CALF_News_December_2019_January_2020

36 CALF News • December 2019 | January 2020 • www.calfnews.net 12 youth. By purchasing a behind-the- scenes experience, buyers, or “partners,” are able to be involved with the youth at whatever level they would like to get to know them and their project. The ulti- mate goal for each buyer is to learn more about how food is raised. rience with Chase from now until Stock Show,” Hasbrouck says. The experience ends in January with an opportunity for the partner to come watch the youth show their animal at the NWSS for a “ring-side” experience. But in reality, the hope is that this is just the beginning of a relationship between the partner and the youth. “Ultimately, we want to help young people create relationships with people they may never have gotten a chance to create a relationship with,” explains Don Thorn, Colorado FFA Foundation executive director.“Because the partner and youth work together and commu- nicate for a couple months between the event and NWSS, the relationships start to run deeper.” The eventual goal on the youth side is to lead them to a career, and Thorn hopes this relationship benefits the student. “The impact of this event has a lot of layers, but the ultimate layer is this will lead to a relationship or a career for our students, beyond the animal and beyond the food,” Thorn concludes. “What we get out of this experience as a partner is helping young kids continue to network in agriculture, communicate with business leaders and give them the additional funds for further education,” Hasbrouck adds. While only 12 partners won the expe- riences, more than 350 people attended the event and had the opportunity to interact and get a glimpse into how protein is raised. Guests were also able to taste the protein that the youth were producing. Four chefs provided 12 entrées, including beef, pork, lamb and goat. Attendees tasted the food prepared by these award-winning chefs and voted on a People’s Choice Award for their favorite entrée. Chef Sammy Soliman and his team from the Renaissance Hotel in Denver won the award with his delicious, protein-packed entrées. Hannah Ross, marketing manager for 4Rivers Equipment, is excited to support this event because it connects back to an experience with the youth. They won experiences with Madison and Sara, as well as another participant, Corbin Jagers, McClave, Colo. MEAT AND GREET Continued from page 33 “The Meat and Greet is incredible to get a true-taste of Colorado,” Ross says. “Starting with the meat itself, and then knowing that local talent is preparing it on a professional, culinary level is such a cool experience. What’s even better, is that you get to converse with grow- ers about their animals. These kids and families are passionate about what they do and how they care for their animals.” FFA had a presence with the Colorado FFA state officers in attendance, guid- ing guests around and helping take bids at the auction. Also, many nearby and urban FFA-chapter students attended, helping chefs serve food and interacting with guests. Thorn was very pleased with the high- energy atmosphere and outcome of the event. In total, the auction raised more than $65,000 for youth scholarships and programs. They also conducted a paddle raise where guests were asked support FFA and other students across Colorado in any agriculture endeavor. Funds raised from this event not only go toward scholarships, they help fund the robust grant program for students to have supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs), a work-based-learning grant program, to help students statewide. Watch for the final article of this three-part series in the next CALF News , which will reveal how relation- ships grew between youth exhibitors and their partners during their behind-the- scenes experience.  Youth participant Corbin Jagers visits about his goat with the event’s auctioneer, Kurt Campbell. Madison Crider answers questions about her lamb for Meat and Greet guests. “After someone buys the experience, it’s really up to them how involved they want to be with us,” Madison says. “Some buyers come out to the farm where they can see how animals are raised and learn more from the youth. Others might just stay in communica- tion between now and the NWSS to keep up-to-date on what we are doing with our projects.” Jay Hasbrouck, Double J Meat Packing and Double J Lamb, Pierce, Colo., has been involved with the Meat and Greet since its inception and has donated the lamb for the cook-off por- tion of the event all three years. “My whole family enjoys the experi- ence at the National Western grounds,” Hasbrouck says.“While you enjoy the cook-off and sample all the great food, you get to meet and visit with the participants who will be showing their livestock at the National Western this coming January.” Double J was the winning bidder for Chase Williams.“We bid on several kids but were glad to win and share the expe-