Poultry Central. Right here in Minnesota!

As I have written before, I work for several poultry organizations – specifically, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and its sister organization the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council; the Chicken and Egg Association of Minnesota; and the Midwest Poultry Federation.

Poultry Central. Right here in Minnesota!

I wear many hats for these organizations, including communications (newsletters, websites, social media, working with members of the press, etc.) and event planning (board meetings, education events, conferences and trade shows).

This week I am heading to Saint Paul – about an hour’s drive from home – for the 42nd annual Midwest Poultry Federation (MPF) Convention. This event is the largest regional poultry show in the country, attracting over 2,000 turkey, chicken and egg farmers, poultry company representatives, government personnel, university faculty, students and those who work for allied industries. Our exhibit hall will feature 224 companies and our workshops will include presentations from nearly 40 speakers from around the world. I’m also proud to say that the MPF Convention is one of Trade Show Executive’s 50 Fastest Growing Trade Shows in the U.S., as announced just a few weeks ago.

Go poultry!

It’s my job to oversee what I call the “attendee side” of this event – from the registration desk, education workshops, audiovisual equipment and a variety of side meetings to the welcome reception, hotel blocks, shuttle service and everything else. Just imagine me in perpetual motion – seriously, I don’t think I ever sit down – at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, holding my iPhone, a two-way radio and a clipboard with all the pertinent show information. I’ve never tracked my steps but I can only imagine it is thousands upon thousands.

Comfortable – yet stylish – shoes are a must. 🙂

I’m excited to get to Saint Paul tomorrow! Our entire staff works the show and we will spend the majority of tomorrow getting a head start on setup. Then tomorrow evening, we will sit down (okay, I guess I do sit down once in a while!) and enjoy a meal at the St. Paul Grill, one of my favorite restaurants of all time – it will be the calm before the storm. But it’s a good storm – and it will be gratifying to see so many of our friends in the poultry industry come together to network, learn and have fun, too. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the past 17+ years, it’s that the learning never stops for farmers. They are constantly studying and soaking in information about feed/nutrition, barn ventilation, water quality, manure management, bird health and so much more – with the end result being healthy, well cared for birds on their farms.

In the meantime, today I spent a good portion of the afternoon making sure the home front was ready for my absence – as any wife/mom would do. The refrigerator is full of food that is easy for Teacher Man and our 9-year-old to grab for evening meals – including my favorite turkey & egg pasta salad. (Someday I will blog specifically about this recipe, which is actually called “Volleyball Salad” in my family!) And Joe’s favorite breakfast muffins were baked and ready to go. The car was vacuumed, the laundry finished, piano was practiced, the week’s schedule written out for Teacher Man to follow, and my suitcase was packed. I am ready!

If you’re interested in following the MPF Convention on Twitter, search for the hashtag #mpf13. Or, “like” the MPF Convention on Facebook. Have a great week, everyone!