a man I meet a while back who was in a managing sells position asked me, “who do you work for?” I answered, for the customer. He said nope, you work for your family. Your family, the ones you provide for, should be the motivation factor behind your work and every else that you do in your life.
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One being a hay property belonging to Gail Spann (great lady) that I cut and baled. On that property there are a few water ditch run offs that were full of trash debris from a previous house project. Working the excavator was fun and I was able to catch on quickly how to maneuver it well. That was not the hard part. I learned very quickly how fast it takes to load up a dump trailer with brick, roofing, insulation, carpet, etc. the weight of the trailer was to heavy for the hydraulics to lift the load out. Willie and I decided to continue with not putting the bricks and concrete in the dump trailer anymore and just focus on the trash. We used the brick and concrete to help refill the ditches and eventually go back over with dirt and sand to even it out. With the last few loads being just trash, it made it lighter and easier to unload the trailer and bring it back to the property to finish up.
the second project was digging out Willie’s pond. This one was more simple in the fact that it was just digging up dirt and moving it to the side of the pond to make a natural dam to hold the water. We ran out of time on our rent to finish Willie’s but we got a good chunk of it done and will finish it up when we have other projects we need to rent out an excavator for.
this week I have started reading fanatical prospecting. A book about the importance of all the tactics of selling and how to go about them properly. I have already learned that there is no easy or fun way of selling, cold calls, emails, social media, etc. wether you are a beginner or an experience sells person, non of those tactics are fun. The ones that are good at it face that difficult fact and do it anyways. They are relentless and don’t make excuses to go out and get the job done. They are consistent and keep their pipelines full. They don’t take off time after a good week or good month because then they know they would be playing catch up. They keep at it each day and make sure they always have things lined up by boing the cold calls, emails, social media, etc. when others don’t want to.
]]>I have come to learn that whenever I can, I need to take the guessing game out of farm equipment. First, I guessed on how many teeth we need to replace and I was about 15 teeth shy of what I actually needed. Lastly, I guessed on what kind of drill and bits to use and it ended up costing me two trips to tractor supply and one to Lowe’s.
Replacing the teeth itself was not to difficult other then the fact that they were located on the bottom and was a little uncomfortable. Where my frustration came from was the extra trips to the store and not finding the right bit I needed. It took a little longer then I would have thought but I learned how to replace the teeth along with a lesson in patience and doing my research of what tools I need and where I need to get it from. Trial and error can test one’s temper but can also be a good teacher.
]]>1. thawing
2. tenderizing
3. seasoning
4. cooking
5. resting
I have take time to prep our own stakes for my family and I have can tell the difference. The stakes are great and my family loves them. Having doing these steps myself I am able to help describe them better to our costumers. Each time I have gone out for delivery’s I learn something new and have more confiding in myself that if it ever came to just me making delivery’s, I would do a good job.
As I have now finished the book Raving Fans, I can see how important the costumer interactions are. People want to be liked and be involved without trying. In return for there purchase we want them to feel involved in what we do here at G Farms. We do that by having confidence in the beef we sell and forming a personal relationship with our costumers to show them how much we value their family, their home, and their word.
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Tuesday I started cold calls for our Cowpooling beef operation. I have never made cold calls in my life for business purposes so this is all fresh to me. First few days was a little rough having to complete my tasks at the hay field then making calls. I have become more efficient since then with time management and better calling techniques that Kayla has taught me. I have not made any beef sales yet but I know doing these calls has a purpose and will lead to future sales.
In the book Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard it dives into the impotence of customer service. I have learned about deciding what it is that I want and creating a vision of perfection that is centered around the customers. Then listening to the customer on what they want and deciding ways to fill the gap that pertains back to the vision of perfection. Learning and understanding the customer makes it known to them of their importance and will positively affect business.
]]>Recently a lot has happened in terms of equipment on the farm. The best thing so far is we got our rake fixed, we got our new part and with lots of WD40 we got the rake arm back on and it runs like butter now. Another thing is that we will finally be getting our tractor back after not having it most of the summer we will finally be running two tractors again. On the downside the ac has busted in the tractor we are running now, and I got to say 106 temperatures and an enclosed cab don't mix at all.
Some things I have learned is how to plan my route better this field we are at has multiple obstacles with it being trees, ditches, or old hay bales I have learned how to look at the field and determine the best and smoothest possible route to take so the baler can run smoothly through it.
