As I sit at my desk by my seventh floor window in a corner apartment building at George Washington University in Washington D.C., the sunlight shines in on me as I think about all I have left behind in South Dakota. I think about the rolling hilltops of thick grass beneath my feet and the lazy clouds gliding above me. I fondly remind myself that in some sweet spot in this nation, one can view pastures of cattle and rows of corn as far as the eye can see. Then I think of my cattle, and I wonder why I traveled thousands of miles away from the very animals that I am so passionate about.
After spending one day as a summer intern with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Agricultural Marketing Service within the Livestock and Seed Branch, I have realized that traveling across the country to better serve the livestock industry is the perfect way to prove how dedicated I am to the beef cattle that I love. I realized that to be closest to the farm, I sometimes might have to leave it to further make a difference for cattlemen across the country.
I know I may just be a summer intern and realize that I may not be solving the world’s problems, but I do know that as our nation’s future—young people from across the country have gathered in one of the world’s most powerful cities to try and make a difference. In just three days of being in this booming city, I have rediscovered myself as a dedicated agriculturalist with a true heart for the beef industry. Nothing—not even skyscrapers, glittering lights and cobblestone walkways, will take the farm out of this girl.
Here is a picture of me with a few interns at the Memorial Day Parade my first weekend in D.C.
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