Fashion to Farming

We will start from the beginning...which sometimes feels like a million years ago, and others it feels like yesterday. I am not sure I can pin point how I ended up finally deciding to attend Iowa State University, but I did. I went to school for Fashion Merchandising. I mean ladies lets be real...who doesn't want a career in Fashion? I know that was my absolute dream (and still is). There were so many options in this field; buying, merchandising, designing, and so on. I graduated in 4 years with my Bachelor's degree. I literally started my career the Monday after I graduated, which was on that Saturday. I accepted a job as an Assistant Buyer in Ames, Iowa for a company that opened up temporary Halloween stores across the United States (I decided to stick around Iowa, because I was head over heels for this cutie names Joshua). The buying part, was AMAZING. Traveling to New York, Houston, and Las Vegas for shows, were a blast. (I even received a kiss from Pauly D, yes you got that right kids, a kiss from Jersey Shore's own Pauly D. One of the Halloween vendors had a licensing contract with Jersey Shore, so they got him to come DJ at their party).

The people I worked with, I loved. I really truly had a passion for this. It was so fun being able to see the new "HOT" costumes for the following year. Dream job, right? Unfortunately, there were other things I needed to consider...how was I going to pay my student loans, rent, and daily living expenses. After being there for 3 years, towards the end I was worried about getting my next pay check. It is a scary feeling. People at the company were positive, but I just couldn't afford to be around when that day came. Insert: Customer Service position opening at the local Cooperative in the small town I live in. I knew this job wasn't my dream job, but there were some positives when it came to applying for the job. The company was stable, very stable. POSITIVE. Driving 2 minutes from my house, literally 5 blocks (I dislike driving in the winter A LOT, and my other job was 40 minutes away, and in the winter you have to drive through drifts, sorry not my cup of tea), again POSITIVE. Benefits, they are great here, we even have a Pension plan, right something you rarely see anymore, POSITIVE. After talking it over with my parents, Josh, my siblings, Josh's family, I ended up applying for the job. I got it. Wow, was I freaking out at this point, I was leaving an industry that I fell in LOVE with. I ended up taking the job. I began in Customer Service, and have now moved into a position in the Agronomy Department. Make fun of me, but I had NO idea what in the heck Agronomy was, I always grew up thinking corn was corn on the cob, I mean call me naive. I was. Let's just say I have learned A LOT. Information I never in a million years thought I would ever learn. I've gained a new perspective on who farmers really are, and how much they mean to this world.

It's actually kind of funny, I do a lot of similar things as I did when I was a buyer.

I use to order Halloween Costumes now I order Seed.
I use to run Sales Reports, I still run Sales Reports.
I use to work with Sales Reps, I still work with Sales Reps.
I use to have AMAZING Co-Workers, I still have AMAZING Co-Workers.

My friend Dani and I. She worked with me at CHG

Diana, Jen and I at an outing at the icubs game. They both work with me at IAS.

So there you go, the story of how I landed in the Farming WORLD. Although, it is not my dream job, I do enjoy coming to work everyday. Another stepping stone in life! Living in a small community, there are only so many jobs, and so many businesses.I am fortunate to be able to work in the community I live in.