With the cold temps, and things starting to slow down around here, we thought it’d be a good time to take a break from the agronomy and do a better job of introducing the team. Over these next winter months, we are going to be posting some employee spotlights on the blog, and really let you get to know the people of Pederson Seed.
We are launching this series with Greg Strube. Greg has been a part of Pederson Seed and Services since Spring of 2011. Prior to working here, he spent 9 years in the financial sector. Outside of work, he works on the family farm, spends time with his family, and watches KSU sporting events.
Rachel Stevens: So you worked in the financial sector before starting at PSS. Did you ever have any jobs prior to that, in high school or college, that were particularly interesting?
Greg Strube: I really haven’t had a lot of unusual jobs. The only interesting job I had was working for a hog farm in high school. We got to cut teeth and give iron shots and things like that. We got to build all kinds of bulk bins and such. People just don’t understand anymore, because that type of hog farming is gone now. The owner farrowed 100 sows so we, me and another high school kid, got to take care of all that. We did it every night after school.
RS: What has been your favorite project working here?
GS: I don’t know that you consider it a project, but rather a task. I always think its interesting seeing the amount of seed that we can move in a short period of time.
RS: What’s the most that you’ve done in a day?
GS: I don’t really know. I honestly couldn’t tell you off the top of my head. It seems like we’re going so fast, its hard to pay attention. Every trip is different; you may be delivering some partial loads in a seed tender and turn around and be taking some pallets and proboxes out.
RS: So why is that your favorite task?
GS: Because no one else can do it the way we can. We’ve got it down to a science.
RS: Do you recall any embarrassing moments at work?
GS: The only embarrassing moment I can recall wasn’t really embarrassing for me. Andy and I were working out on the bulk bin. And that’s what this helmet is from. (Gestures to helmet). He was going up the bulk bin and he dropped the drill…on my head. He gave me about a 3 millisecond warning so it probably hit my back more than my head. But it fell all the way to the ground. And the drill didn’t break!
RS: What are your hopes for the agriculture industry?
GS: My hopes for the ag industry as a whole, is that we continue to stick together as a group and continue to advocate and inform and teach the younger generations about where things come from, whether its food or resources or things to that nature. There are so many of the younger generation that are three generations removed from the farm, so I think its really important to be teaching that group.
RS: If you had to eat one meal, every day, for the rest of your life, what would it be?
GS: (With no hesitation) I’d have chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, and white gravy, and corn. And for dessert, cherry cheesecake. I’d keep it simple.
RS: If your house was burning down, what is the one non living thing you would save.
GS: Probably the fire extinguisher.
RS: Would you use it? Or just save it and run out of the house? Like is the fire department going to show up and you are standing there cradling your fire extinguisher?
GS: I’d be ready to help that way. 😉
RS: Tell us something about your family that might surprise us?
GS: Actually, we started out originally as a young musical group. We actually had auditioned for Branson. We were going to start our own show, but it didn’t work out, so we are staying local.
RS: And you just don’t sing anymore?
GS: Nope, gave it up.
RS: But in all seriousness, what is going on with your family right now? What are they up to?
GS: The boys really enjoy anything outdoors. They are both doing basketball right now. Cooper is starting his 4th year of basketball, and Thatcher is playing his first year of basketball. They help out at home with some chores too. Michelle is keeping busy as the family taxi. She’ll probably run another half marathon in the spring. She’s also getting ready to take a social work exam. It’s a pretty big test that she’s been studying for.
RS: What did you always want to try but never did?
GS: I always thought it would be fun to drive a train. To be a train conductor. I think it would be amazing to see the back country. Everybody sees the railroad tracks as they go through town or cross a road, but I want to see what goes on between those points. Maybe sometime we’ll take a passenger train down to St. Louis or something.
RS: What is the first concert you ever attended?
GS: Michelle and I went and saw Brooks and Dunn at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan Kansas back in college.
RS: What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years?
GS: Be patient but resilient.
RS: What kind of music do you listen to while soil sampling to get you pumped up?
GS: Its usually a mix. Kind of whatever’s on my phone. I’ve got some Charlie Daniels on there, some Eagles, Beach Boys, I hate to admit it, but there might even be some Michael Jackson on there. Its just a whole gamut of things. Maybe even some ACDC on there. If I could find a radio station that had just a huge mix of music, as long as its not classical or opera, I’d be pretty happy.
RS: What has been one of your favorite family vacations?
GS: We took the boys to Disney about three years ago and that was a great time. The boys were able to go to 3 or 4 different theme parks. The boys got to see tons of different characters. It was just so fun to see the boys expressions as they met different characters and went on different rides. The characters were just bigger than life for them. It was a lot of fun seeing them have fun. Thatcher was probably three at the time, still talks about that trip. You always wonder at that age if they will remember it, and he definitely did.
RS: What’s a youtube video that makes you laugh right now?
GS: Probably this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SVaHxJhTmk
RS: Last question. Its super important. Would you rather be a tiny elephant, or a giant hamster?
GS: I would rather be a tiny elephant. And I don’t have to give a reason why.
RS: I’m gonna ask anyway.
GS: I guess I’d still be tough. I mean a giant hamster is just a big old fluff ball. A tiny elephant would be tough still.
RS: Thanks for taking the time to visit Greg!
GS: No problem. Good luck getting the rest of the guys to do this!
We hope you enjoyed this brief employee spotlight and getting to know Greg Strube a little better.