Recognize anyone in these photos?
This past weekend, Lance, Reed, and I competed in the Alabama Farmers Federation Outstanding Young Farm Family competition in Mobile. We competed in the cotton and poultry division. We won the cotton division and were selected as one of six finalists to compete for overall state winner the rest of the year! Here is the "official" press release on the competition/winners from alfafarmers.org!
"OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARM FAMILIES HONORED"
MOBILE, Ala., Feb. 26 -- Young farmers representing 10 agricultural
commodities were honored as division winners in the Alabama Farmers Federation’s
Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) competition last night at the Young Farmers
Leadership Conference in Mobile.
Six finalists also were selected from the group to compete for
the title of overall OYFF at the Federation’s 91st annual meeting to be held
this December in Montgomery. The winner will receive a nicely equipped 2013
Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck, courtesy of Alfa Insurance and Alabama Farmers
Federation; a John Deere Gator XUV, courtesy of Alabama Farm Credit and Alabama
Ag Credit; lease of a John Deere tractor, courtesy of SunSouth, TriGreen
Equipment and Snead Ag dealers; and a personal computer system from Valcom/CTS
Wireless. Alabama’s top young farm family will represent the state in the
American Farm Bureau Federation’s Achievement Award competition at its January
2013 annual meeting in Nashville.
The OYFF commodity division winners were: Ben and Miranda Looney of Limestone County, Soybeans Division; Jon and Amy Hegeman of Calhoun County, Greenhouse, Nursery and Sod Division; Matt and Mandy Armbrester of Talladega County, Wheat and Feed Grains Division; Paul and Vicki Morrison of Dale County, Peanut Division; Lance and Stephanie Miller of Blount County, Cotton Division; Josh and Amanda Simpson of Monroe County, Beef Division; Daniel and Jessica White of Randolph County, Meat Goat and Sheep Division; Chase And Noelle Bradley of Monroe County, Poultry Division; Jamie and Amy Griffin of Shelby County, Equine Division; and Jeff Whitaker of DeKalb County, Hay and Forage Division.
The six finalists that will compete for the overall OYFF title are the Looneys, the Hegemans, the Armbresters, the Morrisons, the Millers and the Simpsons.
Now entering its 55th year, the OYFF program recognizes young farmers and farm families between the ages of 18 and 35 who are doing an outstanding job in their farm, home and commodity activities and promote a better understanding of agriculture with the urban populace.
In addition to the OYFF competition, the Young Farmers Leadership Conference included educational workshops and inspirational seminars on leadership, estate planning, farm management and agricultural advocacy.
The opening keynote speaker Friday night was Retired U.S. Army Chaplain Jeff Struecker. An Iowa native with over 22 years of active federal service, Struecker served for 10 years in the 75th Ranger Regiment. No stranger to war, his combat experience includes participation in Operation Just Cause in Panama; Operation Iris Gold in Kuwait; Operation Gothic Serpent in Mogadishu, Somalia; and multiple tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the opening banquet, Struecker shared his experiences in Mogadishu, which inspired the movie “Blackhawk Down,” and talked about the importance of leadership during tough times.
Other speakers included nationally acclaimed agricultural education specialist Betty Wolanyck, who hosted a workshop on the importance of being an advocate for agriculture. Custom Ag Solutions hosted a workshop on risk management and crop insurance, and Brooke Poague, an attorney with Wetumpka-based firm Bailey and Poague, led a workshop on wills and estate planning.
For more information about the Federation’s Young Farmers program, contact Director Brandon Moore at (334) 612-5159 or bmoore@alfafarmers.org, or visit www.AlfaYoungFarmers.org.
The OYFF commodity division winners were: Ben and Miranda Looney of Limestone County, Soybeans Division; Jon and Amy Hegeman of Calhoun County, Greenhouse, Nursery and Sod Division; Matt and Mandy Armbrester of Talladega County, Wheat and Feed Grains Division; Paul and Vicki Morrison of Dale County, Peanut Division; Lance and Stephanie Miller of Blount County, Cotton Division; Josh and Amanda Simpson of Monroe County, Beef Division; Daniel and Jessica White of Randolph County, Meat Goat and Sheep Division; Chase And Noelle Bradley of Monroe County, Poultry Division; Jamie and Amy Griffin of Shelby County, Equine Division; and Jeff Whitaker of DeKalb County, Hay and Forage Division.
The six finalists that will compete for the overall OYFF title are the Looneys, the Hegemans, the Armbresters, the Morrisons, the Millers and the Simpsons.
Now entering its 55th year, the OYFF program recognizes young farmers and farm families between the ages of 18 and 35 who are doing an outstanding job in their farm, home and commodity activities and promote a better understanding of agriculture with the urban populace.
In addition to the OYFF competition, the Young Farmers Leadership Conference included educational workshops and inspirational seminars on leadership, estate planning, farm management and agricultural advocacy.
The opening keynote speaker Friday night was Retired U.S. Army Chaplain Jeff Struecker. An Iowa native with over 22 years of active federal service, Struecker served for 10 years in the 75th Ranger Regiment. No stranger to war, his combat experience includes participation in Operation Just Cause in Panama; Operation Iris Gold in Kuwait; Operation Gothic Serpent in Mogadishu, Somalia; and multiple tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the opening banquet, Struecker shared his experiences in Mogadishu, which inspired the movie “Blackhawk Down,” and talked about the importance of leadership during tough times.
Other speakers included nationally acclaimed agricultural education specialist Betty Wolanyck, who hosted a workshop on the importance of being an advocate for agriculture. Custom Ag Solutions hosted a workshop on risk management and crop insurance, and Brooke Poague, an attorney with Wetumpka-based firm Bailey and Poague, led a workshop on wills and estate planning.
For more information about the Federation’s Young Farmers program, contact Director Brandon Moore at (334) 612-5159 or bmoore@alfafarmers.org, or visit www.AlfaYoungFarmers.org.
Oh, and we made the video too!
Congratulations!
ReplyDelete(Reed is really growing)
Congratulations on your win...It must be so exciting!! Have a great week! Hugs
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! That is awesome! I'm from South Alabama (Slocomb, below Dothan). I'll be watching for your picture in the Neighbors magazine!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you Lance and Stephanie! You guys do a great job and we are excited to have you in the 2012 Outstanding Young Farm Family Contest!
ReplyDelete