Recently I had the opportunity to attend the wrap-up dinner for our on-farm interns. Each year the Dairy Excellence Foundation works with the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association to support a handful of college students who are placed as summer interns on dairy farm operations in and outside of Pennsylvania. This year we had eight interns who shared what they learned during final presentations they gave at the wrap-up dinner.
Along with experiencing all aspects of the dairy operation, from herd health to financial management, the interns are also asked to complete some type of research project during their summer. The final presentation includes what their goals were for the internship, what they learned, what their project included, what they enjoyed most about the internship, and what challenges they had to overcome. At the end of their presentation, they were asked to share what advice they had for future interns.
As the presentations went on one by one, I found myself really looking forward to hearing their advice. I found it almost ironic that all eight of this year’s interns were in the very beginning of their careers – just infants – and yet the advice they shared was incredibly insightful for anyone working day in and day out on dairy farms. The question, “What would you tell your younger self,” came to my mind as I was listening. A lot of what they shared was exactly what I needed to hear back when we bought our own dairy herd in 2005.
Emma McLaughlin, who interned at Schrack Farms in Loganton, Pa., encouraged future interns to be patient with themselves. “Be prepared to the best of your ability, but don’t be afraid to change your goals as the summer progresses because things are always changing on a dairy farm,” she said.
Allison Billard, who spent her summer at Scipio Springs Dairy in Union Springs, NY, encouraged future interns to get comfortable being uncomfortable. In May, they found themselves away from their families and friends and suddenly immersed in something they had never really gotten to experience before. By the time the summer ended, they learned how to do things they weren’t confident they’d ever learn how to do – like IVing sick cows or breeding heifers. They also managed entire aspects of the farm, like the sick barn or calves, while other employees or even the farm owners went on vacation.
Payton Eirman, who worked at Walmoore Holsteins in West Grove, Pa., built on the idea of getting comfortable with the uncomfortable by adding that you shouldn’t just do the work. “You should understand the “why” behind what you are doing.”
After finishing up her internship at Rohrer Dairy in Washington Boro, Pa., Shyanne Ackerman said you shouldn’t be afraid to ask as many questions as possible. “That is how you can figure out what you want and need to learn.”
The advice from Isabella Anderson, who interned at Ar-Joy Farms in Cochranville, Pa., was short and sweet. “Do it anyway.”
“Take advantage of the community you can create” was the advice from Hannah Mansfield, who interned at Kreider Farms in Manheim, Pa. Throughout the summer, she and other interns had the opportunity to talk once a week to each other about what they were learning and doing on the farm. That community was an important part of their experience. Just think about how better we all become once we learn to create a community around us.
Holly Mahala, the intern at Vista Grande Farm in Fleetwood, PA, encouraged interns to learn all they can and try new things. “Even if you are not sure about something, try it and give it a chance. You might surprise yourself.”
Finally, I thought Jessica Fleisher who interned at MW Smith Farms in Newport, PA, had the best advice, not only for future interns, but for anyone working on a dairy. “Not everything that happens on a dairy farm is sunshine and rainbows. It’s hard sometimes. Don’t take things personally.”
That advice is especially helpful on those days when a milk fever case ends badly, when there is a disagreement between family members, or you lose that baby calf you were excited about for the last 10 months. Learning to let things go can take a lifetime to learn.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with our internship program, each year in October, college students can apply to be paired with a farm for the following summer. Applications for farms to be considered as host farms are accepted as well. Based on the intern class selected, the review committee then reaches out to farms that align well with their interests to host the interns. The on-farm internship runs from May through early August.
To learn more, go to www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/on-farm-internships/ or call Michelle Shearer, our Workforce Development Manager, at 717-788-0298.
Editor’s Note: This column is written by Jayne Sebright, executive director for the Center for Dairy Excellence.