AgWired

Commodity Classic Student blogger Margy Fischer, sponsored by Monsanto

I’ve come down from the clouds of my in-flight nap and am happy to report that I am in California!

I go to school almost 800 miles away from home, so I have flown quite a bit for personal reasons to go home for holidays and such, and over the past four years, I have made a consistent observation of in-flight beverage choices – people love tomato juice or ginger ale when they fly. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen such a high concentration of consumption of those two beverages unless I am on a plane. Even our cab driver on the way home from dinner chuckled when I announced what I had noticed to our group. By the way, I love being close to the coast for fresh seafood because I had a delicious dinner. So thank you again to my sponsors.

It was a long flight, and watching what people order from the flight attendant is only entertaining for so long. So I read Vanity Fair and Farm Journal and had my iPod Nano playing G. Love and Ella Fitzgerald.

The first half of my week was full of class, group meetings, and homework to catch up on before my departure, but it was nice to be on my way to California, and now that I am here I am ready to fully engage in this event!

It’s great to know that my peers back at Mizzou can keep track of my blogs on CAFNRCornerpost.com. This is a site that is completely student-driven with reporting, editing, photography and posting all done by MU Ag Journalism students.

Yesterday morning I woke up at 4 a.m. Pacific time in order to pack, attend my first class and meet my shuttle to the airport on time, and this morning won’t be an exception. It shall be a day full of events and interactions with interesting people, and I look forward to relaying the day’s events back to you.

One of the guys in charge of this whole thing is the NCGA President, Gerald Tumbleson, seen here with his wife.

Gerald says in the program that we are “ensured a first-class experience” while in Anaheim. I’m looking forward to it.

AgWired coverage of Commodity Classic is being made posssible by our good friends at New Holland.

Here’s a couple of serious soybean promoters.

Can you identify them? They have long directed some of the most active and progressive soybean associations in the country.

AgWired coverage of Commodity Classic is being made posssible by our good friends at New Holland.

As we headed in to the opening reception this evening at the convention center we were encouraged to pick up a little flashy thing and wear it.

The reception was sponsored by Syngenta and these little flashing button things say, “Knowledge, Trust, Service and Presence” and of course, Syngenta.

By wearing them around the trade show somehow you’re eligible to win a chance at one of six $50 gift certificates at Bass Pro Shops. I’m game. There’s a new store not far from where I live.

AgWired coverage of Commodity Classic is being made posssible by our good friends at New Holland.

The first stop this afternoon was the media room to get checked in.

They have lots of ethernet cables set up this year and wireless. We should be in good shape and I know we’ll be in good hands.

Thanks to the staff at both NCGA and ASA for providing us with a nice place to base out of.

AgWired coverage of Commodity Classic is being made posssible by our good friends at New Holland.

Well it is currently 10:00p.m. here in California which means to me it is midnight back in Illinois. I am exhausted after a day full of traveling but super excited that I am finally in California! The first comment I have to make is I am extremely disappointed that they have discontinued the snack on the airplane. I was sitting in O’Hare waiting for my flight to board and pondering whether or not to buy a snack for the plane. Well of course I didn’t because they give you the granola bar and/or peanuts during the flight, right? Wrong! Despite the lack of a snack I had a great flight and landed in sunny California this afternoon. It was my very first time seeing palm trees and they didn’t let me down. I took lots of pictures. I checked into my hotel room and waited for the rest of the crew to arrive. Everybody loves Raymond is a very good show by the way.
We just returned from a wonderful meal from The Catch, a restaurant a few blocks away. It was a great meal, but I was so tired I almost fell asleep in my food. I’m going to bed in a few minutes but let me first tell you what some of the plans are for tomorrow. At 7:30 a.m. I will be attending the FFA breakfast meeting/press conference. In the afternoon we will be going to the opening ceremony of the Commodity Classic Trade Show which includes a performance by Michael Martin Murphey. The day will be concluded with the DEKALB and ASGROW NCGA yield contest winner event. It should be a great day to start off the 2006 Commodity Classic. See you tomorrow!