Carter Mitchell
Age: 18
Family: Parents, Kevin and Debbie Mitchell; and two sisters, Kaitlin and Kyleigh
Hometown: Appleton City, Mo.
School: Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., freshman
Former FFA Chapter: Appleton City FFA
FFA Advisor: Sarah Lieber
What is your current involvement with agriculture? “With the cattle, it’s all Gelvieh. I’m also on the Board of Directors of the American Gelvieh Junior Association.” He recently showed a Gelvieh steer, two heifers, a bull and crossbred market lambs at the Missouri State Fair.
“I’m just getting settled in at college over at Kansas State and of course, I’m getting ‘harassed’ at home for going to K-State in the first place,” he added with a laugh.
What is your past in agriculture that has brought you this far? “I’ve grown up in this, working with the family in agriculture, and also in FFA in high school as well as 4-H before that. My grandparents, Carl and Jo Mitchell, have 320 acres and a Gelvieh cow-calf operation with 70 pairs, mommas and calves. My sisters were involved in this before me.
Future plans? “I’m studying bio-systems engineering. It involves building and designing systems and equipment for people in agriculture, like head gates, chutes and that sort of thing. It will probably end up being a five- or six-year degree but I’ve already got all my general education requirements out of the way so that helps. The hard part right now is there’s not much working with the animals. I have to get that in when I come home from college.
“Eventually, I’d like to take over the family farm, now owned by my grandparents. I’d like to see it become a Century Farm and expand on that. I also think in terms of my own engineering firm someday or at least work for one while still farming. It really is a privilege to be part of this industry.”
