Passion + Responsibility +Hard Work = Keys to Achieving a Dream

Hi! I would like to start off by introducing myself. My name is Taylor. I would like to begin by telling y'all a little bit about myself and why I felt that it was time to write my own Agricultural based blog.

I am a true country girl at heart. I have always felt more comfortable and at home surrounded by the many animals and the wide roaming pastures that make up the beautiful bucolic scenery of country living rather than the hustle bustle of the city. Don't get me wrong I do like going to the city every once in a while to have some spontaneous family fun but I just don't think I would ever really fit in, or rather, feel comfortable living the city lifestyle all the time.

Ever since I could remember, I have always had a passion for animals. Anyone who knows me would say that I'm a devout "animal lover." I am extremely fortunate enough to be able to say that I grew up in a household full of pets. I've had practically all the pets that a family could have ranging from dogs to cats to guinea pigs to hamsters, etc. It's these experiences that have really helped developed and shaped all the knowledge that I have on animal husbandry.

There was one animal in particular that I love that I didn't have a chance to own (at least not yet!) and that's a horse. Although I have never owned a horse, that did not discourage me at all from going after my passion of being able to interact with horses on a weekly basis during my childhood. For 7 years (starting in the middle of 3rd grade), I had the opportunity to ride horses at a local stable.

Flying over a crossrail

During this time, I learned a lot of horse knowledge as well as learning an important life lesson about responsibility. One of the main ideas about responsibility that I learned while at the barn is that there are going to be times where you're going to have to be responsible not just for yourself but for others around you. There are a lot of instances in life where that statement holds true. At the time, that meant that I was responsible for not only myself but also making sure that I was taking good care of the horse like he/she was my own. Being responsible not only meant grooming and making sure the horse is well - kept but it also meant making decisions that would ensure both mine and the horse's safety. In my opinion, safety is by far the most important concept that should always be taken seriously especially in today's society.

College Graduation Day

Now that I'm older and have graduated college, I have realized that since the moment I walked across that stage and got my diploma that I have officially entered into the big wide world of adult responsibilities. It also represented a major transitional milestone for me. I went from being a student with no major life responsibilities to being a self - sufficient, independent adult taking on the responsibilities that life has placed upon me. One of the things that has happened to me this past year (2017) that I am most thankful for is being given the chance to demonstrate my understanding of agricultural knowledge as well as exhibit a strong and impeccable work ethic and how as a result of this hard work I was able to earn my place as Farm Manager. As the name would suggest, the position of "Farm Manager" definitely comes along with quite a load of responsibilities. I'll talk more about that later on.

My strong interest in animals is what led me down my path of discovering my desired field of study: Agriculture. Agriculture has always played a huge role in my educational life. I instinctively decided to travel down the Agricultural pathway all 4 years of high school and was also an active member of Future Farmers of America (FFA). FFA was the one and only club I chose to participate in while in high school. I was fortunate enough to be a member and now looking back I'm so glad that I joined. It provided me with a lifetime of experiences that I can take with me throughout the rest of my life.

After I graduated high school in 2012, I was accepted and chose to attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, otherwise known as "ABAC", and is one of the most prominent and respectable agricultural institutions in the state of Georgia. At ABAC, I received both an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science as well as a Bachelors of Applied Science in Diversified Agriculture. You're probably wondering and I have been asked this multiple times, "What is Diversified Agriculture?" That's a good question. I see Diversified Agriculture as "the incorporation of all the different areas of agriculture such as Animal Science, Agribusiness, Soil and Weed Management, Food and Ag Marketing, and so much more.... into once collective field of study." It also means that I have developed a wider range of agricultural knowledge that branches out from just my particular area (Animal Science).

Saying one final goodbye to ABAC

Like most college students, it was difficult to find a job in my field after graduation. After working hard in receiving my degrees, I was very adamant about pursing the right job for me that was in my field. It took about 3 months before I was offered a job working at a seasonal Pumpkin Patch farm. I cannot begin to express how grateful I was to receive that job. Although it was for a short time, I gained a lot of valuable knowledge and experience by working in an agricultural educational setting and learned so much about what it takes to produce certain seasonal agricultural items (i.e. Pumpkins and Christmas Trees.)

After the holiday seasons were over, I was back to the place where I first started. I was back hunting through the job market. It would take a few more months after that to land what would be my dream job. In that time between jobs, it provided me with a lot of time to do some contemplation and I came to the realization that it takes a lot of patience and a strong belief in hope that one day you will find that job that fits perfectly with who your are and that makes you happy and enjoy doing it. My advice would be to "NEVER GIVE UP!" If you have a passion for something, I would not let anyone or anything get in the way of following your true passion. All you need to have is the strength and motivation to go after it. It may take some much needed time and hard work but in the end it will be all worth it.

Lastly, the reason why I decided to create this blog is that I wanted to create a platform where I could talk more in depth about what Agriculture has meant to me as well as help bring more awareness to how pivotal a role it plays in our everyday lives.