A blonde schoolgirl stands and addresses the camera. A text bar on the screen reads – “Anna Huffman, Animal Systems SAE, Randall FFA, Florida”.
Anna: My name is Anna Huffman, I go to Randall Middle School, and I’m in the Randall FFA chapter.
“What is your SAE?” appears, introducing the next segment of this video. Following this, there’s a shot of a goat. Alongside Anna Huffman, another teenage girl feeds a goat in the barn.
My SAE is a goat, a dairy goat. Her name is Izzy. She is a special personality. She’s very distant from some people; she chooses who she likes.
Anna talks to the camera while gently caressing the goat. Anna spends time taking care of the goat outdoors. Subsequently, we see her with a friend taking the goats on a short walk.
And she just kind of is here. Luckily, she chose me as someone she liked.
So, I really grew attached to her last year. And then I got her for this year. And I show her at all the fairs and all the festivals. And it’s really fun because you’re out there twice a day with them, feeding them, taking care of them.
A boy is interviewed. A text bar appears on the screen introducing the boy as - “Mason Grant, Animal Systems SAE, Randall FFA, Florida”.
Mason: I’m Mason Grant, and I go to Randall Middle School.
Accompanied by the text - “What type of SAE do you have?” The next section of this interview begins. Later, Mason spent time with the pig in the barn. He bathes the pig.
I’m in an animal system. And it’s my pig. And basically, all I do--I just care for him. I come in every morning. And then after school, I come in, and I feed him, I clean out his pen. I love feeding him and training with him. And just the other day, we gave him a bath, which is pretty funny to see.
Here comes another section of the interview with the text- “What do you do each day for your SAE?” Anna explains her daily routine during the interview while a goat sits calmly beside her.
Anna: For goats, you have to feed them in the morning and the afternoon, make sure they always have fresh hay and fresh water. And they need a lot of attention.
The goat joyfully grazes on grass outside. Anna Huffman prepares food to feed the goats. Later, with a friend, she feeds the goats in the barn.
They need to be able to graze, so you have to let them out. They have to be on specific diets. And some weird rule for dairy goats is that they can’t show unless they were bred once they turn two, so we have to make sure we find breeders and that they are able to be bred.
The text “What have you learned during your SAE?” appears on the screen, followed by footage of a goat. Anna Huffman's interview clip continues, with the goats around her enjoying her company.
I thought I was just going to learn about animals and plants and like how they grow and stuff, but it’s so much more, there’s so much more that goes into it--there’s--you get so much more out of it than I would have ever thought. And there’s just so much that the advisors do. Everything that you just learn and there’s like mechanics, photography, journalism, there’s so much.
Text appears - “Are all SAEs the same?” Accompanied by this, a video of the pig appears on the screen. The caretaker guides the pig into the stall.
No, they’re definitely not all the same. It really depends on what animal you have. Goats. There’s different, definitely different procedures than to pigs.
The text “What’s the best thing about your SAE?” indicates the next section. Anna’s interview clip is displayed on the screen.
It’s just such a great opportunity to learn so much more than you would have ever thought, like how your food is made, what all goes into it, and everything about animals.
A goat stands in the barn. Another goat is seen taking a walk outdoors around the barn.
In FFA, you make so many good friends. You have opportunities to travel. And it’s just, you grow so close to everyone in the program.
“Can your SAE be overwhelming?” pops up on the screen. The caretaker feeds a goat. Anna fills the goat-food in the food bowl.
Anna: It can be really overwhelming to have this commitment in your life. But once you figure out that you really like it or something that you really like, then it’s something you enjoy doing. It’s like a sport where you enjoy going to go do this, that’s why you do it.
Another interview question appears on the screen, saying - “Are all SAEs the same?” The goat enjoys its meal.
Anna: There’s something for everyone. It’s not only plants and animals. So, if you don’t enjoy being out here with plants and animals, then there’s contests that you can do.
In this interview clip, Anna continues to share her thoughts and experiences.
There’s like floriculture, aquaculture, food science, there’s a ton, and there’s something that you will like.
Text appears on the screen that reads- “Is your SAE hard?” Following this, Mason shares his experiences in running his SAE. Mason enters the pig’s cage and cleans it.
Mason: Yeah, it was definitely hard. So, I just started to have to wake up early. And then I fed him and I cleaned his pet cage and like definitely, like about a week later, I was getting used to all that.
Text on the screen reads - “Do you have to know something about Ag to start an SAE?” He does some chores. Mason passionately talks about his work. Later, he fills the pig's food bowl.
I knew nothing at all coming in. I just said, “I want a pig. That sounds cool. I want to get the money from it.” And so just as I went, I learned when my pig--my pig got sick, that was definitely a big learning curve.
Anna’s interview clip resumes on the screen. She takes care of the goat. Anna tends to her goat’s hooves.
Anna: It’s something anyone could try. I personally did not grow up on a farm; I grew up in a really small community. And that’s why it’s nice to have--be able to lease animals from the school because, at my house, I cannot keep livestock. So, it’s really simple, and it’s really nice. And they make it super easy.
Text on the screen reads - “How can you learn more before deciding which SAE you would like?” After this, Mason shares his views on the question. The goat enjoys her time in the sunshine in the barn.
Definitely talk to other project owners, see what it’s like, even if it’s the goats, because they still, they do similar things, but not exactly. Like just see how like you got to, you got to know, like what you’re getting into.
After the text “What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?”, Anna’s interview clip resumes. Anna goes with her partner to feed and check on the goats in their stalls.
Anna: The most important thing I’ve learned is public speaking. I was very shy when I started middle school. I didn’t have many friends, but I’ve grown from there. Being the president of our chapter, being able to talk in front of large groups of people, and just having people around you that support you.
Mason’s interview clip resumes. The pig is enjoying its food.
Mason: One thing I really learned through this program is patience. Because the pigs can be definitely be stubborn, they just don’t want to get up and training them and walking them.
Mason trains the pig in the barn. Text appears on the screen - “What advice would you give to someone just starting out in an SAE?” Anna’s interview clip continues the screen.
Anna: I would just say, figure out what you like, and go for it. Be confident in what you know because no one can tell you what’s wrong if it’s what you like.
Her goat is enjoying its food.