meet your neighbors
A Great Opportunity
College freshman Austin Etcheson began working for Steel Rain Irrigation at a young age, which has allowed him to buy is own cattle and equipment.
By Rachel Harper
Austin Etcheson says hard work has paid off for him Austin Etcheson grew up in Jasper, Mo., with his parents Joe and Penny Etcheson. Early on, he began helping his uncle Louis Etcheson with cattle chores and his dad with construction. He soon understood how to care for cattle and had a good grasp on his dad’s business, Etcheson Construction. His grandpa had once farmed but sold his ground in the 1970s and Austin said he has always wanted to get into farming. About four years ago, Austin started working for Russell Dintaman, a local farmer. His dad Joe knew Russell and it provided a great opportunity for him to get involved in farming. “I was the only one at the time working for him and I helped pick up rocks,
“
I managed the other help and kept everyone on track. The pivots are sent on a semi-trailer bundled up. We put them together and make sure they run properly. We can also troubleshoot them to find out what is wrong and fix it. I still help him on the farm as well. He can now give me an idea of what we need to get done such as spraying or planting, and I can just go out and take care of it. During the summer, especially when we are building pivots and going really hard, 70 or 80 hours a week is not outrageous. “Once I worked for Russell long enough, I was able to get myself into a place where I could rent 80 acres of pasture and buy some cows,” he said.
I would advise young people to work hard. Sometimes it’s not going to be fun, but you just have to do it anyways. If you work hard, you’ll be rewarded.”
24
Photo by Rachel Harper
— Austin Etcheson
Austin currently has 25 black Angus row crop, take soil samples, work ground, spray and work on tractors and cows of his own he really enjoys. He still occasionally helps his dad with dirt work, equipment,” Austin said. During the school year, Austin, worked building terraces and waterways and putfor about three hours every evening. Af- ting in drain tile for other farmers. “Some jobs are better than others, but ter about a year, he started to help plant and Russell started a pivot irrigation I enjoy all of it,” he said. Austin also bales hay for local farmers. business called Steele Rain Irrigation. He already had a mower, but recently Austin helped put together has bought his own tractor and baler. pivots and the first summer Austin was his FFA chapter’s vice they built three pivots in Lapresident, and the organization clede County, Mo., driving is a part of his family’s legacy as from Jasper every day. well. “Whenever we first started “My dad and two sisters putting pivots together, he Jasper, Mo. were in FFA and I wanted hired more people. We went to be in it. I came into FFA from just me to six other guys.
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
OCTOBER 4, 2021
