Last week a truck load of compost was picked for use in the garden thanks to good connections with K State, a big thank you to the staff at K State's dairy unit for their help. I learned in retrieving this manure that communication is important. It was a challenge to get a time set up with K State to pick this compost up due to both of our busy schedules. K State ended up giving us several different types of compost some being dry and other types not so dry but over time will be good for use in Garden Camp. We ended up having to shovel a good amount of the compost out of the truck because it was so wet and would not come out of the truck. Thankfully Matt was there to help or it would of taken me all night to unload bymyself. However, the compost worked out for Garden Camp regardless of wet or dry compost.This taught me that communication is key when dealing with situations like that.

Garden camp week one was a good turnout. There are around thirteen kids enrolled in the camp for this summer. We started camp by going over everything that is planted in the garden. The kids harvested and then planted radishes along with tomatoes and beans. The kids also learned about how the process of photosynthesis works. All of the kids got to plant there own personal container gardens that they will be able to take home at the end of camp. Then, the kids played a game towards the end of camp. The beginning of this week was busy getting the garden ready for camp. After garden camp I have been out in the field looking for weeds. I recently took some field samples of common waterhemp out of a field. My favorite part of this week was when I got the opportunity to scout several different fields. I was going to these fields to dig up common waterhemp to test for resistance. 

Hello everyone, my name is Jace Bowen and I am the new intern here at Harveyville Seed Company this summer. I am currently going to be a junior at Kansas State University where I am currently pursuing a degree in Agronomy with a minor in Plant Pathology and a specialization in Weed Science. I grew up in the Washburn Rural area and attended high school at Washburn Rural High School. I am looking forward to what this summer will bring here at Harveyville Seed Company.

The first week of my internship process is already over. I have learned a lot already in the first week of my internship here at Harveyville Seed Company and met a lot of really great people. My first week consisted of delivering seed corn, scouting a few fields for weeds before spraying, weeding the community garden, working a lot on HSC's Garden Camp and finishing the week driving 227 miles through the rain to York, Nebraska where I attended a United Suppliers internship orientation. The orientation program consisted of personality testing along with different types of agronomic information such as weed identification, and the different vegetative growth stages of agronomic crops. It was too bad that it rained because the second day of training was supposed to be outside but due to the rain we were stuck inside. Some of the information they provided us with was a crop protection guide, different weed identification tools, different books referring to soybean and corn development which will come in handy this summer.  It is very busy here at HSC everyday, the time goes by too quickly.

Meet Jace Bowen - HSC Intern

Jace, is a junior in agronomy at Kansas State University and a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.  Jace enjoys outdoor activities including hunting and fishing. His favorite meal and movie are steak and "True Grit".  

Jace's responsibilities will include HSC Garden Camp, a range/grass management project and a weekly blog.  Keep your eyes open as he documents his journey through our blog and the HSC Facebook page.

I asked him what he is looking most forward to about this summer and he said, "Meeting lots of growers.".  I have already noticed he has a strength in weed id so bring in those tough samples when you stop to meet him.

     The summer heat is here and it sure can be uncomfortable to be outside, but sometimes we must buck up and conquer the melting temperatures. Being uncomfortable isn't everyone's cup of tea, and it certainly isn't my favorite way to pass time. However, my experiences within the last week have taught be a thing or two about being in uncomfortable situations.

     This past week I had the wonderful opportunity to attend two different conferences. The first was the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association Agronomy training in Manhattan, Kansas. While in attendance, I learned a boat load of new information including but not limited to herbicide use, weed ID, and corn & sorghum growth and development. While this was an excellent opportunity to gain agronomic knowledge, it was also a bit of an overload for a girl who came in with limited background information in agronomy. 

     As I am an Agriculture Education major, I constantly had to inform those around me at the conference that most of the information was new to me, and "No, I don't have a degree in Agronomy so, sorry, I really don't know the answer." The two days at the KARA agronomy training were jam packed full of great information that definitely assisted in expanding my agronomy knowledge but they also taught me that:

     Upon completion of the KARA conference I jumped in the truck and headed for York, Nebraska to attend the United Suppliers Intern Training round 2! The drive to York seemed forever, but the time spent there definitely flew by!

