About Me

Hi! Welcome to Absolutely Agriculture. This blog was started as part of a marketing competition for a youth cattle show, and continued because I discovered how much I love sharing my passion for agriculture with you all. 

Checking out the yearlings at XTC Herefords

I grew up on a ranch and farm in southern Alberta that raises mama cows, feeds cattle destined for the feedlot, and sells breeding bulls. My involvement growing up ranged from checking cows with dad, to delivering newborn calves, to working on my 4-H animals, to helping process, brand, and many others. I learned my most valuable skills and lessons a quarter-mile down the road at my family's farm.

The farming end of our operation, as opposed to ranching, includes growing barley, wheat, canola, flax, and hay. My knowledge of this end is admittedly less, but thanks to summer jobs on the farming side of things, I'm quickly learning the in's and out's. I've been employed(without pay) many summers on the farm, and when it wasn't cattle-related work it was harrowing, swathing, baling, or general labour jobs.

Me with Ed Stelmach, Alberta's Premier

My high school years flew by in  the not-quite-urban but not-quite-rural town of Coaldale, Alberta. Those 4 years were spent immersed in 4-H, cattle shows, and extracurricular activities. I'm addicted to having a full schedule-it's a problem. In 2009 I was named Alberta's top Public Speaker and moved op to compete nationally, placing 3rd in Toronto at Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture. I achieved the honor of Alberta 4-H Premier Award winner, a year-long position where I advocated for 4-H and agriculture at events across Alberta. This might have been where I picked up my knack for communicating and need to transfer it to my future career.

So it was all of these years gaining experience in ranching, farming, and communicating that made me decide it was something I wasn't ready to leave behind when I graduated high school. I made up my mind that I needed to stay involved in the cattle business- deciding how exactly to do this was another story.

One of the factors that steered me towards a career communicating agriculture was my involvement in the Cattlemen's Young Leaders youth development program. Through CYL, I participated in media tours, industry conferences and roundtables, and various events with my radio broadcaster mentor, Dianne Finstad. I also took an international mentorship through CYL to participate in the Five Nations Beef Alliance Young Ranchers Program in Denver, Colorado this past January.

Showing my bull Elvis 51T at Agribition in Regina, Sask.

I have a pretty good idea of where I see myself in the future. I've completed one and a half years of an Agriculture Business degree, but my plans are to complete a degree in Agriculture Communications and Agriculture Economics at Oklahoma State University.

Once I get all my pieces of paper telling the world I'm useful for something, I want to make my life's work communicating the message of agriculture to the public. I may end up doing Public Relations for an agricultural or ag advocate company or group. I might also try Journalism in agriculture for a magazine or website. Or- and I realize I'm a little all-over-the-place here- a career where I can incorporate public speaking AND agriculture. Lofty goals? Of course. What would be the point of any less?

With that said, I hope you all understand why I'm here. Why I spend my spare time cranking out blogs telling YOU what is going on in agriculture, and how you can learn more about it. I truly am passionate about what I do. My family's job is to feed the world, and my future job is to keep the people who feed the world in business. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to comment. Seriously, comment. It makes me happy.

Follow me on Twitter @rotempleton.

Beef and Love,

Rosie