Speaker 1: Welcome to the Growing Our Future podcast.
Speaker 1: In this show, the Texas FFA Foundation will take on a journey of exploration into agricultural science, education, leadership development and insights from subject matter experts and sponsors who provide the fuel to make dreams come true.
Speaker 1: Here's your host, Aaron Alejandro.
Speaker 2: Well, good morning, good afternoon, good evening or whenever you may be tuning in to the Growing Our Future podcast.
Speaker 2: You know we just love bringing this podcast to you and we appreciate the fact that you're taking a little time out of your day to join us, to meet our guests and to maybe gain some insights from what they share with us.
Speaker 2: You know, I'm an ag guy and I always tell people that if agriculture has taught me anything, it's taught me this If you want to know what the future is, grow it Well.
Speaker 2: How do you grow a future?
Speaker 2: What the future is, grow it Well.
Speaker 2: How do you grow a future?
Speaker 2: Well, you got to have the right genetics, you got to plant the right seeds, you got to take care of it and then one day you got to harvest it, you got to share it.
Speaker 2: And I like to tell people that FFA and 4-H you know our country and state have three vital and renewable resources it's agriculture, youth and leadership.
Speaker 2: And our guest today represents all three of those.
Speaker 2: And I am so excited to have this young man on this podcast because I'm going to tell you something At a very early age, he's already made a brand for himself, a brand for his cattle and, more importantly, he's pouring into other people, that he's inspiring those older than him and he's also encouraging them younger than him.
Speaker 2: Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to introduce Baxter Whitworth.
Speaker 2: Baxter, thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, I'm glad to.
Speaker 2: Are you ready?
Speaker 3: Oh yes, sir, I'm ready to dive in.
Speaker 2: Okay, let's dive in.
Speaker 2: So Baxter's going to tell us a little bit here about his cattle company and a little bit about his journey.
Speaker 2: But, baxter, I like to start every podcast off by giving a little thanks, by showing a little appreciation and gratitude, because I think people that show appreciation and gratitude are happier people.
Speaker 2: They look at the world differently and they see things differently.
Speaker 2: So, baxter, what are you thankful for today?
Speaker 2: What are you grateful for today?
Speaker 3: There's so many to start with.
Speaker 3: I mean, I'm so grateful for my family.
Speaker 3: Most of all, I'm grateful for our Savior, who died on the cross for us.
Speaker 3: I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in agriculture to show cattle and to speak to people.
Speaker 3: I'm grateful that we live in America, we're safe and that we have agriculture producing food for us.
Speaker 3: I think all those are really things that we all should be grateful for.
Speaker 2: Man.
Speaker 2: Okay, we can stop now you don't have to say anymore.
Speaker 2: That was good.
Speaker 2: By the way, baxter, I agree with you.
Speaker 2: Everything that you just said I agree with.
Speaker 2: I am so thankful that I live in this country where I can choose what I want to eat, what sports I want to play, what I listen to, what foods I eat, whether or not I want to go to church or not.
Speaker 2: Think about it.
Speaker 2: I get to choose everything that I want to do.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, that is a blessing.
Speaker 2: And then, like you said, then I get to do that with my family.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, and then, on top of that, I get to do it with things that I enjoy, like agriculture, of that.
Speaker 2: I get to do it with things that I enjoy, like agriculture.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So thank you, man.
Speaker 2: The opportunities, that's good.
Speaker 2: How old are you, baxter?
Speaker 2: Tell everybody how old you are 13.
Speaker 2: 13 years old, yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So I just want you to know at this point in time, you are the youngest guest on the Growing Our Future podcast.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, that's exciting.
Speaker 2: It is exciting.
Speaker 2: You know why it's going to be exciting?
Speaker 2: Because one day your mom and your dad and me and your children are going to all sit back and go.
Speaker 2: I remember when Baxter did that podcast Look how good he is and you're only going to get better and better and better.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: All right, baxter Whitworth let's talk about.
Speaker 2: At 13 years old, you sound like you're a little bit entrepreneurial.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, it sounds like you've got an idea of, maybe, where you'd like to go and what you might like to do Just my impression.
Speaker 2: So why don't you take a moment and tell us a little bit about Baxter you know what do you do in school and then tell me about this cattle company and this idea that you have about growing your cattle?
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 3: So I started Top Notch Cattle Company in 2020.
Speaker 3: I came up with the brand design myself.
Speaker 3: I'm very passionate about Brahman cattle.
