Interns Assist Growers
By: Derrek Russenberger, Nuway-K&H Agronomy Account Manager / Intern Coordinator
Each year NuWay-K&H Cooperative hires interns to assist our grower-owners in collectingdata and field samples. Their help allows growers and their agronomy account manager’s to make well-informed decisions on in-season management of yield potential.
Throughout the summer, these interns participate in various services such as completing timely tissue and nitrate sampling, along with running our Veris iScan (Cation Exchange Capacity and Organic Matter).
Along with these tasks, we like to hear feedback from the interns throughout the summer and learn what they are interested in. We want to be able to give each one of them valuable information that they will be able to take along with them in their future careers.
This year we have five outstanding individuals:
- Gavin Junkermeier,
- Cooper Olson,
- Tanner Olson,
- Allison Schwieger,
- Isaac Steimer.
Please greet these 2023 agronomy interns as they work in your fields
GAVIN JUNKERMEIER
Gavin graduated this spring from Fairmont High school where he played football, basketball and shot trap. He lives in town, but his family operates a small farm in northern Iowa. Gavin plans to attend South Dakota State University (SDSU) this fall, majoring in agronomy and minoring in precision ag and ag business.
When asked what he hopes will come of his summer internship with NuWay-K&H, Gavin states: “I want to get used to responsibilities and know what it’s like to work a full week as an adult. I want to be able to take what I learn here and apply it to my life, because I’d like to become an agronomist.”
COOPER OLSON
From Hanska, MN, Cooper Olson’s family operates a small farm close to their house. Cooper graduated this spring from St. James High School where he played football, basketball, baseball and shot trap. He plans to attend SDSU this fall, majoring in natural resource management and minoring in biology.
“I’ve always been interested in ag and I felt this internship was a good way to get my foot in the door,” says Cooper.
TANNER OLSON
Tanner Olson is from Hanska, MN and graduated from St. James High School in 2022. Tanner is in his second year as an intern with NuWay-K&H. Tanner attends Ridgewater College in Willmar and will be starting his second year there this fall. Tanner is working on a degree in farm management and precision ag. After school he plans on getting a job in agriculture and hopefully continue at NuWay-K&H if possible.
Tanner has really enjoyed everything at NuWay-K&H with his favorite being able to talk with our customers and working down in the liquid facility in Welcome. Last summer he worked out of Ormsby so he feels it is nice to see the operational side and what all goes on in Welcome.
ALLISON SCHWIEGER
Allison Schwieger’s family raises hogs and grows corn and soybeans near Fairmont, MN. Allison is a junior at South Dakota State University, with a double major in ag science and agronomy, and minors in ag business and precision ag.
“I’m hoping to expand my knowledge in agronomy and apply it hands-on in the real world,” says Allison of her interest in this internship. “I work with livestock all the time, so it’s nice to get the agronomy side of agriculture, too.”
ISAAC STRIEMER
Isaac Striemer is from Welcome, MN and graduated from Martin County West in 2022. He enjoys fishing, hunting and farming with his family. Isaac will start his second year at Ridgewater in the fall pursuing an ag business degree. After school, Isaac would like to continue to working at NuWay-K&H and then possibly start farming.
He really enjoys the work here and the people that make it even better. His goal is to learn to operate as many machines as possible to make himself a better employee after graduation.
