Pathways to Success

Garden Spot High School

Dan Horning – Agriculture Co-Op

My name is Daniel Horning. I am a senior at Garden Spot High School involved in the Co-Op program. I chose this program rather than taking traditional classes because I wanted to work experience relative to my future career before I began college. Rather than graduating early, I stayed enrolled in the program during the second semester so I could still play volleyball in the spring. I was able to work full time while still getting credit for my spring semester.

My first Co-Op job was only a temporary position. I was searching all summer for an employer involved in my field of interest, but I was unable to solidify anything before the start of the school year. Instead, I got a job through a family member working at Messick’s Farm Equipment in Elizabethtown. I picked parts for five and a half hours a day which was not the most thrilling experience. Although I was not satisfied with my role, the job gave me some extra time to find a better position.

After two months of working at Messick’s, a new opportunity arose for me that was more up my alley. Since the summer I had been searching for a job involving plant science and crop consulting. A small company here in New Holland reached out to me and was willing to train me on the job if I chose to accept it. I have been working at Homestead Nutrition ever since and am learning how to write nutrient management plans (NMPs). NMPs are legal documents basically explaining to farmers how they can use their fields to make the most money while still meeting certain requirements set by the state government. These requirements are put in place to protect waterways and reduce the amount of pollution put out by farms. I’ve loved the opportunity of learning something new and helping these farmers; something I would not have been able to do in the classroom.

As far as my future, I hope to attend Penn State starting next fall to major in Plant Science. I will spend my first two years at the Berks campus so that I am able to retain my job at Homestead. After that, I will move up to the main campus for my final two years and hope to get more experience through internships. Upon graduation, I will most likely return to Homestead and hope to learn more skills to increase my role within the company. My goal is to become a certified crop consultant where I can use my knowledge to help local farmers even more.

agriculture

jhackman • January 8, 2020


Previous Post

Next Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published / Required fields are marked *

Skip to toolbar