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A Day in the LIfe of an Ag Teacher Ever wondered what it's like to be an agriculture teacher? Follow our bloggers as they record the joys, challenges, and everything in between about teaching agriculture in the United States. We've got a good mix of programs, from urban to rural, plus folks teaching in high schools, a college instructor, and even a couple of students who are preparing to get their degrees and venture into the classroom next year. Click here to read the "A Day in the Life of an Ag Teacher" blog. Click the photo of each blogger to see their bios or to see only their blog posts.
Meet our Bloggers Matt Eddy The Southeast Polk High School operates on an 8 period day serving 1800+ students; each period is 45 minutes. There are approximately 155 Ag Ed Students/FFA members. SE Polk has 100% FFA membership and 100% student enrollment in SAE projects and has a single teacher department. Students utilize Ag Experience Tracker for their SAE programs. The Ag Department also contains a Greenhouse an Animal Learning Center housed on the Iowa State Fair grounds. The Animal Learning Center consists of a herd of 27 cows that are cared for by the Advanced Animal Science class. The Southeast Polk High School may be considered urban, suburban and rural because of the diverse population in the area coupled with the large amount of Horticulture and Animal Science Industries. There is a tremendous amount of economic and agricultural diversity.
Mr. Eddy’s passion for being an ag teacher is best summarized by a favorite quote of his.
Getting To Know Mr. Eddy: My favorite time of day is… Start of the day before kids arrive – I never know how it will turn out, but the potential is exciting. It’s also quiet and I can organize my thoughts at my desk. My favorite class to teach is… Ag Science – it’s fun because the kids don’t know anything and everything is new to them.
Outside of the classroom I enjoy… Family, Billiards and golf (usually only at ag teacher related events)
Wes Crawford
Sutherlin High School and the Agriculture Program: Mr. Crawford loves being an ag teacher because... “I’ve never had the same day twice (or the same class period, for that matter). I get to meet awkward freshmen and watch the development through their high school experience. I am a firm believer that agricultural education is the best way to strengthen and support the agricultural industry.
Getting to Know Mr. Crawford: My favorite time of day is… at the start of the class period. Any of them. My favorite classes to teach are… challenging, advanced courses that take students deep into the learning – places they didn’t think they could go. But the Introduction to Agricultural Science class is a kick most days too. I love it when the students… have genuine ah-ha moments or surprise me with their creativity. Outside of the classroom I enjoy… pointless fiction, technology and all the frustration that comes with it, and outdoor activities with good friends.
Jessie Hartle
Ms. Hartle loves being an ag teacher at Page High School because… Getting to Know Ms. Hartle: My favorite time of day is… After school during a CDE practice, at a CDE, or on an FFA trip. My favorite class to teach is… Wildlife Management, because it’s fun to talk about on a daily basis and the students already have an interest in it. I love it when the students… Put on their FFA jackets for the first time. Outside of the classroom I enjoy… Movies, road trips, concerts, scrapbooking, 18th century living history events.
TiffanyMorey Brief Description of the Essex County Vocational Technical School—West Caldwell Tech Campus: Ms. Morey loves being an ag teacher because... “No two days are ever the same and I get to teach material that is both fun and interesting for my students.” Getting to Know Ms. Morey: My favorite time of day is… 3rd period when most of the freshmen in the exploratory ag science class leave and the sophomore AFNR class and I can delve into more challenging labs and activities in the classroom and greenhouse! My favorite class to teach is… Animal Science! I love it when the students… Find something that they learned in class so interesting that they will choose to learn more about it on their own! Outside of the classroom I enjoy…Horseback riding, running, cycling, the beach, and spending time with family and friends. Patrick Wellert Brief Description of the Chino Valley High School and Agriculture Program: Our program has several labs: a fully operational 52 acre farm where we run a production hay operation, a fish hatchery where we produce and market tilapia, a greenhouse where we produce and market tomatoes, and a shop where students design and weld projects for sale. Chino Valley is currently is in between of a small farming community and large city. We have several small farms left but most of the land has gone towards development. If the economy hadn’t hit when it did I believe that our town would be much bigger. The agriculture in our area is mainly greenhouses, welding and fabrication shops, agribusinesses such as feed stores, and ranching.
Getting To Know Mr. Wellert: My favorite time of day is… It depends sometimes it is a certain class that I enjoy. Sometimes it is the end of it because I have had that kind of day and I will not lie all of us will have a bad teaching day. I enjoy visiting with fellow faculty members and interacting with them during breaks and lunch as well. I find that at times SAE visits make the days longer but I always leave them excited and with more energy than before! My favorite class to teach is… Freshman! They come in with such a clean slate that you can shape them into anything you want. They are excited about the ag class and also interested in being a part of something new! While teaching the freshman I find myself often remembering my current seniors as freshman and how they have been successful. It gives me excitement and hope for each of them! I love it when the students… Share their successes with me. Whether it is them coming back as an adult or being a part of a student’s State winning creed event or SAE project! Sharing in success and even reminiscing with these students is what I find rewarding. Hearing you are doing an excellent job from your colleagues, admin, and parents is also quite exciting! Outside of the classroom I enjoy… I especially enjoy my wife (Leanne) and our 17 month old son (Zac). Spending time with them is one of the most important things I do every day. They remind me of what is truly important! Outside of family I find it important to make time for friends. Spending time with them helps me to work through problems and also provides an outlet to forget things that may be weighing on my mind. I also enjoy watching sports, playing fantasy football, watching professional wrestling, playing video games, and the history channel. | ||||||||||||||||||
I love it when the students…
for FFA and SAE activities. In southwestern Oregon livestock are the predominant agricultural commodity. Forestry and timber have been major economic influences in the past. Currently viticulture and vineyards are the fastest growing agriculture related operations. 
Brief Description of the Page High School Ag Program: 
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