So, as many of you may know (if you keep up with the EDJE blog) we had our annual pumpkin carving contest last week. But, what many of you may not know is that I was robbed!! My fabulous Bridezilla pumpkin came in DEAD last!!! And on top of that the votes were publicly displayed!! My poor little pumpkin was mortified! We both knew she should have came in first, but for undisclosed reasons she did not. Now that I have finally gotten over that traumatic experience, I have been robbed again!! Today was our EDJE-o-ween Party and we decided to be festive and wear costumes! Well I had the PERFECT costume, I literally could go to vegas with this act…see picture! But when the ballots were counted and the prizes awarded, guess who’s name was not announced?!? ROBBED!!!!  :)

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

• Best Costume: Cow (Jonina)
• Scariest Costume: Iowa State Fans (pictured to right)
• Funniest Costume: Journey Fan (Tiffany)
• Most Original Costume: Dice (Amy & Erin)

In rebuttal of Jennifer L. Smith claiming that she is the only farm girl in the office, I have decided to post this blog….

I survived! Yes, that’s correct I have successfully made it through my first harvest! I grew up on a horse/cattle operation in southwest Mississippi and even though I had a lot of “farm boy” friends from the delta while in college, I really had no clue about farming at all! Well, I have been educated! Granted, I only ventured up to northwest Iowa to my fiancé’s farm a couple of times in the past month and a half, but it was still very stressful!! I require a lot of maintenance and attention and when the tractor, and the combine, and all that other equipment robs me of what I have become accustomed to, it can put quite a strain on the relationship!! Not to mention the constant talk about the harvest, which is most grueling. All these new things I have to remember and just trying to act interested is a feat in itself! I have even pin pointed the exact moment when the conversations between my fiancé and his friends turn to the subject of the season. It begins with this dreaded question “well, how’s your crop?”  This leads to the lengthy discussions about yield, moisture content, and what has broken since the last time they had this exact same dialogue! AHHHHH! When will it end?!?!?! Much to my dismay everyone constantly reminds me that it will happen again next year, and the next!! And that I really only get a small break until planting begins this spring! Lord help me…the rest of my life!! On the bright side, I have recently developed a love of photography and got to take some really fun pictures the day “we” combined soybeans. However, riding in the combine was not near as much fun as I thought it would be. In my head I imagined that we could get some serious wedding planning done during this boring time but apparently this big piece of machinery is very complex and the driver needs to maintain full attention on the rows…I don’t even need to explain why this experience was flawed from the beginning (see previous confession concerning my incessant need for attention!) Needless to say when I commenced chattering on about polka dot centerpieces and pink stripped ties he was more than uninterested and used the combine as his excuse to change the subject to a less significant topic! Now, riding in the tractor to take the beans to the co-op was more enjoyable but totally embarrassing...everybody passing us and of course staring to see who was getting their crop in!! I guess if I had to choose, my favorite part of harvest is when it’s OVER!!  In conclusion, after making it through all this, I have officially christened myself a “farm girl!”  :)

During her years as editor of The Showbox, Cherie Carrabba has chronicled the lives and adventures of the livestock exhibitor as no one ever has or will. This inspiring, upbeat, and humorous collection of stories about life at home and on the road will provide you with opportunities to think about and reflect on your own family experiences With candor and humor, she brings family, friends, and characters to life on the page, memorializes the passing of some, while uniting readers and characters alike through their similarities.

Won't Ride Sidesaddle will make you laugh and cry and leave you with an appreciation for the individuals who spend their time and money in the belief that, other than Sunday School, there is no better place to raise a child than at livestock shows.

Books are now available to purchase online!

    With the first sneeze! Ahhhhh…choooo! Here it comes the first cold for the season. In the back of your mind you are thinking oh no not a cold. Unfortunately for the parents in the industry, not only do our children bring home from school or the baby sister their hugs and love but also whatever else their friends and them have passed from one another - colds, pink eye, stomach flu etc. My four year old is always telling my husband and I to remember to wash our hands before eating coming inside from working etc. Also to make sure to cover your mouth when you cough (Not with your hand, like I was taught as a child but to cough into your elbow. That way you do not spread germs.) When we all go into wash our hands after playing in the sand box. We start off by making sure the water is nice and warm. Then lather up with bubble gum soap because not only does it smell good enough to eat but also, it makes the best bubbles. Then we start in singing “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you….”. My four year old says we have to sing the song twice to make sure to get the germs off and plus at the end of each song we have to blow out the candles.

