Our cattle crew spent a great day at Tyson Hemsing’s farm, proving that hands-on learning is real learning. Our "cow crew" left the classroom to get into the heart of farm work, sorting cattle to move them to new pastures.
A Busy Day of Teamwork
The morning was all about working together. Christina prepped fly tags for Ty, while Jacob, Anna, and Kyle kept the cows moving safely through the chute. Peter handled the gates, matching the color-coded panels to the marks on each cow’s head. After a picnic lunch, Michele showed us the calving pen—a clever use of an old hay barn turned into a clean, safe space for new mother cows.
In the afternoon, we worked with the calves. They are small but strong, and moving them required a lot of teamwork. Christina and Aaron Ross worked the gates while the calves were weighed and marked. Peter, Jacob, and Anna learned quickly that moving calves through the chute is a lot harder than it looks! Finally, we walked the sorted groups out to their new fields.
Agriculture: The Leading Growth Industry
This day wasn't just about chores; it was a direct look into the world's most important growth area. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, "Farmworkers, Labourers, and Other Agricultural Workers" now top the list of the largest growing job roles in the world. This sector is expected to see a massive 35 million more jobs by 2030.
Building Skills for Tomorrow
By doing this hard work, our students practiced the exact skills that global employers say are becoming more essential over the next five years:
Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility: This was the second most sought-after core skill in 2025. Staying safe and effective while working with large animals is the ultimate way to build this agility.
Analytical Thinking and Quality Control: These are key skills that separate growing jobs from declining ones. Sorting cows and checking their health requires the "analytical thinking" that 70% of companies now consider essential.
Technological Literacy: Even in manual work, using specialized tools and understanding data like blood samples aligns with the report's focus on tech-savviness as a top growing skill.
A Big Thank You
We are so grateful to the Ross, Davidson, Hemsing, and Holt families for letting us join their work day. Our students left with a real respect for the hard work of farming—an industry that is not just growing, but leading the way for the future global workforce.