At G Farms we have a couple different things we offer. One of the things we offer is our 100% grass fed beef we sell in ⅛ ¼ ½ or just ground beef, we also are doing flowers, we are open Monday Wednesday and Friday from 7-10am our address is 15017 county road 349, you can come out to the farm and pick as many flowers as you want and go to hams orchard down the road for lunch, we also do a bee removal service and afterwards we will put you in touch with our construction company DC&H construction for anything that need repairs.
]]>That being said, I have learned how to efficiently balance school, work, and extracurriculars. This year I am adding on becoming a small group leader for an organization at Tarleton, Paradigm. This community has been amazing to plug into every week with Thursday night worship and weekly bible study small groups, and being discipled by a great friend. I look forward to adding to this organization and give my time to help incoming students get plugged in as well.
I've said it in past blogs, but one thing that really helps me stay on track and focused is making written lists and crossing them out as I accomplish the tasks. With my chemistry class this has been extremely helpful and has helped me keep an A with 2 weeks left in the 5 week semester! I am proud of myself for doing this with a chemistry class and learning so much in such a short time. As I go back to school, I will continue to get in a routine and keep making lists to help me get and stay ahead in my harder classes. With a lot on my plate and starting to look into vet school requirements for the summer, it will be a lot I look forward to adjusting to college again and making the most of it. I am excited to be surrounded by friends who help me through little and big challenges and a great community of believers who will make any hard week better!
]]>High: Before I head off to college again I get to go on one last summer trip with my mom exploring some of the national parks in California
Low: This is my last week working this internship. My last day is officially tomorrow :(
Buffalo: I really did love my time here and I am very thankful to the Lord for the experience and everyone I got to work with. You were all so patient and encouraging and I appreciated every moment of it.
I know I have said it before but I’ll say it again. This internship has taught me so much! It helped me realize how capable the God has created me to be. One of the main reasons I decided to get an internship this summer was to gain experience in the agriculture industry. Lord knows I needed it. However, selfishly another reason I wanted to do this was this was to prove to myself I could do it.
I knew I had to put myself in a position where I had to put in the work. Whether that be outside on the tractor or surfing Facebook and making calls to customers. I sometimes have a hard time with self-discipline and if I hadn’t taken on some sort of consistent work this summer I would waste it away scrolling through the endless mindlessness that is Instagram. I wanted something that required me to wake up and get moving. I needed something that had expectations of me to show up and look to grow. That is exactly what this internship proved to be.
I am now a firm believer that everyone should have to bale at least one field in their life. Less to do with the fact of how humbling it is and more to do with the fact that you have to just be in the moment. Out in the field, it is you, your tractor, and acres of grass that are waiting to be turned into round bales. It’s simple. Sure, obstacles will crop up from time to time but that is where growth is truly found. It is in the mistakes and the mess that people learn. When I head off to college I will be greeted with essays waiting to be written and homework assignments waiting for me to ignore because I (falsely) believe that I will make it all up on the exams that stare at me from the calendar with impending doom. In the moments when things feel overwhelming, I will look back at the time I got to spend out in the tractor a time when things were simpler and I was waiting for that beautiful moment when the sunsets and the sky is decorated with a moon so beautiful I pray I never forget it. It is in those moments life can be simple and every hour put in to get to that place is more than worth it. To get to sit there and breathe, taking in all of nature's simple beauties.
For those who would rather not read the novel above and would rather just know the applicable skills I learned, here is the bullet-pointed list:
What’s next?
Turns out I enjoy being outside for hours on end and putting my body to work. So, for this next semester I have decided to try and get a job at a horse barn to gain some more job experience for my resume. I am also planning on serving as a small group leader for high schoolers at my church. Finally, to really nail down that self-disciple I have signed up to run a half marathon in December. My classes look to be interesting and I am excited for the road ahead. Not exactly sure what is in store but I know if I keep my eyes on God He will make a way even if one is not apparent right now. (Isaiah 43:19).
One of the most interesting parts of my job has been taking on a sales role. I am in charge of what I make based on commissions so there is definitely an incentive to sell as much beef as I can. However, throughout my job, Willie has stressed the importance of having a personal relationship with our customer base. That couples well with the concepts I have been learning in “Fanatical Prospecting.” It talks about taking special care to avoid selling out of desperation. Instead make sure you are planning out the motivation and goal for each and every call. This does not always have to be sales. As a result I have been able to have some really interesting conversation with people.
