WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:10.039 Hey, everyone, Welcome back to Local AG. 2 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.560 It's July tenth, twenty twenty five Melody Divers from the 3 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:16.519 Bedford County ag Advisory Board and it's time for our 4 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:20.199 twelfth episode of Local AGG. Thanks to Media Squatch here 5 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:22.679 in Bedford, Virginia, we have been able to spread the 6 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:26.359 word about the vast agriculture community here in Bedford County. 7 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:29.960 So last month we chatted with the folks from Bedford 8 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.520 Urban Gardens. They're a five oh one c nonprofit organization 9 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:36.679 here in the town of Bedford. A few days after 10 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:41.039 our podcast, they were awarded with a fifteen hundred dollars 11 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:44.359 grant from the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, So we wanted 12 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:47.359 to take the time to congratulate them on receiving the 13 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:50.439 grant and thank them again for a wonderful June interview. 14 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:53.000 If you haven't already, go ahead and check out that 15 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:57.520 podcast and give it a listen. Now for today's episode, 16 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:01.560 joining us, we have Mackenzie Mutter and Joys. Mackenzie is 17 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:04.200 going to talk to us about all things Bedford County, 18 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:08.319 equine related and more. Joy is a repeat guest and 19 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.239 a co host to the podcast. Joy serves on our 20 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:16.439 county's ag Advisory Board representing District two. Additionally, Joy serves 21 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.079 as the Bedford County Fairs Superintendent. 22 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:22.400 Welcome to both of you, Thank you, thanks for having me. 23 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:25.359 Yeah, we're going to start with you. Mackenzie. If her 24 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:28.680 name sounds familiar, it's because she works locally here at 25 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:33.680 the USDA's Farm Service Agency. She's the program Analyst. I 26 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:36.159 know that she sees a lot of local farmers and 27 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:39.439 producers on a regular basis. Besides her organized skill set 28 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:42.480 at the office, she is also known for her enthusiasm 29 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:45.239 and vast knowledge for horses. In the world of equine, 30 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:50.000 Mackenzie is a sole instructor additionally at Mackenzie Moutter Equine 31 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:54.239 Services and that's her personal barn where she specializes in 32 00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:57.040 Western writing, lessons and youth programs. 33 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.840 And there's more. She is a Level two certified horse 34 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:06.319 show judge through the Open Horse Show Association. Last, but 35 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:07.680 not least. 36 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:10.439 She is the adult leader for the Bedford Eclectic for 37 00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:13.520 Eah Club. Oh And in her free time, she's an 38 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.840 active member on our Counties Fairboard. Girl, you are one 39 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:21.400 smart and busy person, so welcome to the podcast. First, 40 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:24.599 before we chat about some of the deeper focus questions. 41 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:28.120 Let's chat about some background. So we're gonna start with 42 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:34.039 tell us about your barn, your writing lesson program, when 43 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.080 you started providing these programs. 44 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:41.400 Okay, So I've been teaching lessons since twenty sixteen. I 45 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:45.840 started at the barn that I actually grew up learning 46 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:50.599 to write at right after high school. I taught there 47 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:56.479 along with another barn local here in Manita. After spending 48 00:02:56.520 --> 00:02:59.199 a few years there, I actually moved to Franklin County 49 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.639 for a few years where I taught my own program 50 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:05.759 there and kind of branched out to include some of 51 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:08.879 those folks in Franklin County as well as maintaining the 52 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:12.000 clients that I had here in Bedford. And then actually 53 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.759 just recently at the start of twenty twenty five, we 54 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:19.000 moved the program solely back to Bedford and I've been 55 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:24.680 here for seven months now, working out of my own 56 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:29.319 facility here and just continuing. 57 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:31.400 To teach the Bedford folks. 58 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:34.360 Like I said, this is, I've been teaching lessons since 59 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:39.120 twenty and sixteen, and just in the past three years 60 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:43.800 have have moved into my own program where I'm this 61 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:46.240 sole instructor versus working you know, out of several different 62 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:47.199 barns from the area. 63 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:48.280 Excellent. 64 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:51.960 What's the age range of folks that you're currently working with? 65 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:55.319 So typically we start as young as four years old 66 00:03:56.039 --> 00:04:00.039 and then I have I think right now my oldest. 67 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:01.680 Student is sixty six. 68 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:05.000 So I usually tell everybody from four to eighty four, 69 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.199 if you want to learn how to ride a horse, 70 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:09.199 and you have the capabilities to do it, then we 71 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:10.520 are more than happy to have you. 72 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:13.479 Excellent and do some folks. 73 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:18.680 Are most of your clients newbies or are they folks 74 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:22.680 that maybe have moved here and just want to keep 75 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:23.800 up with their skill set? 76 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:24.800 Like what does that look like? 77 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:26.839 So I have a pretty diverse group. 78 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.839 I have some girls who have been with me since 79 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.480 they were six and seven years old and are going 80 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:33.360 on there seventh and eighth year of riding. So that's 81 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:35.439 pretty awesome because I've been with them from the beginning 82 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:38.000 and seeing them turn into young adults. And then I've 83 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:42.160 also got a great group of beginner students. Most everybody 84 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:45.079 is a local in some way, shape or form. I've 85 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:48.800 actually got girls from Bedford and all surrounding counties. They 86 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:53.519 come from Franklin County, Bottatat County, or Reynold County, I've 87 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:56.399 got some folks from Campbell County, so it's kind of 88 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:59.000 neat that Bedford kind of gets to be a central 89 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:01.079 location for them to come and make like their horse 90 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:04.199 barn home. But I would say that the majority of 91 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:07.279 the girls in my program are from here in Bedford, 92 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:10.000 so that's kind of cool too that they get to 93 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:14.920 connect their riding with me into the different four h 94 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.120 and f f A opportunities along with you know, their 95 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:21.519 academic type stuff, so it gets to be full circle 96 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:26.079 we do within the lesson program and having the horses. 97 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:29.879 Some of my girls are ff A officers like that. 98 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.480 Just here recently we took horses to the Food for 99 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:35.680 America days at uh Stanton River, So so that's neat 100 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:38.000 to get to connect, you know, outside of just riding 101 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.560 to help them kind of build as they become you know, 102 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.160 young adults and have their roles within their different you know, 103 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:44.519 community groups. 104 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:44.639 Right. 105 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:46.120 Am. 106 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:49.519 I correct that taking and doing these lessons, the end 107 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:53.120 goal is for a show and showmanship for most people. 