WEBVTT 00:00:02.786 --> 00:00:04.873 Welcome to the Growing Our Future podcast. 00:00:04.873 --> 00:00:19.969 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. 00:00:19.969 --> 00:00:22.344 Here's your host, Aaron Alejandro. 00:00:30.170 --> 00:00:38.118 Well, good morning, good afternoon, good evening or whenever you may be tuning in to the Growing Our Future podcast. 00:00:38.118 --> 00:00:51.652 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. 00:00:51.652 --> 00:01:02.969 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. 00:01:02.969 --> 00:01:04.049 How do you grow a future? 00:01:04.049 --> 00:01:05.632 What the future is, grow it Well. 00:01:05.632 --> 00:01:06.493 How do you grow a future? 00:01:06.493 --> 00:01:15.888 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. 00:01:15.968 --> 00:01:26.313 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. 00:01:26.313 --> 00:01:30.346 And our guest today represents all three of those. 00:01:30.346 --> 00:01:52.472 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. 00:01:53.140 --> 00:01:57.998 Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to introduce Baxter Whitworth. 00:01:57.998 --> 00:01:59.942 Baxter, thank you for joining us today. 00:02:00.664 --> 00:02:02.165 Yes, sir, I'm glad to. 00:02:03.649 --> 00:02:04.170 Are you ready? 00:02:05.152 --> 00:02:06.855 Oh yes, sir, I'm ready to dive in. 00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:08.787 Okay, let's dive in. 00:02:08.787 --> 00:02:14.127 So Baxter's going to tell us a little bit here about his cattle company and a little bit about his journey. 00:02:14.127 --> 00:02:27.271 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. 00:02:27.271 --> 00:02:30.949 They look at the world differently and they see things differently. 00:02:30.949 --> 00:02:34.530 So, baxter, what are you thankful for today? 00:02:34.530 --> 00:02:36.347 What are you grateful for today? 00:02:37.600 --> 00:02:39.127 There's so many to start with. 00:02:39.127 --> 00:02:41.539 I mean, I'm so grateful for my family. 00:02:41.539 --> 00:02:46.132 Most of all, I'm grateful for our Savior, who died on the cross for us. 00:02:46.132 --> 00:02:52.293 I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in agriculture to show cattle and to speak to people. 00:02:52.293 --> 00:03:00.253 I'm grateful that we live in America, we're safe and that we have agriculture producing food for us. 00:03:00.253 --> 00:03:03.530 I think all those are really things that we all should be grateful for. 00:03:05.140 --> 00:03:05.481 Man. 00:03:05.481 --> 00:03:08.670 Okay, we can stop now you don't have to say anymore. 00:03:08.670 --> 00:03:09.923 That was good. 00:03:09.923 --> 00:03:13.072 By the way, baxter, I agree with you. 00:03:13.072 --> 00:03:15.688 Everything that you just said I agree with. 00:03:15.688 --> 00:03:30.106 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. 00:03:30.106 --> 00:03:30.568 Think about it. 00:03:30.568 --> 00:03:32.425 I get to choose everything that I want to do. 00:03:32.425 --> 00:03:34.852 Yes, sir, that is a blessing. 00:03:34.852 --> 00:03:38.027 And then, like you said, then I get to do that with my family. 00:03:38.027 --> 00:03:44.265 Yes, sir, and then, on top of that, I get to do it with things that I enjoy, like agriculture, of that. 00:03:44.286 --> 00:03:46.408 I get to do it with things that I enjoy, like agriculture. 00:03:46.408 --> 00:03:46.568 Yes, sir. 00:03:46.568 --> 00:03:46.930 So thank you, man. 00:03:46.930 --> 00:03:48.170 The opportunities, that's good. 00:03:48.170 --> 00:03:49.413 How old are you, baxter? 00:03:49.413 --> 00:04:00.039 Tell everybody how old you are 13. 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:00.882 13 years old, yes, sir. 00:04:00.882 --> 00:04:04.268 So I just want you to know at this point in time, you are the youngest guest on the Growing Our Future podcast. 00:04:04.288 --> 00:04:05.370 Yes, sir, that's exciting. 00:04:05.790 --> 00:04:06.572 It is exciting. 00:04:06.572 --> 00:04:08.481 You know why it's going to be exciting? 