Speaker 3: I really enjoy raising them and I really enjoy selling things, especially if it has to do with cattle and semen.
Speaker 2: And so why cattle?
Speaker 2: Why not sheep, goats, swine?
Speaker 2: I'm just curious.
Speaker 2: I mean, you've got this affinity for cattle, why cattle?
Speaker 3: Well, I mean cattle are I just have a passion for cattle.
Speaker 3: That's what I've always had.
Speaker 3: I'm raised I've been raised on a beef cattle ranch.
Speaker 3: My parents own a commercial a commercial operation.
Speaker 3: I'm raised I've been raised on a beef cattle ranch.
Speaker 3: My parents own a commercial a commercial operation.
Speaker 3: Now I'm starting a registered ramen operation.
Speaker 3: I've always loved cattle.
Speaker 3: That's just where my passion is at.
Speaker 2: Okay, by the way, you know, let me tell you my grandson.
Speaker 2: He's eight years old.
Speaker 2: You know what I told him?
Speaker 2: I told him you know why I like beef so much?
Speaker 2: And he said no.
Speaker 2: I said because beef eats grass and turns it into steak, and I think that's pretty cool.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, I'm a big fan of beef.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, so you decided to go down this path of raising cattle.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Okay, so why of all the breeds?
Speaker 2: So you've identified species.
Speaker 2: So there's different species, but you, you decided on beef.
Speaker 2: So of all the species, why did you end up with Brahman cattle?
Speaker 3: That's a good question and a lot of people ask that question.
Speaker 3: A lot of people are like, oh, those crazy things We'll.
Speaker 3: We'll get to that part in a second.
Speaker 3: But ramen cattle I mean they're.
Speaker 3: They're great for the south, the southern united states.
Speaker 3: They do well on in harsh, hot climates.
Speaker 3: They are they're.
Speaker 3: They're known for their mothering abilities, their disease and insect resistance.
Speaker 3: It's really a win-win situation.
Speaker 3: When you look at how much money you can save on on vaccinations and protection, especially like with herfords, you know they get pink a lot.
Speaker 3: And brahmins they're.
Speaker 3: They have the pigmentation that helps keep their eyes safe.
Speaker 3: It's just one example.
Speaker 3: Okay, nothing against carp roots.
Speaker 2: Oh, I know you like all breeds because it's all beef right and we love beef.
Speaker 2: Yes, tell me about.
Speaker 2: You said something about temperament.
Speaker 3: Yes.
Speaker 2: There may be not what people think.
Speaker 3: So there's three types of Brahmin cattle.
Speaker 3: There's Brahmins that are the sweetest animals that you will come across.
Speaker 3: They're the ones that they might be on the other side of the pasture but that you come up the fence and they'll come up to you.
Speaker 3: Then there's Brimmers.
Speaker 3: They might be at the fence and when you walk up they're going to run to the other side of the pasture.
Speaker 3: And then there's bramers that, like brahmins, they can be on the other side of the pasture and come to the fence, but they're running and are going to keep plowing through the fence so if I'm a buyer, how do I make sure I buy the right one?
Speaker 3: well, I mean you.
Speaker 3: It's best to be able to go and see them in person and make sure their temperament's good and all I mean you can trust.
Speaker 3: If you trust the person that you're buying from you can, you can always ask them.
Speaker 3: You know, if you trust them and know that they're going to tell you the truth.
Speaker 2: You said something there that's pretty important.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 3: How important is trust in doing business with somebody.
Speaker 3: I think it's very important.
Speaker 3: I mean, for one day you may make.
Speaker 3: I mean there's the biblical reasons for God's told us to always be honest.
Speaker 3: But there's also, I mean you think about it, if you lie for one day, you may make more money that one day.
Speaker 3: But when it comes next year and you have a sale again, well, those people probably aren't coming back if they know that you weren't honest with them and that's not going to help you any.
Speaker 2: Do you know that?
Speaker 2: That's?
Speaker 2: You probably know that you weren't honest with them and that's that's not going to help you any.
Speaker 2: Do you know that?
Speaker 2: That's a?
Speaker 2: You probably know that, but we call that a core value.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And a core value is something that you believe inside and I would tell you that, since you brought it up, I would I would say that core values they're kind of like good genetics.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Because if you can pick good genetics, you're probably going to have good mamas and daddies in that herd.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, if you pick core values, you're probably going to be more successful at your home and your family and your business.
