Category Archives: Harney County

OSU Extension intern goes behind the scenes to give back to her community

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Hello everyone! My name is Shylee Davis, and I am an intern with the OSU Extension Service in Harney County. As local as it gets, I am a born and raised cattle rancher with a passion for the agriculture industry. Growing up around livestock, I quickly discovered that working with animals was where I belonged. This fall, I will be attending Central Oregon Community College to study health sciences before transferring into a veterinary technician program.  

Shylee Davis smiles for a senior photo with her horse. Photo: Brooke Joyce

My involvement with Extension coincides with my involvement in 4-H, which started when I was in the fourth grade through my participation in swine projects and dog training. Because 4-H has played such an important role in my life, I was excited for the opportunity to work with the Extension Service and gain a behind-the-scenes perspective of the program that helped shape me. 4-H has taught me countless valuable life skills including responsibility, leadership and confidence. One of the best parts of this internship has been working alongside an amazing team while continuing to grow my passion for animal science and youth development. Throughout this summer, I have had the opportunity to assist with a wide variety of projects. I began by helping design and paint waves on the Harney County Historical Society’s Fourth of July float; Crossing of the Delaware. I have also helped set up livestock panels at the fairgrounds in preparation for the county fair in September. Aside from these activities, most of my time has been spent in the Extension office where I have worked on many different projects. Through Canva, I have designed buttons and T-shirts for our 4-H Day Camp, held July 13-16. More recently, I have been organizing office storage areas and sorting through historical records and books.  

As the summer continues, I will be helping prepare for the Harney County Fair. I am especially excited about helping with fair preparations because, although I have spent many years exhibiting livestock, this internship has given me the opportunity to experience everything that happens behind the scenes. I have a new appreciation for the planning, teamwork and dedication required to make the fair a success.  

Balancing this internship with my own market and breeding livestock projects through FFA has been both challenging and rewarding. It has strengthened my time management skills and allowed me to experience the fair process from both the exhibitor and organizer’s perspectives. This internship has been an incredible learning experience and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to give back to the program that has given so much to me. I look forward to continuing to learn, serve my community and help make this year’s Harney County Fair a great success.   

OSU Extension intern makes long lasting connections

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Hello again,

My name is Tayleur Baker, and I am a 2024 Extension Communications Intern, based in Harney County. Throughout my internship this summer, I have been able to engage with the OSU Extension Communications team to create meaningful content for our communities. This pursuit led me to counties outside of my own to capture the heart and story of Extension across Eastern Oregon. The media pieces I created were in the realms of videography, photography, journalistic written word and social media engagement. I am passionate about all of these different communication areas and I was pleased to gain further experience to refine my skills.

Tayleur Baker holding a camera
Tayleur Baker holding a camera in the field. Photo: Tayluer Baker

My favorite part about this summer has been the opportunity to engage with others and make long lasting connections. Whether attending a day camp, receiving feedback from the communications team or engaging with a county virtually, connections were formed that made a positive impact on my life that I am extremely grateful for. Additionally, Extension truly does care about their employees and set me up for success and professional growth every day.

I would suggest this internship to anyone who is searching for a way to improve themselves in their communication skills while having fun doing it. Extension has a welcoming staff, a patient environment, and an atmosphere that fosters growth. This internship is not a job full of busy work for the youngest member of the team, but a position that encourages interns to discover how they can make the most out of their internship. They hand over the reins and give interns the opportunity to tailor their experience to be beneficial in determining their future. Additionally, amidst the duration of the internship, staff are continually encouraging, pouring into their interns, and supporting their projects because they wish to see them succeed. It is an amazing experience that I recommend all who can to engage in.

As I have only about two weeks left of my internship, my page is about to turn. In the fall, I will be returning to Oregon State University to study Speech Communication with a minor in Agriculture Science. It is my hope to use my voice to make a difference in the world around me and support the people along my path. I am committed to serving others in whatever position I may find myself in, and I am grateful for Extension showing me this commitment by example. Thank you, OSU Extension, for another great year and once again, go Beavs!

Excited for the future and the adventures it will bring

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Two women in orange OSU clothing sit facing the camera with their arms around each other.
Tayleur Baker and Supervisor, Christine Stokely enjoy working the promotional booth at the Team Beef Ranch Run in Hines, Oregon.
Photo Credit: Susan Doverspike

Hello again! For those of you who may have forgotten or never received the opportunity to read my first blog post, my name is Tayleur Baker, and I am a summer intern this year at the OSU Extension office in Harney County.

Although it feels like I just started, this week, unfortunately, will be the last of my 10 weeks as an intern. As I mentioned in a prior blog post, I previously whelped manage my local 4-H program, attended the 2023 Oregon 4-H Summer Conference, worked with communications in Extension, and have also been preparing for the fair. In addition to these activities, I have been busy at work with various other adventures this past month.

