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In the first Aftershow of 2022, we’re welcoming the newest member of the TWILA Team, Breann Hendrickson! For her first assignment, TWILA’s Breann Hendrickson braved the cold at the 2022 LSU AgCenter Botanical Gardens at Burden’s Arbor Day celebrations. We’re rebooting Feasting on Agriculture with TWILA’s Kristen Oaks-White, and we talk about a new variety of Louisiana rice and gumbo roux. We also talk about sweet potatoes, stories we haven't told enough, and a lot of events coming up across the state that are very important to those graduating high school soon and applying to scholarships!
This Week In Louisiana Agriculture is a weekly show created to connect Louisiana farmers, ranchers, and fishermen with consumers across Louisiana and around the world. Each week, we’ll share the show here and take a look behind-the-scenes of This Week In Louisiana Agriculture, one of the longest-running television programs in Louisiana.
Hi everybody. I'm Neil Melancon. Welcome to the TWILA after show podcast with me, Avery Davidson, Karl Wiggers and Breann Hendrickson, our new addition to the staff. And that's what we're gonna start with. Welcome, Breann.
Thank you. How's it feel
It's it's cold.
It's cold. It's it's not as cold as where you were before. That's very true. I mean, you were in Oklahoma, still water Oklahoma before coming here. Yeah. Is it
Cold there? Yeah, they've been in the, um, single digits couple
Days. Dang. I just think of whenever I think of Oklahoma. I think of tornadoes. I don't think about cold weather, warm weather, whatever it gets hella
Cold as the kids. Yeah. You don't think the cattle industry there? Well, yes. I'm thinking weather wise. Great people there, but you think about tornadoes? I got
Okay. Sorry. For on most famous
Tornado about say
I'm not crazy for thinking that, uh, I just never to think about cold weather for sure. Where you're originally from cold weather. I would associate, which is Indiana. Yeah, right? Yeah. So is that the only place you've lived? Oklahoma and Indiana? I don't know this about you. I'm really asking you real time. No. Yeah.
Um, whenever I was like infant, we lived in Kentucky. Okay. Um, and then they moved to Indiana and we've lived there.
I got you. Cool. Well, it's, it's a appropriate that you brought up how cold it is. Cuz I think, I think it was hazing. I think Avery and Neil had this diabolical plan when they got you going down this a day trail, they just could see in the future and knew it was gonna be cold.
Yeah. We knew that,
You know, and knew that it would involve a Saturday shoot and all the, all the things that you know can be seen negatives, but you got to go out when it was freezing.
Yeah. For your shoot. I definitely bought my Oklahoma closed. I was, I was proud of that moment. Um,
You're probably more prepared than anyone there.
Yeah, I, yeah.
So I mean, was, that was the day after interstates got shut down here in Baton. Of course you get the temperature to where a single cube of ice will stay on the pavement. For what? 20 seconds. Mm-hmm they're gonna shut it down saying, oh, it's cold. Oh gosh. Yeah. Right. But so how cold was it out there and were you surprised that that many people were out there planting trees? I was
Very surprised of the, um, amount of P people out there and the people that bought their kids. Um, because I would not have taken my kids out to that being
That cold. How cold was it? Do you know? Do you remember? Um,
I know in the morning when I first woke up, it was 30 something. That's fine. Um, and so I just mentally no prepared myself that way.
See, I'm a firm believer anything below 70 degrees is, is cold.
Oh. So is my wife. She's like 65. She's putting a Parka on. You might as well think she's going to the ski slopes.
I'm the exact opposite. I'm love, love
It. I'm wearing a short sleeve polo right now. And it was like 35 when I left the house this morning. Yeah. I just love this weather and
See like, I don't mind the cold. It's just a different cold here. It's wet. It. It's not my type
Of cold. Yeah. We have a lot of humidity. So it's like, it, it gets into your bones and everything else. But the kids in the pictures I saw, they were dressed up like little, little swollen ticks. They had so many layers on.
Like, what's the name in Christmas, Carol. And they dress. Yeah. Christmas story, Christmas story Ralphie. Yeah.
I've never seen that. I just know the character.
I've never seen the whole movie either. Oh you, that makes your sense.
I've seen the they're coming out with a sequel, by the way. Don't the original Ralphie actor really?
Well, he was, was in El.
He was a, he was an elf in elf. Yeah.