108 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:56.120 I would say the eighty five percent of the girls 109 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:59.600 that oh and guys that ride with me do have 110 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:04.079 goals of showing horses, you know, some sort of competition. 111 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:07.279 But I do have a few that just enjoy it. 112 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:09.920 They enjoy the atmosphere, they enjoy just being around the horses. 113 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.920 They just want to learn and just enjoy kind of 114 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:16.040 having that free time in the afternoon to come relax 115 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:19.399 and be around the horses, try to ride that sort 116 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:19.800 of thing. 117 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:20.800 So, while we are. 118 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:24.879 Very like competitive oriented like that is, like I say, 119 00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:28.639 eighty five percent we go show, we do that sort 120 00:06:28.680 --> 00:06:31.920 of thing, I'm happy to include those that just want 121 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:34.800 to be around horses. Yeah, just for the recreational purpose 122 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.639 of riding, being around horses, learning that sort of thing. 123 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:40.360 So, so if someone has the desire but does not 124 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:42.279 own a horse, how does that work? 125 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:49.160 That is my specialty, my most well, with the exception 126 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:53.639 of a handful, most all of my students ride my 127 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:58.720 personal horses. I don't have very many that own their own, 128 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:03.879 which so I'm a first generation cowgirl. My my family 129 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:06.639 doesn't doesn't have horses. I didn't come from a family that, 130 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:08.680 you know. I was put on a horse as soon 131 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:11.079 as I could walk. I had to figure that out 132 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:13.920 that that was something I wanted to do on my own. 133 00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:18.399 And at eight years old, when I threw the cheerleading 134 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:20.519 stuff to the side, in the soccer and said, no, 135 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:24.920 that's not for me. I've been been on a horse 136 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:29.360 every week since I was eight, So for me, the 137 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:34.639 opportunity to do that thanks to miss Leslie Morris from 138 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:38.079 here in Bedford. She offered up you know, any and 139 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:40.319 every horse that she had gave me the opportunity to 140 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:42.680 find my way in the horse world without having to 141 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:46.240 come from that kind of background. And I had decided 142 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:49.639 as I reached teenage yeers that that that was special 143 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:52.120 and that that's not something that is available for a 144 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:56.240 lot of folks. So I kind of pride myself in 145 00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:59.160 the fact that I make sure that the opportunities are 146 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:01.199 there without having to go through. 147 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.079 The expense and. 148 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:06.399 The accommodations it takes to to own a horse, that 149 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:09.160 that you can do all this if you show up 150 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:10.720 and you work hard, and you know you put in 151 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:14.639 the work for it. So I think the parents thank 152 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:16.879 me greatly for that too. So that not everybody has 153 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:19.160 horses in their backyard, but yeah, absolutely, So back to 154 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:21.720 your original question, No, you do not need to have 155 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:25.160 your own horse to get started with lessons. I've got 156 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:28.199 a great variety of all different levels and types of horses, 157 00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:34.000 so most that come to me. Ride are programs lesson 158 00:08:34.039 --> 00:08:36.440 horses versus you know, bringing a horse to me or 159 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.000 boarding a horse with me, something like that. 160 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:39.440 But you can board a horse. 161 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:41.679 I don't do any boarding. You don't know boarding. 162 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:43.440 But we do a lot of haul in lessons where 163 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:45.240 you can haul in and use the arena and the 164 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:49.840 facility and get someone on one time at the farm 165 00:08:49.960 --> 00:08:51.080 if if that's that's what. 166 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.159 You want, Okay, it seems like you have like a 167 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:56.720 wide net of that you can reach folks different yeah, 168 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:58.399 skill sets. 169 00:08:58.159 --> 00:08:59.480 At what they have. I love that. 170 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:03.159 So it's very attainable. And of course this is very 171 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:07.000 Bedford pro podcast. So why do you think Bedford is 172 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:08.360 a good fit for what you're doing? 173 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:13.559 So I'm obviously from Bedford, so I wouldn't I wouldn't 174 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:16.720 want to be anywhere else. Really, that's why we mosied 175 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:20.840 back this way. So Bedford is is as much as 176 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:23.919 it's cow and hay country. We've got a lot of 177 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:29.600 equine involvement here in Bedford. Bedford's a big county and 178 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:33.279 pretty much anywhere you go you've got some nice barns. 179 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.440 We've got a lot of nice lesson programs and training, 180 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:40.519 uh well, horse trainers throughout the county. 181 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:43.240 So for me this is home. 182 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:48.279 We're pretty centralized as far as have an opportunity for 183 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:53.200 UH horse shows. We've obviously got you know, like beautiful 184 00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:58.840 UH beautiful country to ride in. So it works out 185 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:02.240 really well, not not being off the grid as far 186 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:04.519 as getting to haul and have have those horse shows 187 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:07.759 available to us, and then just being in a good 188 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:09.919 spot to connect with with others around you. 189 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:14.440 Right, So I'm sure you have listeners or I want 190 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:16.679 to get involved, or my my children would love this 191 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:19.519 or bright grandkids. So if that's the case, how can 192 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:20.960 they get up with Miss Mackenzie. 193 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:25.600 So my personal Facebook page, I try to share a lot. 194 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:26.519 Of what we're doing there. 195 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:32.559 Any we do have some UH summer camps and sometimes 196 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:35.960 spring break and fall type camps, so I try to 197 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:40.080 be very proactive in having a detailed flyer for those 198 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.559 and sharing those to my personal Facebook page as well 199 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:46.279 as the Bedford community pages. So I have a lot 200 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:49.039 of information and a lot of UH pictures and that 201 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.320 such that if you check out my personal Facebook page 202 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.759 you can see from there, and then aside from that, 203 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:56.360 just contacting me directly, I don't I don't have a 204 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:59.600 farm page. That's something that I should probably look into 205 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:01.799 to make it a little easier to tuck it next 206 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:05.320 yeah six, Yeah, but that's the easiest way is Facebook 207 00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:08.879 or just reaching out to me personally, you know, via 208 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:10.559 email or text. 209 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:11.200 Okay. 210 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:15.559 And if after this program, if somebody does want to 211 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:17.840 get up with you, we can point them, we can 212 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:18.360 get choked. 