00:04:08.481 --> 00:04:18.850 Because one day your mom and your dad and me and your children are going to all sit back and go. 00:04:18.850 --> 00:04:26.567 I remember when Baxter did that podcast Look how good he is and you're only going to get better and better and better. 00:04:27.490 --> 00:04:28.031 Yes, sir. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:31.302 All right, baxter Whitworth let's talk about. 00:04:31.302 --> 00:04:37.526 At 13 years old, you sound like you're a little bit entrepreneurial. 00:04:37.526 --> 00:04:49.920 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. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:05:03.211 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? 00:05:04.134 --> 00:05:04.774 Yes, sir. 00:05:04.774 --> 00:05:09.524 So I started Top Notch Cattle Company in 2020. 00:05:09.524 --> 00:05:12.170 I came up with the brand design myself. 00:05:12.170 --> 00:05:14.939 I'm very passionate about Brahman cattle. 00:05:14.939 --> 00:05:22.728 I really enjoy raising them and I really enjoy selling things, especially if it has to do with cattle and semen. 00:05:25.190 --> 00:05:26.492 And so why cattle? 00:05:26.492 --> 00:05:29.714 Why not sheep, goats, swine? 00:05:29.714 --> 00:05:30.576 I'm just curious. 00:05:30.576 --> 00:05:34.367 I mean, you've got this affinity for cattle, why cattle? 00:05:35.672 --> 00:05:39.682 Well, I mean cattle are I just have a passion for cattle. 00:05:39.682 --> 00:05:40.884 That's what I've always had. 00:05:40.884 --> 00:05:43.711 I'm raised I've been raised on a beef cattle ranch. 00:05:43.711 --> 00:05:45.060 My parents own a commercial a commercial operation. 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:45.374 I'm raised I've been raised on a beef cattle ranch. 00:05:45.374 --> 00:05:47.045 My parents own a commercial a commercial operation. 00:05:47.045 --> 00:05:49.555 Now I'm starting a registered ramen operation. 00:05:49.555 --> 00:05:50.882 I've always loved cattle. 00:05:50.882 --> 00:05:52.848 That's just where my passion is at. 00:05:53.531 --> 00:05:57.100 Okay, by the way, you know, let me tell you my grandson. 00:05:57.100 --> 00:05:58.283 He's eight years old. 00:05:58.283 --> 00:05:59.564 You know what I told him? 00:05:59.564 --> 00:06:03.129 I told him you know why I like beef so much? 00:06:03.129 --> 00:06:03.910 And he said no. 00:06:03.910 --> 00:06:09.744 I said because beef eats grass and turns it into steak, and I think that's pretty cool. 00:06:09.744 --> 00:06:13.547 Yes, sir, I'm a big fan of beef. 00:06:13.547 --> 00:06:19.189 Yes, sir, so you decided to go down this path of raising cattle. 00:06:20.170 --> 00:06:20.692 Yes, sir. 00:06:21.052 --> 00:06:24.709 Okay, so why of all the breeds? 00:06:24.709 --> 00:06:26.838 So you've identified species. 00:06:26.838 --> 00:06:29.644 So there's different species, but you, you decided on beef. 00:06:29.644 --> 00:06:34.194 So of all the species, why did you end up with Brahman cattle? 00:06:36.939 --> 00:06:40.389 That's a good question and a lot of people ask that question. 00:06:40.389 --> 00:06:43.771 A lot of people are like, oh, those crazy things We'll. 00:06:43.771 --> 00:06:45.259 We'll get to that part in a second. 00:06:45.259 --> 00:06:47.584 But ramen cattle I mean they're. 00:06:47.584 --> 00:06:51.651 They're great for the south, the southern united states. 00:06:51.651 --> 00:06:56.526 They do well on in harsh, hot climates. 00:06:56.526 --> 00:06:58.810 They are they're. 00:06:58.810 --> 00:07:03.504 They're known for their mothering abilities, their disease and insect resistance. 00:07:03.504 --> 00:07:05.730 It's really a win-win situation. 00:07:05.730 --> 00:07:17.742 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. 00:07:17.742 --> 00:07:19.425 And brahmins they're. 00:07:19.425 --> 00:07:23.591 They have the pigmentation that helps keep their eyes safe. 00:07:23.591 --> 00:07:25.293 It's just one example. 00:07:25.314 --> 00:07:28.646 Okay, nothing against carp roots. 00:07:29.521 --> 00:07:32.569 Oh, I know you like all breeds because it's all beef right and we love beef. 00:07:32.569 --> 00:07:34.322 Yes, tell me about. 