Speaker 3: And so that's a.
Speaker 2: That was good that you said that so trust is kind of a big deal.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, it is that you said that so trust is kind of a big deal.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, it is, it's a really big deal.
Speaker 2: Is there anything?
Speaker 2: So, at 13 years of age, when you're thinking about the next five to 10 years, where do you think food is headed?
Speaker 2: Where's cattle headed.
Speaker 2: Where do you think this whole thing's going?
Speaker 2: Where's cattle headed, where do you?
Speaker 3: think this whole thing's going?
Speaker 3: I really think that depends on how we, as the beef cattle at agriculture, the beef cattle industry and breeds as a whole, work together and how much you value pushing the whole agriculture and all and we'll just say the beef industry towards being more productive, or if you're more selfish and don't try and push everyone forward and just yourself.
Speaker 3: I think we all have to make sure and help each other get to where we need to be in terms of providing data to help others, and just if we don't help the other fellow producers in agriculture, then we're not going to be able to feed the rest of the world, just like if you have an army that doesn't.
Speaker 3: That isn't.
Speaker 3: If they don't work together, they're not going to do much, because if one person is trying to be the hero and nobody else, they're going to end up in trouble and then they've accomplished nothing.
Speaker 2: Well, you just gave us another really good seed of greatness there, Mr Baxter, and that is life is not a solo project.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, that's, very true.
Speaker 2: None of us is as strong as all of us.
Speaker 3: That's very true.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So teamwork sounds like it must be kind of's very true, yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So teamwork sounds like it must be kind of important to success.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Okay, and you've experienced that before.
Speaker 3: Oh yes, sir, there's been multiple people that have helped me get into the breed, into the beef industry, that I would not be here without whatsoever.
Speaker 2: Okay, so we have a mutual friend and it's kind of fun story.
Speaker 2: You know I haven't told you this story, but you know I take 36 teachers on a week-long leadership experience every summer.
Speaker 2: Yes, one summer we were down in the Rio Grande Valley and we stopped by this place called La Maneca Cattle Company.
Speaker 2: And teachers got to meet this guy named Carlos Guerra and Carlos told the teachers about this word, animo A, and their chapter FFA t-shirt said Animo on them.
Speaker 2: We had teachers that went back and had posters put up in their classrooms that said the word Animo.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So tell us because you're in East Texas.
Speaker 2: Okay, yes, sir, You're a long way from the Rio Grande Valley, so you're up in Northeast Texas, which is probably what 11 hours to South Texas.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, I think it's around that, somewhere around 9 to 11, I think.
Speaker 2: Yeah, somewhere in there.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: A lot of people say they go to south texas and they say they went to san antonio and I'm like oh, no, no, no, you're not in south texas yet.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir keep on going yes, sir, keep driving, keep driving so there's a man from lamaniaca down in lynn texas, carlos gar.
Speaker 2: He uses the word animo.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir Baxter, I know you know what that word is and what it means.
Speaker 2: Tell us a little bit what it means to have a little bit of animo.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 3: So first and foremost, like I said earlier, you have to be trustworthy and honest, but you also have to have passion and work ethic to be able to get stuff done and just also being respectful and helpful of other people.
Speaker 3: That that's all consumed into that one word and I think that's something that is is really important, and it's, like you said earlier, the core values, and Mr Guerra told me that when I get in college I always need to make sure I sit on the front row, so that's something that sticks with me did he tell you that nobody's ever ground in their own sweat?
Speaker 3: yes, sir, yes sir, he's told me that too yeah, he's got a lot of good one-liners yes, sir, a lot of good sayings is onimo for everybody well, unfortunately now it's, it's not being represented through everybody, but I think it should be.
Speaker 3: I mean, I think everybody should represent themselves in a way that they're being honest and respectful and have a work ethic.
Speaker 3: And I mean, nowadays, if we, if everyone did that, we would be so much further along in terms of just helping other people.
Speaker 3: We would, you would, you would see a lot less need from people if we all pitched in to help each other.
Speaker 3: I agree with you, by the way.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir I agree with you, by the way.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, did you ever hear the story of the man that was given a tour of heaven and hell so he could?
Speaker 3: select his final destination.
Speaker 2: No sir, I don't believe I've heard that story yeah, so like he got to tour both heaven and hell and first the devil jumped in there and said I get the first shot at this guy and he took him down to hell and the guy was just man.
