“Most of the things worth doing in the world
had been declared impossible before they were done.”
-Louis D. Brandeis, 20th Century Supreme Court Justice
Just Listen by Mark Goulston
On Martin Luther King Day, our Find Your WHY students took a tour of several Agricultural industries. We were led by leaders who continuously look for ways to “do” the impossible.
Our first tour was at Hilmar Cheese Company – a cheese manufacturing company. They “serve business-to-business customers throughout the U.S.A. and the world.” Our students learned about the state-of-the-art water reclamation system, the use of whey protein and lactose products used by “food and beverage manufacturers for their nutritional contribution to good health.” We enjoyed a great dialogue on the primary focus for showing animals through the Future Farmers of America program – “to help people understand that animals feed families around the world.”
Our next adventure led us to Countyline, LLC. This company, led by the Ahlem family is using a progressive robotic system to milk their 2,150 Jersey herd. Our students were curious how the use of robotics would support the milking of cows. They found the infrastructure of using robots is very easy for the cows to choose when they need to be milked and clean and comfortable for the cows when being milked. Also, it is philosophically aligned with the Ahlem family to “take care of the cows, first.” The use of robotics provides countless data with the care of the cow at the forefront of the data, along with the milk being the best quality for consumer use.
Our tour continued with Flory Industries, the leader in nut-harvesting equipment. Their sales are “worldwide for harvesting almonds, cashews, chestnuts, figs, hazelnuts, macadamia, pecans, tung nut and walnuts.” Our students thought it was very cool to learn about all of the different welding processes they use for making the machines from raw stamped metal material, to sanding, painting, welding and putting the machines together. It was fascinating to see the entire process and sit in the cab of a newly built harvester. Our students “loved seeing the process.” They were intrigued by how every employee has an opportunity to be mentored and move up the ladder to different parts of the process and system within the organization.
Our last stop of our tour was at R.A.M. Farms, Inc. This farm is focused on community FUN! They provide traditional Fall fun with a pumpkin patch and Halloween activities, along with a corn maze. From Thanksgiving to the end of January, they open an ice-skating rink for the community to bring their families and enjoy the outdoor rink. In the spring, they offer “pick your own flowers.” The opportunities for families to enjoy produce, pumpkins, flowers and community fun are a win-win for all. Our students enjoyed ice-skating and bonding with one another, as well.
At the end of our day, the focus on decision-making with every business we visited held a common theme, “We all have a daily choice to use our tools and resources to lead ourselves and make the best choices.”
Our mindset matters to stay positive.
Our growth mindset matters to keep learning.
Our communication matters to stay connected.
Our alignment with values matters.
Our intentions matter as we keep the big picture in mind.
And, our success matters as we make decisions to build the success that is meaningful and important to us.
Our Find Your WHY program always has the best interest in mind for our students to learn, grow, develop and build their passions in what they want to do in their life and work. They are committed to “becoming” who they need to be, in order to realize and create their dreams.
We made great memories in January about doing the impossible and making it work for employees and businesses. We look forward to making more in this 2023 Year.
The Find Your WHY Team
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