Well back to what we were talking about, right. We we're talking about Brianne and her being in Louisiana now, but yeah. We're and we've mentioned this story about planting trees. Tell, tell us about your story. That's what the, after show's all about, it's your first short story to shoot for TWI. Don't tell us about it.
Yeah. So, um, Harbor day, uh, plant trees, um, and it was kind of cool going to Louisiana's um, deal of this, uh, the botanical gardens here, um, LSU, Agcenter, botanical gardens. Very different from Oklahoma's. Uh but it was very cool to see how they come together. First off how this community comes together. Um, very eye opening for me. Mm-hmm um, so that was kind of cool to see, um, got to, you know, talk to people out there. Spend time with them doing some tree climbing with a
Little one. Did you, did you climb a tree? No. Oh, you didn't? No,
She didn't bring me tree climbing. You forgot
That outfit.
Yeah. Yeah. Um, they had some axe throwing and things like that. Did you do, please
Tell me you did that. No,
I .
You know, you can have fun on the job also. Yes. Just so you
Know that, but I don't trust myself with axe throwing.
Well,
I've always wanted to go to one of those bars that are axe throwing bars. They're pretty, Theyre
Pretty mm-hmm , they're
Pretty cool. Cool. But that's the thing they're they're enclosed, you know, like your axe won't go every which direction. This one, it was just out
There free for all kinda kinda scary.
So I was, I was okay. Not, not doing that.
That seems like it would be a cool thing to do, but of course, you know, talk about the axe throwing bars. I think you'd wanna mix alcohol with it, but they were mixing tree planting with it. How many about how many trees? I think you said it in your story was like 750 or something like how many people
Planted trees out there? Yeah. So, um, they didn't have a exact amount yet, but they said over 750 people came out to plant trees and um, they were still planting trees and the crazy thing blow
My mind. So for folks who are listening outside of the Baton Rouge area, you know, we talk about the burden museum in Botanic gardens. Like it's just a place. It is in the middle of Baton Rouge.
It is interstate runs through the property.
Yeah. You can throw a stone and hit our lady, the lake medical center. Mm-hmm yeah. I mean, it's, it's this wonderful Oasis that's in the middle of the city where people go and plant trees. It's just really cool. I, I like just going out it's right there
For a lot of town when, where I 10 and I 12 split it's right there, south of it. Mm-hmm and the woods you see to the right when you're going on, I 10 is, are those woods when you're going towards the it's one of it's also so unassuming, like you get off the interstate and you, I, I pass it all the time. Yeah. And it's just a little wooded I fence row in that is there as you're getting off the exit and all of a sudden you pull into this, this, uh, down there driveway and all of a sudden you're like, what in the world have I landed in it's yeah. If you didn't hear the interstate, you would think, I, I would feel like I, I may be in Franklin parish. Yeah. You know, it's just that it's that, that, uh, remote, remote feeling. Yeah, exactly. Mm-hmm so I'm glad you got to go visit, but Avery's good question. Of
Course. I always have questions, always. Um, your background, you've done a lot of photography you've, especially at rodeos and livestock shows and that sort of thing, but this was your first time really shooting a video story. What, what, what were the challenges you had there?
It's it's a lot different, um, first off equipment I'm used to holding a, a tiny little camera in the video cameras, a tad bit bigger mm-hmm um, but just learning how to position that compared to, you know, whenever I ghost shoot rodeos and livestock, we kind of have a look of how we want that and learning the video side of that. It's it's a
Little tricky and it's even trickier with this because you're not in as much control. Yeah.
Yeah. You, I can pinpoint exactly when I want that picture to be taken in video. It's you hope those, you hope it
Went right. Stand
Frame, stay. And also in rodeo, which you're used to shooting, you also do it yourself, like rodeoing. So you're very familiar with, you know, where those horses are gonna go and you know, the, you know what barrel they're gonna go hit first. Right? I mean, yeah. It's very predictable for you and definitely in video world where you're watching people go mill about you're like, I don't know what I'm gonna get, but so I get that for sure.
Yeah. I've I've always been like, okay. If, if they could only do that again, mm-hmm , you know, I'll, I've occasionally sitting
Here journalistic integrity. Yeah. Well,
Back when I was working at channel nine, I wouldn't ask people to do things again, but now it's
A little acting involved from time to time. Don't don't tell everybody, call, play TV. Yeah. Play TV
And just play TV for just a moment. Can you stick that shovel in one more time? Like right there. That'd be perfect.
