Washington Native Finds Her Way Around Iowa Farm
Ag business major Carmen Morrison is thrilled to have hands-on learning opportunities harvesting grain and caring for livestock at BVU's Agricultural Experiment Station.
Carmen Morrison serves as a resident advisor on campus at Buena Vista University. She plays third base, first base, and catcher for the Beavers in softball. The junior from Arlington, Wash., coordinates the popular BV Buddies mentor program in the local schools. She also serves as secretary for both BVU’s Ag Club and Beaver Animal Rescue & Care (BARC).
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Morrison also works part-time aiding the harvest efforts of Jeff Lussman and Mike Christen, Ag Institute Land Unit Manager at BVU’s new Agricultural Experiment Station on the northern city limits of Storm Lake.
To say this ag business major keeps busy would be an understatement.
“I used to work on the Cascadian Farm at Rockport (Wash.) owned by General Mills. They did sweet corn on that farm last year. But growing sweet corn in Washington is a lot different than growing corn for feed in Iowa.”
Carmen Morrison
“I love to be here on the farm helping to haul grain after it has been combined,” says Morrison. “After harvest is over, Jeff will get some more cows and I’ll help sort them and give shots. This is helping me get more experience in my major.”
“She’ll help with cattle,” Lussman says. “And we’ll get her operating the combine this fall before it’s over. She’s great help on the farm.”
BVU’s Agricultural Experiment Station is a diversified operation owned by Christen and his wife, Dana Christen. The couple raise show calves, chickens, horses, corn, soybeans, and hay. They’ve found help this fall in eager BVU students who want to see and experience an Iowa farm up-close.
“I used to work on the Cascadian Farm at Rockport (Wash.) owned by General Mills,” Morrison says. “They did sweet corn on that farm last year. But growing sweet corn in Washington is a lot different than growing corn for feed in Iowa.”
Morrison communicates with Christen as he observes calibrations in the combine as it moves through a corn crop pushed along ahead of schedule due to drought-like conditions that persisted over Northwest Iowa for most of the summer. Morrison operates the grain cart, hauling load after load away from the combine.
“I’ve raised and bred pigs while my friends had beef cows in Washington,” she says. “But we didn’t have all this acreage. I’ve never seen grain crops at this level.”
Rich Crow, Director of BVU’s Institute for Agriculture, says having the Agricultural Experiment Station represents a natural step for a University serving a state that produces more corn, more soybeans, and more hogs than any other. Iowa, which leads the nation in egg production, is also in the top four in beef cattle.
“We are taking experience beyond the classroom, which Carmen shows through her work,” Crow says. “We’re very fortunate to have a working farm as part of the curriculum at BVU and Carmen is getting the most out of it, both for her benefit and for everything on the farm.”