    In the print department the first cold season is similar to the sale catalog season. With the first catalog we can tell the sale managers, individual ranches and sale consignors are not ready for the sale season to start. I think we are all victim of having to many things to do and not enough hours in the day. With a four year old and a one year old I am very much a victim of not enough hours in the day. It is hard to remember every item what items the EDJE print team needs to complete your sale catalog in the fashion you would like so; you only have to proof the catalog one time. Let us help you get organized. Here are the items we are need from our customers so that we can better serve our clients…

•  Do you have a look that you have used on your print ads that you would like to see on the cover or the inside of your catalog?
•  Do you have the information page, letter page plus any other information you would like in the catalog (reference sires, general EPD or pedigree information from your breed or even a terms and conditions page)
•  How would you like your pedigree’s to look in your sale catalog? Go look at sale catalogs and find one you like how the pedigree & footnote is set up and send it to us so that we can design the catalog to your liking.
•  Let us know what EPDs you would like to see in the catalog? Every breed has certain EPDs they like to see in the catalog.
•  Will every LOT have a footnote? If not and your are going to use one footnote for a group of animals please let us know so we can set up the catalog accordingly.
•  If you can send the catalog in LOT order. Also in the the order how they will be placed in the catalog (for example: Embryos, Pregnancies, Opens, Breds, Cow/Calf Pairs, Bulls, etc.)
•  Will each LOT have a picture? If not if you can let us know which animals will have a picture (or a reference picture sire, dam, grand dam, etc.)
•  Then the mailing list. Do you have a mailing list? If so is it in and Excel file format? If not can you transfer it to an Excel file format? If you do not have a mailing list and will be getting it from a breed association if you would ask for it in an Excel file format it is preferred by the mailing house at our printer. This is the one item that everyone forgets about…the mailing list. We get the catalog ready sent off to get produced then the catalog is done and at the printer and we are scrambling to get a mailing list.

    EDJE Technologies print team is here to make putting together a sale catalog as EASY AS POSSIBLE! Just remember to sing “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you” and the next thing you know your catalog will be done! So the next time you feel the sale catalog cold coming, remember “Just a spoonful of EDJE will make it all better!”

So it is that time when I'm suppose to blog. That is right they are actually going to let me blog about something!!! Whoooooaa put on your reading glasses and let’s take a ride!

Well first off I better start off with an introduction. I'm Jen Smith, reigning from Estherville, Iowa! I started working at EDJE 11.5 months ago, so merely breaking a year here, and has it been a ride to remember. Yes I'm the only farm girl in the office so I have to stick up for myself when it comes to the Cyclones vs. Hawkeye’s. Pssh, we all know that the Clones are the better team!

 I started at Edje last November working as the EDJEcast office technician! Me being the farm girl/untechinal person I am was a bit scared to say the least! I have now come to realize that we all should have a DSL or T1 Fiber connection. For those of you that don't know what that is.... yeah don't worry I had no idea either!! I thought DSL those are my dads’ initials. So here is the down-low on internet connections if you have a DSL or T1 Fiber connection, you are flying high and should be able to get all EDJEcasts without a problem. Now if you have a satellite, cable, and wireless broadband....well lets just say the 1990's called and wanted it back... meaning it is slower then molasses in January. However, not all locations can get the high speed connections if you are out in the boonies! You sluggers just hang in there better times are ahead of ya :)

Come June I got moved on to the cattle team which was really exciting to me! I love going to cattle shows and most of all going home to work on my family cow-calf operation. Now that I'm officially on the cattle team I'm the person that gets asked all cattle questions that the rest of my glorious cattle team members don't know. But then they actually went to school for designing so they get to help me with all my blonde questions I ask them on a day to day basis... or sometimes hourly to hourly!!

This past winter was the first time I have never been home to help calve out cows, and O Buddy did I miss it!! I mean there are some things that non-farm kids don't get to experience such as getting up at 12-2-4 in the a.m. and then staying up from 6 till 10. It is a great time; let me tell ya, it usually brings out the best in family members too.  I mean there is nothing better then watching your dad run around a pen with a cow hot on his trail! It is hilarious, maybe the best part of the whole calving situation. Plus, I mean really who gets to experience a c-section and getting in there and sticking your hands in places that probably shouldn’t be mentioned on such a public blog! One of my good friends watched as his child was born and the nurses couldn’t believe he made it through the whole thing without fainting/passing out from not eating all day! He simply told them if they only knew what he has seen in his days calving out cows!!