00:07:34.322 --> 00:07:37.850 You said something about temperament. 00:07:38.892 --> 00:07:39.132 Yes. 00:07:39.822 --> 00:07:41.689 There may be not what people think. 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:45.627 So there's three types of Brahmin cattle. 00:07:45.627 --> 00:07:49.947 There's Brahmins that are the sweetest animals that you will come across. 00:07:49.947 --> 00:07:56.132 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. 00:07:56.132 --> 00:07:57.882 Then there's Brimmers. 00:07:57.882 --> 00:08:03.463 They might be at the fence and when you walk up they're going to run to the other side of the pasture. 00:08:03.463 --> 00:08:19.675 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? 00:08:21.218 --> 00:08:22.701 well, I mean you. 00:08:22.701 --> 00:08:30.639 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. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:34.754 If you trust the person that you're buying from you can, you can always ask them. 00:08:34.754 --> 00:08:38.808 You know, if you trust them and know that they're going to tell you the truth. 00:08:41.352 --> 00:08:43.277 You said something there that's pretty important. 00:08:44.258 --> 00:08:44.798 Yes, sir. 00:08:44.798 --> 00:08:50.456 How important is trust in doing business with somebody. 00:08:50.456 --> 00:08:51.986 I think it's very important. 00:08:51.986 --> 00:08:53.509 I mean, for one day you may make. 00:08:53.509 --> 00:08:59.080 I mean there's the biblical reasons for God's told us to always be honest. 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:06.437 But there's also, I mean you think about it, if you lie for one day, you may make more money that one day. 00:09:06.437 --> 00:09:19.092 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. 00:09:21.184 --> 00:09:21.505 Do you know that? 00:09:21.505 --> 00:09:21.647 That's? 00:09:21.647 --> 00:09:23.695 You probably know that you weren't honest with them and that's that's not going to help you any. 00:09:23.695 --> 00:09:24.136 Do you know that? 00:09:24.136 --> 00:09:24.538 That's a? 00:09:24.538 --> 00:09:26.024 You probably know that, but we call that a core value. 00:09:26.945 --> 00:09:27.787 Yes, sir. 00:09:27.868 --> 00:09:38.090 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. 00:09:39.494 --> 00:09:40.035 Yes, sir. 00:09:41.365 --> 00:09:45.772 Because if you can pick good genetics, you're probably going to have good mamas and daddies in that herd. 00:09:45.772 --> 00:09:54.236 Yes, sir, if you pick core values, you're probably going to be more successful at your home and your family and your business. 00:09:55.485 --> 00:09:56.609 And so that's a. 00:09:56.710 --> 00:09:59.315 That was good that you said that so trust is kind of a big deal. 00:09:59.315 --> 00:10:00.100 Yes, sir, it is that you said that so trust is kind of a big deal. 00:10:00.904 --> 00:10:03.494 Yes, sir, it is, it's a really big deal. 00:10:04.705 --> 00:10:05.486 Is there anything? 00:10:05.486 --> 00:10:14.833 So, at 13 years of age, when you're thinking about the next five to 10 years, where do you think food is headed? 00:10:14.833 --> 00:10:15.856 Where's cattle headed. 00:10:15.856 --> 00:10:18.825 Where do you think this whole thing's going? 00:10:18.825 --> 00:10:19.645 Where's cattle headed, where do you? 00:10:19.666 --> 00:10:20.346 think this whole thing's going? 00:10:20.346 --> 00:10:47.596 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. 00:10:47.596 --> 00:11:05.950 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. 00:11:05.950 --> 00:11:07.594 That isn't. 00:11:07.594 --> 00:11:21.095 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. 00:11:23.046 --> 00:11:30.058 Well, you just gave us another really good seed of greatness there, Mr Baxter, and that is life is not a solo project. 00:11:30.884 --> 00:11:32.673 Yes, sir, that's, very true. 00:11:34.048 --> 00:11:35.914 None of us is as strong as all of us. 00:11:36.845 --> 00:11:37.668 That's very true. 00:11:37.668 --> 00:11:38.312 Yes, sir. 00:11:38.684 --> 00:11:39.975 So teamwork sounds like it must be kind of's very true, yes, sir. 00:11:39.975 --> 00:11:43.048 So teamwork sounds like it must be kind of important to success. 