EIF-B_Where We Come From

LEARNING CENTER
REAL THING
EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / CONTRIBUTED
shortly before Christmas. The junior and
which has a climate-controlled indoor arena,
Eastern Iowa Community College and
local farmers and businesses – has a
climate-controlled indoor arena, 20 horse
stalls, cattle pens, and classrooms. It’s the
location of the college’s veterinary tech
program and is a venue for other ag-related
events.
“The whole reason behind the ag center
is to get kids some experience in those
career areas so that they are better suited
to go to the next level, whether that’s
college, whether it’s to come back here
and work for one of the ag businesses we
have here in Eastern Iowa, or Muscatine,
or is to go on to something else. A lot of
the skills they learn are in an ag setting,
but they transfer in to so many other life
skills,” Paul said.
That includes critical thinking and
problem-solving, honed by opportunities
to oversee setting up budgets, ordering
feed, shavings and other supplies;
developing feed rations; deciding genetics
and helping with artificial insemination;
taking care of equipment; growing crops
and more.
“Every kid can go their own direction,”
Paul said. “We have some kids who are
really interested in animals. We have other
kids who have really taken an interest
in the crops or mechanics.”
Students run a 70-acre test plot at the
ag center, taking part in the entire production
process from planning to planting to
harvesting corn, soybeans and hay. Local
farmers, implement dealers and seed
companies help and provide resources.
The plot money is used for scholarships
and special projects.
The students not only run equipment,
they do about 90% of the maintenance on
the machinery as well.
For students interested in horticulture,
there are a lot of options, Kensley said.
“This year, we planted poinsettias and
took care of them. We decorated wreaths
and made centerpieces,” she said. “Our
class is in charge of the orders for the
May plant sales, so we decide how much
and what we need.”
The greenhouse is at the high school,
but those students also spend time at the
ag center working on other projects, Paul
said.
Part of the barn is devoted to housing
cows that also are important in students
getting experience in everything from
breeding to preparing the animals for the
fair.
“We have a number of kids who will
show livestock who live in town but the
livestock is kept here. We have community
members and supporters who will lease
calves to a kids so they can show them,”
Paul said. “They are able to keep them
here. We might have 40 to 50 students
exhibiting at the county fair, and really all
but two or three wouldn’t have the opportunity
if they didn’t have this location.”
Last year, just under 20 Muscatine
graduates went into an ag-related field after
high school, either college or a career,
Paul noted, adding it couldn’t be done
without a lot of support.
“All of the ag businesses in our area
know the importance of turning out the
next generation of not only good employees
but educated consumers and educated
ag advocates,” Paul said.
While many of the students in the
ag program don’t live on farms, by the
end of the program, they have gained a
variety of skills and also knowledge and
an appreciation for the impact agriculture
has on their community.
“They’re advocates for agriculture.
They’re advocates for the businesses
in town and how they’ve supported
us,” Paul said. “The other thing is they
know where their food comes from. In
a social-media driven world, we’ve got
some good people on the ground who
actually know how things happen and can
promote the safe food sources we have in
the United States.” n
eifarmer.com SPRING 2024 | EASTERN IOWA FARMER 93