How I Spent My Summer

View of mountain ranges via the farm

I can still hear the Congo music, see the Ngöbe Buglé Indians walking past the house I lived in, feel the warmth of the Santa Clara people acting as a second family to me, and of course not to mention the beautiful mountain landscape covered with farms.

For 3 months I lived in a very small agriculturally centered town called Santa Clara in Panama (the country) which resides in Central America.  I lived and worked on a mountain range 1200 meters above sea level on an Arabica coffee farm.  Arabica coffee is grown on mountain ranges above sea level typically in a misty-type climate in tropical areas around the world.  But that’s crazy, I am an Ag Econ major; where is the math and statistics component of this job?  No, just labor on the coffee farm. 

I am interested in coffee so I figured if you want to get into a business it is vital to know the foundation of the business (i.e. coffee farming).  So first, I contacted Dr. Roger Brown in the Ag Econ program at UK about his new class which focuses on Ag-based tourism and had a required component to go to Panama in Central America for one week for a hands-on field work in March (Oh darn, a required trip to Panama!).  I told him I am interested in getting into the coffee business, and I asked if there would be any opportunities to find a job on a coffee farm via this new class).  Dr. Brown connected me to Mr. Alex Thor, who would also be our tour guide in Panama.  I signed up for the class and got into contact with Mr. Thor immediately.  Mr. Thor himself didn’t know a lot about the farming part of coffee so he connected me with Mr. Nico Armstrong who has been living in Panama for 7 years and started off working in the Peace Corps.  Mr. Armstrong then knew a family (the Lezcano’s) that would be willing to take me in to get experience working on a coffee farm.  And that is how I got the job.

Life on the farm was simple.  I wake up and drink coffee and eat at the farmer’s house down the road.  After that we may spend some time sharpening the machetes before we start working.  Leito Lezcano (the main farmer) owns an organic farm so most of the work is done by machetes; no machinery!  Plus, you won’t ever see a tractor on a mountain range, right?  Everyone in Santa Clara shares the scars they have via a machete, including me now.  Even with experience you can easily cut yourself; and oh boy does it make you a stronger person.  

Jesse on the coffee farm after chopping Plantain down to sell

As far as work on the farm; I pruned coffee and plantain trees, helped chop weak plantain trees to the root and re-plant them in different areas, planted new coffee trees, mixed fertilizer in the barn, etc.  Very labor intensive work, given the fact that you are walking up and down a mountain range (i.e. the farm) possibly with a 100 lb. bag of fertilizer on your back. I was in shape!  It was back-breaking but peaceful working on the farm and I gained an even greater appreciation for the hard work and passion farmers put into their farm.

As far as life in Panama, the pace was slow and people value family time very highly.  Yes, you have to work for a living, but don’t work too hard because then you can’t spend as much time with your family; this is how they think.  North Americans work really hard during the week and once they get to the weekend they are too tired to even enjoy it.  When I returned to the U.S. I was like “Wow, why are people eating so fast and in a hurry to get to places?”  I was experiencing reverse culture shock.  Overall, I miss Panama dearly…

Jesse M. is an agricultural economics student at the University of Kentucky.  He is from Louisville, Kentucky.

Down on the farm...UK Style

Many students go through college wondering how they are going to pay for their books or everyday expenses.  The College of Agriculture here at the University of Kentucky has plenty of opportunities for students to earn money through work-study.  I was hired on at the University’s Oran Little Research Farm in Woodford County at the beef research center when I was a sophomore.  I didn’t know it at the time but it was the beginning of many opportunities that I never knew I would have.

            Working at the Beef Unit at the farm in   Work days start at 6:30am (if it works with your schedule) and normally end around 3:30 pm. When I first started I thought working so early was terrible because I wasn’t used to getting up quite that early.  Once I got in the routine of getting to work at that time making any 8:00am class was easy, and I feel like I get so much more accomplished during the day when I get up early.   For those who can’t make it to work this early they are very good about working around school schedules because they know that academics come first.

Versailles for three years has really changed my life.

Not only has it impacted my life in this fashion, but also working at the beef unit has taught me a whole lot more than I could have ever learned in a classroom.  I grew up on our family farm and thought I knew the ins and outs about cattle, but I was wrong.  Working at the university’s farm has helped educate me about different feed rations, genetics, cross-breeding, reproduction, etc. and has given me the chance to work first hand with the animal research professors.  I have been able to take things that I learn at work home and practice them on my own farm.

One thing that most college students find hard is being organized and meeting deadlines.  Having to prioritize my working schedule with my school schedule and all the other extra curricular activities I am involved in has helped me prepare for the real world after graduation.  Being responsible and having time management skills is two key components when being successful in a career and I feel like my experience working through college farm has helped me develop these two skills.  One other thing that my administrators really push is for me to take initiative and do things before I’m told to, and I know this will help me be successful once I enter my career field.

Working at the beef unit at the Woodford County farm has introduced so many new opportunities to me that I never would have had otherwise.  I have met great people who have become some of my best friends, made several good contacts for future references, I’ve also learned an incredible amount about beef cattle, grown as an adult, and best of all I got paid to do all of this.  As a student entering the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture I would strongly recommend trying to find employment at one of the research farms.  There are a variety of different positions such as mine working at the beef cattle unit to working with dairy cattle and even poultry, and of course being in Kentucky we cannot forget about the horses. 

If your thinking about coming to UK and don’t want to leave the farm, don’t be worried there are plenty of opportunities to get back to the farm and be involved with the university at the same time.  Hopefully you won’t let the thought of moving away from home scare you because there are tremendous opportunities and people here at the University of Kentucky.

Cody is a senior graduating with a double major in Agricultural Economics and Community & Leadership Development.  

Lessons Learned

When I tell people I am an out-of-state student, a lot of people assume that I am trying to get away from my family and small town because I don’t enjoy it, or because I am not happy there. That could not be further from the truth. 

Kelsey and fellow members at the UK Little North American held by UK Block & Bridle

I am from a small town in Ohio, where the largest intersection is a two-way stop. The town is made up of a gas station and a post office. There isn’t a lot to do, but there is enough for me. I was born and raised on a family farm that is run by my grandfather, father and uncle. I have learned more from those three men than anyone else in my life. A lot of people see the farm, or hear that I live on a farm and they just don’t get it. It’s not just about the land and the tractors; it’s about the lessons and the laughter. Being raised as a farm kid is the best gift I have ever received.

So, I ask you this, why in the world would anyone want to get away from that and find something better. I left my small town life to come to Lexington and study at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture because it was what was best for me. My first visit to Lexington and I knew this is where I was going to study. The atmosphere, the people, that opportunities, and best of all the excellent education I knew I would receive. No, it’s not home, but it’s pretty close. 

It is difficult to be hours away from my home for long periods of time, but the friends and the memories I have made here at the University of Kentucky make it a lot easier. It is important to get involved while on a college campus, and the University of Kentucky and the College of Agriculture make that easy. There are always groups to join and events to attend. While academics and studying are important, college is also about learning who you are and having new experiences. It’s about putting yourself out there and meeting new people, who could have a huge impact on your life. You never know who you might meet that could potentially open new doors down the road. 

Being a college student takes guts, but being an out-of-state student or a student that isn’t close to home takes heart. I have my struggles from time to time, but what helps me through them is knowing that at the end of this journey lies the opportunities that I have only dreamed about. The once in a lifetimes, the dream jobs, and the accomplished goals. 

Even though I am far from my family and I miss them every day, I have a piece of them with me. I have the determination and the attitude to achieve my dreams, lessons learned from my small town life. 

Go Big Blue!

 Kelsey