For most teenagers, winter break time means
closing textbooks, sleeping in, and tuning out. For Andee Hammen, it has meant
rising early and walking through the winter chill to help with her dad’s cattle
operation. “Plenty to do when 150 cows calve out,” says Andee. “I’ve always
loved baby animals, and I’ve been a cowgirl on the family farm as far back as I
can remember.”
The small Iowa town of Jolley is not a
typical Annie Oakley cowgirl setting, but it is one of those places where
dedicated farmers work hard to produce the nation’s food. At an early age,
Andee may have decked out as a gun-totin’ cowgirl for Halloween, but she knew
that daily farm chores were real world necessities. She learned how to bottle
feed calves and assist during difficult birthing times. “I’ve never been afraid
of animals,” she said. “For many years I worked with cattle and sheep to get them
ready for shows, including the Iowa State Fair.” Yes, even cowgirls show sheep at the fair.
Andee’s show days at the fair are over, but she is still
focused on agriculture. As an Iowa State University junior, she is majoring in
agricultural communications and recently accepted an intern position at the
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. On the ISU campus, Andee is a
member of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow club, and as a student
ambassador, she helps with recruiting. At the CAST office, she helps with
editorial support, event organization, and social media.
Andee is also interested in photography, with
nature and animals as her main focus. With her experience and classes now
centered on agriculture and journalism, she is confident about moving into some
type of ag-centered profession. “My first choice would be an agency or
publications group concerned with livestock production.” As the saying goes—you
can take the girl off the farm, but you can’t take the livestock farm off of a
cowgirl who loves working with animals.
by dan gogerty
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