May was a scary month in Iowa, holy COWS did we have lots of tornado warnings and floods around this neck of the woods!! Not good, but could have been a lot worse I guess! This past summer May-August, was like wedding awareness summer for me! I mean I love the meaning of weddings and all don’t get me wrong but every weekend in the summer can get a bit excessive!! Wowzers! The one weekend I did have free I got to O so graciously go to the national goat show for a week, for work!! O Lordy, was that an experience. Let’s just say that cattle shows are a lot different and when I mean different. I’m thinking like these goat shows are like sheep shows… boy was I wrong, most of these goats don’t walk they prefer to just let there owner drag them around or dolly them around on carts. This down right cracked me up! Also, they are in the barn like an hour before the show and are gone when they are done showing for the day or the show is over. This was stunning to me at a cattle show you usually get up at a mere 3:30 or 4:00 in the a.m. Wash the 7 head you brought to the show which at this time you are thinking is about a mere 5 head to many, when you didn’t go to bed till 2:30. “Because you were out networking”!  Then you feed them, and blow them out which takes anywhere from half hour to 1.5 depending on the type of hair coat they have overlaying there goods! Then the cattle rest, next you fit them, show them, break them down, wash them, blow them. Get my drift! SHOW DAY FOR CATTLE SHOWS IS AN ALL DAY NEVER ENDING EXTRAVAGANZA! This leads you into the Iowa State Fair, which every farm kid in Iowa looks forward too! Which by the grace of God my best friend Sara’s’ little brother won both the heifer and steer show this year.

This fall has been busy busy busy with EDJEcasts, and then going home to help with my families own sale among other things!!! Well this brings my story telling for the first year at EDJE to a closing for now!

Also, if you haven’t noticed I like to keep my life full of laughter and jokes, sitting at a computer all day can get pretty boring unless you have a good sense of humor. Thanks to my co-worker/roomie we keep Ed and the Edje office a hopping!

Well better get back on the saddle, and get some things done!!

After a week and over 270 votes, the GRAND CHAMPION PUMPKIN has been named!  Congratulations to Jennifer Smith, EDJE Cast Technician, Web Designer and Pumpkin-Carver Extraordinaire of "FALL TIME IN IOWA."  Thank you so much to everyone who took time to vote!

Shear Pawfection is a state of the art pet salon located in historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines, Iowa. Shear Pawfection has been family owned and operated since November 2001 and was developed with a better way in mind. Owner Julie wanted to create a different way of caring for dogs.

When you step into Shear Pawfection, you aren't stepping into just another groomer. You are stepping into a spa. Sure, you can get the usual Full Groom, Mini Groom or Express Groom, but for a real spa experience, add on a spa package for your dog to really experience the lap of luxury.

The spa package includes a Blueberry Facial, Medicated / Therapeutic Shampoo & Conditioners and Teeth Brushing. But if you would prefer, you can choose from a wide range of Spa A La Carte items to fit your needs. 

Shear Pawfection also grooms cats, and knows what a challenge it can be sometimes. Your cat will be given the up most attention from two staff members to ensure the safety of the stylist and the cat.

Julie also has a boutique where you can find many premium pet supplies that the large chains just don't carry. Julie carries products from Angels' Eyes, Epi-Pet, Furminator, South Bark, NuVet Labs just to name a few.

I had a great time working on the Shear Pawfection website, and Julie was really  entertaining to work with. One stop to her shop and you'll know what I mean! In the mean time, check out ShearPawfection.com to learn more about her spa and to get the store hours or to take advantage of the internet special!

EDJE Technologies is hosting its 4th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest and we need YOUR votes!  7 outstanding pumpkins have been carved and voting begins today!  Please take a look and vote for your favorite.  The winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 28th.  Happy Halloween!!

Consistency or “branding” is key to both effectiveness and return-on-investment in any advertising campaign.

Ingredients for a successful advertising campaign:

1. focus
2. flexibility
3. consistency

What happens if you don’t have consistency with your business brand, advertising and marketing?

1. You lose credibility
2. You appear undecided and confused to prospects
3. Prospects think you can’t make your mind up, look unstable
4. You look like you haven’t been in business very long

EDJE Technologies makes branding your company easy! Let us handle all your needs to showcase your characteristics such as your logo, website, brochure, business cards, email blast, banner ad, etc. that are associated with your company. For more samples, please visit http://www.edjetechnologies.com/corporateidentity.html