New Mexico Cowbells Jingle Jangle
by Dalene Hodnett & Members
Are You Tired Yet?
Issue Fatigue iSHoo/ fəˈ’teg/ (noun) extreme tiredness of a particular topic.
I know it’s exhausting. Between your children, ailing parents, and
4-H/FFA/Church responsibilities, and oh ya – the ranch, it’s hard to find time to be politically involved. Plus is feels like your one comment, presentation, post, letter to the editor, or tweet couldn’t possibly make a difference. It’s easy to get cynical and decide that it’s all pre-determined by the powers that be and we just throw our hands in the air and say “Forget It!”
But that’s defeatist thinking and defeatists didn’t win the West, or raise good children, so let’s get busy. Let’s be encouraged by the “wins” we’ve been a part of. Remember when the Labor Department wanted to regulate how many hours our kids could work on the ranch and which chores they could do? We raised a fuss and got that proposal killed in a hurry. Your comments and calls to lawmakers make all the difference in the world. Or, last year when the New Mexico Legislature wanted to outlaw trapping including barn mice? You quickly shot that down. And more recently when you mounted an effective campaign against the EPA’s proposed “Waters of the U.S” rule that checked the federal government’s overreach? Your activism is making a difference.
But let’s say you are tired of constantly being on top of the issues, here’s a suggestion I heard from a law maker I admire (really!). Pick an issue. Just one issue that affects your family, ranch or farm, and then become an expert in it. Make it your cause célèbre. Post about it on your Facebook page, create a Google alert about it (www.google.com/alerts) so you are instantly notified anytime something happens with “your” issue. Become the go-to-gal for that issue. Local reporters will know who to call when it comes up. You can give updates on it at CowBelle meetings. Your county commissioner will call you to come testify at the county council meeting. You will own it! And too, you’ll make a valuable contribution to our agricultural community while not being overwhelmed.
Speaking of owning an issue, how many of you have become Dietary Guidelines experts? Then you’ll know that the deadline for comment has been extended to May 8th. Please go here www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2015/comments/writeComments.aspx and explain why BEEF is part of a healthy diet and should be included in USDA’s nutrition recommendations.
While you’re online you can jog over to www.newmexicocowbelles.org and take a look at our new website. It could use some tender loving care so if you’re a web design kind of person looking for an issue, feel free to volunteer! Thank you ladies, and I’m looking forward to seeing you at the District workshops where we’ll continue to Make a Difference for BEEF!
– Dalene
575-649-0917
dalene.hodnett@gmailcom
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 13 – Silver Spur, Cimarron
April 14 – Otero, Alamogordo
Executive Committee Meeting – April 14 at 7:00 in Lordsburg
April 15 – Tobosa, Lordsburg
April 16 – Chamiza, T or C
May 27-28 – Women in Ag Leadership Conference / Albuquerque
June 14-16 – NMCGA, NMWGI, NMFLC, NMCB Mid-Year Meeting / Ruidoso
Mark these dates on your calendar and we look forward to seeing you there!
Just a quick update on the Dietary Guidelines issue we covered last month. Sure enough the committee drafting the nutrition recommendations caved to the environmentalist lobby and submitted a proposal that left out any mention of lean meat and its nutritional benefits. This is such an important issue for us and will have far reaching impacts on beef demand if lean meat is removed from the dietary guidelines. As we discussed before, the guidelines dictate the contents of school lunches, WIC and SNAP benefits, and puts a notion in the consumer’s mind that beef is not healthy. Please go here to comment http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2015/comments/writeComments.aspx
The current deadline for comments is April 8, so share your story about the nutritional benefits of beef – quickly. Thank you ladies, and I’m looking forward to seeing you at the District workshops where we’ll continue to Make a Difference for BEEF!
– Dalene Hodnett, President, New Mexico CowBelles
Chamiza CowBelles March 5, 2015 – Before meeting, a short session to work on a project for upcoming district meeting occurred. The meeting was called to order at 11:40 a.m. by President Gloria Petersen at the home of Jodell Downs. There were nine members present. Minutes from the previous meeting were read and the treasurer’s report was given; both approved. Cathy reported Bank of the Southwest said group can avoid being charged a monthly service fee if sign up to have statement sent via email. The recipient has to be a signer on the accounts. Gloria agreed to receive the e-statements. Robbie and Cathy will audit the treasurer’s books on March 9. Cathy read a letter she sent to all locals’ presidents inviting them to district meeting. The remainder of the meeting was spent deciding on a menu and other details for the district meeting. A number of items have been gathered for goody bags. It was decided to bring all the items to next meeting, pack the goody bags, and leave them at Jodell’s. Therefore next meeting, April 2, will also be held at Jodell’s. Bring finger foods and/or desserts. Meeting adjourned at 12:50 p.m.Submitted by Cathy Pierce
The Frisco CowBelles February meeting was held on the 16th. Group continued working on the plans for the Fourth of July Barbecue; Brisket dinner and dance. The group had a discussion on the Scholarship. The applications will be sent out to the schools soon. The Father’s Day picnic will be on Sunday, June 21. Bring own beef dish and a pot luck dish. Respectfully submitted by Martha A. Stewart, Secretary Frisco CowBelles
Grant County Copper CowBelles March 10, 2015 – The regular monthly meeting was called to order by first Vice President, Courtney Sewell. The February minutes were approved as well as the Treasurer’s report. There was discussion and planning of the upcoming Shindig dinner dance. Lori and Kathy are finalizing the table decorations, the decorated hat contest and derby race contest were outlined and committee chairs appointed. Kim had the tickets ready for distribution to the members for sale along with posters. Pat announced that the Gierharts have framed and donated Shoofly prints for the scholarship part of the silent auction again this year. She will prepare a press release with a picture of the print. Registration forms were passed out for the District III meeting to be held in Lordsburg in April and McKeen Ranch Days dates were announced as April 21-22. Volunteers are needed for those two days. It was decided to make a donation to the Pat Nowlin Scholarship in memory of two members that passed recently, Dee Johnson and Helen Paterson. It was decided to hold the next meeting in April on Tuesday, the 7th instead of the 14th to give more time for last minute Shindig changes. Submitted by Pat Hunt.