Regardless, it is so easy to get caught up in numbers and dollar signs. As my book likes to remind me prospecting and rejection will often go hand and hand. So, to avoid finding identity in my work I like to look for the victories. Even though I won’t make a sale every call, that’s not entirely the point. Sometimes people just need a minute to be heard. My favorite part of calls is if I get the chance to take prayer requests for them or pray for them. It has definitely increased my prayer times in the morning, which I enjoy immensely. The best thing about my life is easily Christ. I try to honor the opportunities to invites me into because I know that is where is life is found. Whenever I am able to bring someone else into that time or vice versa it is always a win in my day.
Extra:
High: I got to go dancing at Billy Bobs with some friends at college.
Low: I have a ten-page paper for college due at the end of this week and it has proven a little more challenging than originally expected.
Buffalo: I found a men’s XL Ralph Lauren Polo Jacket worth $200.00+ in the field. Happy (late) Father’s Day dad! I also found a neat looking eagle feather. (Score!)
]]>My name is Leah and I'm an intern here at G Farms! I have been an intern for 2 summers and have continued throughout the school year. I am currently a Senior at Tarleton State University. My major is Animal Science with a Pre-Veterinary Medicine concentration and a minor in Business. After I graduate, I will be attending Vet school to one day open my own mixed animal clinic!
During my time working on the farm, I have been taking summer classes or full semesters during the year. I have learned a lot about time management and balancing work, school, and extracurriculars. Time management was one of the first things that I learned that would stay with me throughout my college career. Being able to prioritize school and work by making lists and marking off tasks greatly improved how I accomplished my day to day tasks. Once the school year started, I had to learn not only how to balance school and studies, but also working while still being able to have fun. It was a slight challenge at first, but once I figured out a routine it made it a lot easier.
I have enjoyed my time here so far and can't wait to see what else I can learn from it!
]]>High: I made my first beef sale! My sister came from Kansas and visited us for the week.
Low: I forgot to lower the wheels on the baler and missed hay in one of the fields we baled this week and my car got pulled over twice in one day! (My headlight went out.)
Buffalo: I found two stray Australian shepherd mixes. We named them Jonny and June. Unfortunately, we had to surrender them to a shelter in Denton.
Mistakes were made:
Throughout our days we have the ability things happen to us, good or bad, most of which we have no control over, other things we might have been able to completely avoided had we done one thing differently. Regardless of the circumstances there is one thing that we are always able to control. Our reaction. This week I made a mistake while baling a field and it would have been so easy to get down on myself and complain till the cows come home. What would that have fixed? I had already made the mistake, the damage was done. Instead, I chose to take a moment, play my favorite worship music, and turn my eyes to my Lord. I remind myself that this is a chance I get to chose Him and grow instead of staying stuck in a feeling of incompetence. By recognizing this choice I was more aware of the consequences of my emotions and mindset. One leads to maturity and the ability to move on with a glad heart while the other will leave you constantly unsatisfied with life and filled with contempt. It is our choice which way we step.
]]>The book i am currently reading is called Raving Fans
It talks about deciding what you want as a marketer and then changing your vision depending on what the customer wants. The book also says to not try to be everything to everyone because then you would just be mediocre at everything. Customer service comes first and sometimes that means letting a customer know that you as a company just aren't a good fit.
What we offer at Gfarms
At Gfarms we offer Grass fed beef sold in 1/8's 1/4's and 1/2's delivered straight to your freezer!
We also Host flower cutting events for you and your family/friends to come down and have some great unplugged outdoor time. We will also direct you to the local orchard where you can go and have icecream or pick berries.
What i have learned this week
I learned that you have to have strong mentality when unexpected problems occur and not automatically freak out. It is better to ind a solution and then put that solution into practice rather than staying in the moment and getting nowhere at all.
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What i have learned this week
I learned many things one of them being sometimes it if faster to work slower than it is to work fast.
I learned this when I clogged the bailer and I spent about 30 minutes unclogging it.
My Book
Right now I am reading the book "raving fans" It is about delivering great customer service and having your customer sell your product for you.
What we offer at Gfarms
At Gfarms we offer Grass fed beef sold in 1/8's 1/4's and 1/2's delivered straight to your freezer!
We also Host flower cutting events for you and your family/friends to come down and have some great unplugged outdoor time. We will also direct you to the local orchard where you can go and have icecream or pick berries.
]]>Hello, my name is Boston Hundley! I am pursuing a bachelor's degree in animal science at Oklahoma State University. GO POKES! I enjoy spending time outdoors with my friends and/or animals, reading, drawing, and fishing. I adore Jesus Christ and love my family! No matter what happens in life I know I have been truly blessed. My dream job would be to be able to use horses and ranch life as a form of therapy for foster kids.
