Welcome to Washington!

There are many things a college student can do during the summer months to occupy their time and even make a bit of money. Usually we try and go for the whole money making venture...got to pay tuition somehow, right??

This summer I decided to take a paid internship with AgriNorthwest, one of the farms owned by the LDS church. After my semester finished up I drove on up to Kennewick, Washington to start my summer adventure! 9 hours in the car driving and I was still able to make it here in time to attend my new branch that afternoon! Go me! I even made it without any car problems! Go little Nissan!

May 6th was the first day of my internship!
Managed to get lost twice already but am slowly figuring my way out. By the end of the summer I'll be able to navigate my way around like a champ!

Grain storing pads at the Grain Driers. Each pad holds up to 1.2 billion bushels

I showed up to the Agronomy Lab to meet my supervisor. Martin explained to me what I would be doing and showed me around the lab. Essentially I'll be taking the samples that are gathered from each of our potato fields and run tests to determine Nitrogen levels. Right now we're just doing the soil but next week after the plants are a little bigger we should be getting some petioles(leaves from the plant) to run tests on as well. I guess potatoes are a bit finicky about the amount of Nitrogen they like at the various stages of development. Who would've guessed?? In order to get maximum yield the farmers have to monitor this closely so doing my job correctly is very important to the well being of those precious potatoes!

The farm is actually located in Plymouth which is about a 30 minute drive from Kennewick. From there I'm just a few minutes to the Oregon border so that gives you an idea of what part of Washington this is in.

Silos at the Grain Driers

Things are pretty slow in the lab right now but Martin says they'll start picking up in a couple weeks. June is their busiest month and around then is when we will be getting samples each week from every one of our potato fields. There are about 176 potato fields and each of those fields get 3-6 samples of soil and then an additional sampling for petioles...you do the math. We try to get the results to the farmers by noon so that makes for some early mornings!

While it's slower here in the lab I get the chance to learn how to correctly do the testing without being rushed. Which I am very grateful for. The other lab worker, Sergio, has been showing me the ropes. After a week of doing it on my own I'd say I'm about pro!
I was beginning to worry that I'd never actually get a chance to see what goes on outside of the lab while I'm here. I'm real happy that I was wrong with that one!

 Last Tuesday, Sergio took me over to the Grain Driers Plant just across the way from the lab. One of the head guys there took me on a full tour of the place. We even climbed all the way to the top of the 441 foot tower. This is one of the largest Grain Drying facilities in the western US. They send a majority of the corn and wheat by train to Kalama, WA and from there a lot of it goes internationally. Some of the wheat lately has been going to Montana and the Dakotas and then local areas as well.
Earlier this week they had a train come to get a load of wheat to take to Kalama. Of course I had to go ride on the train for a little while as they were loading it. I was hoping they'd let me drive it but that was a no go. It's been neat to learn about what they do at the facility and how it all works. I was amazed at the amount of grain they run through there. Just one of the storing pads alone will hold 1.2 billion bushels! They have three of those! And that still doesn't include the six huge silos they have!

Last week one of the samplers took me along with him as he went to get some samples from a couple of the fields. This was my first chance to see the actual fields! Bernie was real great about it and explained how they get their samples and everything. He's been here for about 13 years so he's definitely the expert when it comes to sampling. When they collect the samples they use the probe to get two collections from either side of the furrow and then three collections from the top where the potato plant is. These five collections are mixed together to create one sample. This is done three times per site. Each field has one main site and depending on the farm manager, they may have an alternate site.

One cool thing I learned while going around the farm with Bernie was the practice of Dammer Diking a field. Theres a piece of equipment attached to a tractor that makes little water retaining pockets in the furrows between each row. It helps prevent water runoff and Bernie told me that they have noticed that potato plants will emerge a lot faster if they dammer dike a field. Enjoy the cool pictures!

We drove around the farm so that I could get the chance to see more of it. There are around 800 fields just here on the Plymouth Farm! We clocked 40-50 miles in the truck and I didn't even see all of the farm. It is huge!