213 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:20.600 Yeah, we can get them to you. Okay. 214 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:23.360 So that was a lot of good information. So I 215 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:25.240 don't I wasn't going to mention this, but I just 216 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:29.799 can't help it. I was Mackenzie's fifth grade reading teacher, 217 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:34.200 and I remember her loving horses, and I was also 218 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:36.480 a horse girl, not like you, though. I just had 219 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:39.519 my Mandy and my Lucky in the backyard and I 220 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.639 was just a recreational backyard person. But I remember when 221 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:45.480 you got older, your mom would always brag on you 222 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:47.679 about how you could back that trailer up all by 223 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:50.120 yourself and you did not need anybody to drive the 224 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:52.600 truck for you. So I know you've made them proud 225 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:55.200 more than just that. But I remember your mama talking 226 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:59.600 about that she doesn't know how to that's a big 227 00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:01.360 good call. 228 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:02.639 I listen here, be nice to your mama. 229 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:04.919 Oh, but she is very proud of that, So that 230 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:08.080 was that is fun, all right, mackenzie, go ahead and 231 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:13.120 tell us what level two certified horse show judge means 232 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.840 and really break that down for the listeners. I'm assuming 233 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:20.759 everybody has seen a nose about horse shows to some degree, 234 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:24.480 but they, I'm guessing, don't know the details and preparation 235 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:27.879 required for you to be a judge and just the 236 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:30.559 event itself to just okay, give us a peace, find 237 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:31.279 the curt sure. 238 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:35.679 So I originally was certified as an open show judge 239 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:40.519 through North Carolina State University. They host a judging clinic 240 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:46.000 and testing seminar every fall. It's open to anybody that 241 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:49.679 is eighteen and over. So it's the year that I 242 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:53.840 turned eighteen. I immediately booked that for that fall and 243 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:55.559 went tested there. 244 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:57.279 You can test. 245 00:12:57.080 --> 00:13:02.279 In any There's four different kind of categories for your disciplines. 246 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:07.960 You've got Western hunt seat, UH saddle seat, and a 247 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:12.840 non trotting division so like gated horses, so you can 248 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:15.200 pick your specialty or if you want to be broad, 249 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:16.840 go for all of them. 250 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:18.559 So I got started there. 251 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:23.720 I was certified in all four categories, held that judging 252 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:26.919 card for several years and then as my lesson program 253 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:30.919 grew and I had more students that wanted to go show. 254 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.600 It kind of makes it hard to be available on 255 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:34.679 the weekends to go judge and then also haul kids 256 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:37.799 to horse shows. So I had a little lapse there 257 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:41.120 where I focus mainly just on growing my own my 258 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:43.480 own students and and hauling them to more shows and 259 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:47.679 actually participating versus uh being you know, in a judging position. 260 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.320 So most recently kind of going back to the n 261 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.679 c s U certification. Uh, it's a little more centralized. 262 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:59.240 I guess most of those judges are going to be 263 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:04.039 in the uh North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee kind 264 00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:08.200 of area, and they're just uh, you know, resources that 265 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:11.840 are mainly for for that kind of more centralized location. 266 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:16.000 The start of this year, I branched out to the 267 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:21.000 Open Horse Show Association, which is nationally recognized, so your 268 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:23.799 information is shared. You kind of broaden your horizons there 269 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:28.559 as far as making connections to to go to bigger shows. 270 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:32.720 They have some actual like virtual opportunities where you can 271 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:35.159 can judge a virtual horse show online. I haven't done 272 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.840 that yet, but it's on it's on the list to 273 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.559 check that out and do something you know, kind of 274 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:41.960 different there. So they have three levels to test at 275 00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:46.679 your level one, level two, level three. I tested for 276 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:51.960 level two and specialized in the ranch horse category. That's 277 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:55.840 what our big focus is for my lesson program, so 278 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:59.679 that that gives your level two as somebody who's moderately 279 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:03.120 exp sperience. So I've which it's wild to think about now, 280 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:07.200 but I'm two years away from ten years experience as 281 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:10.279 an open show judge, plus the experience that we had 282 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:13.200 through FFA and and that sort of thing with horse 283 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:16.639 judging and with four H and f f A, so 284 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:20.919 it get the opportunity to travel, connect with a lot 285 00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:25.679 of great associations and organizations. So I'm I'm interested in 286 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:28.600 kind of broadening a little bit now that I've kind 287 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:32.799 of bumped up to that national level there holding that 288 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:38.759 that certification card, but basically to horse show you're paying 289 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:42.039 for somebody's opinion. So but with that, you know you 290 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:46.000 have you have association rule books and uh organization rules. 291 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:48.279 So it's a lot of homework that goes into going 292 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:50.360 to prepare for a horse show to know exactly you know, 293 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:53.559 what's expected of you so that you're educated and that 294 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:55.000 you're showing up to you. 295 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.720 Know, provide your your very best eye for. 296 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:01.279 What you're seeing and be able to manage a crowd 297 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:04.080 and make good management decisions kind of on a whim. 298 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:07.080 Uh So I enjoy it. 299 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.320 Well, I would think just like if I was a 300 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:13.799 parent signing my child up to do lessons, just that 301 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:18.960 classificational what she's doing. What she's doing, Like, I think 302 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:22.039 that is a very good marketing point for you. 303 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.519 It is. 304 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:26.240 It is good to go kind of branch out and go. 305 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.200 The horse world, just like everything else is kind of 306 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:28.799 ever changing. 307 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:29.759 Uh. 308 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:33.039 Styles, rules, all all the things update all the time. 309 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:36.720 So so going out and being in a little different atmosphere, Uh, 310 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:39.360 I get to bring back a lot of good knowledge 311 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:42.759 and and kind of grow and and keep up. 312 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:45.320 To date with what's going on because it's ever changed. Yeah. 313 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:50.279 And then I really enjoy horse horse judging for the 314 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:52.200 network inside of it, because you know, you get to 315 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:56.840 meet a lot of other trainers and instructors, and you know, 316 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:01.320 just if you without that opportunity, I would miss out 317 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:05.240 on the branching out aspect because I wouldn't leave. I 318 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.160 would never leave better. 319 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:14.240 Right, Well, good, Now moving on to your next role. 320 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:18.359 You are the leader of the Bedford Eclectic for H 321 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.559 Club and this isn't solely equine base. 322 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:24.279 But let listeners know what this club is and how 323 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:25.240 they can get involved. 