Trey Pierson
It’s this culmination of a year’s worth of hard work and the excitement of watching something you planted come to life that drew Muscatine Community College sophomore, Trey Pierson, to the field. “In one week you can see the whole entire plant change. It’s nice to take that info and analyze it. Knowing what you’re looking at makes it a whole lot more exciting,” Pierson said.
Fall
is more than just pumpkin spice time for ag students
A farm management major, Pierson’s path to the industry has not been typical. For many, farming is a family tradition, passed down from generation to generation. But Pierson’s first taste of the business didn’t come until high school. “My first exposure to farming was in a high school ag class. I then got involved with FFA and was the test plot manager for my FFA program. It sparked my interest in agronomy,” Pierson said. Seeing his passion to learn more, when a local farmer called the school looking for help, Pierson’s ag teacher knew just who to ask. “I called the guy and said ‘I have never worked on a farm and I don’t have any experience, but I’m willing to learn.’ So I went out there, shook his hand and started right then. My first job was unloading seed out of a truck and it just expanded from there.” From one firm handshake a special relationship was born, and Tom Hotz, who owns a 750-acre crop and cattle farm in Lone Tree, Iowa, has become Pierson’s mentor. It’s an opportunity that has allowed Pierson to dive even deeper into the field he has come to love.
F
or some, fall means changing leaves, bonfires and football games. For others, it’s the only time of year where pumpkin spice everything is totally acceptable. But for local farmers, fall is a mix of long, hard hours, team work, technology, beauty and passion. Otherwise known as:
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Trey
“He’s really taken me under his wing. It’s been good to learn from him because he’s so knowledgeable about the industry and markets. He has shown me spreadsheets, receipts, all the paperwork side of things, and really what the money side is and how much goes into it and what it’s all about… what it takes to be successful.”