Yeah. Hey, I know, I know you've been digging in this, these soybeans. You just planted for five minutes, but one more minute, please. Just keep, keep going. Keep going. Let me keep walking in circles around you and shooting video stuff. So you'll get
The hang of that. And there are two things you never want to see made sausage and television never
Heard that. Never heard you make that comment. No. Before. No, no. I will say this for anyone listening and for you two, that haven't seen her timeline yet. It quite impressive. Mm-hmm there's probably, and I'm, I'm not gonna say this to critique too much on the, on the radio. There are things you can do better. There are things you could look at my story any week and Avery and Neils the same way. There's always something we could have done better. Mm-hmm but it's very impressive. I just I'm. And I'm thinking back to my first story, but I did that. We will not mention and, and put links to in the show notes at all, but looking at hers and knowing where mine was, it's just like, golly, we're gonna be like, once she actually actually figures out what she's doing, we're gonna be in really good shape
Or, or that we're gonna be in trouble and be like, oh, we gotta step up our game. Might actually learn how to do this for once
In my life. I, I have, I have said, I know I don't do this, but you probably should do this. it's kind of making me feel a little bit, uh, little convicted, a little bit mm-hmm but very good stuff. So far. That's what I'm saying. Thank you.
And just so to clear up for PO folks who don't know what he means by timeline, whenever we're, we're putting our video stories together, there's a part where you actually put the video and the audio together and it lines out, you know, in a linear fashion. It's so that's called the timeline where you put it all together. Sorry. No, I know
I'm just using, using the lingo here. Like everybody listening knows what the timeline is.
That's that's all right. I mean, believe me, uh, I think folks in agriculture are used to alphabet soup. Mm-hmm I mean, between U S D a FSA ELAP
Equi. There's plenty of it. Yeah. Speaking
Of new stuff, we've got a sort of new segment, uh, feasting on agriculture, the reboot, the reboot of feasting agriculture, Kristin Oaks, white has taken over that property and is not with us on the podcast today because she's busy working on that timeline. I just stand it up by herself. Uh, and she's going out to par rice. This, this time, it's a native Louisiana rice grower who is, um, growing his own special brand of, and then she's gonna take that and cook with it. They've got a gumbo cooking, and then you can see some of the pictures on her social media. Yeah. Already
That gumbo looked killer. Yeah. I, I was like, I, I know a good gumbo that looked like a darn good gumbo. I wish I've
There made one for us at home. So I we're having gumbo
Tonight at the house wigs house. It's gonna be a, I'm gonna be a happy season. All
Right. I'll make a gumbo this weekend. Thanks. All
Right. So I texted Kristen about it cuz I saw that she's actually the, the chef she's working with as an old college friend of hers and they, she, she talks about that in the segment. Um, but he, they make their own Ru and a can the canned Ru thing. And I know there are some people in south Louisiana who are very against that. Mm-hmm like, that is the ultimate sin. Right. And I was like, you gotta brace yourself. You know, you're gonna hear it. And she's like, I am I'm I can hear it all day long, but I don't know anyone. That's more of a pure than Carrie. Uh, not Carrie, his name's not Carrie. Uh, can't come up with it. But the brand is Carrie's Ru it's his dad. Uh he's like, there's nobody. Uh, they actually call him Ru that's his nickname. Mm-hmm um, said, there's nobody more of a purist than him. And he's the one making this stuff. So I'm like, okay, I'll take your word for it. But anyways, I was just kinda like, oh wow, we're gonna use canned Ru, but it's got me curious now because that is the worst part of making gumbo is the sitting over a pot for 30, 40, 50 minutes, whatever it is to get that
Root takes you 50 minutes to make ABO. I'm just
Saying whatever it
Feels like an eternity. It does. And especially if it splaters back on yet, like Napal gives you a nice little burn, just saying you got that blister for a few days. Mm-hmm
it has me very interested in trying this, this stuff. So have you got gumbo from Louisiana yet? Not from Louisiana yet. Oh, well you haven't
Had gumbo yet, yet. Exactly. Then you haven't had gumbo
Anyways, back to what you're saying, it looks like a really great story. And the rice, you said it, it is a, it's a new a, um, brand, but it's a variety that was developed at the LSU ag center in Crowley, which is really cool. Yeah, it is really cool.
