Endings Bring New Beginnings

So the crazy spring semester is coming to a close. I decided to update my blog rather than study : )

My class schedule was crazy and I missed a few days of classes for other events, but in the end it has been totally worth it! I've learned a lot throughout the semester, too. So, a quick re-hash of what I've been up to and then on to what I'll be doing this summer!

Most of my busy schedule can be credited to taking all science courses, working, and having my senior research project going on at once! Despite the business, I am glad to have my senior project done before my senior year. It's one less thing to worry about.

My friend Rachel and I studied the effects of different colostrum management methods on bacterial levels in colostrum fed to dairy calves. Basically, we wanted to find out what was the best thing to give calves following birth. We spent over 100 hours each working on this around our class schedule, but it was a lot of fun. It gave us a chance to get away from school for an afternoon a week and work with livestock. I really wish I had been updating throughout the semester, because trying to sum up the fun we had in one paragraph doesn't do it justice.

Thanks, Ashley, for being so willing to help us each week : )

Along with that, the Central Plains Dairy Expo came around again in March! It was my 4th year working for the expo, and Rachel and Abigail's 3rd year. We also brought 4 more Dordt students with us to help out. We had a lot of fun! Abigail, Rachel, and I put the decorations together for the Welcome Reception and then manned the Registration Table throughout the expo.

Front Row: Rachel, Erin, Abigail
Back Row: Parker, Brock, Drew, Even

Cheese Judging Contest Winners with CPDE Chairperson
(We had no idea what we were doing but we took 1st, 2nd, & 3rd)

I was also involved with Ag. Club this semester. Although I didn't hold an officer position because I had chosen not to run again, I was still involved in what went on. The Ag. Club recently became part of a national group, the PAS Organization. We competed at both State and National Levels. Dordt did really well at State, and we were able to take a quiz bowl team to Nationals! Against all odds and with a very mismatched team, we took 3rd!

Somehow I survived 3.5 days with these guys! JK, it was a lot of fun!!

We also had the most beautiful Ag. Day we could have asked for. 65F and no wind in Iowa! It was amazing and we all came out of it with sunburns. We fed nearly 400 people, had tons of machinery, lots of animal judging teams, and lots of little kids around. My uncle and aunt brought my 2 little cousins to see everything, and Nora (2 yrs) was so excited by everything she saw. She climbed in all of the combines except for the green one. They are raising that little girl right : )

I missed so much in this brief update, but I'm going to move on to what I'll be doing this summer. I am participating in the Ag Deparment's Internship Program, which means I'll get credit for this summer! I'll be working for a dairy in Arizona and working at various other places. I got A.I. certified through Select Sires last week, so I'll be practicing that, too. I'll be doing some things with Form-A-Feed and possibly United Dairymen of Arizona. I'll be super busy but I'm looking forward to it and I'll make sure to keep this updated as much as possible! I'm also on Twitter now (@SDakotaSunshine) so watch that for more updates! God bless!