Dane Spatz-Geiger, inspired by his father, Jack Geiger, who works as an agronomist and mentor to organic farmers internationally, has big plans for the future. “My future,” he says, “is involving myself directly in the production of organic crops on my family farm.”
Spatz-Geiger plans to graduate from Highland Community College and transfer to Kansas State University, where he will major in Agronomy and Soil Science. “After graduating from college,” he says, “I will return to the farm and continue my father’s work of rejuvenating the land, and teaching others the practices of renewable organic farming.”
“My father has been my biggest coach,” says Spatz-Geiger. “Every day I learn more about the nuances of farming and how to adapt production of food with ever-changing climate and pest issues. He’s also taught me about the microbes in the soil, and how to nurture them to foster healthy soils. At Kansas State University I hope to learn more on the chemical makeup of soil, how human input modifies this, and how it can be changed.”
“I see myself as a producer of organic row crops, and local vegetable crops. My farm is already certified organic and producing organic corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, alfalfa, clover, and straw. We also clean organic crops such as the aforementioned ones. I also want to produce organic garden produce on a smaller scale for local markets.”
The CCOF Foundation is proud to support producers like Dane Spatz-Geiger with the Future Organic Farmers grant, which gives $5,000 scholarships to college and vocational students training for careers in organic.