Lessons I’ve learned in a week:
At the time of writing this, I have only worked three days as an intern. On the first day and third day, I went out with Willie on some beef deliveries. He taught me the importance of customer service and what it means to add value to your products. On the second day, I joined the other interns out at the hay fields to learn how to run the tractors and equipment. All the equipment and terminology were foreign to me at first but by the end of it, I started to feel much more comfortable shifting gears and adjusting the PTO speed.
The Fanatical Prospector
For my first month of reading, I have been assigned “Fanatical Prospecting,” by Jeb Blount. I have only read the first chapter which introduces the idea of the super salesman. The super salesman is part of the top 20% of his coworkers and yet they make up around 80% of the sales. Well, Jeb accounts all of their success to their ability to prospect constantly. To consistently be on the top of your class, there are no breaks to the job. It is teaching me that everything is an opportunity.
Personal growth:
To be completely honest I was nervous about taking on this internship. I have little experience when it comes to the business side of agriculture and even less concerning the operation of farm equipment like tractors. Nonetheless, despite any anxieties the Lord has been faithful to me. I already feel as though I have learned so much and am excited to see what the rest of this internship experience has to offer.
]]>Hopefully my small tips can help!
]]>Even though classes just began, I am already writing down important dates, and staying organized so I can stay on top of my schoolwork and not fall behind. I haven't read this week like I would've liked to but I am getting myself back in a routine so I will catch up soon! One of my favorite organizations I am apart of is Paradigm and I was so excited to go back this week and get to worship with my friends again. I am excited for what this year has in store, and using what I learned this summer to help me along the way!
]]>Being 1% better each day can be applied to anything, whether that be my studies or personally as I go through school. This will help me grow and be a light to those around me as I am improving in some aspect every day. The quote, "When you think you are done make one more call" doesn't have to be applied to business but to life. For example when I am studying or doing homework, when I feel like I am done it's important to keep going even for 5 more minutes. While this may not seem like a big difference, small changes make big improvements and just 5 more minutes of studying could really help me on test day. Lastly, during my time here I've been reading 10 minutes everyday on personal growth and I can see a big improvement in myself from the time I started. I am confident in what I am doing, but still have room for improvement, I know how to handle situations on my own and know when I should ask for help. My communication is also something I have really grown in. Starting out making phone calls and talking to people was not something I did very often, but now I know how to and it's something I would say I enjoy. This internship has really helped me and I'm excited to take what I've learned back to college and in the future.
]]>In one of the last chapters, I saw the question, "How bad do you want it"? This is something I have to ask myself when I have a goal I want to achieve that is getting hard. For example, becoming a veterinarian is my career goal, and school will be tough. This is also one of the thing's that I have to ask myself, "How bad do you want it, " because I know what I have to do to get there and how to do it, I just have to push through and work at achieving it.
This book has really helped me apply what I'm learning to the business, but also my personal life and I am only here for a couple more weeks, but I look forward to starting my next one.
]]>A hay field is a refuge for a variety of animals ranging from the smallest of mice to the big, stout deer that find leisure in the grass. Containing a food chain, hay fields house herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, predators, invasive species, and more! One of the more common animals that sure do take advantage of the hay season are the Cattle Egrets. Mostly distinguished by their white coat with a tint of gold that races along their wings and the back of their head. With their pronounced beaks and lanky legs, they perch around the hay fields searching for small insects or even small rodents. They are called "Cattle Egrets" because they are seen standing either standing on the cattle or behind them as they graze, the disturbance that the cattle cause when they graze makes insects flee. The insects cause a feeding frenzy for these birds. Mowing these fields causes more of a disturbance than the cattle, so you can see a great flock of these birds follow you as you mow.
The first day I was mowing a hay field, I noticed, of course the Cattle Egrets but also the hundreds of mice that took shelter in the grass. Almost every few yards of mowing, I would see a couple of mice flee. In response to this, some of the hawks and predatory birds started to scope the area. It was a blissful view seeing nature be active in such a way. These predatory birds would sit on top of the mesquite trees and wait as still as they could to get some dinner. Some moments passed by and in my peripheral vision I noticed something rustling out of some brush. It was a female coyote. Now this coyote was unbothered by the noise and rumbling of the tractor, she stuck around the whole time I was there. She would, at times, get remarkably close to the tractor without hesitation. I guess this coyote wanted mice for dinner as well. By the end of the day, the sun setting, the hay field became a calm, rested, sea of serenity. All the animals went back to their homes, and nothing was left but cut grass, serving as a reminder that Mother Nature will always progress and keep providing for us.