Speaker 2: He was amazed there was this table with every kind of food imaginable.
Speaker 2: Everything you could imagine was on this table.
Speaker 2: But he noticed that the people weren't very well fed and he noticed that there wasn't any music and there wasn't any smiles, there wasn't anything that would you know really accompany such a feast.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Next stop was heaven.
Speaker 2: And he goes to heaven and as soon as he opens up the pearly gates, there's the same table and the same foods.
Speaker 2: And he's like, oh my gosh, look at this, it's the same thing, but there's a big difference.
Speaker 2: He noticed the people in heaven were happy, yes, there was music and they were well fed.
Speaker 2: And then he got to thinking about it.
Speaker 2: He noticed that when he was in hell, that the people had a six foot long fork and a six foot long knife strapped to their arms six foot long fork and a six foot long knife strapped to their arms.
Speaker 2: When he got to heaven, he saw the same six foot long fork in the same six foot long knife.
Speaker 2: And the problem was this the people in hell were too busy trying to feed themselves, which was impossible, but the people in heaven, they fed the person on the opposite side of the table.
Speaker 2: Yes sir, by helping each other, they helped themselves that's you know, or?
Speaker 3: yes, sir, I was gonna bring up the airplane analogy, but that's a little bit different well you're.
Speaker 2: You were on to something, though, when you said that.
Speaker 2: When you said that if we help each other, think about that.
Speaker 3: If we'll do just a little bit to help each other, we're kind of feeding one another yes, sir, and I you never know, when you help somebody, when 10 years from now, 20 years from now, it can come back and it could save your life one day, just doing something for somebody else.
Speaker 2: What do you think about encouragement?
Speaker 2: What's encouragement mean to you?
Speaker 3: Encouraging is really a wide, a wide topic.
Speaker 3: I mean you can encourage somebody with your words, with your actions.
Speaker 3: I mean, simply by praying for somebody can be encouraging for them.
Speaker 3: There's so many things you can do and really just think about their needs and do the best you can do.
Speaker 3: And that's just me.
Speaker 3: And that's how you can be encouraging, because I mean it could be just saying something like.
Speaker 3: You can be encouraging because I mean it could be just saying something like how are you today?
Speaker 3: Or what's been going on in your day today?
Speaker 3: Or you could help them move or help them till up their garden or something you know, or, after a natural disaster, you can help clean up it's.
Speaker 3: Or it can range from one word to a big action that's pretty good back sure one
Speaker 2: word big action we might.
Speaker 2: That might be the title of this podcast, by the way.
Speaker 2: That was really good.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, thank you.
Speaker 2: There's a famous motivational speaker.
Speaker 2: His name is zig ziglar.
Speaker 2: Zig zig is a famous, one of the most famous motivational speakers, and his son Tom Ziglar is on my board of directors and Tom one time told me his dad asked him.
Speaker 2: He said, son, he goes.
Speaker 2: How do you know if somebody needs encouragement?
Speaker 2: And Tom looked at his dad and said I don't know.
Speaker 2: And Zig Ziglar looked at him and he said if they're breathing, they need encouragement.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So you were very wise to say that encouragement could be one word or it could be a big action.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: That was really good, Wise, you know.
Speaker 2: So there's going to be some kids that might watch this, parents and sponsors that really aren't in tune to agriculture.
Speaker 2: You know it's really sad, Baxter.
Speaker 2: They did a survey and 79% of Americans, when asked about agriculture, didn't know what it meant.
Speaker 3: Really that is sad.
Speaker 2: So now everybody knows what food is.
Speaker 2: So personally, that's why I try to use the word food a lot, because people understand food but they don't understand agriculture.
Speaker 2: But you're 13.
Speaker 2: It seems to be important to you.
Speaker 2: Why do you think agriculture is so important to our way of life?
Speaker 3: I mean, you know you're talking about food, and real food is going to be grown from agriculture.
Speaker 3: It's not going to be grown in a lab.
Speaker 3: Whether they say it's healthier or not, it's not real food.
Speaker 3: It's real.
Speaker 3: Food is what God provided, the way that we were supposed to make it.
Speaker 3: Food is what God provided of the way that we were supposed to make it.
Speaker 3: And I think when people start realizing that, we'll be in a lot better position.
Speaker 3: Because I mean, if you're, if you're not eating the natural, it's just you're not eat.
Speaker 3: It's not food.
