Farm Horizons • April
3 , 2017 • Page 20
‘ They took a chance on me ’
Two non-farm kids started their agriculture career at Mid-County Coop
By Starrla Cray
Growing up on the east side of the Twin Cities , Keedy Tonn didn ’ t have much exposure to agriculture as a child . But the little bit she did know about it , she loved – and she wanted more .
Keedy often talked to friends from her dad ’ s hometown in Iowa about farming , asking questions and learning as much as she could . When she graduated from high school in 2014 , she decided to attend North Dakota State University for ag economics .
At the end of freshman year , Keedy knew she wanted to stay immersed in agriculture , and explored options for a summer internship . She heard about crop scouting at Mid-County Coop , and jumped at the chance to apply .
“ I remember my interview with [ Mid-County agronomy manager ] Scott [ Nelson ],” Keedy said . “ I told him flat-out , ‘ I don ’ t know anything , but that ’ s why I ’ m here .’ I told them I ’ d do anything , and they took a chance on me .”
Keedy remembers learning a lot that summer , and said the guys at Mid-County were “ super helpful .”
When she returned to NDSU , Keedy slightly shifted her field of study , and is now a junior majoring in crop and weed sciences , with a double minor in ag economics and equine sciences .
Keedy interned with WinField in North Dakota in the summer of 2016 , and plans to go back again this summer at a location in Wisconsin .
“ I ’ m so thankful to Mid-County , because that was the basis for everything ,” Keedy said . “ That was my very first time working in agriculture .”
Rick Ancel
Like Keedy , former Mid-County Agronomy intern Rick Ancel didn ’ t grow up on a farm , but had a passion for all things green and growing .
Ancel ( a native of Savage ) served as a crop scout intern at Mid-County in summer of 2014 , and as a sales / marketing intern the year after .