]]>This week in Fanatical Prospecting, I have read the importance of using your phone to reach potential customers. I have also learned that your attitude and how others see you matters, you want to be happy and energetic about what you are selling and that is what customers see when they talk to you. Even if it's over the phone, they can tell if you want to be there. Having a good attitude is really important when going about your day, because you can then accomplish a lot and others will see how you hold yourself when dealing with a lot of stress and pressure. As an intern, I have responsibilities and tasks I have to get done. I am still working on time management with G Farms and my online summer class, but I have learned a lot about how to better handle it and get important tasks done first and make a list for my day. While I just started this, I can see an improvement in what I accomplish in a day and what I put at the top of the list the next day.
]]>So now it's my turn. I got to go on deliveries for the first time. I learned about talking to customers, over the phone and in person. I also learned about the beef side of the company, how to handle the beef, how to store it in the customers freezer. This teaches you a lot about respect, and customer service. Both of those come from making the phone calls, and having to go into someone's house. If you aren't respectful of the customer, whether its in there house or over the phone. That puts out a bad message. But if you are using those interactions to create a new relationship the whole interaction will be different, whether it's on the phone or in person.
The book I'm reading is called "Raving Fans," by Ken Blanchard and Shelton Bowels, it's a book on how to better your customer service. I have learned a lot and it's only my third day reading. My biggest take away right now is "It's the little things that count". If you want a store that serves coffee with a warm welcome when you walk in, you make that happen. If you want to have the nicest bathrooms in town, you do it. When the little details that the customer see's is what your care about the customer service will show.
]]>Throughout these few weeks I've been here I have been reading, "Fanatical Prospecting". I like this book for a few different reasons, it talks about how if you want something in life, business, and even sales you have to get up and work for it yourself. Nothing in life will be handed to you, so it's important to be able to write down goals and do what it takes to obtain it. The book also talks about the many different aspects that go into customer service and I see these in our day to day with customers.
I have also delivered a few half orders and have learned that they are meant for families of 5 or more. If you have a smaller family and order the half the quality of the beef will start to diminish after 10-12 months and it may start to taste like the freezer. We take pride in the quality of our beef and when we see you have ordered the half we will ask how many you are feeding to help you choose the package that will be best for your family.
]]>Once in Mineola, I learned how to do all the paperwork that comes with the process. We are always the first in the mornings, so it is the easiest for us to keep up with our tags. These tags help us keep track of our deliveries and the amount of beef we can use on one trip. It's important to know that the carcass was dry aged for 3 weeks. After the paperwork, we get our beef in many boxes that includes all the cuts of meat and we start to separate the cuts into coolers. It is crucial to make sure that you have the exact amount of cuts equally into each cooler. I felt more confident as I got to see how the whole process unravel. Making sure that I had each cooler matched with all the other coolers and separating special orders can be very challenging, but you have to stay focused and keep count in your head as you do the job.
What I learned from my first trip is that you have to always pay attention to every single detail.
]]>As I go back to school, I am going to use what I've learned so far in this internship and apply it to my daily life and strive to achieve my goals personally and academically. With a heavy course load I know I may have challenges, but I won't let them distract me from where I will be in the long run. I am really looking forward to coming back and seeing what else this internship has in store for me!
]]>As of right now, I am set to graduate Undergrad December 2024. As a Pre-Vet major this means I will be going to Vet School Spring 2025 right after graduation. I have been doing research on which vet schools I will be applying to and there is only 32 in the U.S., which may seem like a lot but it is not. I figured out that if the application process is a year long process, I will have to apply next Spring semester which is crazy to think about just going into my 2nd semester. Although this may seem very fast to me, it's because I thought smarter in high school by taking so many dual credit courses, so I wouldn't have to go to college for 8 full years. Whenever I get in my head and start to get overwhelmed with it all, I just remember it will all be worth it in the long run once I graduate Vet School and and one step closer to my goal of owning my own practice.
]]>Delivering the vision plus one stood out to me because it means that once we know what the vision is for the situation, you have to go beyond the minimum and deliver the extra effort and service that others may not. I also found the quote above very unique because it is something I have grown up hearing from my parents since I was younger, worded differently. They always tell my brother and I not to be followers, but to be leaders. This quote worded it in a way that stuck out to me and made me think about what my parents have told me all these years.
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