VOL. 1 | JUNE 2021
INTERN SCOOP What have Crystal Valley interns been up to this summer?
OVERVIEW:
WELCOME INTERNS! This summer, Crystal Valley will be hosting 15 interns at various locations around our trade territory. Each intern will be doing a summer project, complete with a group presentation at the end of their internship experience. Throughout the summer, Crystal Valley will do individual introductions of each intern on our Facebook page.
Crystal Valley's intern program provides a hands-on learning experience relating the classroom to the field! Internships are offered in agronomy, precision ag, feed, and grain, helping interns focus on their chosen field of study. Internship training is provided on a bi-weekly basis, with industry leaders joining the Crystal Valley team in an educational atmosphere. Opportunities for networking and learning are the perfect mix for students looking to expand their industry knowledge.
HIGHLIGHTS 15 Interns 9 - Sales Agronomy 3 - Precision Ag 2 - Grain 1 - Feed Orientation held April 1 All started by May 17
INTERN TRAINING Interns have already had the opportunity to attend two trainings with leading industry professionals. On May 27, Chris Segelhurst from Precision Planting was onsite, sharing insight and knowledge on everything from the basics to the latest news in the industry. Jason Leary, Crystal Valley Ag Technology Manager, and Tony Jacobs, Crystal Valley Sales Agronomist, took the group to a research plot and walked them through what they should be looking for when out in the field. On June 2, the second intern training of the summer was held in Lake Dan Lemmon, Melanie .Crystal. Kanack-Guyer, and Ryan Fiest from Bayer shared insight on seed chemicals and technology. During this training, interns also went out to a field to learn more about crop scouting. During this training, interns also went out to a field to learn more about crop scouting. The third training is slated for Friday, June 18, with the Supplier Spotlight on Corteva and Brevant.
Pictured above: Tony Jacobs, Sales Agronomist, showing interns what to look for when crop scouting
Bella Mohwinkel Sales Agronomist Intern - Waldorf, MN For my summer internship project, I am looking at the overall effectiveness of the herbicide Liberty. I will test Liberty on multiple types of weeds, testing during three separate times of the day and different weather conditions like hot/humid and cold/cloudy.
I want to see the effectiveness of timing and temperature of the day they are sprayed in how the weeds will react. In my time at Crystal Valley, I have interacted with local farmers, learned about seed and fungicides, and helped where I’ve been needed.
Charles Tesch Sales Agronomist Intern - Nicollet, MN This summer, my intern project will focus on a Thiosulfate (12-0-0-26) trial on a Crystal Valley corn plot just south of Nicollet, MN. I will observe the effects of the products Thio and Taurus Sulfur on corn growth and development. These two products will be applied at different rates in the plot. Thio will be applied at 5 gallons per acre and 10 gallons per acre; Taurus will be applied at 2.5 quarts and 5 quarts. I will also be looking into the effect of the thiosulfate placement on corn by comparing the outcomes of application by side dress and 2x2 placement. Another aspect this project will look into is the effect of application timing of Thiosulfate on the corn crop, whether it is at planting or
V5 stage. I am currently recording my observations of the current plant health and differences between the different trials to set a baseline for my project. In the end, I hope to be able to record any physical differences in the corn’s growth and development between the Thiosulfate trials that may
result in effects on the corn's on the overall yield. I have enjoyed my time as a Sales Agronomist Intern at Crystal Valley so far. I have learned a considerable amount about agronomy and the ag industry as a whole. Duane [Schlieman, supervisor] has been good at getting me hands-on agronomy experiences, whether in crop scouting or chemical sales and delivery. Each day presents new tasks and challenges that have helped me improve my skill sets in agronomy. So far, I’ve been busy scouting corn fields for weeds and improving my skills with the Crystal Valley Scouting App. One of my favorite things at Crystal Valley has been engaging with farmers when I scout fields and deliver chemicals.
Jodi More Feed Intern - Vernon Center, MN This summer, my internship project consists of updating the current inventory management procedures. I am currently gathering input and suggestions from the Crystal Valley feed and IT teams. Once my research is complete, I will look into which different inventory control techniques, ways, and or products will help make a smooth transition for this project. To complete my project I will work to get plan approval from the feed team and execute it. Working with Crystal Valley this summer has been great! I enjoy being able to see and experience the different aspects of the feed industry and working with everyone. I've been given many opportunities to learn new skills, explore job opportunities, and grow. In addition, I enjoy the friendly atmosphere, values, and morals that Crystal Valley upholds.
Regan Heine Precision Ag Intern - Mankato, MN This summer, I am doing a closing wheel study on planters to compare the newer precision planting furrow force closing wheels vs. the traditional John Deere copperheads. The planter used for this study is split halfway in the middle with the two different systems. I have five different fields I am looking at around Lake Crystal, MN, each with its own set of differences or issues. In one field there are significant compaction issues. Another one was planted into a rye cover crop. As of yet, I have only collected some root comparisons between the two. In the future, I hope to be able to observe more agronomic differences between the two and be able to make yield estimates.
summer. After passing the test to get my drone license, I started flying one with a new system allowing us to take stand counts across an entire field with much more accuracy. Soon we will be starting to fly them to look at plant health. I have enjoyed meeting and talking to the precision ag team in Elysian, MN, learning more about the precision ag market. We have been monitoring research sites by helping apply midseason fertilizers or herbicides for research. I look forward to learning more about the precision ag team, getting some hands-on experience with precision planting hardware, and seeing more research plots. I know that there is so much more to come, and with Jason Leary being my supervisor, I’m sure I will not be let down.
I have already learned a lot this
Alex Buchmeier Grain Intern - Hope, MN This summer, I am doing my internship project on the main types of contracts that Crystal Valley uses to buy grain at each location. First, I will look at the volume and percentage of each contract type used by location. While doing this, I hope to record the last five years of data regarding contract types. I will also be looking at projected and actual harvest handle for each Crystal Valley location. I’ll use yield estimates from test plots, the previous years’ harvest handle, and yields to project this year’s handle based on the yield estimates. We can use this data to project a yield estimate for the area surrounding each location. This will assist each location with getting a better grasp if they need to push grain as soon as possible or have available room for storage. I hope to learn the various trends by location regarding contract type and their harvest handle. I also want to analyze the data that I record and make connections to what that means for Crystal Valley. So far, I’ve had a wide variety of tasks, which I have enjoyed. I have been involved with a lot of the grain operations and learning about the grain markets with every chance I get. I am excited to continue to learn about all aspects of Crystal Valley while also increasing my knowledge about the agriculture industry.