324 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:28.519 Yeah, So our Bedford Eclectic for H Club, we started 325 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:32.440 it in twenty twenty, which was a rollercoaster that was 326 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:36.160 COVID year, So we did a lot of virtual meetings 327 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:38.720 and virtual kind of projects where they worked on it 328 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:41.079 independently at home and got to share through a zoom call. 329 00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:43.640 So we had a lot of learning curves that came 330 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:45.960 with that, but it was very cool to still kind 331 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.960 of be connected and I think that's what helped the 332 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:52.960 club kind of grow, give a lot of youth the 333 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:55.680 opportunity to be involved in something rather than just sitting 334 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:57.960 at home. We had you know, projects, and we're able 335 00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:59.640 to still kind of network and come together. 336 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.079 So that was fun. 337 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:06.559 While we are kind of recognized for the successes that 338 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:10.319 we've had with hypology and horse judging within the Bedford 339 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:13.400 Eclectic Club, we started it to have more of a 340 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.359 community based for AHE club. When I was growing up, 341 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:20.279 our four age club did all sorts of things and 342 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:23.119 I wanted to kind of be able to bring that back. 343 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:30.480 So we've done a lot of horticulture. We've done a 344 00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:35.200 lot of gardening. We've of course got hipology, horse judging. 345 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:37.599 We've had some meetings where we taught the kids how 346 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:41.079 to sew, so the life skills stuff, we've We've done 347 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:45.920 a lot of community projects, some toy drives around the holidays, 348 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:52.240 just anything to get the youth group together and providing 349 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:55.799 you know, either life skills for them to gain or 350 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:59.000 letting them give back to their community and show the 351 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:01.400 impact and you know kind of how special that is 352 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:05.680 a perspective that they may not have had otherwise. Uh, 353 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:08.440 that's been our focus and our goals for the club. 354 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:09.559 This year. 355 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:14.480 We had we had a little little break. We had 356 00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:17.319 some girls, you know, kind of growing up and moving 357 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:21.240 into some more f FA chapter activities and stepping into 358 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:24.400 officer roles through f f A, and. 359 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:27.279 Had a younger group that was kind of up and coming. 360 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.839 So we're at a you know, a good stage with 361 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:31.599 them now where they're ready to take on some more 362 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:35.079 responsibility and be club leaders and things like that. 363 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:37.039 So we're really excited. 364 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:42.079 About having an inclusive group and including the Bedford ad 365 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:48.839 Club also to participate in a lot of the opportunities 366 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:52.200 at this year's County Fair. So it's exciting to see 367 00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:56.599 a whole group of youth that have not previously been involved, 368 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:01.400 uh make start making plans and getting right for the 369 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:03.079 fair this year. So I think that's going to be 370 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:07.440 a big focus for everyone. Yeah, is participating and trying 371 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:09.640 something new, you know, at the County Fair. 372 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:14.160 Well, I want to commend you personally because I've noticed 373 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:18.160 two times in this interview that you have given a 374 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:23.119 compliment to someone or a group from your childhood, and 375 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.880 so you saw the positives of your youth, but I 376 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.279 want to compliment you because you want to make sure 377 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:31.480 that those same opportunities are for this generation. So I 378 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:34.119 don't know if you even like realize you said that twice, 379 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:35.960 but that was. 380 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:36.680 My takeaway too. 381 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:39.079 Yeah, I was like, look at her being all grown up. 382 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:42.160 And I didn't teach Mackenzie. I'm just a little bit older. 383 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:45.319 So it's really fun to watch her go from being 384 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:47.880 this like tiny little blonde who was like always decked 385 00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:49.880 out in her huge four age jacket. And I was like, 386 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.880 who is this kid who's just like always wrapping for 387 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:54.680 age to now having her own forage cloud. That's right. 388 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:56.559 I was thinking about that coming up here and kind 389 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:57.799 of thinking about some of the things we were going 390 00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:01.839 to go over about as like thinking to myself, how 391 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:03.839 do I decide that I wanted to do all? But 392 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.880 that was funny that you mentioned that because I can 393 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.599 remember like you coming in and helping with the f 394 00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:11.319 FA chapter and and you know, being kind of a 395 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:13.599 pillar there for you know, you weren't you weren't our 396 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:15.480 ag teacher where you were the cool person that was 397 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:16.960 coming in who had been there and done that of 398 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:19.480 somebody to look up to. And uh, yeah, I mean 399 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.880 all of that makes an influence back in. Uh. 400 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:24.559 It takes somebody like that to kind. 401 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:27.279 Of spark the interest in in the youth so that 402 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:29.319 you have that continue that. 403 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:32.480 Yeah, it's sad and it's cool that the other four 404 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:35.079 h LB mentioned is also ran by another young woman, 405 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:37.920 Samantha Holger now who is who is another product and 406 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:38.920 alumni of that clubs. 407 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:41.119 Yeah, really cool, good stuff. 408 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:42.400 Uh. 409 00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:45.960 And I think we've kind of just about talked about 410 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:48.839 this next question. I have some focus questions here that 411 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:51.759 go beyond the surface. I feel I feel comfortable that 412 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:55.799 our listeners are understand the horse world YEP, pretty pretty 413 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:59.680 well right now. But besides riding an actual horse. What 414 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:02.880 are some of the most impactful life skills that youth 415 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:06.240 develop when participating in equine programs. 416 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:09.920 This is my favorite part about getting to work with 417 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:12.400 the girls that I do and seeing that as they 418 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:18.039 become teenagers and young adults, the practical life skills that 419 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:20.119 they are gaining by I don't want to say, I 420 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:21.640 don't want to say by being around me, but I 421 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:23.799 put I put the responsibility, and I put the pressure 422 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:28.440 on them to to truly be responsible young adults who 423 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:31.920 are independent and self sufficient and have that figure it 424 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:36.680 out mentality. You know, it takes a leader to keep 425 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:39.039 things going. And I try to really push for all 426 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.359 my girls to to be knowledgeable enough. 427 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.680 To be that. 428 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:47.359 And like I say, being self sufficient, being independent so 429 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:49.359 that they can they can take care of themselves. 430 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:50.279 That's important to me. 431 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:55.720 Some of them have have been super shy when they've 432 00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:59.240 got started, and I've you know, pushed them to kind 433 00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:01.799 of broaden their horizons a little bit. 434 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:03.119 And now they've went. 435 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:06.559 On to participate in public speaking or creed speaking, and 436 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:09.359 when we go places, they can go talk to adults 437 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:13.480 and say yes ma'am, no, ma'am, yes, sir. 438 00:23:13.400 --> 00:23:14.039 Thank you. 439 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:16.160 You know, those type of things that people look at 440 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.880 that and say, wow, what you know. 441 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:19.000 You stand out? 442 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.839 Yeah, yeah, other that kind of thing is important to me, 443 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:24.480 you know, being able to network, being able to communicate. 