Passionate About Inspiring Others, Through Agronomic Outreach Projects
Guest Speaker:
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Farm Journal High Yield Event
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High Yield Corn Management
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Farm Journal Corn College
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Corn Genetics
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Western Illinois University
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Ag. Sales
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John Woods Community College
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Agronomy and Africa
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Bushnell ROTARY
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Agronomy and Africa
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Pittsfield ROTARY
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Agronomy and Africa
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Alpha Gamma Rho Leadership Conference
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Leadership
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Illinois Soybean Association Field Days
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Soybean Agronomics
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Illinois Soybean Association Monthly webinar series
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Bridging the 100 bu Yield GAP
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Carrollton Community High School
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Agriculture and Africa Projects
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Jersey Community High School
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Agriculture and Africa Projects
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St. Johns Catholic Grade School
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Careers in Agriculture
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Soil Health Projects:
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Illinois Farm Bureau
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Greene County Farm Bureau
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Calhoun County Farm Bureau
FFA Organization:
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National FFA Agronomy Contest Judge
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Illinois FFA State Job Interview Judge
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Section and District Contest Judge
Illinois Soybean Association:
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Agronomic guest speaker
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Agronomic blogs and newsletters
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Organizing speakers and developing topics for regional meetings
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Organized the SOY ENVOY program
Education:
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Lincoln Land Community College: Adjunct Instructor: Agronomy
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Lake Land Community College: Adjunct Instructor: Precision Ag
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Academic program and industry needs assessment
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Western Illinois University: CSA project and scholarships
During my stay, I was able to assist in developing relationships between our farmers and suppliers. We provided farmers with “risk free trials”, letting them plant half their farm their way and the other half our way, and then comparing the difference. As a result, some of our farmers have increased their production to a point where they have enough grain to start a chicken farm! This not only introduces animal protein to their families but creates a sellable product to the market.
The farmers raise primarily white corn, grinding it down to a powder then boiling it to make a dough. If the dough was baked, it would be used to make shells or chips and since resources are limited, boiling is the best/only option for many.
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Planting Dates: It would typically take a farmer a few weeks to fully plant a few acres of corn, which in most cases delayed crop growth going into the summer heat and dry season. By upgrading to mechanical planters, seeds were better singulated, planted at consistent depths, and received adequate crop nutrients that were positionally available near the roots. All of this combined allowed farmers to be prepared to plant when the conditions were ready and to get their crop planted very timely. Driving around the countryside, we could tell the massive impact that slow planting has on the crop and final yields.
In 2018, I was invited as a team member to Zambia, Africa to help lead their agricultural efforts. As an agronomist, my job was to work with farmers in a remote village with a goal of improving food stability through improving production agriculture practices and education. I was there to help farmers understand farming challenges as well as learn new methods.
During my time there, my group and I developed in-field and classroom training opportunities to improve understanding of agronomy practices, specifically focused on growing higher yield corn. Practices discussed ranged anywhere from nutrient management and value of planting dates, to the importance of seeding depth and more!
Field demonstrations were used to showcase:
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Root Development: Big Roots equal Big Yields, was the message that was given during the field day. The wider a root system is, the greater distance a plant can pull water and nutrients from the soil. When the dry season starts, soil moisture becomes limited quickly.
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Photosynthesis: Explaining that the leaves of a corn plant were like the solar panel that charged their cell phones. The leaves are very important to develop the ear.
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Weed Management: Explaining how weeds are like the corn crop they are raising and that it's stealing nutrients and water from the corn plant.
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Nutrient Management: Typically, crop nutrients were very accessible, but also very costly. Therefore, nutrients were used very sparingly or sometimes not at all. We helped to meter crop nutrients with the planter and to side dress Nitrogen.
Zambia, Africa
African Vision For Hope
While in Zambia, we also worked alongside “African Vision for Hope” - an Illinois based charity/orphanage that supports people in the area. A major crop input and grain buyer CEO allowed us to meet for tea and conversation. He spoke highly of the program's fundamental value of leading through agronomic education, so when the funds are gone, farmers still have the knowledge gained. Too often, groups and countries just give free seed, fertilizer, etc. and when it's gone, farmers are no better off than when they started. Our goal was to leave a lasting impression and learned skills so that the farmers and their families/communities can flourish long after we left. African Vision for Hope's goal is to lift people out of the cycle of poverty through education and that's why our two groups worked very well together. If you have a desire to donate to African Vision for Hope or to the Agriculture project in Zambia Africa, please reach out, I would be glad to assist.
