When Rachel Perry was introduced to PFI, she quickly connected with its network and farmer-led approach.
For lifetime member Rachel Perry, farming runs deep. She grew up in Waupun, Wisconsin, immersed in her parents' farm operation of vegetable and commodity crops. She also spent time helping out on the dairy operation of her mother's extended family in Wisconsin Dells. “These roots, and a wonderful agriculture teacher in high school, Tari Costello, helped grow my love for agriculture,” Rachel says.
She took this passion to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied agronomy, global health and environmental science. After earning her bachelor's degree in agronomy in 2017, Rachel sought out work in research. She started at Seminis Vegetables, a vegetable seed grower and developer that's now a subsidiary of Bayer. After that, she worked at her alma mater in their field corn breeding program.
Rachel was eager to learn more about extension outreach and vegetable production. In 2019, she met Ajay Nair, an associate professor and extension specialist who oversees Iowa State University's Sustainable Vegetable Production Lab, and found exactly what she was looking for. She started her master's program in horticulture and sustainable agriculture in 2020, focusing on Iowa lettuce production systems through Ajay's lab. It was through that program, and Ajay, that Rachel learned about Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Ajay has been a dedicated advocate for PFI and partner on vegetable-related research trials, as well as a regular speaker at PFI events. Through him, Rachel quickly connected with PFI farmers and staff and began participating in events. She was one of the recipients of a gift access-level membership in late 2021, which put her on the mailing list for PFI's printed publications, including the magazine and conference brochure.
When the 2022 conference was announced, Rachel's colleagues asked if she would be willing to volunteer. “PFI's annual conference is one of my favorite PFI events, so it was easy to say yes,” Rachel says. On the Saturday of the event, Rachel worked all day as a room host. This role is critical for making sessions run smoothly, with duties that include helping speakers set up their presentations, taking an attendance count for each session and helping manage questions at the end.
During her volunteer shifts, she got to sit in on farmer-led sessions related to her research. “I enjoyed hearing vegetable farmers share about management practices that worked at their farms,” she says, adding that she also enjoyed visiting with others between sessions. “The conference is a great way to network with farmers, companies, researchers and extension agents who hold similar values.”
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Lifelong Learning
When Rachel Perry was introduced to PFI, she quickly connected with its network and farmer-led approach.
For lifetime member Rachel Perry, farming runs deep. She grew up in Waupun, Wisconsin, immersed in her parents' farm operation of vegetable and commodity crops. She also spent time helping out on the dairy operation of her mother's extended family in Wisconsin Dells. “These roots, and a wonderful agriculture teacher in high school, Tari Costello, helped grow my love for agriculture,” Rachel says.
She took this passion to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied agronomy, global health and environmental science. After earning her bachelor's degree in agronomy in 2017, Rachel sought out work in research. She started at Seminis Vegetables, a vegetable seed grower and developer that's now a subsidiary of Bayer. After that, she worked at her alma mater in their field corn breeding program.
Rachel was eager to learn more about extension outreach and vegetable production. In 2019, she met Ajay Nair, an associate professor and extension specialist who oversees Iowa State University's Sustainable Vegetable Production Lab, and found exactly what she was looking for. She started her master's program in horticulture and sustainable agriculture in 2020, focusing on Iowa lettuce production systems through Ajay's lab. It was through that program, and Ajay, that Rachel learned about Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Ajay has been a dedicated advocate for PFI and partner on vegetable-related research trials, as well as a regular speaker at PFI events. Through him, Rachel quickly connected with PFI farmers and staff and began participating in events. She was one of the recipients of a gift access-level membership in late 2021, which put her on the mailing list for PFI's printed publications, including the magazine and conference brochure.
When the 2022 conference was announced, Rachel's colleagues asked if she would be willing to volunteer. “PFI's annual conference is one of my favorite PFI events, so it was easy to say yes,” Rachel says. On the Saturday of the event, Rachel worked all day as a room host. This role is critical for making sessions run smoothly, with duties that include helping speakers set up their presentations, taking an attendance count for each session and helping manage questions at the end.
During her volunteer shifts, she got to sit in on farmer-led sessions related to her research. “I enjoyed hearing vegetable farmers share about management practices that worked at their farms,” she says, adding that she also enjoyed visiting with others between sessions. “The conference is a great way to network with farmers, companies, researchers and extension agents who hold similar values.”
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