October 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 17 “I really believe that internships are a solution, or at least are one of the solutions,” Kime says. “They can provide real-world, hands-on, person-to-person training and can help an intern develop skills they wouldn’t learn elsewhere.” Dailyn Zierolf, 2024 Plum Thicket Farms intern, confirmed this idea. “The most rewarding part of my internship is when my mentors trust me to do a task on my own, and I can complete it and complete it well,” Zierolf says. “My self confidence has grown in all aspects, but especially in moving cattle.” Opportunities such as these equip young agriculturalists with the necessary skills, whether for operational tasks or for navigating life, to enter fulltime employment when they choose to do so. In fact, one of the five interns from the first cohort in 2023 transitioned from their role as intern to a fulltime employee at the conclusion of their program. While the first cohort was smaller in number, this internship program is only just beginning, and its impact and success stretches from coast to coast. About the Program Despite the program’s first cohort placing five interns, when it came time for the 2024 internship application cycle, the program’s service capacity doubled in a calendar year – receiving more than 80 applications and successfully pairing 11 interns with ranch hosts. “The growth is really a result of just the positive impact and the success that the program had,” Kime shares. “We have a great group of committed ranch mentors.” With dedicated families and communities who are interested in providing the next generation of individuals with the skills and knowledge of ranching, there is no doubt that this program will continue to succeed well into the future. The program was developed to mutually support and serve ranches and young people interested in agriculture, which is why the Sandhills Task Force team works closely with its partnering ranches to ensure a positive experience for all. “Our expectations are that [the host ranches] provide a well-rounded education throughout the internship,” Kelly explains. “You can’t just teach somebody how to fence all summer or teach them how to put up hay. It’s got to be somebody who’s willing to talk about management decisions and financial decisions and the day-to-day operations. Why are we moving these cows? What do you look for in the grass to determine the movement? Why are you treating cattle with this medication, and why is your vaccination program set up this way?” You Can’t Put a Price Tag on Experience Perhaps the most unique value the Sandhills Task Force Internship Program brings to the table is its inclusivity. This program continues to prove that not only are there young people interested in farming and ranching, but there are those with no agricultural background at all who are seeking these experiences. Dailyn Zierolf, horseback, 2024 intern for Plum Thicket Farms, with owners Rex, left, and Nancy, right, Peterson of Gordon. Keaton Wiske, horseback, 2024 Downing Ranch intern, Dunning. Morgan Townshend, left, and Haleigh Moutray, right, 2024 interns at Bow and Arrow Ranch, with owner Tom Davis in Valentine. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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