Youth in Agriculture highlights Seth Hildenbrand

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youth in agriculture tomorrow’s ag leaders

Seth Hildenbrand

By Brenda Brinkley

Hometown: Marshfield, Mo. Parent: Robin Collins Sibling: Older brother Zach FFA Chapter: Marshfield FFA Advisor: Justin Cron

What is your involvement with agriculture? “I have never lived on a farm. I’ve always worked on farms from Buffalo to Marshfield.

“I run a tree service here in Marshfield. That’s what my SAE project is through FFA. It’s Hildenbrand Tree Works in Marshfield. I’ve been working on it for about two years now. I have done landscaping, so when that quit I had to find something. I kind of grew out from it and it’s become an every day thing. Between that and the landscaping, I made out fairly well last year.

“I started really small. I was cutting firewood. I started having people come to me to do little tree removal jobs in their yard. I could do that.” Photo by Brenda Brinkley

In the winter of 2018, Seth decided to focus and try to grow his business into something more. He now does tree removal, tree trimming, hedge trimming, and landscaping.

“I had to get a vehicle to haul everything, trailers and 20 saws,” he said. “I have chainsaws, brush cutters, all that stuff.”

What do you like about farm life? “It’s relaxing. There’s something about it that makes you feel at home. Laid back.”

How have you benefited from being in FFA? “Without it, I wouldn’t know any of my forestry stuff. The contest teams are what has stuck with me. That was my freshman year and I haven’t forgotten anything. The same with soils. I was on the soils contest. I learned from it, but I didn’t benefit from it as much as the forestry. My freshman year, I had Kyle Whitaker as my ag teacher. He taught me everything about forestry. I learned tree species and everything you need to know about trees. I had experience on running equipment from the landscaping jobs. I just put it all together and ran with it.”

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TRAILERS Future plans? “I’d like to be a little bigger and see where it can take me and where I can take it. I have some trade school ideas. I’m not looking to go too Before You Buy, Check With Us! big, but I’d like to get some trade school with arborist classes. I’d like to do some 2645 W. Kearney, Springfi eld, MO 417/862-4797 www.mccurrytrailers.com diesel mechanics as well.”

What’s the best advice you have received? “You can’t give up. You’re going to have rough times every week and you just have to keep going.” 22 Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com JUNE 8, 2020