First Two Weeks: Farm Visits and More!

Wow, it’s hard to believe that I’m already in my fourth week. Where has the time gone? Well let’s start off by saying this has been the most exciting experience that I’ve had the privilege participating in, in a very long time. The past three weeks have been outstanding. Coming into this internship, I thought that I knew a lot about tobacco, since that is the main crop of production on my family farm.  In the past three weeks we’ve looked at around 2,000 acres of tobacco plants in greenhouses and I’ve learned more about float bed problems than you could ever imagine. That’s just a brief overview. Now I’ll break it down by week so you can find out just how busy I’ve been.

                           

Week One:

Terramaster damage

Monday May 12^th was the first day for me and I guess you could say it was just a regular day of answering call up until lunch when Gary got back into the office. That morning I got to meet the secretaries Heather, Evonne, and Allison. After lunch you could say Gary and I kept the roads hot by driving around the county looking at Greenhouses full of tobacco as well as a few fields off alfalfa that were just drilled this spring.

Tuesday morning was a little different. I road to Lexington to take some soil samples to the lab and that afternoon Kenny Seebold came down to look at some problems that we spotted the day before while looking at tobacco plants.

Wednesday was awesome! The Harrison County Beef Cattle Association cooked lunch for nurse appreciation week at the local hospital.

Thursday and Friday were basically a regular day at the office as my supervisor would call it. Both days consisted of answering calls and doing odd and end jobs around the office. I ended the week Friday afternoon with a little livestock judging practice with the 4-H Livestock Club. 

Livestock judging practice!

Week Two:

Monday May 19^th was a normal day besides coming  in a little late due to an emergency on the farm. On the way to the office, I stopped buy Bevins to order a part for one of the five grain drills at the office.  For the most part, Monday was a regular day at the office.

Tuesday Gary and I were back on the road delivering fuel to the fairgrounds for Allison and taking an irrigation system to a farm to water their grapes that are being planted this year. Also while we were out, we looked at a tree that a lady had called about earlier that morning.

Wednesday was quite the adventure as I traveled to Lexington for my first District 4 Staff Conference.

 

Thursday was a long one! First thing that morning  we were gone looking at tobacco plants with target spot that were also showing some signs of pythium. That afternoon I ran to Georgetown to pick up the part I ordered the week before and had to be back by 7:30 for the Harrison County Fair Board meeting and reception to introduction the new horticulture agent, Jessica Brown.

Friday was a slow day you could say. I took my first set of soil samples to the lab in Lexington.  

The first two weeks have been outstanding and I can’t wait to get deeper in. I’m enjoying getting to know and work with the producers of Harrison County on a business and personal level as well.  I can’t wait to bring you more in the following weeks.

Caleb Sadler

Harrison County ANR