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Just a Beginner.
I don’t know if I heard this from Mel Robbins or Brendan Burchard. Actually, I might have heard it from both of them in their own ways, but essentially they said, “Never feel ashamed of being ‘Just a beginner.’ We all start somewhere.” As I navigate through this transitional phase and consider what I truly want to do next, I keep coming back to how scary it is to put myself out there. Generally, I know what I need to do, but, in some ways, fear is holding me back from implementation. It’s not the fear of failure. It’s not even the fear of success. It’s a fear of being…
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Semmelweis.
Have you ever heard of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis? Neither have most people, so I included a link. No need to follow it though, cause I’m going to tell you about him anyway. 😊 Dr. Semmelweis was a doctor in the mid-1800s. The mortality rate in the maternity clinic where he practiced was 1 in 10. At the time, conventional medicine called for separate treatment of each symptom. So rather than treating a fever, a headache, and trouble breathing with one method, they would use three separate methods. But still, nothing seemed to work. The women who contracted the disease which came to be known as ‘childbed fever’ died within days. Dr. Semmelweis became obsessed with…
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Where Food Grows.
I was talking to a friend awhile back about educating consumers on where their food comes from. Based on what we see online, it seems that consumers have an interest in learning about it. They are vocal about non-GMO, organic, antibiotic-free, free-range, fresh, and local produce. They get up-in-arms any time there is a recall or outbreak. They like farmer’s markets where they can see and meet the farmer. They like U-Pick stands where they can set foot on the farms themselves. It seems there is opportunity to bridge the gap between producers and consumers. But then my friend asked, “But do they really care?” This question has been swirling…
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Commentary.
It is so painful to read the comments on posts related to these E. coli outbreaks. People are so quick to point the finger, and they are convinced they are right in their assumption. But you can say that about any topic on any platform. 🙄 The main argument I see online is people blaming farm workers for pooping in the fields. You guys. 🤦🏻♀️ If a farm worker has E. coli, he is not going to be pooping in the field. He is going to be in the hospital with all the other victims. E. coli O157:H7 is a very virulent pathogen. We all know that bacteria are very,…
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Capitol Visit.
The United Fresh Washington Conference recently ended, and I am so bummed to miss it. Last year was my first year attending with Class 24, and it was an awesome experience. I had been to Sacramento to speak to our legislators before but never to DC. My first trip to DC was in 8th grade, and it was a terrible experience for reasons I won’t get into now. But also, I just did not appreciate the history and magnitude of what I was witnessing and experiencing. As a Mass Communication and Media Studies major, one of my favorite parts of visiting DC was the side stop I made to visit…
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Leap.
When I first applied for the United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Class 24, we were asked why we wanted to be part of the program. I essentially said that farmers have a story that needs to be told, and if no one else is going to stand up for what we do, then I want to be the one to do it. It’s kind of funny, because almost everything I’ve worked for personally and professionally has set me up to be that person. And for as much as I want to be the one out there shouting from the rooftops about how important it is to preserve our farming heritage,…