I have acquired a taste for the blog world by following ranch chef and mother Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman), Nebraska native Anne Burkholder (Feedyard Foodie), and my personal favorite Emily Webel (Confessions of a Farm Wife). These ladies have found their own quirky way to tell the truths about agriculture and how it impacts their families every day! I will still look to them for guidance as I begin to share my own personal relations with an industry I have become very fond of.
Please check back for more posts, and at the very least become a follower! And as always, share your comments!!
