Country Living Olympics Water Bucket Filling

Chuck Zimmerman

Country Living Olympics Water Bucket FillingWater Bucket Filling would not be my favorite chore out on the farm but it’s just one of those things you have to do. I prefer taking pictures of other people doing it for competition.

I can’t even remember the exact details of how this one worked but you had to run back and forth moving water from one tub to another and it was timed event.

You can watch this girl in action on YouTube if you’d like:

By the way, if you want to subscribe to my YouTube videos so you’ll automatically know when I’ve added a new one then use this link. I’ve got 92 videos in my account that have been collectively viewed about 100,000 times so far.

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Video

Behind The Scenes at Drake & Company

Chuck Zimmerman

Steve DrakeIf you know Steve Drake then you know he likes to work in the background. In fact, after taking about 500 pictures at the Country Living Association activities last week none of them have Steve in it.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t get to talk to Steve though. His company, Drake & Company, is an accredited association management firm. Basically they are the staff and headquarters for several national organizations like the National Christmas Tree Association and Alpha Zeta. Of course the Country Living Association is one of those too.

Steve says that everyone is looking at this rural lifestyle market and trying to figure out how to reach it. He said that he saw a need for an organization to bring the community together. So how large is the market? Steve says he hears figures of from 2 to 20 million people. When I asked him how the CLA is marketing itself to reach this market he says that right now they’ve been working with their corporate partners and doing promotions and publicity.

As the CLA grows it’s obvious to me that the organization itself will become a viable way to reach out to the rural lifestyle market. That’s why if you’re not a sponsor now you might want to consider becoming one.

You can listen to my interview with Steve here: cla-07-drake.mp3

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Audio

Zimfo Bites

Melissa Sandfort

  • A complete series of “new generation” disc mowers — designed for today’s tougher mowing conditions, increased acres and faster cutting speeds — has just recently been introduced by Vermeer. New Vermeer® 40-Series Disc Mowers are available in four different sized models and feature heavy-duty gearbox housing, increased cast material, self-contained cutting disks, Quick-Clip® Blade Retention System and new, wider skids.
  • John Deere announces that it is now providing its dealers with the capability to upload their used equipment inventories directly from a dealer’s John Deere inventory system to eBay. This new capability will allow dealers to list their used agricultural and lawn and garden equipment on eBay, from the same system that they also use to list their used equipment inventories on Deere’s used equipment Web site, in Google Product Search and partner Web sites.
  • Now producers, veterinarians and nutritionists can receive timely industry analysis, news and commentary through BeefCast™, a new podcast that can be accessed easily on the Internet or via an iPod. Each week, three 10- to 15-minute programs, which feature experts’ comments on beef production, industry issues and other wide-ranging topics, are produced. BeefCast podcasts are sponsored exclusively by Elanco Animal Health, hosted by Ned Arthur of Truffle Media Networks and made available free to listeners. More than 80 previously recorded programs already are available at www.BeefCast.com.
Zimfo Bytes

Country Living Olympics Hay Scramble

Chuck Zimmerman

Country Living Olympics Hay ScrambleNot all of the competitors at the Country Living Olympics were big people. Take this competition for example. The Hay Scramble was just that and the dust was flying.

These little dynamos were searching for $1 dollar coins. I think there were a couple hundred dollars worth hidden under the hay pile. They got to keep what they found.

You can watch them in action on YouTube if you’d like:

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Video

Living in the Fastline

Chuck Zimmerman

Matt ConiglioOne of the corporate partners of the Country Living Association is Fastline Publications. On hand at the Country Living Outlook Conference was Matt Coniglio, National Account Manager.

Matt says that he came with two messages. For one thing their current national publication is reaching over 300,000 people who would be considered rural lifestylers.

He also said that next year they’ll be rolling out a whole new concept with a publication aimed much more locally starting with the Louisville market. I know we heard from country living people at the conference that they “buy local.” Sounds like Fastline may be on to something.

You can listen to my interview with Matt here: cla-07-coniglio.mp3

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Audio, Publication

Country Living Olympics Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Country Living Olympics WinnersHere’s the winners of the first ever Country Living Olympics.

The competition included:

Cake Baking, sponsored by Nationwide Agribusiness and Allied Insurance. Winner: Amy Murphy, Kansas
Feed Bag Moving, sponsored by Land O’Lakes Purina Feed. Winner: Male: Josh, Hope, Kansas, Female: Alicia Rigden, New London, Iowa, 18 contestants
Lawn-mower Backing, sponsored by John Deere. Winner: Male: Barry, Clinton, Missouri, Female: Jennifer, Fontanta, Kansas, 12 contestants
Pie Baking, sponsored by Living the Country Life. Winner: Kayla, Olathe, Kansas
Steel Post Driving, sponsored by Tractor Supply Company. Winner: Male: Josh, Hope, Kansas, Female: Jennifer, Fontana, Kansas, 16 contestants
Water Bucket Filling, sponsored by Fastline Publications. Winner: Male: Brandon, Kansas City, Missouri, Female: Alicia, New London, Iowa, 18 contestants
Hay Scramble, sponsored by Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.

Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see them back next year.

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Uncategorized

Feed Bag Moving Competition

Chuck Zimmerman

Feed Bag MovingThe first annual Country Living Olympics took place this afternoon here at the American Royal complex and it was a big success. The competition was fierce.

This guy was actually the winner of the feed bag moving competition. Contestants had to move 10 feed bags from one pallet to another and the person who did it fastest won.

You can see pictures of all the action in the photo album.

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Uncategorized

PBR at Kemper Arena

Chuck Zimmerman

PBR RiderOur after hours entertainment at the Country Living Association activities was the PBR Bull Riding Competition in Kemper Arena. It’s hard to get a good stop motion picture from up in a suite but I tried.

These guys are just plain crazy. It’s one thing to be walking through a pasture and get chased by a bull or to be working them in a cattle operation. It’s quite another to get up on top of one on purpose.

It was fun to watch though and I think there’s more tonight. I kept looking around for a Pabst Blue Ribbon but didn’t find any. I guess that’s not part of the branding for the event.

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Uncategorized

Wrapping Up The Country Living Outlook Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Country Living AssociationCourtney Yuskis, pictured here on the right of some of the corporate partners of the Country Living Association, gave some closing remarks at the Country Living Outlook Conference that included a summary of the organization’s first year to date.

They started on January 1 and have over 11,000 members. She says that CLA is meant to be a community for like-minded people who share a passion for country living. They’ve held three clinics so far in three states with two more coming up next month. They’re working on developing their website so that it will be the authoritative site for country living information.

She also thanked the founding sponsors and corporate partners which include: Nationwide Agribusiness and Allied Insurance, John Deere, Fastline Publications, Land O’ Lakes, Purina Feed, Tractor Supply Company, PBI Gordon, Farm Safety 4 Just Kids and official publication, Living The Country Life.

You can listen to Courtney’s closing comments here: cla-07-courtney-close.mp3

This may be Courtney’s wrapup comments but I’ve got more to come from the Country Living Activities so keep your eyes and ears open.

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

Audio

LPC Had a Successful Gala

Chuck Zimmerman

Diane JohnsonLast night the Livestock Publications Council held their annual Gala at the American Royal and it was a big success with attendance well above last year. Diane Johnson did her usual excellent job of making sure that everyone had a good time.

I was there for a while and will post some pictures of the LPC Headliner and Hall of Fame inductees when I get some more information from Diane.

Pictures from the event are also in the photo set I’m working on for the Country Living Association.

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

LPC