This weekend I gratefully had the opportunity to catch up on some sleep and catch some rays! Last Thursday evening I had my first opportunity to attend a new movie release in Lincoln. It was the final film for the Harry Potter series (yes I am a slight nerd), and it was simply outstanding!! It was such an experience to wait in line for 3 hours and 2 blocks, but seeing all the outfits and crazy HP fans, it was definitely worth it!
It was truly the experience of a lifetime, but some may call me foolish for doing so. You see I had to be at a packing plant on Friday morning at 7 am. And did I mention this plant was close to a 3 hour drive from Lincoln?? Needless to say, I did not get any sleep Thursday evening...I guess that is the price you pay while in grad school! After leaving the movie theater, a fellow graduate student and I headed to campus to pack the car and headed west shortly after 3:30 am.
We arrived at the plant shortly after 6 am and were welcomed with rendering's infamous smell. It brought back the memories of my internship with Tyson Foods in Garden City, KS. As a Junior at Iowa State I was beginning to formulate my career path and wanted a strong internship in the meat industry. Not only did I accomplish this goal, but also gained an insight to the packing industry and an appreciation for the food system in the US. Many Americans take our food production system and supply for granted. The US has one of the safest food programs in the world, and did I mention the most economical?? For Americans 5% of disposable income is spent on buying food. When compared to Europe (20% of disposable income) and the Middle East (50% of disposable income) we should feel blessed!!
It literally gives me chills every time I step foot in a packing plant. Not because the harvesting of animals, but of the beauty and efficiency that lies within. I used to spend hours on a catwalk over the kill floor at Garden City. To some this may be obscene, but to me it was a choreographed dance that was so beautiful. It had employees from different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures, but aside from their differences they were working together to supply the US and the globe with safe and wholesome beef to the rhythm of the chain.
After a few short hours in the plant, we had successfully collected our data for my research project and headed back to Lincoln. I am sooo excited my project is finally starting and in a few short months I will be able to share/explain the importance of research project to you as well as the beef industry!
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