What I Do
Agriculture, or more commonly known as farming, is the practice of cultivating crops, raising livestock, and managing other natural resources to produce food, fiber, and other agricultural products for human consumption. Agriculture plays a vital role in providing food as well as other essential resources to feed our community.
- Job Title: Owner/Operator
- Years in Profession: 10+
- Job and Daily Responsibilities:
I manage all facets of my business, from hard laborious work around the farm and in the fields, to strategic business planning and accounting on the back end. An important yet rewarding part of starting and running your own business, no matter the profession, is the hard work and dedication that goes into fulfilling all parts of the business in order to run it successfully. My profession being in agriculture, one minute I could be out harvesting on the farm, and minutes later I could be reconciling quickbooks and keeping a close eye on my financials, then making phone calls to buy/sell product, push marketing for the business through facebook or other platforms, and then be back to physically working again in the fields past dark. Along with most business professionals, I find myself wearing many hats working on, and running my family’s farm here in Westwood. As much as I love to be in the field doing the physical part of the job, the strategic/analytical side to the business is just as important, and is a big part of my day to day focus along with my farm chores.
Education
I am a graduate of Xaverian Brothers High School here in Westwood. After Xaverian, I followed my passion for agriculture and went to Cornell University, majoring in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in crop production and management.
Pre-Employment Experience
Prior to running my own farming business, it was crucial to start with a great educational foundation in the classroom, and further enhance that with many internships and jobs in my field to gain practical experience beyond the classroom. I had internships through my college years, working on multiple farms as well as spending a summer interning for the Hancock Agricultural Investment Group. I learned a lot through my time spent working at many different places to gain applicable experience, and I find myself reflecting on those past experiences and the knowledge gained, because much of what I do today and the things I learned directly impacts my decision making, and I feel more confident having spent that time at multiple businesses before starting my full time career.
List of classes that are most important/applicable to succeed in your profession:
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities available for high school and/or college students to learn:
We are always looking to hire interested and motivated students to work on the farm part-time or as interns for a summer. Whether it’s working the retail farm stand learning sales/customer service or working in the fields with crops and livestock, working on a farm is a rewarding experience that builds character. Its very eye opening as to what’s involved in the cultivation/rearing of crops and livestock, and how they’re grown/raised on the farm in order to feed our community.