Other Voices

“The cool thing is agriculture is everywhere,” says Michaela Kehrer.

She has been teaching about agriculture and its many related subjects at Berne-Knox-Westerlo’s secondary school since 2017. That year, she also founded a chapter of Future Farmers of America in the rural community.

Now, Kehrer has been named Outstanding Agriculture Educator for the FFA Region VI National Association of Agricultural Educators. She is one of just six finalists across the United States; the winner will be named in December.

Kehrer started her journey as an ag teacher when, growing up in Rhode Island, her father’s best friend urged her to attend an FFA meeting — she had been more interested in marine biology or history at that point — telling her he wouldn’t mention it again if she didn’t like it.

She loved it, especially the camaraderie.

A vibrant woman, Kehrer has always been drawn to male-dominated fields, she says in this week’s podcast at altamontenterprise.com/podcasts.

She studied landscape design — like farming, another male-dominated field — for a degree at Cobleskill before earning a master’s degree in ag education at Cornell University.

Kehrer serves as a role model at BKW where a lot of girls were initially attracted to her classes; she is also enthused about teaching boys.

Among the many grants Kehrer has helped secure is the most recent one, for $5,000, that the FFA chapter is using to buy life-size fiberglass models of a cow, horse, and pig. Students will research, design, and paint the internal organs of each species on one half of the models; on the other half, they will paint the markings for a given breed standard.

The BKW chapter of Future Farmers of America is active on many fronts. Next month, 30 students will go to Oswegatchi, a camp in the Adirondacks, Kehrer said, noting the trip is booked to capacity.

Members compete in contests and career development events; they also do public speaking and learn about leadership. Until COVID-19 intervened, the group made an annual trip to Indianapolis for the national FFA convention; BKW’s participation will be virtual this year.

Kehrer repeatedly credits her BKW colleagues and other FFA chapters for her many initiatives.

“I’m a constant learner. I’m always watching what others are doing,” she says.

She also urges everyone: “Support your local farmers.”