The Future of Farmers

[renegade]

The night before i left indiana from the National FFA Convention my advisor was talking to someone on the elevator.  This woman said she was very upset, and even though she had always had great respect for farmers and ranchers, she was worried that if the kids staying at the embassy suites were the future farmers of america she was worried and had totally lost all respect for us and our occupation, she said she had called corporate office and every thing.  I think it is sad that she would say this because she got this impression from ffa kids that had no supervision and were running around with no respect to adults.  instead of waiting for her to get on the elevator she had been waiting for an ffa chapter just butted in and left no room... this doesnt reflect my chapter or all ffa members at all.  Our chapter always entered the motel quietly and we stayed in our rooms and were pretty quite, had respect and always dressed and acted our best because we knew if we didn't that our advisors would have a hit us . 

On sunday my officer team and two chapter members boarded a plane(my 1st) and headed to indianaplois indiana.  We spent monday in kentucky with a tour guide...touring Rood and Riddle equine hospital(spectacular), Kentucky horse park - i saw cigar in the hall of champions, a visit to Gainesway farms were we toured stallion and racing barns and horses like Afleet Alex (3rd in derby, preakness and belmont winner) and Orientate (running in this years breeders cup classic) were brought to us for personal viewing at the drop of a hat and Mr. Greeley a stud at the same farm with a $60,000 stud fee... This was all set up, free of cost due to the respect that these leaders in their industry have for the Future Farmers of America.  We vistited chicago and at the shedd aquarium we wondered if all manners went out the window or what.  The rest of the week was good except those few unruley chapters who didnt have responsible adivsors.  it just goes to show you that you can be lumped into  a group and not even given a chance before you are judged do to someone elses bad behavior or representation. :'(

 

[Rocky Hill Simmental]

There will always be a few bad kids that will ruin things for everyone in any club. If I recall correctly there was a lot of controversy in our chapter the year before I joined because the administrators heard a rumor about something that happened at the state FFA convention involving one of our members. It was bad - The school even considered getting rid of our chapter. Luckily, because of other resposnable memembers of our club, like our president and vp, we were able to keep our club.

That's neat that you got to see all those famous race horses.  I have a friend who loves horse racing. She can just say random trivia about any horse and she talks about when the next big race is going to come up.
The most famous horses I've seen where the Budweiser Clysdales. I've been to one of their ranches and saw them in their pens and this year they were at our district fair. I had the perfect view of them pulling their cart too because my barn was beside the road and we where tied closest to the road - they even had a dalmatin dog setting on top the beer. So my heifers and steer have also got to see them. I don't think they were as impressed as we where though.  (lol)

Anyway, don't let the bad kids ruin your chapter. Just keep doing the right thing and people will see that it's not so bad. That's what saved our chapter years back. 

 

[Jill]

The future of farmers and ranchers in America in my opinion has very little to do with the behavior of high school kids at a FFA convention.  I do think you represent your chapter and your area, but I don't think you represent the industry as a whole by any means.  Kids these days are not raised with the respect for elders that most of the older generations were.  On the flip side of this, these are kids on vacation, they are kids and you have to cut them some slack, there are things that are acceptable and things that are not, the trick is knowing where to draw the line.

 

[renegade]

It wasnt our chapter. we actually did pretty well.  I understand they are on vacation, so was i ;D ;D ;D!!!!!  It was a blast but at 10:30 advisors should be responsible and enforce the hotel rules.  I know we had more fun with all nine of us in one motel room than out in the lobby.  I dont think that this reflects the future of farming, i actually no some kids in ag that don't do ffa.  But the public associates the name to farming and can get the wrong idea.  These are business people(some that can greatly influence our futures) like political reps. and keynote speakers that were staying in our motel, it was the embassy suites.  I think that these people can get the wrong impression and it sucks because those 20 or 30 kids are representing a nation of farmers and ranchers.

 

[strawroanlova]

this si kind of weird but id nbet it was kids from my chapter, i did not go but most of them have no sense even though i love em to death (lol)

 

[renegade]

What chapter and/or state. we had conneticut on our floor and i saw different states like florida.

 

[knabe]

people who generalize in this manner are used to people not listening to them.  that's why they shout.  if it only took one episode to "lose" her lifelong respect for farmers, you can bet she didn't have any in the first place and didn't base her words on a representative sample.  perhaps you could have asked what other organizations she had exposure to that the kids were perfect?  probably watches oprah and can't stand men on any level.  dang, did i just generalize?  remember, generalizations are more powerful if they are based on a sample population, and even then, still not as powerful as perception.  reality just isn't a valued commodity anymore.

 

[Stihlpro]

I think you have to remember that some of these kids are away from home for the first time and extremely excited.  Some have never been in the type of situation away from home and momentairly forget the certain behaviors that are expected.  Not to condone their behavior, but I have seen some excited kids forget their manners before.  They are kids!  I think the lady was one of the types who complained just to complain!  She didn't expect to be staying in a hotel loaded with kids and that sent her over the edge.  You're never going to please everyone!

 

[jason]

Also it just takes 1 kid to get a bunch other kids acting wild at their impressionable age, everyone is trying to fit in and be "cool"

 

[renegade]

I agree with you guys and i know us teens can get easily excited and carried away. The big thing this year was going down the road or in the food court at the mall one kid or chapter would start yelling OOOOOOO and every one else would join in until we were so loud we couldnt stand it.  But i still think that at 10:30 advisors should step up and be leaders.  It was the best week of my life ;D ;D ;D.