“Anyone in Gossett, the student-athlete center, knows I’m very passionate about animals and what I study,” Bucher said. “I spent a lot of time there, so anybody who knows me has listened to me rant and info dump about something I learned in class that day.”
Day one of the event involved several guest speakers. Student-athletes gained insight into the Western Family Farm, a Black-owned heritage farm with 160 years of landownership in Iowa. They also learned about Route 1, an organization that helps clients navigate the path toward a profitable farming enterprise while reducing the racial hunger divide in the U.S.
“If you have any interest in the agricultural sector, whether it be from an economic standpoint, veterinarian standpoint or just generally farming, it was an experience that introduced student-athletes into that world,” Bucher said. At the same time, it shows that just because you don’t look like the people currently overtaking that sector doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you.”
On the second day of the event, attendees visited Kroul Farms. The farm is built on 600 acres and features various crops. It has roughly 100 beef-producing cows, 5,000 pumpkins, five greenhouses and even a farm store.
The visit incorporated hands-on experience, where student-athletes rotated between various stations and games. There was a station for produce; bees, chickens and small animals; timber and land management; farm equipment; the business of farming; beef cattle; and flowers and its farm store.
“I think it was good for the student-athletes because it allowed them to network with other students across the Big Ten,” Taylor said. “It also helps when it comes to picking your major and finding what you’re interested in.”
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