And the homegrown product and they're, you know, it's part of the shows, the strength of the partnership between our farmers and the research that goes on at L LSU, that they're constantly coming out with this. I mean, for every variety that you see, there's a hundred, 200, you know, more that are out there that are they're working on. And the various strengths of each of them, you know, plays out differently depending on the field. This is one that has a wide, uh, commercial appeal. And I think we're gonna see a lot more of
It. And so lower glycemic, let's say it's
Yes. And a case for being a healthier rice, which is even healthier than brown rice. Yes. Which I was kinda like, I thought there was no nothing, no such thing. How do it happen? How do it happen? It's the sciences. Yep. It's the sciences. That's really cool. A what's your story this week? Oh, I don't have
One. No, uh, no. I um, so I went out and spoke with folks from the Louisiana sweet potato commission because the Louisiana sweet potato commission turns 70 this year. And so this is even though we've been growing sweet potatoes here in Louisiana for hundreds of years, almost as long as we've been doing, you know, sugar cane, if not longer. Um, the sweet potato to commission came around to make sure that this industry would stay vibrant, that we would still have, uh, farmers who could, who could grow it. And the, there was new developments made with varieties and you know, that we went over, stopped by, uh, Larry FAOs farm over there in Evangeline parish, you know, uh, met with Tara Smith over at the, uh, the LSU ag center's, uh, uh, sweet potato research station in chase my backyard. Yeah. You rolled stomping grounds, stomping grounds,
And actually never worked there, but I did work at the other one right across the road. Anyway, side the point, talked
With the chairman, Jason Ables, commissioner, Mike strain, and just what the, this has meant to the industry for the last 70 years to ensure that we, we have sweet potatoes grown in Louisiana. I'm gonna tell you now there, there are few things I like more than just taking an Evangeline sweet potato or a Bogar throwing in the oven at 400 degrees and leaving it there for about an hour, an hour and 15 minutes till that that syrup starts to run, come candy. Yeah. That's, that's that in a stake and that's my jam.
Hmm. I interviewed Larry font know about 20 years ago now. And, uh, he, uh, you know, one of the things he brought up is the fact that everybody loves sweet potatoes to have them for Thanksgiving meals, right. Or, or even sometimes for Christmas, but it's a year round product. Mm-hmm , you know, and they're constantly growing it. And so that's been the challenge. That's why things like this commission exist is to keep, you know, the market flowing for these who have to make a living all year round and who have to grow this stuff all year round, a
Big part of it's promotion mm-hmm promotion of the product, and like putting it out there in front of people, which we have rice promotion, we have soybean promotion. There's all these different boards that exist and sweet potato commission is one of those that, you know, has one of, one of the legs of that commission is to promote it. I think that's a huge reason that Larry font know is still in business. Yep. Yep. And I think, and I think he would say the same thing if I had to guess he probably already did on camera for you. Did
He? He did. He did. He, he definitely sang the praises, especially because his father is one of the founding members of, he was one of the founding members of the sweet potato commission. Wow. So, you know, this really is important to his family. Well,
We talked about the rice and that being a variety thing that was developed a variety that was developed at the LSU ag center in Crowley. Well Bogar is one of those that was developed and chase Louisiana and at the sweep, the
Station. Yeah. And Orleans as well. I mean,
One of the other people that's interviewed from, um, the research station is Don LeVonte. Mm-hmm who is one of our, one of the breeders there and the work they're doing and that, it, it, I, I I'm ashamed to say it. And I've told people in my own parish, this, that, uh, but I did not know what we had in Franklin parish at station. Yeah. Mm-hmm , I mean, we see it like in Crowley, like, wow, that's a big deal in St. Gabriel with the sugarcane research, but realizing like the reach, you know, sugar cane research maybe will affect some Florida state, you know, some Florida sugar cane, but mostly it's for Louisiana farmers. There are states all across the country, growing sweet potatoes that are using varieties and research, uh, expertise from that station and chase, which is just, it was kind of mind blowing that there. And in fact, around the world, I didn't realize the reach and the, you know, the value of that station that I drive. I've driven past a million times in my, my home parish right there. And I've never been there until I went and shot these interviews for this story. And I was embarrassed about that, to be honest.
The other thing, Donald Levante is just such a cool guy. I mean, he so knowledgeable and friendly and wants to share it with you. And it it's like, he's gonna explain everything to you, to where you understand it and wants you to understand he has a genuine desire to impart that knowledge. He's got to you that teacher's heart. Yeah. And I, I just loved that about the interview you do did with him. I thought you could hear that.
