Published: May 21, 2008 11:38 am            

The Land 2008 scholarship winners: Nutrition careers on the horizon

Originally published in the May 16, 2008, print edition.

This year’s winners of The Land scholarships share a lot of similarities.

Both Katherine Rusch and Simon Kern plan on attending South Dakota State University in Brookings, and both plan to major in animal science. Both plan on working toward a career in the livestock nutrition field. Both were active in their local FFA chapters, and both grew up in the same area of Minnesota.

Rusch, the daughter of Dale and Karen Rusch, lives near Hutchinson, while Kern, the son of Steve and Shelley Kern, lives on the Stearns-Meeker county line near Watkins.

Katherine Rusch

Rusch, who will graduate June 8 from Hutchinson High School, has always worked on her parents’ farm — Old Homestead Farms. The family is currently running crossbred Guernseys through the milking parlor, but they are working toward purebred Guernseys. “My brother (Nick) really likes the Guernsey cows,” she said. Nick, 20, is working on the farm, with the plant of taking over the “Old Homestead.”

Katherine Rusch sees the opportunity in agriculture. “There’s a great opportunity in ag if you’re really interested,” she said. “You really have to enjoy it and not just be in it for the money.”

That opportunity has been encouraged by those surrounding the young Rusch. “My parents have really been supportive,” she said. “My dad has been helping me to find what I should be going in to.” It is her father’s encouragement that is steering her down the nutrition road.

She wants to concentrate on grazing and its nutritional value. The cows at Old Homestead are on a rotational grazing program.

In her scholarship application essay, Rusch wrote: “The steep price of corn has put a heavy burden on many livestock producers. It is my aspiration to promote the use of alternative forages in cattle rations.”

When Rusch isn’t working with the livestock or in the family’s fields, she can be found working at Runnings Farm & Fleet in Hutchinson. “I’ve found that I kind of like the sales side of working with customers, and maybe will work into that in my career.”

Down the road, Rusch sees herself working in the ag field, settling down in South Dakota. “I really like the state, there are a lot of possibilities in ag in the state.”

Simon Kern

Kern, who graduates from Eden Valley-Watkins Secondary School on May 29, has been an integral part of the Kern family farm, where he has helped with the 600 Holstein steers, as well as the corn and soybeans operation.

He has also maintained his own flock of Suffolk-Hampshire sheep, which he would like to continue to grow.

In his scholarship essay, Kern wrote: “Some farm kids can’t get off the farm fast enough. To me, agriculture isn’t holding me back; instead it’s my past, present and future. I hope to give back to agriculture at least as much as it has given to me.”

One way Kern sees himself giving back is through his sheep flock, which he shows in 4-H and FFA shows. “I would like to provide a great learning opportunity to kids involved in those organizations,” he wrote in his essay.

Kern has toyed with the idea of going into the pre-veterinary program while at SDSU.

Kern hopes to return to the central Minnesota area after college to pursue his career.

Regardless what he decides on for a final career path, he has the desire to maintain the family line of being involved in agriculture. “My Dad’s grandparents were in farming,” said Kern, whose sister Sarah, 22, works at the Farm Service Agency office in Benson.

        

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