      While in York, the first day consisted of creating a LinkedIn profile and also additional agronomy training. To end the day United Suppliers hosted a dinner where they invited representatives from Syngenta and Bayer Corporation to speak to the interns. They provided us with great information regarding agricultural career paths and also great life advice!

      On day two of the training we drove to Beaver Crossing to tour the relatively new Bayer facility. While there all of the interns went through a professional training session where we learned tricks to use at future career fairs and also how to make presentations. The tour of the Bayer facility was pretty neat! At this location they mainly are researching wheat but hope to start their research in the bean industry in the near future. 

     After 4 days, 2 conferences, and 456 miles I can say that I am happy to be back in Harveyville, Kansas! Traveling is quite a learning experience especially when it is in addition to two conferences jam packed of information! It is certainly uncomfortable going places where you do not know anyone else, let alone the area. Being uncomfortable in front of a crowd while giving a presentation is common and something that I seem to face frequently. However, these are all great learning opportunities that I experienced on this trip! One can choose to be uncomfortable and let it be a limiting factor, or else they can decide to step out, be unique, and take hold of the experience!

 ~ Life begins at the end of you comfort zone ~

I'm a perfectionist. There, I said it. And with that I start my tale...

I plan everything out, and will even admit that at times I definitely over-plan. There will be no surprises for me because I try to think of everything before it happens so then I can avoid any catastrophes. But there are times that things happen that I never would have thought could, and this brings me to the point - sometimes plans change.

To better understand, please allow me to explain.

Hosting Garden Camp each week has easily been one of the highlights of my summer and my internship with Harveyville Seed Company. However, 18 kids sure keep you on your toes and in order to be productive one must plan for the unexpected. And that's certainly what I try to do.

Yet, on Wednesday for our last Garden Camp my plans were thrown in the air! Planning a meal and feeding 18 growing kids is something I had never done before but was a challenge that I was ready to face, or so I thought...

The potatoes were mashed, watermelon cut, and the sweet corn in the crock pot. I was set and ready to go, until... the plans changed.

Let's just say that some improvisations had to be made as a result of a lack of power. So with the help and quick thinking of Kara Meyer, from Wabaunsee County Extension services, we were able to pull everything back together! Kara took the food, found a source with electricity and said "I'll be back!" I was left standing there wondering "Well, what now?"

Then the lightbulb went off. Let's play some games with the kids to pass some time until the food is ready. What is a better game than 'Simon says'? At first most of the kids were not so into it, but little did they know I am the 'simon says' master! All of the kids joined in and took great joy in seeing who would be the winner of each round. It's simple to say that there sure were a lot of smiles and giggles going on throughout the room! 

The food finally arrived back nice and warm, and I deemed Kara 'a life saver'! It sure didn't take long for the kids to get excited to eat and get to try the food that they grew in our garden! All of the kids became quiet as they filled their bellies and enjoyed one another's company. Looking out at all of the kids, a smile came upon my face.

Who would have thought that there would be no power to heat the food? Not me! As I reflected on the experience, I just had to chuckle. Sometimes no matter the amount of planning that goes into an event or activity, things and circumstances will arise that become hindrances. It's easy to become frustrated and frazzled at these unexpected things that affect our plans. However, I believe we have the opportunity to make the best of each moment - even those that we don't necessarily plan for.

As I look back, I am surprisingly thankful for that unexpected lack of power. No, I'm not crazy. And yes, I did certainly freak out and worry about what to do. Yet, with patience and quick thinking everything seemed to work out. If my 'perfected plans' worked out, then I would not have gotten the opportunity to play games with the kids and have some extra fun!

Sometimes things happen, surprises occur, and plans don't work out. No matter the extent to which one plans, the plans can still change as they are certainly not set in stone. When our plans change, take a step back and try to seize the moment instead of ruining the moment. We each have the ability to take an unexpected experience and turn it into an opportunity! Remember that sometimes your plans will change and as a result something new, such as playing 'Simon says', becomes a part of your new plans.

