My Love for Agriculture

My love for agriculture started many years ago.

When I was younger,  I used to play on irrigation equipment while dad repaired it, and follow the cats around the farmyards we often visited.  In high school I ran my own market garden for two summers, until I had the opportunity to help on the beef cattle operations of two local farmers. I absolutely loved this experience, especially vaccinations and pregnancy checking cows. These positive experiences early on, are what has led me to pursue my own career in agriculture.    

I am currently enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture in my third year of the Animal Bioscience program.  I’m learning so much in such a short amount of time which can be overwhelming, however I often find myself discussing facts I learned in class around the supper table, which reminds me that this is all worth the effort.  

For the last three summers, I have worked at the Yorkton Coop Agro Centre and I spent my days off volunteering at veterinary clinics or at my aunt and uncle’s grain farm and orchard. I have had the opportunity to connect with many people from the ag industry through my previous summer jobs. The ag community is an environment where people share information and techniques, help each other out, or even just exchange stories. I appreciate farmers’ eagerness to explain their operating systems with students like me, and the pride that they have in their animals. 

I feel so grateful that I am able to study and work in an industry that is so supportive, passionate, and innovative to make things better.  I’m not completely sure where my education is going to take me, but as long as it involves the livestock industry I know I will enjoy it!  

I am so grateful for the Women in Agriculture Scholarship and other awards the industry provides to us students.  It has encouraged me to persevere with my studies in the livestock industry. 

-Gabrielle Achtymichuk