Rylee Brown

    This internship has helped me develop significantly, both professionally and practically. Every person I have worked with during the internship—inside and outside of Maryland Extension—has made such a positive impact on my experience. I’ve had the chance to make connections with Extension personnel, professors, professionals in other agricultural sectors, and many farmers and producers. My mentors have done a fantastic job of allowing me to gain so many experiences and connections.

    My mentors have involved me deeply in their research project. This has included daily animal care, planning rotations, collecting weights, completing forage and fecal samples, and handling other animal care tasks. I have definitely seen an improvement in my animal handling and moving skills. I feel more equipped to teach others about the logic and practices involved in animal handling. This will be helpful as I continue working with animals throughout my life—both in my career and personally on my family’s farm. I’ve found that I really enjoy research and data collection and would consider seeking out research opportunities in the future.

    I have learned so much—and watched others learn, too. Perhaps my favorite part of the internship has been the farm visits and the practical experience we’ve gained from local farmers. The pasture walks, where farmers learned from one another’s experiences with grazing, were incredibly eye-opening and motivating, especially for someone entering the field of agricultural education. Many times, farmers were eager to teach me and provide hands-on experience. For example, this past week at Linden Hall Dairy, my mentor Jeff and the farmer, Brian Forsythe, took the time to teach us how to milk, give a bolus, tube a calf, and complete other practical tasks involved in running a dairy. Though it was a lot of work and took some practice to get the hang of, it was genuinely one of the most memorable and important days of the internship.

    By attending farm visits and workshops with my mentors, I’ve seen the importance of Extension specialists and agents—and how rewarding Extension work can be. We’ve had the opportunity to work with farmers, producers, agriculture professionals, and 4-H members from many different backgrounds. I’ve learned so much about the diversity of agricultural practices in Maryland and the cultural diversity within its agricultural community. I’m so thankful that this internship has allowed me to form connections with so many agriculturists. The practical skills, agricultural knowledge, cultural intelligence, and relationships I’ve built will be invaluable for my future career in agriculture and education.

This photo was taken during my last weigh day of the cattle and sheep. We noticed this lamb limping, so I restrained the lamb so my mentor, Brittany, was able to look at and trim the hooves. 

This photo is from Monday, at Linden Hall Dairy. We were able to learn how to milk during their afternoon milking. Here I am wiping the pre dip off of the test to sanitize the teets before putting on the machine to milk.