So far I am loving it in Washington! My YSA branch has been a lot of fun. I made friends with one of the other interns that is up here with AgriNorthwest for the summer so I haven't been completely alone. We've been going to Institute each week and the class is actually taught by a USU Alum! Go Aggies! Gradually I'm getting to meet more people. One of the highlights of the week is going to play Volleyball Wednesday nights with a group of people at the church. So much fun!!!

Hope your summer is off to as good of a start as mine is!

A Forever Family

With all of the events happening recently I just couldn't be more excited to go home tomorrow and get to hug my loved ones! I am grateful for the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and my membership in a religion that believes in eternal families and has the authority to seal families together both here on earth and in the eternities to come(want to learn more? visit lds.org or mormon.org). How could that knowledge not make you shout for joy???!!!

I remember back in 1999 when my Grandpa Eckman passed away. It was the first time anyone really close to me was taken away. It's not easy as a 7 yr old to really comprehend all of that. At his funeral service, all of the grandkids sang "Families Can Be Together Forever". Even as I young child, the words in this song were no doubt pure truths. Today I sing it and the words are sweeter than they've ever been before.

I'll be the first to admit that my family has their struggles. Sometimes we don't get along and quite often we make some different choices. We have varying personalities and ways of doing things. We're different and many times those differences clashed. I didn't always do my best in creating such a happy atmosphere in the home but the good thing is that people can change. I regret not trying to be better friends with my parents and siblings as a teenager and now as a young adult have much to make up for but isn't it wonderful that I at least have time.

Family is precious. It's as simple as that. Don't take those precious relationships for granted...EVER! That's one thing I've realized most recently. We were placed in families for a reason. Though I don't show it enough, I love my family dearly. They are the most important to me.

One day I'll be a high school teacher...

Sometimes I question my career choice...

...and then I attend the Utah FFA State Convention and I realize why it is I want to be an Ag Teacher!

It's because of these girls ----------->

















Let me explain.

The other day while talking to my little sister she referred to some of her closest friends as her "FFA Family". It's clear that sometimes she would rather spend time with them instead of me, her favorite sister (this was only evident when I went to visit my sisters at their hotel during State Convention and she was content with staying in the other room with her "real" friends instead of playing with me....I still love her though). This same sister at State Convention BLEW ME AWAY when she was competing in the Parliamentary Procedure CDE. I was amazed at how great she did and was so proud to see her do well in a contest that I know is a difficult one to master.

While at State Convention, I watched my other sister walk across the stage and receive her State FFA Degree. This is an award only received after much hard work in a Supervised Agricultural Experience and involvement in the local chapter. Way to go Em!

Both of my sisters have grown tremendously through their involvement in the FFA. They are better leaders, students and educated citizens.

The Agriculture Classroom is not your typical high school classroom. For that reason I am excited to teach. Students have to go to school anyway so why not give them a place where they can be a part of something?? I really am excited to teach and hope that as I do I will be able to influence my students to work a little harder and be a little better.

I grew a lot during my time in the FFA. I had a wonderful advisor who expected the best out of me and friends that supported me during that time. Many wonderful memories were made on FFA trips, many great relationships formed and many substantial opportunities presented themselves. I just love this organization!

Thank you Wolfley/Wolf-dawg/Wolf-izzle/Wolf/Mr. Wolfley, you are great! I hope to influence students as you have influenced me!

AGGIES for ALL!

There's no doubt that I've loved my time as an Aggie! It's been a wonderful three years here and it's a bit saddening to believe that next fall will be my final semester on campus in Logan. Sometimes I complain about the cold weather but the truth is I'm probably going to miss it once I graduate. After all, what's more fun than sledding down Old Main Hill!

Grandpa and his twin-graduating from Utah State!

Because I love it here so much, I try to recruit for Utah State any chance I get! My grandpa got his degree here so I'm honored to be the granddaughter to carry on the line. Hopefully I've sparked an interest in some of my other family members.

With the change in missionary age that was announced last October, many universities in Utah have been trying to offset the change in enrollment that will happen in the coming school year. Legislation currently passed some great things:
1. There is no longer a cap on the number of in-state tuition waivers that can be given to out of state students. Hey Nevada friends, now's the time to apply to Utah State!
2. The Legacy Award that gives out of state students who have parents that graduated from Utah State in-state tuition has been expanded to include grandchildren of Alumni. Hey cousins, APPLY!




