Raven Herron

 Hello from the Washington County Fair! 

If there is one thing that the agricultural industry teaches you, it’s that you never know everything. In order to truly survive in an industry as diverse as the management and use of natural resources, you must be a lifelong learner. The individuals who I have seen struggle the most are the ones who believe that everything they know is the correct way of doing things. One of the biggest problems with that mindset in the agricultural industry is that the technological advancement in the last 50 years is astronomical. Learning the changes in preferences, the more efficient way to do things, the research that brings us better drugs or tells us not to use others, the introduction of advanced animal and plant genetics, and so many more things truly drive the world we live in today. 

Working through this internship has enhanced my experiences of varying cultures, niches, people, and “typical” (if there is such a thing) farming practices so that I can continually expand my wealth of knowledge. Additionally, this internship has been a wonderful opportunity to gauge how I enjoy working in an office environment. I’d like to think of my discoveries as the 3 Fundamental “F’s”  which include: Flexible, Fun, and Focused. Both of my mentors have exhibited all three qualities which make them very great to work with. Being flexible is probably the most important trait in my opinion. The ability to change plans on the fly or work around an imperfect situation is impressive, effective, and comforting. Having the attribute of “fun” actually makes the job you're doing enjoyable because of the company you are surrounding yourself with. When you have to work in an environment that isn't fun, you easily lose motivation and drive to accomplish anything. If a workplace was strictly fun and flexible, there would be no work done. To balance everything out, staying focused is extremely important. Being able to have a set of goals and accomplish as many as possible is very important as well.

In other news, it is the week of the Washington County Ag Expo and Fair! I have been there helping with the various livestock shows and however else possible. If you are in the market for some meat to fill your freezer, stop by Thursday night! Otherwise, the rest of the fun activities can be found online. I hope to see you there!

This is me with some of the heifers and pigs at the fair!

This is some ice cream from the stand at the fair run by the Washington County Farm Bureau!