A woman in jeans, a white top and a hat stands on a gravel road in front of an old truck.
Tayleur Baker poses for her senior picture at her family’s fifth generation cattle ranch.
Photo Credit: Leah Planinz

Since I last posted, I have harnessed the drive to draft two event plans for my county within the 4-H program. The first plan includes details for planning and executing a Cloverbud day camp for students ages 5–8 in hopes of recruiting youth into the 4-H program. The second is a plan for the implementation of a youth advocacy workshop. I am passionate about this experience, as it reflects and relates to a good portion of what I stand for — youth empowerment, strong agriculture communities and students learning how they can change the world. Through designing these programs, I have been able to serve my community and spark a creative idea for the future. I am eager to see the harvest now that the imagination seed is growing.

Another activity that I have engaged in has been working with the foreign exchange program on finding homes for foreign exchange students. Through this experience, I have spoken on the local radio station and have communicated on both the Extension Facebook page and through local posters. One of my highlights from this initiative has been meeting one of the Japanese chaperones, Saki. Saki is kind and service minded, and I have loved meeting her. Her creative origami is stunning, and she has plans to host a class for students this week — I am so excited to watch her share this aspect of her life!

Brightly colored origami pinwheels
Origami gifts from Saki.
Photo credit: Tayleur Baker

As mentioned earlier, this week is my last , which is bittersweet. Throughout my internship, I have learned about Extension, my community and more about myself. I have grown as an individual and have professionally developed my skills as a communicator, leader and advocate, for which I am forever grateful. My favorite part of this experience has been the ability to work with the youth in my community and serve those around me. I have learned the importance of investing in the next generation and contributing to the future of our communities. Leaving an impact is connected to what we do daily and the habits we build based on our goals. Through my internship, I learned the importance of setting goals daily and keeping the desired impact in mind as I worked during the day.

I recommend this internship to any student searching to grow their skills and professionally develop. This internship promotes the discovery of what you enjoy and encourages building a powerhouse resume through professional exposure. My advice to future interns is this: Tailor the experience to yourself, and don’t limit your imagination. I wanted to explore the realm of communications, and it was my focus through my experience in Extension. If you are curious about the research aspect, make it happen. If you are interested in elementary education, take that route. You will get out of this opportunity what you put into it, so make the most of it!

Although this chapter is ending for me, I am ecstatic about the chance to start writing a new one. In the fall, I will study at Oregon State University, majoring in agriculture and communications. I look forward to more opportunities to serve others and strive to make the world a better place. I desire to not only ignite my light, but I long to empower the spark in others to shine as well.  Thank you for this experience!

 

Changing the world starts knee-deep in the community

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Several children and a few adults reach down to pet ducks on the grass.
Petting ducks at the Kids’ Club: Intro to the Animal World event at Harney County Fairgrounds in Burns, Oregon
Photo credit: Tayleur Baker

Hello, my name is Tayleur Baker, and this year I am an intern at the OSU Extension office in Harney County! I will be an upcoming freshman at Oregon State University in the fall of 2023. I could not be more excited! Go Beavs! As a student majoring in agriculture and communication, I have been beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with the 4-H kids this summer and work with Harney County 4-H media. These two areas of the internship are my absolute favorite, as I love working with youth and advocating for the agriculture industry.

As a fifth-generational rancher in Harney County and an eight-year 4-H member, this position is as a way to serve and give back to my community. With Harney County being a predominantly agricultural area where the cows outnumber the people 14:1, I understand the importance of the industry and strive to promote agriculture sustainability for future generations. We all have the power to change the world if we dare to take the initiative, and I am confident that changing the world starts knee-deep in the community. While serving through this internship, I hope to grow as an individual, impact my community and empower others to use their skills to make a difference and shine.

Throughout the past month and a half, I have been able to write press releases for Harney County’s local newspaper and our extension website, draft social media posts for our 4-H media outlets, speak on the local radio about all things 4-H, help prepare for fair, attend Summer Conference, and help with awesome 4-H members and their projects.

Twelve young people stand in the archway of a large brick building.
Malheur County and Harney County Kids Team at OSU during the 4-H Summer Conference
Photo credit: Yolanda Diaz, Malheur County Extension intern

Last June, I was extremely grateful to be able to attend the 2023 4-H Oregon Summer Conference and connect with Malheur County, as well as help one local 4-H member bring her community service project to life. This student is an eighth grader at Crane, and she saw a need to educate youth in our town about agriculture and livestock. Through an “Intro to the animal world” event, this student was able to connect with our local Harney County Kids’ Club and teach about agriculture through a livestock animal show-and-tell at the Harney County Fairgrounds. This event was enjoyable for me due to its connection to agriculture, its ability to bridge the gap between consumers and producers, and the chance to grow next-generation leaders.

In the coming months, I will continue to prepare for the 2023 Harney County Fair and Rodeo in September and assist 4-H members with their projects. I look forward to the coming months and the adventures that they hold. Onto more memories ahead and the chance to strive to better myself, others, and my community!