00:11:44.250 --> 00:11:44.831 Yes, sir. 00:11:46.332 --> 00:11:48.216 Okay, and you've experienced that before. 00:11:49.518 --> 00:11:58.316 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. 00:11:58.336 --> 00:12:06.711 Okay, so we have a mutual friend and it's kind of fun story. 00:12:06.711 --> 00:12:14.133 You know I haven't told you this story, but you know I take 36 teachers on a week-long leadership experience every summer. 00:12:14.133 --> 00:12:22.498 Yes, one summer we were down in the Rio Grande Valley and we stopped by this place called La Maneca Cattle Company. 00:12:23.424 --> 00:12:38.014 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. 00:12:38.014 --> 00:12:52.115 We had teachers that went back and had posters put up in their classrooms that said the word Animo. 00:12:52.898 --> 00:12:53.519 Yes, sir. 00:12:54.044 --> 00:12:56.913 So tell us because you're in East Texas. 00:12:56.913 --> 00:13:10.037 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. 00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:17.216 Yes, sir, I think it's around that, somewhere around 9 to 11, I think. 00:13:17.585 --> 00:13:18.589 Yeah, somewhere in there. 00:13:18.589 --> 00:13:19.712 Yes, sir. 00:13:19.712 --> 00:13:27.337 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. 00:13:27.337 --> 00:13:38.509 Yes, sir keep on going yes, sir, keep driving, keep driving so there's a man from lamaniaca down in lynn texas, carlos gar. 00:13:38.509 --> 00:13:40.375 He uses the word animo. 00:13:40.375 --> 00:13:44.754 Yes, sir Baxter, I know you know what that word is and what it means. 00:13:44.754 --> 00:13:48.913 Tell us a little bit what it means to have a little bit of animo. 00:13:50.557 --> 00:13:51.158 Yes, sir. 00:13:51.158 --> 00:14:06.116 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. 00:14:06.116 --> 00:14:30.346 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? 00:14:31.206 --> 00:14:54.047 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. 00:14:54.128 --> 00:15:00.745 I mean, I think everybody should represent themselves in a way that they're being honest and respectful and have a work ethic. 00:15:00.745 --> 00:15:08.058 And I mean, nowadays, if we, if everyone did that, we would be so much further along in terms of just helping other people. 00:15:08.058 --> 00:15:14.778 We would, you would, you would see a lot less need from people if we all pitched in to help each other. 00:15:14.778 --> 00:15:17.929 I agree with you, by the way. 00:15:19.114 --> 00:15:25.287 Yes, sir I agree with you, by the way. 00:15:25.287 --> 00:15:27.975 Yes, sir, did you ever hear the story of the man that was given a tour of heaven and hell so he could? 00:15:27.995 --> 00:15:28.597 select his final destination. 00:15:28.618 --> 00:15:41.777 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. 00:15:41.777 --> 00:15:46.475 He was amazed there was this table with every kind of food imaginable. 00:15:46.475 --> 00:15:49.394 Everything you could imagine was on this table. 00:15:51.605 --> 00:16:03.653 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. 00:16:04.616 --> 00:16:05.158 Yes, sir. 00:16:05.586 --> 00:16:06.570 Next stop was heaven. 00:16:06.570 --> 00:16:13.977 And he goes to heaven and as soon as he opens up the pearly gates, there's the same table and the same foods. 00:16:13.977 --> 00:16:19.354 And he's like, oh my gosh, look at this, it's the same thing, but there's a big difference. 00:16:19.354 --> 00:16:27.533 He noticed the people in heaven were happy, yes, there was music and they were well fed. 00:16:27.533 --> 00:16:29.731 And then he got to thinking about it. 00:16:29.731 --> 00:16:41.886 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. 00:16:41.907 --> 00:16:47.591 When he got to heaven, he saw the same six foot long fork in the same six foot long knife. 00:16:47.591 --> 00:17:00.601 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. 