Diary of an Assistant Variety Representative
Taylor Moore, Assistant Variety Representative at Cope Seeds and Grain, gives an open and honest account of his first season at Cope Seeds, and although rooted in farming, he’s had a lot to learn, being a new entrant to the industry. We’re delighted to have him on board and we hope you enjoy his account of his time with us…
“With my first seed-selling season coming to an end and coinciding with the COVID-19 outbreak, I have taken time to reflect and take stock of how I (being a new entrant to the industry) have found this first season while working for Cope Seeds & Grain.
I come from a farming background, and joined Cope Seeds at the end of last July and even though I have only been there for a short time, I have learned an awful lot. Looking back, I can highlight both the biggest learning curves and the elements of my role that I enjoyed the most.
Going into the job, I thought that answering phones would be a doddle but I soon found out it takes more practice than you think. I openly admit there were quite a few blunders but each has brought its own lesson to learn and they all helped someway to improving my confidence.
I have often been tasked with the analysis of trial data and to reach a conclusion on which varieties are most suitable and deserving of further time/funding. This is something I have found incredibly interesting, and I find myself really wanting to get behind varieties that have performed well.
Another learning curve was making sure I was clued up and I had done my research on which varieties were most suitable for certain situations. This included knowing quality/end market, disease resistance ratings and yield potential. But it also required me to ask the right questions such as soil type, place in rotation and previous cropping.
Managing the naked oats this spring has given me both responsibility and the opportunity to enhance my learning of the industry. Having had the time to immerse myself into the world of naked oats has given me the confidence to apply the same enthusiasm and passion to other species and varieties.
I will improve my knowledge and subsequently my ability to help farmers/growers and advise them the best I possibly can. For me, this is the best part of the job, helping the farmers of this country to make the most out of their land with the varieties we offer.
I would like to conclude by thanking everyone at Cope Seeds for their support and guidance through what has been an interesting season, to say the least. I would also like to thank the team at Cartwright Brothers for getting all the naked oat seed out to farms safely and on time. Special mentions go to Dennis Pell for helping with all my small orders, George Harvey for helping with the enquiries for the weird and wonderful and not forgetting Patrick Cowling for the constant laughs.
Here’s to another season and all the opportunities and challenges it may bring!”
Taylor Moore
You can read this update from Cope Seeds on TFF's AGVendor...
“With my first seed-selling season coming to an end and coinciding with the COVID-19 outbreak, I have taken time to reflect and take stock of how I (being a new entrant to the industry) have found this first season while working for Cope Seeds & Grain.
I come from a farming background, and joined Cope Seeds at the end of last July and even though I have only been there for a short time, I have learned an awful lot. Looking back, I can highlight both the biggest learning curves and the elements of my role that I enjoyed the most.
Going into the job, I thought that answering phones would be a doddle but I soon found out it takes more practice than you think. I openly admit there were quite a few blunders but each has brought its own lesson to learn and they all helped someway to improving my confidence.
I have often been tasked with the analysis of trial data and to reach a conclusion on which varieties are most suitable and deserving of further time/funding. This is something I have found incredibly interesting, and I find myself really wanting to get behind varieties that have performed well.
Another learning curve was making sure I was clued up and I had done my research on which varieties were most suitable for certain situations. This included knowing quality/end market, disease resistance ratings and yield potential. But it also required me to ask the right questions such as soil type, place in rotation and previous cropping.
Managing the naked oats this spring has given me both responsibility and the opportunity to enhance my learning of the industry. Having had the time to immerse myself into the world of naked oats has given me the confidence to apply the same enthusiasm and passion to other species and varieties.
I will improve my knowledge and subsequently my ability to help farmers/growers and advise them the best I possibly can. For me, this is the best part of the job, helping the farmers of this country to make the most out of their land with the varieties we offer.
I would like to conclude by thanking everyone at Cope Seeds for their support and guidance through what has been an interesting season, to say the least. I would also like to thank the team at Cartwright Brothers for getting all the naked oat seed out to farms safely and on time. Special mentions go to Dennis Pell for helping with all my small orders, George Harvey for helping with the enquiries for the weird and wonderful and not forgetting Patrick Cowling for the constant laughs.
Here’s to another season and all the opportunities and challenges it may bring!”
Taylor Moore
You can read this update from Cope Seeds on TFF's AGVendor...