I've learned a lot during my time here, I've grown a lot and I hope that made a difference in some form. It's a great school full of great people!
It's funny how often I feel like I was meant to come here...like I was always an Aggie! In highschool I played in the Pep Band and one of the songs we played for out homecoming game was "Crazy Train". Last Saturday at an Aggie Basketball game that same song was played and hundreds of students were pounding the seats in front of us in unison. Life just gets better with the years!
On a slightly sadder note: On an FFA trip to the State Soil Judging Contest in 2005 I remember my advisor telling our team about a horrific accident that took place in Utah. A group of college students on a field trip got in a van accident and most passed away in the accident. I remember feeling so sad for the loss of those young lives and even though I didn't know any of them at all it still hit me hard. Never, in that moment, would I have imagined that almost 8 years later I would be reviewing applications for an award to be given to a Utah State student in honor of those Utah State students who were lost in that terrible accident. In reviewing those applications I was amazed at the caliber of individuals who, while going through extreme adversity, find it within themselves to make the sacrifices necessary to complete their education.
The sacrifices that I've made to complete my education do not compare to what others have to. Sometimes life gets rough and you've got to buckle down and work through it. A most crucial element in this is to always focus on the good that is in your life. Always appreciate the good that life has to offer!

Made this burlap skirt for one of my classes!

At the state capitol with President Albrecht...pretty big deal really!

Shooting the Air Cannon during Ag Week.

Family time in North Dakota!

This Christmas we are spending our time in North Dakota. Cory and Jolene live up there and just had their little boy so of course we wanted to see the new addition. My dad works up there too and because he got extra time off to come home for Thanksgiving to be there for his first grandson's birth, he had to work over Christmas. We were willing to make the long drive up to the freezing state of North Dakota. It's actually much lower than freezing, the thermometer reading in the car said 3 degrees as we were pulling in to Dickinson last night!

 

The cousins got to meet eachother! Stetson already seems to be beating up on little Gunther.

I sure love this little man! I am content with just holding him while he sleeps and can't believe how much he has grown in the last month since I saw him last.

 I am one lucky aunt to have two of the cutest little nephews!

 

Gunther was blessed while we were here. My mom crocheted his little outfit, complete with a bowtie and booties!

For Christmas this year I made my mom and dad their own books. I compiled family photos and each of us kids wrote some things to include in it. I love how they turned out and am happy I did it for them. You can tell my mom loved it because she cried, laughed, and cried a little bit more.

Successful Christmas!

One Last Epic Weekend Before the End of an Epic Semester!

It was a weekend full of firsts for this lady!
I went to my first NBA game(or any professional sporting event for that matter) on Friday night! The Utah Jazz took on the Raptors and the game was all I expected and more! I had an absolute blast. The Jazz won 131-99, we ate at Crown Burger...twice, and our group even made it on the big screen at the game! Dream come true!

Serious Face...

 

And then Sunday night I went to my roommates family dinner down by Salt Lake City. I have wanted to see the lights on Temple Square ever since my first winter in Utah and I was finally able to! It was exactly how I imagined it would be...beautiful temple, lights all around, happy people, and just a little bit of snow.

The pictures could never do it justice.

 

Just a few more firsts occured this weekend: I sang in my ward choir, tried my hand at painting pottery, watched my roommate perform a clogging routine, and completely paid off one of my student loans!
It was a wonderful way to wrap up another great semester here at Utah State! I'm only three semesters away from that diploma now...crazy!
I am blessed!

The happy things in life...just to name a few:

Family
Thanksgiving and having a reason to eat insane amounts of delicious food
Milk for $1.98
Cute jeans that make you feel great!
A great bishop and ward family
The most perfect little nephew
Four square with the family...even with the weird and gross rule
Running into the best people at the grocery store
Compliments on my handy work
Country Swing Dancing
Chocolate Milk
Working with wonderful people
Christmas Lights
Nice men at Interstate Battery that came to my rescue
Taco Soup
Kind Strangers
A handy father
Breakfast Burritos
Happy people
The pursuit of knowledge
Roommates

Friends who save me when I'm out of luck
Institute
A working car
Laughter
Doing better than expected in the Academic Quadrathalon