MY DAD GOT A SMART PHONE, AND I GOT AN IDEA…

Wouldn’t it be cool if Dad could read the latest agriculture headlines on his phone without having to hunt and peck? I took my idea to my college friend, Anne at SpecCreative, who was a sorority sister as well as my maid of honor, and she brought my vision to life. This is how AgNewsFeed.com came to be.

AgNewsFeed is a free service, a work in progress and a learning experience for me. 

I serve people who love agriculture and need a convenient way to get the latest agriculture news and information. I give them the tools to get the information they need in an easy to use platform AgNewsFeed.com. 

Raised on a row-crop and beef cattle farm between the Red and Blue Rivers in Southeastern Oklahoma I’ve got over 30 years’ experience in agriculture, a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science/Livestock Merchandising from Oklahoma State University, and a Master’s degree in Adult Education from the University of Arkansas. 

I recently retired after ten years as a County Agriculture Extension Agent, where I was an Early Career and Achievement Award winner.

When I’m not caring for our stocker-calves, writing for agriculture publications or updating AgNewsFeed.com, I can be found waging an endless battle against weeds in my vegetable garden and flowerbeds, and no my gardens aren’t organic. 

We have three grown children who are doing their thing in North Carolina, Northwest Arkansas and New Zealand and we love traveling to spend time with them. We also have a new grandson that is just perfect.

Here are five things that make me who I am:

• Peanuts were the primary crop on our farm when I was a kid. At a young age, I learned just how many green peanuts you can eat out of the trailer without getting sick. 
• I had a contract with a produce company and grew six acres of cantaloupes when I was 16, which is how I purchased my first vehicle. Unfortunately, I can no longer stomach cantaloupes.
• My dad was seriously injured on the farm when I was 17 and was in the hospital for three months, much of that time he was in ICU. Our neighbors came and helped us harvest our crops and that experience changed me forever.
• I was run-over by a tiger-striped cow when I was about 12. Although uninjured I still harbor resentment and now I have a tiger-striped cow-hide rug. I enjoy beating the dust out of that thing when I clean house.
• My husband is a world-renowned beef cattle researcher. He will hate that I used that adjective.

You can reach me at melissabeck@agnewsfeed.com