444 00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:28.079 This week at the Barn, I was helping one learn 445 00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:28.960 how to back a trailer. 446 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:33.359 Things like that. We've done some construction projects at the 447 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:34.000 barn this week. 448 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:37.680 Just you know, making well rounded citizens that can go 449 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:40.640 in public and they can go on to jobs and 450 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:45.799 take skills and take you know, characteristics and just just 451 00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:49.839 well rounded individuals. And a lot of that comes from 452 00:23:49.880 --> 00:23:54.680 the kind of independent and self driven motives that you 453 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:57.359 have to have. As far as being successful with horses, 454 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:01.119 it's it's a team sport in the fact that you know, 455 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:03.680 you are having to connect with a large creature who 456 00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:05.680 who doesn't communicate with. 457 00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:08.640 You verbally, right, but a lot of. 458 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:15.039 Horses showing anything involving horses, it's it's very independent. So 459 00:24:15.480 --> 00:24:19.119 I enjoy seeing, uh, the youth that I get to 460 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:23.039 work with kind of flourish as they come and and 461 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:25.880 and find their path, find their way and and grow 462 00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:28.359 up into being successful young people. 463 00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:30.640 Well, I think that leads to the next thing. 464 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.119 So if if someone is thinking, well, I know my 465 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:34.680 child is not going to grow up and be like 466 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:40.680 into an equine ve or you know, equestrian style career. 467 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:45.079 What's the relevance? Why does being an equine program? What 468 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:47.799 is how is that going to help them with a career? 469 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:51.279 So how would you answer a parent that is only 470 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:53.799 getting their child involved in things that are like going 471 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:54.680 to help long term? 472 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.160 Yeah? 473 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:59.000 Sure, Well the proofs in the pudding for me, I 474 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:02.000 could all of my girls I have, you know, I 475 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:04.400 have the handful that have the the dreams and aspirations 476 00:25:04.440 --> 00:25:07.160 of being you know, vets and farriers and equon Dennis 477 00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:11.720 and that sort of thing. But aside from that, they're 478 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:13.920 like I, like I just mentioned, you know, they're all 479 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:18.440 they're polite and self sufficient and and they learned all 480 00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:22.759 that and had developed those hard working work, get it 481 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:25.359 done kind of thing traits. Yeah, through the work ethic 482 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:30.599 that that I personally require critical thinking absolutely absolutely. 483 00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:31.279 Yeah. 484 00:25:31.480 --> 00:25:34.079 So I I try to throw a lot at them 485 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:37.240 in a you know, well here, you know, here's our problem. 486 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:39.599 How are we going to fix it? Instead of being the. 487 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:44.160 You know, quote unquote helicopters, Yeah, to to put them 488 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:47.400 in situations where they do need to you know, sometimes 489 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:49.519 it's trial and error. You you try something and figure 490 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:52.119 out who that didn't work, you know, and grow from there. 491 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:54.640 But yeah, that the work ethic that comes from anything 492 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:57.079 that's AG related. 493 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:00.920 There's no other experience like that. 494 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:03.400 Well, I'm not diluting what you're saying, but that made 495 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:05.640 me think of something funny. I say, when we are 496 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:10.720 turning bull calves into steers. Yeah, Chapels, our youngest child 497 00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:13.079 is always the one holding the tail, and I say, 498 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:15.759 Chapel will be able to handle anything in life because 499 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.440 he holds. 500 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.960 The tale for his daddy. 501 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:21.480 Like, if you don't do that right, there's consequences beyond 502 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:25.160 just daddy getting upset. So I always say AG kids, 503 00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:27.680 which you just said, there is a work ethic like 504 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:28.720 none other. 505 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.839 But Kinsey's found the magic formula where she gets these 506 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:33.799 kids to work. But they want to work, and they 507 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:36.720 like her while they're doing the work. So I mean, 508 00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:38.839 that's why they keep coming back, and that's why they 509 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:39.559 keep it expelling. 510 00:26:39.720 --> 00:26:41.960 I try to keep it I mean fun, but not 511 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:44.440 take away from the hard work that does truly have 512 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.119 to go into it. 513 00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:47.200 There's nothing easy about it. 514 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:50.079 There's nothing easy about pretty much anything that anybody doesn't ag. 515 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:54.640 But when you get to see the outcome of your 516 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:58.200 your work. Then it's rewarding enough that you want to 517 00:26:58.279 --> 00:26:59.720 keep going back. You want to keep trying your best. 518 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:03.799 You want you know, you see the results of of 519 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:05.000 what you're putting into it. 520 00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:07.000 That's affirming. I love that. 521 00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:10.480 Do you have any challenges that you see in regards 522 00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:13.559 to equine programs in our area or beyond? 523 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:19.000 So going back to like I said earlier in the conversation, 524 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:23.119 you know, Bedford is known for cow and hate country, 525 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:26.839 but we do have a lot of equine involvement equin 526 00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:30.519 folks in the area. Unfortunately, the resources for us are 527 00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:35.119 kind of limited, and that goes across you know, everything 528 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:39.240 large animal as far as veterinarians go. You know, there's 529 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.920 no denying that there's a shortage of that in the county. 530 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:46.680 We don't have resources as far as just a nice 531 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:49.799 tax shop, I mean, not taken away from the ones 532 00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:52.839 that we have, but you know, they're not super centralized. 533 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:56.000 And then I think the biggest thing for me that 534 00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:58.920 I would love to see is having uh an ag 535 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:02.400 complex in the county, a place where we could go 536 00:28:02.599 --> 00:28:06.160 and uh you know, host shows, host clinics, you know, 537 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:11.240 having that public place not just for equan. 538 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:13.079 It would sure be nice. 539 00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:14.440 What else we could use it for? 540 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:18.079 Yeah, okay, so that would be super important to me, 541 00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:21.680 just have having a little bit more resources to make 542 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:25.240 things uh more localized for us instead of having to 543 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:28.880 travel and utilize the nice places and nice people and 544 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:31.480 uh in other in other counties. 545 00:28:31.559 --> 00:28:33.559 So grateful for them, but it would be really nice 546 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:34.400 to be to have it here. 547 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:36.519 Yeah, well that's a that's a very good point. And 548 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:39.119 I don't think maybe some people that maybe just brought 549 00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:41.079 that to the front of their head. So good job 550 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:43.799 for that. And what do you and your students, what 551 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:47.599 do you need from the community. 