     Life is crazy, and it seems even more so during the summertime. Whether it is working 40+ hour weeks, running from one ball game to the next, or anything that makes you stop and ask 'Where did the time go?' we all have something in our life that we just rush through in order to get to the next thing. Typically we put so much of our effort into finishing one item or activity in order to get to the next that we do not take the time to just enjoy the moment.

     This was certainly the case that I found myself in during Garden Camp this week. The kids are great, but entertaining 18 young rascals can take its toll. While going through the garden this week the kids each got to pick peas and beans to take home. After about 8 minutes passed by it was time to move on to our lesson for the day. In the midst of trying to round all of the children up I came about little Rachel who had done the most precious thing.

     Rachel was immensely enjoying picking beans, and she had cleverly thought to store her picked beans in her pocket in order for her hands to be free to pick more! When I saw Rachel I just had to stop, smile, and of course take a picture! She was living in the moment and enjoying every second that she was getting to spend in the garden. It soon hit me that instead of rushing forward with the lesson plans for the day, I needed to take a step back and enjoy what was going on around me.

     It is easy to get caught up in such a daily routine that autopilot turns on and we forget everything else. But, what would happen if we would just take a moment to stop and breathe? Enjoy the moment, look at those around you, and remind yourself to be appreciative for 'the now' instead of worrying about what's ahead. "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." - Wayne Dyer. 

     Sometimes life gets crazy, things don't go as planned, and surprises are not always good. Working is not always fun, your family may drive you nuts, and getting through the day may seem impossible. However, this moment in time will never be able to be relived again. So close your eyes, take a deep breath, fill your pockets with beans, and remember to live in the moment. 

BREATHE

- To Pause -

- To Make Space -

- To Collect Your Thoughts -

- To Remember -

- To Face the Next Moment -

- To Choose -

     With the unfolding of some tragic events worldwide recently, I have reflected deeply on my beliefs and values. Only 3 weeks into my internship and I have already learned so much! The one thing that I am certain about, however, is that tomorrow will come. It is true, that each day may be our last. But, regardless, time will pass. This being said, I am proud to say that I believe in tomorrow. One of the many life lessons that I have learned thus far here at Harveyville Seed Company is to have faith and believe that tomorrow will be a better day.

     Audrey Hepburn once said, "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow". Week 3 of Garden Camp is in the books and boy have I had such an experience! It is truly remarkable to work with great kids and teach important information, including how to grow our own food. Each week kids come up to me and tell me about all of the progress that the garden has made since the last, but what I also see is the progress that each child has made as well. It is simply astonishing! 

     I believe in a better tomorrow because of the impact that I am trying to make today. Believing in a better tomorrow can be difficult at times, but this great experience hosting the Garden Camp has made me a true believer. Times may get tough, things may go bad, but I can say for certain that tomorrow will come and we can all hope that it will be better.

     I challenge you to believe. Believe in tomorrow in the same way that each kid believes that the garden will grow, and maybe, just maybe it will be so!

     "Don't promise you will be there on Thursday if you can't be there on Thursday", Michael Spade. This past week I had the opportunity to visit a customer's field that had been previously sprayed in preparation of planting season. Michael offered to let me tag along to look at this field that had an issue with "Mare's Tail" (weed). Excited to gain more agronomic knowledge, I jumped at the opportunity! 

     It wasn't the time out of the office that I enjoyed most, but instead the wise words of wisdom that Michael shared while driving around looking at customer fields. I have always loved this quote from the Dalai Lama "When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new". Let's just say on that ride, I did a whole lot of listening and not a lot of talking.

     Michael gave a lot of great advice, and it all boiled down to one main thing - don't make a promise you can't keep. He said "Under-promise and over-perform" and explained that at the end of the day make sure you can provide what you promise to your customers. The relationships that you build with your customers is the most vital key component in running a successful business - and I have learned that this is certainly true here at Harveyville Seed Company!