I, I, I, I cannot, I I'm a it's, he's the worst person for me to interview because I turn into this little nerd, all of a turn into, well, I'm not, I'm the cool guy.
Oh, wow. That is some breaking news here on the TWI after show podcast.
But whenever I'm talking to him, all of a sudden, he just, he just draws me in and like, the way he's so passionate about what he does, but also can explain it in a way that doesn't sound like a scientist with the amount of knowledge in his brain. And
I'm not saying that anyone we interview does this, but he doesn't talk down to you at all either. That's what I, I was like, I can listen to this guy all day long. I actually listen to the entire interview. Do you remember long? It was, oh yeah. It was 37 minutes. Do
You remember how many times I said in there, I've gotta quit asking you questions. I'm sorry. I said it two or three times in that interview. I'm just guilty as can be with that guy. He just, I love him so much, but it it's a it's mind blowing how much actually happens in that station.
And you're gonna learn all about it. You're
Gonna learn all about it all about it anyways. Sorry. I, I sidetracked you just talking about chase, cuz it again, it's embarrassing that I've never been there and done a story on it. It's being from Winnsboro.
Like I am. That's the crazy thing though. I mean, there are so many things that are in our backyards that we just have never been to. So like I grew up in new Iberia. Right. So you would think that I've been to every little place around there. I've been to lake fo point or FA false point state park one time. Mm that's it, you know there, and that's a great treasure. That's a wonderful place to go and hang out.
Same is true of me. I've never been to poverty point. Really?
I haven't either. Well
Like the, uh, the Indian, the, the native American historic that's, that's
Something that I want to do a story on. I'm sure there's a story there. They just found a new discovery with that. About how much more extensive it is than
They ever thought it's known world round. It is around the world.
It's a UNESCO world heritage
Site and I've never been to it. Yeah. It's within a few minutes of my house, 30 minutes drive from my parents'
House. It's cuz we take it for granted. It's in our backyard. Yeah. And so that's true. You know, so I guess what I'm saying there is, we gotta get out that mindset. We gotta say what was in our backyard that, I mean, new Orleans. I mean you, there gotta be lots of places. You there's gotta be a story in new Orleans now you hadn't done.
I'm sure. Well, I mean, one of the fascinating things about growing up there is that I grew up inside the city and then, you know, I would always look, I I'm, I, I love panoramic vistas, so I'd always go up into buildings and, you know, look around and see, you know, look out into the, and, and wonder what was out there. And so now through this job, I've gotten to do that kind of stuff. So, um, remember I did the story with the, uh, on Amy seafood lot. Mm-hmm well, as the Crow flies, that was about a mile from my house in Ottoman park. And I never went over there. I never went to those. I always looked across Otman park and would see the, the big grain elevator that were over there that caught fires a very famous, uh, grain elevator fire in there in the seventies and never went over there.
But now through this job, I've been over there and now I'm looking from the other side of the river to see, you know, across to see where I used to live and, and all of the stuff that was just literally right there. And there's so many, and even there that's developed area right behind it is all swamp. And so there's dozens and dozens of stories out there that we're just not familiar with. Um, one of the things that I'd like to do this year is a story on the Chima tribe. If you remember, there was a, um, I did that story on the, uh, the plant facility down in Goana, which got damaged by hurricane Ida. Well, one of the things they grow there is the reads for the basket weaving that they do in the Chima tribe. And so that's just something in the Louisiana that we don't think about, but it's a, there's a major Indian museum there and a major, you know, uh, culture center there that we're, we're just, we
Overlook. I'm gonna take a, take that on a little tangent. There's so much native American history. Oh yeah. Here in Louisiana, that is often overlooked. I mean, we, we, we
Forget about it cuz of all the Cajun culture that is so prevalent down in south Louisiana,
But there are literally thousands of Indian mounds across Louisiana. There's
One on my family's farm. Yeah. Wow.
Y'all know that. No I
Didn't. No, I didn't know. Yeah. That's I think that's also part of why I've never been that I think somewhere in my head I've been like, oh cool. Poverty point, whoa. I've got that in my backyard, literally in my backyard. Yeah. And I've just never really, but yeah, like they're everywhere. Yeah.
Mm-hmm I mean, Iberia parish was originally a TPA territory. Mm-hmm HOA. Hello. There's the HOA tribe. Right. You, you know, we've got a lot of native American history here that I guess we take for granted as well.