552 00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:49.000 Uh, just to continued support. 553 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:53.440 I hope that maybe through some of this conversation that 554 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:56.839 people reach out and you know, aren't afraid if they 555 00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:59.599 if they've got kids with interest or then themselves are 556 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:03.880 interested to try it. I when I have people inquire 557 00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:06.759 about lessons, I always tell them, like I get life. 558 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:09.680 I work full time and this is what seems like 559 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:13.440 another full time job. But you know, making something doable 560 00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:17.160 is big for me. Not holding somebody to Ah. You know, 561 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:20.440 you've you've got to be here every Monday for you know, 562 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:22.799 fifty two weeks out of you know that sort of thing, 563 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:25.119 being flexible and just giving people the opportunity to come 564 00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:28.799 try something. I appreciate that, and it may be opening 565 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:31.240 their eyes to uh, you know what, yeah, kind of 566 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:33.319 what goes into two horses and that sort of thing. 567 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:39.599 And then the biggest thing that my students and I 568 00:29:39.640 --> 00:29:42.720 need right now is support at the Bedford County Fair Horse. 569 00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:44.759 Talk about a lot here. 570 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:47.599 In a couple of seconds, I think I know the answer, 571 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:49.240 and it may be redundant, but this. 572 00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:51.000 Is your your last question. 573 00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:56.920 What are you the most proud of in regards as 574 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:59.240 your role as the instructor. 575 00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:02.839 I mean, this is kind of it's gonna sound like 576 00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:06.839 a bland answer, but my students, who they are, what 577 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:09.839 they're gonna do. When I talk about it, especially to 578 00:30:09.880 --> 00:30:11.720 people who aren't like super familiar with me and what 579 00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:14.000 I do. And when I say my kids a lot 580 00:30:14.039 --> 00:30:16.559 of times and I'm starting to feel old because they 581 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:17.400 say your. 582 00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:19.559 Kids, how many do you have? I'm like, oh a minute. 583 00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:22.039 They would say how many kids do you have? And 584 00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:24.880 I'm like, I think ninety five this year? Like what 585 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:26.039 I was like, Oh, I'm a teacher. 586 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:28.839 Yeah no I did not write them, but I have 587 00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:30.519 like I had mentioned before. 588 00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:32.519 I have a group. 589 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:35.839 That have been with me since they were all in 590 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:37.960 like the six to eight year old range, and they 591 00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:41.599 are now driving, they are now working, they're graduating high 592 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:45.559 school and I yeah, and it has been so wild 593 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:49.640 for me to get to host the graduation parties and 594 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:54.440 shows and be the reference on the job applications and 595 00:30:54.519 --> 00:30:57.039 be the call of, hey, Kensey, how do I do 596 00:30:57.079 --> 00:31:00.359 this when it comes to something mechanical oriented or you know, 597 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:02.880 they they're thinking about buying their first horse, and I'm 598 00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:04.480 their go to of you know, hey, will you go 599 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:09.160 with me to check this out? So I am always 600 00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:10.720 always so proud of them as to. 601 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:12.640 Who, you know, who they've they're becoming. 602 00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:15.279 And I link a lot of that back to their 603 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:19.640 involvement and being committed to their lesson program for all 604 00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:21.799 these years, and their greage commitments and that sort of thing. 605 00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:25.920 So yeah, in short, if I didn't have the group 606 00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:27.680 of girls that I do now, I probably wouldn't do 607 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:29.039 this on the scale that I do it. So I 608 00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:32.359 am incredibly proud to well, it's not really mine. 609 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:35.720 Yeah, I was gonna say when you everything you just said, 610 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:40.079 it's about relationships. So if you made this very robot. 611 00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:44.960 You know, no relationship and no connection, it would not 612 00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:47.960 be successful. So you've put a lot into it and 613 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:50.200 that's why, like you said, they still love her even 614 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:51.720 though she makes them work hard. 615 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:54.000 So so good on you. 616 00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:57.519 We are going to talk about the events of the 617 00:31:57.559 --> 00:32:01.480 County Fair. Are there anything at other events or is 618 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:04.519 this going to be our focus on upcoming horse shows 619 00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:05.200 and events? 620 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:07.359 Uh? For me, I think this is a big. 621 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:09.799 Of the We're just gonna talk about the County fear Okay, 622 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:13.519 And one more time, how can the community to connect 623 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:13.799 with you? 624 00:32:14.359 --> 00:32:16.559 First for horse lessons and second for four ah? 625 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:16.920 Sure? 626 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:20.519 So our four age club does have its own Facebook page. 627 00:32:20.599 --> 00:32:22.519 It's Bedford e Collectic four h Club. 628 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:26.000 You can connect through there and I am responsive on 629 00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:29.279 the I think I have my contact listed. But the 630 00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:33.200 messenger side of that, I am responsive on. 631 00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:33.799 That as well. 632 00:32:34.200 --> 00:32:34.400 Uh. 633 00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:37.839 And then for lessons, my personal Facebook page is the 634 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.799 easiest way to get kind of a visual of what 635 00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:41.400 things look like and what we do. I share a 636 00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:44.680 lot to that, and you can reach out via messenger 637 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:48.799 or email or text. 638 00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:52.240 Okay, and that information we can help folks. Yeah, absolutely, yeah, 639 00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:53.960 we can. We can navigate that. 640 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:55.079 Thank you. 641 00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:59.160 McKenzie. This has been wonderful. I was so excited about this, 642 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:03.680 just for a multiple reasons. That you are my first 643 00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:07.039 student that I have interviewed and so that was a 644 00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:11.400 cool full circle moment for me. But also horses, so 645 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:14.839 many good memories with horses in my own life. Definitely 646 00:33:14.839 --> 00:33:16.640 not the scale you did, so I was just like, 647 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:18.720 why is this is going to be so perfect? I 648 00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:20.519 was really really looking forward to this. 649 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:21.680 Yeah, well thanks for having me. 650 00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:22.319 Absolutely. 651 00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:26.319 Now we're going to be moving into our announcements, and 652 00:33:26.599 --> 00:33:31.240 every announcement is going to be about the upcoming Bedford 653 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:34.839 County Fair. Joy's going to take the lead on describing 654 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:37.559 what the twenty twenty five County Fair looks like. And 655 00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:41.480 we're excited about it, folks. It is great and we 656 00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:46.519 want the community members to know what to expect. Joy, Mackenzie, myself, 657 00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:50.319 and many others are on the fair board. So Mackenzie 658 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:53.920 and I we will jump in and chats as we 659 00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:58.119 see it necessary or it flows, but we're going to 660 00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:00.559 just jump in with this one question. Sure it's going 661 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:03.119 to have a ripple effected answer lots of things. Joy, 662 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:06.519 But for those of you that may or may not 663 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:09.679 know our twenty twenty five Bedford County Fair has taken 664 00:34:09.719 --> 00:34:13.280 a reset and it is really amazing how everything is 665 00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:14.000 coming together. 