00:17:00.601 --> 00:17:08.625 Yes sir, by helping each other, they helped themselves that's you know, or? 00:17:08.664 --> 00:17:14.744 yes, sir, I was gonna bring up the airplane analogy, but that's a little bit different well you're. 00:17:14.865 --> 00:17:16.869 You were on to something, though, when you said that. 00:17:16.869 --> 00:17:20.727 When you said that if we help each other, think about that. 00:17:21.007 --> 00:17:39.520 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. 00:17:41.165 --> 00:17:42.829 What do you think about encouragement? 00:17:42.829 --> 00:17:44.413 What's encouragement mean to you? 00:17:45.999 --> 00:17:48.988 Encouraging is really a wide, a wide topic. 00:17:48.988 --> 00:17:52.880 I mean you can encourage somebody with your words, with your actions. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:56.671 I mean, simply by praying for somebody can be encouraging for them. 00:17:56.671 --> 00:18:03.313 There's so many things you can do and really just think about their needs and do the best you can do. 00:18:03.313 --> 00:18:05.284 And that's just me. 00:18:05.284 --> 00:18:10.509 And that's how you can be encouraging, because I mean it could be just saying something like. 00:18:10.509 --> 00:18:15.884 You can be encouraging because I mean it could be just saying something like how are you today? 00:18:15.884 --> 00:18:16.886 Or what's been going on in your day today? 00:18:16.886 --> 00:18:28.840 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. 00:18:28.840 --> 00:18:36.950 Or it can range from one word to a big action that's pretty good back sure one 00:18:36.990 --> 00:18:39.455 word big action we might. 00:18:39.455 --> 00:18:41.721 That might be the title of this podcast, by the way. 00:18:41.721 --> 00:18:42.644 That was really good. 00:18:42.644 --> 00:18:44.893 Yes, sir, thank you. 00:18:44.893 --> 00:18:47.039 There's a famous motivational speaker. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.546 His name is zig ziglar. 00:18:49.546 --> 00:19:03.061 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. 00:19:03.102 --> 00:19:05.227 He said, son, he goes. 00:19:05.227 --> 00:19:08.753 How do you know if somebody needs encouragement? 00:19:08.753 --> 00:19:12.348 And Tom looked at his dad and said I don't know. 00:19:12.348 --> 00:19:17.489 And Zig Ziglar looked at him and he said if they're breathing, they need encouragement. 00:19:18.551 --> 00:19:19.133 Yes, sir. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:26.770 So you were very wise to say that encouragement could be one word or it could be a big action. 00:19:27.612 --> 00:19:28.192 Yes, sir. 00:19:28.874 --> 00:19:35.000 That was really good, Wise, you know. 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:40.133 So there's going to be some kids that might watch this, parents and sponsors that really aren't in tune to agriculture. 00:19:40.133 --> 00:19:41.623 You know it's really sad, Baxter. 00:19:41.623 --> 00:19:48.820 They did a survey and 79% of Americans, when asked about agriculture, didn't know what it meant. 00:19:50.724 --> 00:19:52.007 Really that is sad. 00:19:52.387 --> 00:19:54.571 So now everybody knows what food is. 00:19:54.571 --> 00:20:01.251 So personally, that's why I try to use the word food a lot, because people understand food but they don't understand agriculture. 00:20:01.251 --> 00:20:03.001 But you're 13. 00:20:03.001 --> 00:20:06.907 It seems to be important to you. 00:20:06.907 --> 00:20:12.175 Why do you think agriculture is so important to our way of life? 00:20:13.501 --> 00:20:19.200 I mean, you know you're talking about food, and real food is going to be grown from agriculture. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:21.084 It's not going to be grown in a lab. 00:20:21.084 --> 00:20:24.972 Whether they say it's healthier or not, it's not real food. 00:20:24.972 --> 00:20:26.221 It's real. 00:20:26.221 --> 00:20:30.452 Food is what God provided, the way that we were supposed to make it. 00:20:30.452 --> 00:20:35.483 Food is what God provided of the way that we were supposed to make it. 00:20:35.483 --> 00:20:37.448 And I think when people start realizing that, we'll be in a lot better position. 