Speaker 3: Food is grown from the the earth to the animals and it's put on the plate, served, and that's that's when it becomes food, not when it's grown in a lab so it's pretty important yes, sir, what's?
Speaker 2: happening.
Speaker 3: What's happening to our population is our population growing yes, sir, our population's growing, which means our agriculture land is shrinking, so we're having to feed more people with less land, and that's that's something that we as agriculture, us in the agriculture industry, we have to work towards.
Speaker 3: You know, there's new technologies all the time that are helping us with that, which is good.
Speaker 3: And then just people I mean the, the things that people could do.
Speaker 3: Even if it's small, it can always help.
Speaker 3: You know, growing a garden in your window box or something.
Speaker 2: It's, it just a little bit can help.
Speaker 2: You know city of Houston, texas, and he was buying some herbs to cook with at his local grocery store and decided that he could actually grow them cheaper and raise them cheaper if he did it himself.
Speaker 2: And so, to your point, he set up his own little window herb garden and started raising his own herbs to cook with.
Speaker 3: That's good.
Speaker 2: So I thought that was pretty good.
Speaker 2: It's a great example.
Speaker 3: Yes, that's good, so I thought that was pretty good, it's a great example.
Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 3: And there's multiple ways to help with agriculture.
Speaker 3: You know there's.
Speaker 3: It's not always, you might not always be able to have the land or something, but you still might be working in agriculture.
Speaker 3: You could work for a breed association, you could work for a business that supports agriculture, like Texas Farm Bureau, or work with FFA.
Speaker 3: There's multiple ways that you might not be out in the pasture feeding the cattle, but you can still be involved in agriculture.
Speaker 2: That's exactly right.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I heard a speaker one time.
Speaker 2: He was the president of Monsanto and he was over in a country over near Africa and they were driving around and they came up to the school building and when they pulled up to the school building, all the kids were outside underneath the tree and he said, oh man, look at that, that's great, you got the kids outside getting fresh air.
Speaker 3: They're not coked up in the school.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir and they said no, mr grant, you don't understand.
Speaker 2: They said you see, here in this country it's so arid that we can't get anything to grow.
Speaker 2: But you guys created a drought tolerant seed, and guess what?
Speaker 2: That seed has grown and produced so much that the only place we have left to store it now is in the schoolhouse.
Speaker 2: So now all the food is in the schoolhouse.
Speaker 2: He said but here's the problem there's a river that separates us from this other village, and we don't know how to get the grain over the river to the village.
Speaker 2: There's another village that's down the road, but we don't speak their language, and so we don't want to approach them because we don't want to cause a conflict.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And so when you talk about agriculture and opportunities, it could be anything.
Speaker 2: It could be an engineer that helps create a bridge that gets that food over the river, or maybe somebody that has drone technology that can lift that grain and get it over to the other side, or maybe somebody that has language skills that can help them translate and talk to that language down the road to help them access food.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, so, like you said, when we think about food and agriculture, man, everybody can play a role in this thing.
Speaker 3: I use that thing you said on the language.
Speaker 3: That's, that's very big.
Speaker 3: You know, I like to go to the international brahmin show during the houston livestock show and rodeo and there's, there's people, a lot of people, that speak spanish, there's some people that from asia, so there's there's a lot of people that come that are translators, that are working in agriculture to help producers and breeders make sales, and without them, I mean that show would.
Speaker 3: It wouldn't be any different than another show, right?
Speaker 2: They help make the connection.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And then, what is that?
Speaker 2: What do we say?
Speaker 2: A while ago, helping each other, help ourselves.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: We're all winning because of that.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So would you consider yourself a leader?
Speaker 3: I try to be yes, sir, in every situation I can find possible.
Speaker 2: So tell me what makes a good leader in your mind.
Speaker 2: When you think of a good leader, what makes a good leader to you?
Speaker 3: First of all you have to.
Speaker 3: It goes way back to the beginning of the podcast of trustworthiness and honesty.
Speaker 3: If you can't have that down, then you know the Bible says one that can be trusted with a little can be trusted with a lot, and that if you can't be trusted with a little, then you can't be trusted with leading people.
Speaker 3: And after that I think you have to be able to accept other people's ideas.
Speaker 3: I mean you're not going to be right 100 percent of the time.
Speaker 3: You have to know that there's other people and other people can be in leadership positions also.
Speaker 3: Being a leader can also mean being wise enough to let somebody else that knows something about that area take control while you manage other situations.