666 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:17.360 So joy give us all the information. We're here for it. 667 00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:20.679 Yeah, absolutely, So the Bedford County Fair is a five 668 00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:23.840 oh one CI three dedicated to celebrating Bedford and so 669 00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:27.639 this year we are making that celebration even bigger, even better, 670 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:30.679 and we are partnering with the Town of Bedford to 671 00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:34.719 provide four great events. And so all of those events 672 00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:38.480 are you know, those classic fair components that we all love. 673 00:34:38.599 --> 00:34:42.000 So the carnival, the livestock, horse show, we're coming back 674 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:44.119 this year because of this format, we were able to 675 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:47.000 do that. We're going to have the Kim Palmer Memorial 676 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:52.239 Scholarship Contest again, and we are going to have a 677 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:55.079 presence at Centerfest this year, which we're really excited about 678 00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:56.960 for the first time, and so that's what we're going 679 00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:59.840 to have our contest hall. So we just wanted to 680 00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:01.840 use this time to tell everybody a little bit about 681 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:04.079 how they can get involved in each of those opportunities. 682 00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:08.480 Yes, we're here for it. So, first of all, I 683 00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:11.440 know this answer a bit. What do you need from 684 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:18.239 the community in regards to sponsorship and or participation absolutely. 685 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:21.280 So the biggest thing is, you know, the Bedford County 686 00:35:21.320 --> 00:35:25.199 Fair is a celebration of Bedford, and so we want 687 00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:28.400 Bedford to take part in that celebration and every part 688 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:34.119 that they can. So you know, obviously, sponsorships are huge, 689 00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:37.840 and we've had some really incredible sponsors already step up. 690 00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:40.920 And that's what's kind of neat about this event is 691 00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:45.239 it truly is a grassroots effort and so it's neat 692 00:35:45.239 --> 00:35:46.880 to see how all that comes together. So if you're 693 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:48.960 interested in being a sponsor of the Bedford County Fair, we 694 00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:51.440 have some really cool opportunities that are going to provide 695 00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:54.480 you exposure in the community, not just of the Fair 696 00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:57.039 but throughout the year, which is new this year, so 697 00:35:57.079 --> 00:35:58.679 you can check that out on our websage, which was 698 00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:02.920 Bedford Viafair dot com and that's due on August first. 699 00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:05.280 But you know, the real fun stuff and what we 700 00:36:05.400 --> 00:36:08.480 really you know, like to talk about is everything that's 701 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:11.360 going to be available for Bedford County families because at 702 00:36:11.400 --> 00:36:12.840 the end of the day, that's kind of what the 703 00:36:12.840 --> 00:36:16.320 three of us really invest our time and why we 704 00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:19.719 show up. And so the first opportunity that families are 705 00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:22.119 going to have to participate in the Bedford County Fair 706 00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:24.960 is actually going to be at the carnival, which is 707 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:27.119 going to be held this year at Liberty Lake Park, 708 00:36:27.800 --> 00:36:30.960 and that is going to be in August, and so 709 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:34.440 that's going to kick off on Friday, August twenty second. 710 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:37.679 We're going to have the carnival rides there, we'll have 711 00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:41.119 live music, we'll have great local food vendors. We'll also 712 00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:44.480 have some exhibits, so all of our family organizations from 713 00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:47.280 the community are welcome to join us. We'll have some 714 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:50.639 traditional vendors as well, and we also you know, we 715 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:52.960 love to highlight local businesses. So if you have a 716 00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:55.960 local business who you think would be a great fit 717 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.800 to be a vendor, let us know. We try to 718 00:36:57.840 --> 00:37:01.679 keep our vendor packages very comp because you know, at 719 00:37:01.719 --> 00:37:04.079 the end of the day, again, this isn't this isn't 720 00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:06.480 a money making venture for us. We are here just 721 00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:09.280 to promote Bedford and Bedford businesses and families. 722 00:37:09.320 --> 00:37:11.920 So information on the website as well. 723 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:15.679 Yes, everything is on the website Bedford Viafair dot com. 724 00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:20.000 And so the carnival's there now and again that's free 725 00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:23.880 emission and so you can come every day for free 726 00:37:23.960 --> 00:37:25.719 and you just pay for what you do. So if 727 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:27.800 you want to eat dinner, you can pay for your food. 728 00:37:27.800 --> 00:37:29.039 If you want to ride a couple of rides, you 729 00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:30.599 pay for that. But if you just want to come 730 00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:33.280 and hang out with a community and listen to good 731 00:37:33.320 --> 00:37:36.360 live music and check out the vendors and do that, 732 00:37:36.519 --> 00:37:38.840 then then you're free to do that for free. So 733 00:37:38.920 --> 00:37:41.239 that's really nice. And so we'll have on site par 734 00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:44.280 getting limited and then also a free shuttle as well 735 00:37:44.320 --> 00:37:45.400 to make that easy. 736 00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:47.920 Okay, And that's at Liberty Like Park And that's. 737 00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:50.360 The August twenty second through twenty. 738 00:37:50.039 --> 00:37:55.440 Fourth, wonderful and then Mackenzie, we have a horse show 739 00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:55.960 coming up. 740 00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:56.840 We do yep. 741 00:37:56.880 --> 00:37:58.480 So the horse show is going to be held at 742 00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:02.960 Allen's Mountain Livestock Company, which is off a Timberridge Road 743 00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:07.000 in Bedford. So the horse show will be on Saturday, 744 00:38:07.480 --> 00:38:11.679 August thirtieth. There's no admission for spectators at the horse 745 00:38:11.719 --> 00:38:15.559 show and for all exhibitors. We've got a pretty broad 746 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:21.639 class list with the coolest prizes and everyone's favorite cash back, 747 00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:26.559 so there's something for everybody. Of course, it's open to 748 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:28.920 any and everybody. You don't have to be a Bedford 749 00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:32.760 County Okay, that's good to know. Yeah, equin enthusiasts to 750 00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:35.400 participate in that. I hope to have some people from 751 00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:38.039 all over, so yeah, we're looking forward to that. There'll 752 00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:43.159 be food vendors and we'll have some equine business related 753 00:38:43.239 --> 00:38:44.599 vendors that'll be there as well. 754 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:45.119 Yep. 755 00:38:45.760 --> 00:38:47.480 And if you're coming to show, we've got an awesome 756 00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:48.719 photographer for the day. 757 00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:50.639 So some take thought of it all. 758 00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:53.280 Yeah, so I'm excited. It's gonna be good. 759 00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:55.400 It'd be a great opportunity for parents. If you're interested 760 00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:57.559 in what the horse show world. It looks like it's 761 00:38:57.599 --> 00:39:00.840 a good opportunity to see it a preview, Yeah, any 762 00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:03.760 other events you wanna well. And then following the horse 763 00:39:03.800 --> 00:39:05.800 show the next day, we're gonna have a live stock 764 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:08.719 show at the same venue at Allan's Mountain Livestock. They've 765 00:39:08.719 --> 00:39:10.960 been great to host that as well, so we're actually 766 00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:14.800 gonna have cattle, sheep, swan and goats there. I think 767 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:19.519 we're actually had dairy as well this year. So that 768 00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:21.840 was something that we didn't have room for last year, 769 00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:24.159 and the community really wanted it and so we were 770 00:39:24.159 --> 00:39:26.559 able to bring that back. So that's open again, not 771 00:39:26.679 --> 00:39:29.400 just a Bedford Leath, so you're we'll be able to 772 00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:32.719 see livestock and from youth from around the state. 773 00:39:32.760 --> 00:39:33.800 So we're really excited about that. 774 00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:38.559 Excellent and the whole lineup is already like she said, 775 00:39:38.679 --> 00:39:43.239 on the website. Also, we have an active Facebook page, 776 00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:45.960 so if you're more into social media, you can see 777 00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:50.159 the snibbets of information there as well any other detail. 