32 Years

July 18 was my 32nd year anniversary with the University of Maryland. If you count my years in West Virginia, I have worked almost 35 years in Extension. If I retire in March (2021), I will be a few months short of 33 years. I'll be 59 years old. I'm ready. I've had a great career. It's time. I only wish the university would provide some encouragement ($$$) to retire, due to Covid 19, but that's probably not going to happen. On the other hand, Covid 19 makes the decision to retire easier.

My first job out of college was as the Sheep & Goat Specialist for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. It was a great first job. I worked with a bunch of terrific guys. I learned a lot. Learned the balance between book knowledge and real world experience. After two and half years, I left West Virginia to go to graduate school in Montana. That had always been my plan. It only took me a year to get my Master's degree:  "Direct and Correlated Responses to Selection for Reproductive Rate in Rambouillet sheep."

At a farm in Belgium (2019)

I was hired as an Ag Agent for Wicomico County in 1988. There were two of us in the county, three if you count the person who did home horticulture. My area of expertise was livestock production and farm business management. I covered a three county area for both subjects. There wasn't a lot of livestock on the Lower Shore, mostly pigs (then goats), but there was a strong need for farm management programs. Most county agents just like to work with crops. Like West Virginia, Wicomico County was a good starting place. I was blessed with a great office, super colleagues.  I stay in touch with many of them. I have many fond memories of my tenure in Salisbury.

For a few years, I worked as a Regional Farm Management Specialist. It was interim. The previous specialist had moved into an administrative position. I had an office at the Wye Research & Education Center, but only went there once a week. I did programs throughout the Eastern Shore, mostly computer stuff and grain marketing. It was a good experience. It broadened my knowledge and skill set. I returned to the county after three and a half years, after a failed attempt to get a livestock specialist position at UMES.  Long story.

At the end of 2001, I moved to the Western Maryland Research & Education Center. My job was Area Agent, sheep and goats. After a few years, I was elevated to Regional Specialist, then State Specialist. It is my current position. I've been doing it for 19 years. It's the job I dreamed of doing. I'm living my dream. I don't want to retire because I don't like my job. I love what I do. It's just me time. Time to do something else. Do what?  Do whatever I want.