President Carolyn Chance convened the March 10, 2015 meeting of the Chuckwagon CowBelles at 10:30 a.m. Carolyn Chance asked Lindsey Hovden to serve as Secretary for the March meeting. The group welcomed Joyce Shaw’s guest, Carol Schwenn. The group also welcomed Welda Grider as a new member, bringing members in attendance to 21 . . . BLACKJACK! Minutes of the February 10, 2015 meeting were approved as read. Vera Gibson served as Secretary for that meeting. Treasurer Vera Gibson gave a report and it was approved. It was decided to have “pass the hat” donations split chronologically with the amount collected from March 2015 through August of this year earmarked for FFA, and the amount from September 2015 through February 2016 to be donated to Horses for Heroes. Contact Carolyn Chance if would like further information on either. The District I meeting is April 16, 2015 in Elephant Butte. Registration is due by April 10, 2015. The Pat Nowlin Scholarship Application is due by April 15, 2015. Information was sent by Anne Ferguson, Chairman. Information sent was passed around to all members. Lyn Greene distributed new pages for the 2015 member’s information to all attending. She will mail copies to members who were not there. Chuckwagon CowBelles April 14, 2015 meeting will be held at the Farm Credit of NM Office: 5651 Balloon Fiesta Parkway NE, Albuquerque. Phone number is 505/884.1048, at 10:30 a.m. Max Wade, founder of Pumpkin Patch will be the speaker. Lunch will follow at the Sandia Casino Buffet – cost $10.95 each. Following adjournment the group enjoyed a program on tin work given by local artist Ann Ravenstone. Donations of were collected at this meeting to support FFA. Respectfully submitted, Lindsey Hovden Acting Secretary
The meeting of the Otero CowBelles was held on March 5, 2015, at 11:40 a.m., at Pepper’s Grill, the President (Linda Lee) and Secretary (Kelly Knight) present. There were 17 members present and four guests, Grant, Rafe, Cord, and Cal Wold. The report of the Treasurer was received and placed on file. Estelle reported that two receipts for bills were received including a bill for the bags for the District IV CowBelles Workshop and a bill for $32.82 from Debi Rupe for expenses of the cooking demo at Mountain View Middle School. It was decided “to pay the $32.82 bill received from Debi”. It was decided to proceed to change bank institutions from Bank ’34 to Western Bank. The birthdays for the month of March were announced, the nomination deadline for Man of the Year is March 15, Roundhouse Feed March 19, and National Ag Day is March 18 and Debi suggested a group from Otero CowBelles go to a radio station on that date. On April 10 the NM Beef Ambassador Contest will be held in Las Cruces and Debi proposed to attend the contest in Las Cruces to show support. Debi reported that the cooking demo conducted at Mountain View Middle School had to be grilled in the oven due to weather. The student appreciated the cooking demonstration and the school Vice Principal was in attendance. A health fair will be held at Chaparral Middle School on March 27 and an event at Oregon Elementary school from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Three hundred and fifty brochures of the many professions it takes to be a rancher are needed. Debi distributed an email from Dalene Hodnett, NM CowBelles President, which is encouraging members to go to the dietary guidelines website by April 8 and submit comments and ask for an extension on the deadline in regards to lean beef being removed from the dietary guidelines. A report on the planning of the District IV CowBelles Workshop was provided. Debi sent postcards to those without an email account. Madalynn Lee has bottled water for the workshop, Lowe’s will donate fruit and cheese, Ruth will prepare cinnamon rolls, Bobby Harkey will create cupcake bouquets, and Pat Jones will prepare nametags and has items for the bags. Otero CowBelles must pay for the hotel rooms of the state officers. The ANCW Region VI meeting will be held in Tucson, AZ April 2 through May 1. The Women in Ag Leadership Conference is May 27-28, 2015 in Albuquerque. Estelle distributed a list of display items which are needed for Kids, Kows, and More by May 1st. Connie Dembrowsky donated 500 color copies of beef by-products. It was decided that “Pepper’s Grill will be the location of the monthly Otero CowBelles meetings”. Barbara Wagner recommended everyone read the article by Mr. Duton in the recent issue of NM Stockman and Linda Lee encouraged everyone to check out the www.protecttheharvest.com website. The meeting adjourned at 12:27 p.m. Submitted by Kelly Knight, Secretary
New Mexico CowBelles: Thank you to all who have submitted their news to Jingle Jangle. Please send minutes and/or newsletters to: Jingle Jangle, Janet Witte, 1860 Foxboro Ct., Las Cruces, NM 88007, or email: janetwitte@msn.com the 14th of each month.