Planting Seeds for Agriculture Careers in SD83
SD 83 student got to dig into the dirt to learn more about future agriculture careers.
SD83’s Careers Department, in conjunction with BC Agriculture in the Classroom, sponsored the one day field trip. 35 students from Salmon Arm, JL Jackson, AL Fortune and Pleasant Valley secondaries participated in the event on Friday.
Students first checked out Salmon Arm’s Zest Commercial Kitchen. The building has multiple kitchens for seven permanent tenants and 22 other food businesses that rent out space. Young people looking for work to assist these food producers only need to apply to Facility Manager Tracey Edwards and ensure they have Food Safe certification.
With J.L. Jackson Grade 10 student Andrea Bliss by her side, classmate Kayleigh Stockbrueger looks into the camera while a two-day old nameless calf sucks her fingers at Farmer John’s Agri-Business in Grindrod.
The students then travelled down to Grindrod to learn more about the dairy and agri-business of Farmer John’s. The learners were introduced to the farm’s two robotic milking machines where 110 Holstein cows experience over 300 milkings in a day, or roughly 3-4 milkings per cow per day. The cows go to the robot attracted to eat controlled snacks. If the cow is ready for milk, the robot will attach to the cow’s udders and milk. If the cow has come in too soon for the treat, the robot releases from the cow and the animal gets no treat. Students were also introduced to three other agri-businesses: Prairie Coast Equipment for careers in sales and equipment repair; Farm Credit Canada which offers loans specifically to farmers; and Precision Agriculture which have drones which can spread product, monitor crop growth and optimize yield.
The final stop was a little further north in Grindrod where students visited Shuswap Organics, a one year old certified organic farm. Owner Emily Jubenuill has five of her 15 acres under cultivation. Jubenuill says she’s making full use of her university biology degree in running her operation. She grows cabbage, chard, cilantro, kale, squash, zucchini and carrots to name a few vegetables and sells them in the local market. Students were taken aback with the amount of carrots grown as her harvester can pick a five-hundred foot row in 15 minutes. Students ended the day picking up some of those carrots the harvester left behind.
If you have any further ideas for career spotlights, please don’t hesitate to contact SD83 Career Education Coordinator George Richard via text or phone at 778-824-1188 or you can email grichard@sd83.bc.ca.