So I guess we're gonna do more stories on, on that. The
Story that I did on the, the forestry damage after Ida chap, chapel means hurricane and Choal mm-hmm I remember
That. I got a question. So we've talked about some of this. I wanna get Brie back in this. So we're talking about stories we'd like to do mm-hmm where is maybe a passion of what is a passion of yours that you're hoping to maybe find a way to use, uh, your TWI, a job to go and maybe tell stories about
Yeah, definitely rodeo
Um, you rodeoed, right?
I did barrel
Racer do or did you retired
Kind of hoping to come outta retirement soon? Um, horses currently in Oklahoma, um, kinda hard to practice these long, long kind of, kind of tough one right there. Um, but I wanna get back out there and I think this job is a good way to get out there.
Are there stories in the rodeo world, in Louisiana that we're missing out
On? Yeah, definitely this past year with the NFR and, and I think you guys had eight people, six to eight people go to the NFR. Um, one came back the right after R and his wife had a baby and she was, I mean, went with him to the AFR. They came back and next day she was having a new one. So, wow.
Yeah. That's now what she did tell me she does wanna see an alligator. Well, yes. I know somebody that's really good with handling them. Mm-hmm I
I've
Have, we don't need to go back into that, but again, I've told you about this already Brie, but that's another story that it's been sitting in my, like I've got connections to the dams boys that the dams men they're brothers that are like multiple world champions and bareback. And I think saddle bro, maybe, or something like that, multiple time world champions that trained. Remember the story I did with buckshot Sims. Yeah. Remember that? I'm pretty sure he helped train them growing up as young riders. Mm-hmm , there's a connection there. They grew up in Franklin parish. I mean, and we've done stories on T Porter. Never done anything with 'em I've never even thought I've, I've thought about it. I've just never been able to chase that down. So maybe finally, now Brie, you can finish the job it's crossed my mind, but never actually happened. So rodeo stories coming your way on TWI soon,
Very and hopefully
Very soon. What else do we have on this week's show this week show? So really we have the feasting on agriculture. We have the Arbor day with Brie. We have Avery's sweet potato stuff. And outside of that, we kind of have some promotional stuff that we're just getting out there. We've done stories in the past. We've talked about it on here, the grain bin safety workshops that we do every year. Um, they're happening on February 8th, ninth, eighth, ninth, and 10th in the Northeast part of the state, uh, Oak Grove, Lia and Winnsboro mm-hmm I think in that order. Um, so we'll have the details on that on website. If, if you're a farmer and have grain bins or close to grain bins, it's a good thing to get out there and, uh, learn about because I mean, we've seen since I've been in this job, we've had multiple accidents. Some that have had successful rescues some that sadly have not. And uh,
I mean the reality is if you get caught in grain entrapment, if that auger is pulling down the grain and pulls you down with it, even if they stop it before you go all the way under, you're looking at three hours yep. Three hours stuck in that grain. So on average.
Yeah. So these workshops are super valuable to make sure that EV the farmers know the dangers of getting in this, uh, the, the tanks to, to maybe clear some clogged, uh, grain up or first responders that are coming to rescue you mm-hmm know the steps, take the dos. And don'ts the, uh, the best methods to extract someone that is stuck.
And they use a special grain bin rescue, too. Mm-hmm but two that they, that the firefighters or first responders build around you mm-hmm mm-hmm . So to help you come out, well, there have been several farm bureaus that have bought those twos, right. And donated those to their, their local volunteer fire departments and that's, and that's, that makes a difference. Mm-hmm it really does. And it's a way in which, you know, farmers can, can ensure that those, the first responders have the tools they need to save their,
I would be curious to know back. So the first Wende was telling me Wende, Miley, the safety director for the farm bureau. He saw me that he started this in 2014 in cat parish. I'd be curious to know how many of those tubes existed in our state. Mm-hmm in 2013 and how many are in our state now, because of this
Workshop, I know cat has bought it least two
And there what, five or six grand for that. Yeah. That kind of a setup. So, I mean, I, it would be neat to know that just that, uh, that kind of investment. So we, we talked about that in the show. There's an update on that and all the details for that in the show also, uh, we talk about the red barn, the party, and the red barn. We've done that for a few years now, for million perish. Mm-hmm , uh, Avery, you and I both been to this event. It's a, it's a huge, it's a huge party.