Speaker 3: And then also being a leader is should always be learning.
Speaker 3: If you're not learning, then you're not going to be innovating the future or grow in the future I'm old baxter and I'm still learning.
Speaker 2: I'd hang out with your mom and dad and I'll learn something.
Speaker 2: I'll hang out with carlos guerra and I'll something.
Speaker 2: I think you're wise, wise, wise to always be learning.
Speaker 3: Yes.
Speaker 2: A good friend of mine who you may have met, or you will probably one of these days.
Speaker 2: His name is Marcus Hill, and Marcus Hill he always tells people, so you remember what I'm about to tell you.
Speaker 2: So this is kind of a carlos guerra advice moment here.
Speaker 2: He always said always have 10 friends older than you and 10 friends younger than you.
Speaker 2: The 10 friends older than you, they can always tell you where we've been, and the 10 friends younger than you are going to tell you where we're going.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, and so the reason that people like you are important, to tell you where we're going.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, and so the reason that people like you are important to me, baxter, is because you represent where we're going.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And so I want you to have all the tools, education, equipment that you need to be successful.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Because, like you said, I meant one day, maybe one day you're my grandson's mentor, maybe one day you hire my granddaughter, Hattie and she works on your ranch.
Speaker 2: So think about that.
Speaker 2: We're all in this together, but we got to have leaders that know how to lead, people that can stand and it's not easy, by the way, baxter, I'll let you know People that can stand, and it's not easy.
Speaker 2: By the way, baxter, I'll let you know it's not easy to be a leader.
Speaker 2: No, sir, if it were easy, everybody would do it.
Speaker 3: Right, yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Not everybody wants to do it, so I commend you for being willing to step up and step out.
Speaker 2: And say I'll give it a try Doesn't mean you're always going to get it right.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: But you know what you got to keep moving forward.
Speaker 2: Another one from agriculture that I like.
Speaker 2: It goes like this.
Speaker 2: It says when you're green, you grow, when you're ripe you rot.
Speaker 2: Yes sir, I don't ever want to quit growing, I just want to keep being green.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Just keep learning and learning and learning.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, All right, Baxter, what else would you like for the audience to know about agriculture leadership?
Speaker 2: If you could offer them any more advice, what would you tell them?
Speaker 3: Oh, it's a tough one, you know.
Speaker 3: I mean something we've been saying this whole time is honesty.
Speaker 3: But then there's work ethic.
Speaker 3: I mean you said at the very beginning if you want to know what the future is, grow it.
Speaker 3: So if you want to know what and just find something that you can do in agriculture to help, whether it's big or small, and that's just going to help grow our future, to be more productive and a better place.
Speaker 2: Baxter, it's not just agriculture, it's our homes.
Speaker 2: Yes sir, it's our businesses, it's our minds.
Speaker 2: We've got to plant the right seeds in our head.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, we've got to plant the right seeds in our home.
Speaker 2: We've got to plant the right seeds in our state and our country.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And then, like you said, it takes a little bit of hard work.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: People ask me all the time.
Speaker 2: They say, Aaron, what separates those FFA kids from everybody else?
Speaker 2: You know, you think about high schools and schools.
Speaker 2: They've got speech and debate.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, They've got football.
Speaker 2: They've got teamwork.
Speaker 2: They've got football, They've got teamwork.
Speaker 2: They've got band, they got ensemble.
Speaker 2: So what is it that separates our kids from everybody else?
Speaker 2: I always like to say what separates our kids from everybody else is that in the world of agriculture, if we don't do our job, something dies.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And I will tell you right.
Speaker 2: There is a core value yes, sir, your ability to get up and feed cattle when it's below freezing, when you are willing to go out and throw hay when it's 110 degrees, because you know, something depends on you.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And that is a core value that you will carry into everything that you approach.
Speaker 2: Is that something else matters?
Speaker 3: besides myself.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Keep up the good work.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, and of course you can't do anything without God, so he has to be your rock to start with yeah, there's a good verse in the bible.
Speaker 2: You know what my favorite verse in the bible is?
Speaker 2: People ask me this all the time.
Speaker 2: I'll tell you why it is it's james 1 5.
Speaker 2: You know what james 1 5 says?
Speaker 2: Says if any man seeks wisdom, let him ask a god who gives it freely to all men without casting judgment.
Speaker 2: That's pretty cool right there.
Speaker 2: So the big man just says if you need some help, ask me.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: And he'll give it to you.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: So I'm kind of like you.