00:20:37.448 --> 00:20:43.605 Because I mean, if you're, if you're not eating the natural, it's just you're not eat. 00:20:43.605 --> 00:20:44.548 It's not food. 00:20:44.548 --> 00:21:00.396 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? 00:21:00.417 --> 00:21:00.758 happening. 00:21:00.999 --> 00:21:19.561 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. 00:21:19.561 --> 00:21:24.361 You know, there's new technologies all the time that are helping us with that, which is good. 00:21:24.361 --> 00:21:30.768 And then just people I mean the, the things that people could do. 00:21:30.768 --> 00:21:32.829 Even if it's small, it can always help. 00:21:32.829 --> 00:21:36.654 You know, growing a garden in your window box or something. 00:21:44.426 --> 00:21:45.807 It's, it just a little bit can help. 00:21:45.807 --> 00:22:00.885 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. 00:22:00.885 --> 00:22:05.682 And so, to your point, he set up his own little window herb garden and started raising his own herbs to cook with. 00:22:06.502 --> 00:22:07.183 That's good. 00:22:07.884 --> 00:22:09.248 So I thought that was pretty good. 00:22:09.248 --> 00:22:10.470 It's a great example. 00:22:10.529 --> 00:22:15.037 Yes, that's good, so I thought that was pretty good, it's a great example. 00:22:15.037 --> 00:22:15.678 Yes, yeah, go ahead. 00:22:15.678 --> 00:22:18.163 And there's multiple ways to help with agriculture. 00:22:18.163 --> 00:22:18.584 You know there's. 00:22:18.584 --> 00:22:26.190 It's not always, you might not always be able to have the land or something, but you still might be working in agriculture. 00:22:26.190 --> 00:22:34.732 You could work for a breed association, you could work for a business that supports agriculture, like Texas Farm Bureau, or work with FFA. 00:22:34.732 --> 00:22:42.933 There's multiple ways that you might not be out in the pasture feeding the cattle, but you can still be involved in agriculture. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:45.463 That's exactly right. 00:22:45.463 --> 00:22:48.531 Yeah, I heard a speaker one time. 00:22:48.531 --> 00:23:13.582 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. 00:23:13.622 --> 00:23:15.444 They're not coked up in the school. 00:23:15.464 --> 00:23:18.651 Yes, sir and they said no, mr grant, you don't understand. 00:23:18.651 --> 00:23:23.891 They said you see, here in this country it's so arid that we can't get anything to grow. 00:23:23.891 --> 00:23:29.066 But you guys created a drought tolerant seed, and guess what? 00:23:29.066 --> 00:23:35.005 That seed has grown and produced so much that the only place we have left to store it now is in the schoolhouse. 00:23:35.005 --> 00:23:38.212 So now all the food is in the schoolhouse. 00:23:38.212 --> 00:23:47.167 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. 00:23:47.167 --> 00:23:55.453 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. 00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.122 Yes, sir. 00:23:57.261 --> 00:24:01.011 And so when you talk about agriculture and opportunities, it could be anything. 00:24:01.011 --> 00:24:22.173 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. 00:24:22.173 --> 00:24:30.413 Yes, sir, so, like you said, when we think about food and agriculture, man, everybody can play a role in this thing. 00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:34.923 I use that thing you said on the language. 00:24:34.923 --> 00:24:35.404 That's, that's very big. 00:24:35.404 --> 00:25:02.414 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. 00:25:02.414 --> 00:25:06.008 It wouldn't be any different than another show, right? 00:25:06.690 --> 00:25:07.853 They help make the connection. 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:09.261 Yes, sir. 00:25:09.983 --> 00:25:10.626 And then, what is that? 00:25:10.626 --> 00:25:11.087 What do we say? 00:25:11.087 --> 00:25:13.326 A while ago, helping each other, help ourselves. 