778 00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:53.719 Yeah, the big thing is I would encourage everyone to 779 00:39:53.800 --> 00:39:57.920 look at the Bedford County Fair Contest book because this 780 00:39:58.079 --> 00:40:02.159 is this is that's just kind of like that nostalgic like, 781 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:05.079 you know, you have your all of your county fair classes, 782 00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:07.480 so who has the best pie or best pickles or 783 00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:10.679 the nicest tomatoes or eggs. But then there's also some 784 00:40:10.719 --> 00:40:13.280 really cool categories as well. So this year there's like 785 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:18.159 an agricultural like Lego model contest. It's my son's favorite, okay, 786 00:40:18.360 --> 00:40:22.280 So but there's you know a lot of photography are quilting. 787 00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:25.639 So really what we want to see is just more participation. 788 00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:28.320 We want to highlight more Bedford County talent, more Bedford 789 00:40:28.360 --> 00:40:33.280 County efforts and and and work. So there is something 790 00:40:33.360 --> 00:40:36.920 literally for everyone in all ages, and so definitely check 791 00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:39.880 that out. As you're as your gardening and then those 792 00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:42.599 classes are going to be exhibited at Centerfest this year, 793 00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:45.800 and so that will be something that you can find. 794 00:40:46.679 --> 00:40:48.719 And the warming centers we're actually going to be set 795 00:40:48.760 --> 00:40:50.400 up to your in Centerfest, which. 796 00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:52.199 Is right across from the Farmers. 797 00:40:51.960 --> 00:40:54.920 Market, right across from the Farmer's Market. This year at Centerfest, 798 00:40:54.960 --> 00:40:57.079 we're actually set up in the Warming Center. And so 799 00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:59.199 that's actually one of my favorite parts of the fair 800 00:40:59.440 --> 00:41:02.519 is to watch especially like the kids, so like the 801 00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:04.719 five and six year olds come running into the contest 802 00:41:04.760 --> 00:41:08.320 hall to see what ribbons they're photographies or their eggs got, 803 00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:10.480 and so that's always just a really special part of 804 00:41:10.519 --> 00:41:10.880 the fair. 805 00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:13.239 And so a Mama Bragg though, what tell us about 806 00:41:13.280 --> 00:41:14.679 what Eli got last year? 807 00:41:15.079 --> 00:41:19.440 So Eli got, he got like two blue ribbons that 808 00:41:19.480 --> 00:41:22.360 are still on his wall. Eli's he was then four 809 00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:25.760 four year old son got for the pictures that he 810 00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:27.880 took and stole my phone around and went and just 811 00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:30.039 snap pictures of all of our animals. They were he 812 00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:33.000 worked so hard on them. They were great, but seriously, 813 00:41:33.039 --> 00:41:34.599 and but that's the way a lot of the kids' 814 00:41:34.599 --> 00:41:37.360 photos were. It's not this big LABI thing. The important 815 00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:39.320 part is just letting them do it themselves, and then 816 00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:41.079 you get to see how excited they are. 817 00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:43.000 Do you know when I go home to visit Mom 818 00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:47.159 and dad, my ribbon from my rabbit, Like, how do 819 00:41:47.159 --> 00:41:48.280 you show a rabbit. 820 00:41:48.599 --> 00:41:49.440 He is sit in the cage. 821 00:41:49.440 --> 00:41:52.039 Okay, that is what my child asked for his birthday 822 00:41:52.079 --> 00:41:53.559 next month and that's not happening. 823 00:41:53.679 --> 00:41:56.119 So but yes, my ribbon, my mom still has it, 824 00:41:56.199 --> 00:41:59.119 probably displayed for a rabbit, which there's no showing. The 825 00:41:59.239 --> 00:42:01.360 rabbit just sat there and it's fat. But anyway, I 826 00:42:01.360 --> 00:42:05.000 got a ribbon for So that's something folks can look 827 00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:05.400 forward to. 828 00:42:05.559 --> 00:42:10.360 And the egg legos, Yes, so the ag legos, that 829 00:42:10.599 --> 00:42:13.599 is something every year we try to do. Add a 830 00:42:13.599 --> 00:42:17.719 couple new contests, and I'm particularly excited about this one, 831 00:42:17.800 --> 00:42:19.840 and partially it is because how it came about. So 832 00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:22.800 we have a committee. We have a fair board, but 833 00:42:22.840 --> 00:42:24.960 then we have committees that work on different ventures. And 834 00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:26.760 so we have a committee that works really hard on 835 00:42:26.760 --> 00:42:29.079 getting this contest book put together, and then all of 836 00:42:29.079 --> 00:42:31.719 these contests judge. Because there's hundreds and hundreds of inenturies. 837 00:42:32.239 --> 00:42:35.880 This year they added some youth members to that committee, 838 00:42:35.920 --> 00:42:37.719 so we have some teens who helped out some high 839 00:42:37.719 --> 00:42:41.239 school students, and that was their suggestion was to add 840 00:42:41.519 --> 00:42:45.360 an agricultural lego sculpture contest. And I think Kenzy can 841 00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:47.679 attest like her four each club, like my son and 842 00:42:47.719 --> 00:42:49.639 his friends, like that is what they are pumped for. 843 00:42:49.719 --> 00:42:51.519 Yeah, they were so excited about that when we got 844 00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:52.159 to that part of. 845 00:42:52.119 --> 00:42:55.039 The Yeah book so and so I think that's just 846 00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:57.159 really cool and it goes to show like just another 847 00:42:57.199 --> 00:42:59.840 really neat aspect of this event is it's multi generation 848 00:43:00.199 --> 00:43:02.199 and I think that's what the great things in community 849 00:43:02.280 --> 00:43:04.960 usually are, is multi generational, and so. 850 00:43:05.159 --> 00:43:07.920 We hope to exhibit that well at the fair as well. 851 00:43:08.360 --> 00:43:10.800 Wonderful. Do either of you have anything else? Do you 852 00:43:10.800 --> 00:43:12.599 think we need to share about the fair? 853 00:43:14.559 --> 00:43:14.840 Again? 854 00:43:15.159 --> 00:43:17.800 You know we it's free, and I think that you know, 855 00:43:17.800 --> 00:43:19.960 that's something that's really important to us, that we work 856 00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:22.239 really hard to make sure that it's successful to everyone, 857 00:43:23.280 --> 00:43:25.440 and so please feel free to just really come out 858 00:43:25.480 --> 00:43:29.119 and enjoy it and just celebrate Bedford and who we are. 859 00:43:29.440 --> 00:43:29.880 Excellent. 860 00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:33.000 Well, thank you, I'm looking forward to it. I think 861 00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:36.679 this has been an informative episode that again shows the 862 00:43:36.679 --> 00:43:40.320 heartbeat of our county and acknowledges the deep roots of 863 00:43:40.360 --> 00:43:44.920 agriculture here in Bedford County. This podcast the fair, our 864 00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:49.360 AG Advisory Board, AG educators in local classrooms, for A 865 00:43:49.679 --> 00:43:53.159 leaders and students, f FA leaders and members, extension agents, 866 00:43:53.199 --> 00:43:58.960 farm service agencies, producers, local farmers, markets, market managers, various volunteers, 867 00:43:58.960 --> 00:44:03.079 community members and consumers. Everyone plays a role in fostering 868 00:44:03.079 --> 00:44:07.360 the next generation of agriculture. Our community knows that agriculture 869 00:44:07.400 --> 00:44:10.760 is important. We see opportunities and relationships all the time, 870 00:44:10.800 --> 00:44:15.119 showcasing the importance of connecting producers with consumers, with providing 871 00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:19.199 educational experiences between the agworld and the nonag world. And 872 00:44:19.199 --> 00:44:23.400 most importantly, our community knows that our county's agriculture community 873 00:44:23.679 --> 00:44:27.800 strengthens the very fabric of what is Bedford County. So 874 00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:31.199 we're grateful for the various platforms that Bedford County AGG 875 00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:35.199 has been given. As always, we are appreciative of Media 876 00:44:35.239 --> 00:44:38.519 Squatch and their graciousness and allowing us to record our 877 00:44:38.599 --> 00:44:42.039 monthly AG podcasts. Be sure to like, share, and follow 878 00:44:42.119 --> 00:44:45.840 all things Media Squatch and support them. Today's episode will 879 00:44:45.880 --> 00:44:48.880 be posted with an episode link attached on our Bedford County, 880 00:44:48.960 --> 00:44:52.800 Virginia Agriculture Facebook page, so be sure to like following 881 00:44:52.840 --> 00:44:56.800 share that as well. And if you haven't listened at 882 00:44:56.800 --> 00:44:59.280 our to our past episodes as well. I'm sure you'll 883 00:44:59.320 --> 00:45:02.920 find something that interests you. And if you want to 884 00:45:02.960 --> 00:45:05.960 reach out to us personally, you can email us at 885 00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:10.400 Bedford countyag at gmail dot com. This is great, especially 886 00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:12.199 if you're a local farm and you want to be 887 00:45:12.239 --> 00:45:16.559 added to our county's online directory of local farms and producers. 888 00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:19.320 We'll be happy to make that happen, so go ahead 889 00:45:19.360 --> 00:45:22.800 and email us at Bedford countyag at gmail dot com. 890 00:45:23.159 --> 00:45:23.880 Hey, if you want to. 891 00:45:23.880 --> 00:45:27.639 Get involved in your agricultural community that we have here, 892 00:45:27.800 --> 00:45:30.639 you're invited to join our ag Advisory Board meetings. We 893 00:45:30.760 --> 00:45:33.239 meet on the first Wednesday of every month at the 894 00:45:33.280 --> 00:45:36.199 County Building off of Falling Creek Road here in Bedford. 895 00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:39.159 To learn more, just reach out. Also check out our 896 00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:43.599 County's Office of Economic Development website. There's a section dedicated 897 00:45:43.599 --> 00:45:47.199 to all things Bedford County agriculture, including info on our 898 00:45:47.199 --> 00:45:52.639 monthly meetings. Bedfordeconomicdevelopment dot com. One more round of thanks 899 00:45:52.679 --> 00:45:56.239 to Joya Mackenzie. Thank you for being here. Thank you, Melody, 900 00:45:56.320 --> 00:45:59.480 thank you, and this is Melody divers, reminding you to 901 00:45:59.519 --> 00:46:07.480 be good to you yourself and be good to others. M.