A joint venture between KSU and the Wayne County Extension Service provides Wayne County a Small Farm Assistant Agent.  The Small Farm Assistant agent provides small Farmers as well as other community members with essential resources as well as information in times of need. Being a KSU Small Farm Assistant allows myself to answer their questions concerning farm production, marketing plans, as well as information about upcoming meetings or time sensitive deadlines. 

 As a KSU Small Farm Assistant I'm always there to meet the needs of the community.  I am able to use KSU demonstration equipment to help better illustrate information to the clients.  We help our constituents with beef mineral inquiries, Burley Tobacco Contracts, Burley CO OP dissolvement settlements, as well as marketing questions.  Many of our constituents rely on us to help with knowing the current market for cattle, corn and soybean prices.   

Being a KSU Small Farm Assistant in the community allows me to help my constituents of Monticello/Wayne county understand issues about next years production numbers.  What crops should they grow and what are the costs associated with inputting these crops?  Farmers that are relying on the Extension service are using our services in some of the hardest and most vulnerable times in their lives.  We get many inquiries from clients after partnership breakups, business failures, and even loss of loved ones.  Grieving family members, whether it be a widowed spouse or a recently inherited up and coming farmer, rely on information and services from the Small Farm Assistant Agent to educate and help them through some of the toughest crop seasons that they may have.  With Covid-19 this has been more common in everyone's communities. Our constituents are also relying on us to help solve issues that are caused to their crops/livestock due to inclement weather, disease, and insect problems. With disease and insect problems its crucial they obtain information to fix the problem as quickly as possible as time is of the essence in order to save the crop or the herd from pandemic.   With a lot of younger farmers as well as even generational farmers they are coming to us for information that will help them in starting new business adventures in farming.  They rely on our information to help them make sure any new venture is as smooth and painless as possible.. 

Being there to help the Wayne County Community and small farmers in times of need is the uttermost important part of the Extension Service. I have built my reputation over the last 30 years as a KSU Small Farm Assistant in the Wayne County community by being willing to work around the clock.  Any of my fellow farmers and community members know they are able to reach me 24/7 7 days a week if they have issues or information they need pertaining to the Extension Service. Through this dedication I have been able to not only help my fellow community members and constituents but also develop relationships inside my community that will last myself as well as them a lifetime.