Speaker 2: I kind of like to think that if I could really tap into a subject matter expert, why not the person that created the world?
Speaker 3: Yes sir, yes sir.
Speaker 2: All right, baxter, you get one last fun question, okay.
Speaker 3: Sounds good.
Speaker 2: It's not the one I sent you, so you better get ready.
Speaker 2: I'm going to throw you a curve.
Speaker 3: Okay.
Speaker 2: It's a fun question Are you ready?
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: If they were going to make a movie about Baxter Whitworth, who would play Baxter Whitworth in your movie?
Speaker 3: Do I get to play myself in the movie?
Speaker 2: Nope, you got to find an actor who would you say would play the best Baxter Whitworth.
Speaker 3: I don't really know any actors.
Speaker 2: Can't think of anybody out there that you'd say that would be me.
Speaker 2: They would be a good.
Speaker 2: Would it be Tom Cruise?
Speaker 2: Would it be any man?
Speaker 3: I don't really know any actors, so I couldn't say.
Speaker 2: So you would play yourself.
Speaker 3: I guess so.
Speaker 2: There's nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 2: They make movies about people playing themselves.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: You know what's fun about you saying that?
Speaker 2: Baxter, my son, my youngest son, he's 17 years old.
Speaker 2: You know what I asked him the other day?
Speaker 2: That same question.
Speaker 2: No, I asked him about his favorite television show.
Speaker 2: I said what's your favorite TV show?
Speaker 2: And you know what he told me he doesn't have one.
Speaker 2: Guess what he watches?
Speaker 2: Youtube he watches different people on YouTube.
Speaker 2: He doesn't even watch the television, like I grew up watching television yes, If you don't do that, you would never know that.
Speaker 3: So I'll watch.
Speaker 3: I'll watch some television shows, some, but I don't I don't really know that, the actors I don't.
Speaker 3: I don't keep up with names of people.
Speaker 3: That's fine, but always be on the lookout.
Speaker 2: Somebody else may ask you that question down the road and you might.
Speaker 2: You might even be in a position where you get to ask carlos that question.
Speaker 2: Hey, carlos, if they were going to make a movie about you, who would?
Speaker 3: play carlos.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir and that could be fun yes, sir, I said I don't keep up with names of people.
Speaker 3: I do just not tv people, sure?
Speaker 3: No, no, I knew it.
Speaker 2: I knew what you meant, I knew what you mean yes, sir, okay all right, you got anything else for us?
Speaker 3: I don't guess.
Speaker 3: So no, sir, Unless you have another question for me.
Speaker 2: I don't, baxter.
Speaker 2: I appreciate you taking time out of your day and taking a moment to visit with us.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, it's an honor to have you on here.
Speaker 2: I'm honored to be on here.
Speaker 2: I'm uh, I'm awful proud of you and um personally and to have known you since the day you were born and to see where you're at, but, more importantly, to have a front row seat of where you're headed, because you've had some success, but I, I'm willing to bet your best days are still ahead.
Speaker 2: That's just my prediction on this moment.
Speaker 2: So that's just my opinion, baxter.
Speaker 2: Thank you.
Speaker 2: Hey, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for tuning in to the Growing Our Future podcast.
Speaker 2: You know, there are some times that you have these moments with guests that just make you hopeful.
Speaker 2: And if you listen to this young man today, I know you've got to be like me and you've got to be inspired and you've got to feel hopeful, because not only is he going to be a great leader, he's going to inspire great leaders, he's going to plant seeds of greatness in other people and he's going to help us grow an incredible, incredible future.
Speaker 2: So, baxter, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 2: Everybody, thanks for stopping by and remember until we meet again.
Speaker 2: Everybody, go out and do something great for somebody else.
Speaker 2: You're going to feel good about it, the world's going to be better because you did.
Speaker 2: And just think somebody like Baxter may be watching and if they see you do something great, maybe they'll want to do something even better.
Speaker 2: It could be one word or it could be a big action.
Speaker 2: Take it from Baxter.
Speaker 2: Thank you all for joining us.
Speaker 2: Thanks, baxter.
Speaker 3: Yes, sir, have a good day.
Speaker 1: We hope you've enjoyed this episode of the Growing Our Future podcast.
Speaker 1: This show is sponsored by the Texas FFA Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen agricultural science education so students can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace.
Speaker 1: Learn more at mytexasffaorg.