00:25:13.907 --> 00:25:14.450 Yes, sir. 00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:16.305 We're all winning because of that. 00:25:17.147 --> 00:25:17.670 Yes, sir. 00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:21.631 So would you consider yourself a leader? 00:25:23.941 --> 00:25:27.631 I try to be yes, sir, in every situation I can find possible. 00:25:30.635 --> 00:25:32.963 So tell me what makes a good leader in your mind. 00:25:32.963 --> 00:25:36.826 When you think of a good leader, what makes a good leader to you? 00:25:38.375 --> 00:25:40.117 First of all you have to. 00:25:40.117 --> 00:25:46.789 It goes way back to the beginning of the podcast of trustworthiness and honesty. 00:25:46.789 --> 00:26:00.667 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. 00:26:00.667 --> 00:26:07.949 And after that I think you have to be able to accept other people's ideas. 00:26:07.949 --> 00:26:11.150 I mean you're not going to be right 100 percent of the time. 00:26:11.150 --> 00:26:17.578 You have to know that there's other people and other people can be in leadership positions also. 00:26:17.578 --> 00:26:29.209 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. 00:26:29.209 --> 00:26:36.250 And then also being a leader is should always be learning. 00:26:36.250 --> 00:26:46.805 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. 00:26:48.829 --> 00:26:51.315 I'd hang out with your mom and dad and I'll learn something. 00:26:51.315 --> 00:26:54.319 I'll hang out with carlos guerra and I'll something. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:58.205 I think you're wise, wise, wise to always be learning. 00:26:58.727 --> 00:26:59.047 Yes. 00:26:59.769 --> 00:27:04.223 A good friend of mine who you may have met, or you will probably one of these days. 00:27:04.223 --> 00:27:11.768 His name is Marcus Hill, and Marcus Hill he always tells people, so you remember what I'm about to tell you. 00:27:11.768 --> 00:27:15.055 So this is kind of a carlos guerra advice moment here. 00:27:15.055 --> 00:27:22.308 He always said always have 10 friends older than you and 10 friends younger than you. 00:27:22.308 --> 00:27:31.115 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. 00:27:31.234 --> 00:27:33.387 Yes, sir, and so the reason that people like you are important, to tell you where we're going. 00:27:33.407 --> 00:27:38.747 Yes, sir, and so the reason that people like you are important to me, baxter, is because you represent where we're going. 00:27:39.674 --> 00:27:40.236 Yes, sir. 00:27:40.676 --> 00:27:47.876 And so I want you to have all the tools, education, equipment that you need to be successful. 00:27:48.818 --> 00:27:49.420 Yes, sir. 00:27:49.861 --> 00:28:00.926 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. 00:28:00.926 --> 00:28:03.178 So think about that. 00:28:03.178 --> 00:28:14.271 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. 00:28:14.271 --> 00:28:17.159 By the way, baxter, I'll let you know it's not easy to be a leader. 00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:19.423 No, sir, if it were easy, everybody would do it. 00:28:20.286 --> 00:28:21.208 Right, yes, sir. 00:28:22.835 --> 00:28:27.904 Not everybody wants to do it, so I commend you for being willing to step up and step out. 00:28:27.904 --> 00:28:33.103 And say I'll give it a try Doesn't mean you're always going to get it right. 00:28:34.035 --> 00:28:34.579 Yes, sir. 00:28:35.709 --> 00:28:38.760 But you know what you got to keep moving forward. 00:28:38.760 --> 00:28:40.965 Another one from agriculture that I like. 00:28:40.965 --> 00:28:41.768 It goes like this. 00:28:41.768 --> 00:28:46.006 It says when you're green, you grow, when you're ripe you rot. 00:28:46.006 --> 00:28:51.179 Yes sir, I don't ever want to quit growing, I just want to keep being green. 00:28:51.961 --> 00:28:52.561 Yes, sir. 00:28:53.163 --> 00:28:55.067 Just keep learning and learning and learning. 00:28:55.067 --> 00:29:04.101 Yes, sir, All right, Baxter, what else would you like for the audience to know about agriculture leadership? 