Kay County Extension welcomes Curry as intern

By Everett Brazil, III

The Newkirk Herald Journal

NEWKIRK — Kansas native Brandon Curry has a passion for agriculture, a love he has had his entire life. Now, he is bringing that love to Kay County, as he is serving as an intern for the Kay County OSU Cooperative Extension office for the summer.

The OSU student began his role Monday, May 24. He is already enjoying the role after only a week and a half.

“So far, I definitely think the people have been helping me a lot, and I’m hoping to get to work with everyone,” he said.

Curry hails from Wellington, Kan., where his father, Buddy Curry, serves as a college professor, and also serves as CTE department chair and agriculture program coordinator and instructor at Cowley College, Wellington.

Curry was immersed in agriculture from a young age due to his father’s influence, as well as the 4-H program. That influence led him to pursue a degree in agriculture.

“We did a little farming and ranching, and I’ve shown animals all my life,” he said. “I enjoy the variety agriculture provides, and with an ag degree, there are opportunities outside agriculture.”

He started his career at Midland Marketing Cooperative, Hays, Kan., pursuing a double-major in animal science and business at OSU. He sees many future opportunities inside and outside of agriculture with the double major.

“The reason I’m a double-major is, I can go into banking or marketing, or managing any type of facility,” he said.

He explored an Extension path on the advice of OSU youth livestock specialist Rusty Gosz, who also happens to know his father,” he said.

“I’ve always been told I should go into Extension (by my professors),” he said.

So far, Curry has stayed busy at the Kay County Extension office. He helped Kay County 4-H Educator Liz Nicholson with the 4-H Food Showdown in Blackwell Friday evening, and attended a bird feeder program at Pioneer Technology Center. He also helped Kay County Agriculture Educator Shannon Mallory with pest problems in trees in Kildare.

He is also looking forward with new program ideas.

“I’m creating a meat judging program for the county to see if the kids are interested in meat judging,” he said. “If you want to learn more about meat judging, I’ll elaborate on it,” he said.

Kay County Extension leaders are thrilled to have him as part of their program this summer.

Curry indicated that his goal is to serve in the Extension service, but even business or marketing could be career goals. Whatever path he chooses, it’s all driven by a love of agriculture.

“Agriculture is always growing and testing the limits of technology. We’re producing more yields per acre, just based on technology,” he said. “It is always changing and growing. We have to feed the world somehow.”