It's a great, a great opportunity to have fun, pass a good time with the young farmers and ranchers over there in Vermillion parish. They, I tell you what that parish really does an amazing job with, with its farm bureau. And they have such great camaraderie this, this event while yeah. It's a chance to get together, eat some food, have a few drinks, good food. Yeah, really good food. Um, you know, the fellowship, but it also raises money for some very important scholarships. The Dwayne's on Brecker scholarship, the Louisiana farm bureau foundation, Linda, and Dwayne's ONB Brecker scholarship. It also raises money for the a and the classroom for foundation. And it helps their wife and our committee. I want the
Record to show that Avery does not have a script in front of him. That was very impressive. so the Dwayne Zo Brecker scholarship is the local, the famil parish wife, and our scholarship that they give out to, um, high school seniors. Mm-hmm, , they're going to school, uh, to study ag, I believe. Is that a requirement? Yeah, the Linda and Wayne Zecker scholarship is the, is what is the name of the state farm bureau foundation scholarship. So I, and that they're raising money for multiple different scholarships and, uh, and ag in the classroom. So it's a, it's a, it's a big deal. And it's one of our, I think, biggest fundraisers statewide for those, uh, those things. Now, I mean, it, a huge deal
Between that the sporting place challenge, the fishing rodeo, all of those help put money into the coffers for these scholarships and for the Louisiana farm bureau foundation, Lindon, Wayne Ecker scholarship, that deadline is coming up really quick. We also
Talked about that in the show. That was a third, third thing that we promoted was that scholarship.
So February 5th, if I remember correctly is the deadline for that, sorry, February 4th, I'm being, uh, erected, which, um, I should remember that cause that's my brother's birthday, but I digress that
That's deadline and they need to have those into the local local parish,
Farm bureau, local parish, farm bureau office, not postmarked by that date in, in the office, in the office by that date. And then that gets sent up the chain and, and the great thing it is, it's a four year scholarship. So it follows the student through their entire college career. And also there are several scholarships awarded each year. So it, and that changes based on what the, the funding level is. And the committee meets to decide how many they're gonna give out. But it, it really, it really is one of those scholarship that if you're a Louisiana farm bureau member and about to graduate high school and you don't apply for the scholarship, you probably , you're probably missing
Out. Yeah. And it's, I mean, we all know school's not cheap and that's a, it's a huge step in the right direction for, uh, covering that. So, yeah.
And I can, I wanna point out that think, uh, Brianne maybe heard two words. I just said, because RFD right now is showing rodeo up there and she is just watching. She's watching that right there. Locked in. Checking that time. A 20.54.
Hey, this is what was little bris is that they call, were you, were you little bris?
I was not, I didn't start rodeo until high school. I didn't start riding like completely until I was a
Freshman in high school. So these, these girls can ride though. Yeah. Good Lord. What is that? What's that called pole bending. Huh? Bending, bending. Bending. Yeah. I think I knew that.
Did you? Obviously, you
Didn't obviously, um, anyways,
You, you need to see Neil on a horse. That's he's gonna work with you on crawfish. You work with him and horses. There you
Go. Mm-hmm okay. That's what's next week. Bree's gonna go and get some crawfish, uh, get her first taste of crawfish maybe. Right? I've had crawfish before mm-hmm in Louisiana, not Louisiana crawfish. It's it's not real. Unless it's in Louisiana, we
Wasn't it a pumpkin. And it was a pumpkin and crab. Bisk you guys? Yes. Add both sole. When we went, I was thinking it might have been a crawfish, but yeah, it was pumpkin and crab anyways. Right.
Y'all are getting some crawfish action next week. So, uh, gonna get your first we're we're gonna try to head out to Tony's and, and, uh, get some of that there, which is just got to be one of the best places. One of the great things about him is that he always buys Louisiana crawfish. He always, he buys directly from farmers only. So you're getting the, the cream of the crop, which is what everyone should be doing exactly. Ask before you eat, just like the , uh, crawfish, uh, promotion research board always says yet another board of the, the exist to promote the industry. So, so all of those things, we described the party at the red barn, the crawfish coming up, it's just a taste of the huge amount of events we have coming up. The spring is just always busy for farm bureau. And they're, they're, we're really gonna be kicking off a lot of events, not only for that, but also here. We're gonna be headed out to Santa Barbara in a few weeks. And I mean, there's just a lot going hard, working hard, working hard for the farm bureau. All right. Well, on behalf of Brene, Carl and Avery, uh, this is Neil Mulloon. Thanks for joining us on the trial after show podcast. See you next time.
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