00:29:04.101 --> 00:29:06.968 If you could offer them any more advice, what would you tell them? 00:29:08.954 --> 00:29:11.740 Oh, it's a tough one, you know. 00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:15.367 I mean something we've been saying this whole time is honesty. 00:29:15.367 --> 00:29:17.218 But then there's work ethic. 00:29:17.218 --> 00:29:21.675 I mean you said at the very beginning if you want to know what the future is, grow it. 00:29:21.675 --> 00:29:37.730 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. 00:29:39.174 --> 00:29:41.988 Baxter, it's not just agriculture, it's our homes. 00:29:41.988 --> 00:29:45.720 Yes sir, it's our businesses, it's our minds. 00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:47.805 We've got to plant the right seeds in our head. 00:29:47.805 --> 00:29:51.363 Yes, sir, we've got to plant the right seeds in our home. 00:29:51.363 --> 00:29:54.082 We've got to plant the right seeds in our state and our country. 00:29:54.964 --> 00:29:55.546 Yes, sir. 00:29:56.214 --> 00:29:58.642 And then, like you said, it takes a little bit of hard work. 00:29:59.664 --> 00:30:00.145 Yes, sir. 00:30:00.795 --> 00:30:02.038 People ask me all the time. 00:30:02.038 --> 00:30:05.406 They say, Aaron, what separates those FFA kids from everybody else? 00:30:05.406 --> 00:30:08.700 You know, you think about high schools and schools. 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.545 They've got speech and debate. 00:30:10.545 --> 00:30:13.740 Yes, sir, They've got football. 00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:15.106 They've got teamwork. 00:30:15.106 --> 00:30:19.848 They've got football, They've got teamwork. 00:30:19.848 --> 00:30:21.154 They've got band, they got ensemble. 00:30:21.154 --> 00:30:26.566 So what is it that separates our kids from everybody else? 00:30:26.566 --> 00:30:31.558 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. 00:30:32.862 --> 00:30:33.482 Yes, sir. 00:30:34.765 --> 00:30:35.926 And I will tell you right. 00:30:35.926 --> 00:30:51.942 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. 00:30:52.964 --> 00:30:53.526 Yes, sir. 00:30:54.035 --> 00:30:58.386 And that is a core value that you will carry into everything that you approach. 00:30:58.386 --> 00:31:01.221 Is that something else matters? 00:31:01.942 --> 00:31:03.685 besides myself. 00:31:03.685 --> 00:31:04.387 Yes, sir. 00:31:04.776 --> 00:31:05.759 Keep up the good work. 00:31:06.561 --> 00:31:17.319 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. 00:31:17.339 --> 00:31:18.969 You know what my favorite verse in the bible is? 00:31:18.969 --> 00:31:20.075 People ask me this all the time. 00:31:20.075 --> 00:31:23.663 I'll tell you why it is it's james 1 5. 00:31:23.663 --> 00:31:25.087 You know what james 1 5 says? 00:31:25.087 --> 00:31:32.183 Says if any man seeks wisdom, let him ask a god who gives it freely to all men without casting judgment. 00:31:32.183 --> 00:31:34.269 That's pretty cool right there. 00:31:34.269 --> 00:31:37.921 So the big man just says if you need some help, ask me. 00:31:39.022 --> 00:31:39.644 Yes, sir. 00:31:39.904 --> 00:31:40.726 And he'll give it to you. 00:31:41.867 --> 00:31:42.388 Yes, sir. 00:31:42.855 --> 00:31:43.819 So I'm kind of like you. 00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:51.201 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? 00:31:52.323 --> 00:31:53.987 Yes sir, yes sir. 00:31:54.855 --> 00:31:58.924 All right, baxter, you get one last fun question, okay. 00:31:59.346 --> 00:31:59.928 Sounds good. 00:32:00.775 --> 00:32:02.921 It's not the one I sent you, so you better get ready. 00:32:02.921 --> 00:32:04.064 I'm going to throw you a curve. 00:32:05.086 --> 00:32:05.467 Okay. 00:32:05.855 --> 00:32:07.420 It's a fun question Are you ready? 00:32:08.222 --> 00:32:08.805 Yes, sir. 00:32:11.621 --> 00:32:19.405 If they were going to make a movie about Baxter Whitworth, who would play Baxter Whitworth in your movie? 00:32:22.695 --> 00:32:24.804 Do I get to play myself in the movie? 00:32:25.035 --> 00:32:29.986 Nope, you got to find an actor who would you say would play the best Baxter Whitworth. 00:32:31.096 --> 00:32:32.603