Our next employee spotlight is featuring Mitchell Hisle. Mitchell got his bachelors degree at Kansas State in 2013 and has been a valuable member of the Pederson Seed Team since that point. We took a couple minutes to sit down with Mitchell and learn a little bit more about him. Read along to get to know Mitchell!
Rachel Stevens: You’ve been working at Pederson Seed for over 5 years now. What is your favorite time of the year here?
Mitchell Hisle: I would say, my favorite is the beginning of soil sampling season. Its not old yet, and your out on your 4-wheeler. The weather is nice and not cold. Get to look around the county.
RS: Did you always plan on working as an agronomist?
MH: No, I did not. I started my college career in athletic training. I love sports and wanted to work with athletes but didn’t realize how bad it was going to suck. The classes were hard. I did get to go in the locker rooms and work around the football team so that was a fun part of it. I actually talked with Jeremy Olson my freshman year of college and he told me to try Ag Technology Management. I didn’t know anything about it and he described it and thought that might be something I liked, so I switched. So that is thanks to Jeremy. Give him some credit for it.
RS: If given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?
MH: Bill Winke. He’s a deer hunter that deer hunts full time and posts videos. He makes his career through sponsorships. That’s what he does for a living. Deer hunts.
RS: If you had to eat one dessert the rest of your life, what would it be?
MH: I’d go with chocolate chip cookies. Warm, right out of the oven. There’s nothing better.
RS: What are your top three life highlights?
MH: I’d probably say my wedding day and the birth of my daughter. I guess that’s only two, but they are the best ones.
RS: What do you like to do in your spare time?
MH: Watch sports, hunt, see family, see friends. And farm some. I guess I’d rather be deer hunting everyday, but I’m not Bill Winke so…
RS: Tell us about one of your favorite hunting experiences.
MH: A year or two ago, my dad and I called in two coyotes at one time. They came running in. We were sitting separate from each other, so we couldn’t talk with each other. But we both shot at the exact same time and we couldn’t even tell the other person shot. And we each shot a different one and they both just dropped at the exact same time. We just looked at each other like ‘What just happened?’. It was so cool.
A couple weeks ago, we called two more in and I screwed up and shot at the first one, and Dad didn’t see the second one and it took off. Then we shot at them both and got neither one. That’s more normal. This is who we really are.
RS: Do you want to talk about the deer you were after this year?
MH: No. Its too soon. Too fresh. I don’t have any closure. I need closure first.
RS: You became a father this past year! Congratulations! What have been some of the highlights of fatherhood? How are things going with Alyssa and Creighton?
MH: Its been fun to watch her grow. Seeing her progress from a little blob to an actual person. She’s getting to be more vocal. I think she actually understands what Mama means. We’re tired, but it’s been good.
RS: What is your biggest pet peeve?
MH: Okay, so when people put the toilet paper roll on so the flap is at the back instead of over the top. That’s my number 1 pet peeve.
RS: Where is your favorite place to eat?
MH: My grandma’s house. She makes amazing fried chicken with potatoes and gravy, corn, creamed peas. It’s delicious.
RS: Do you have any goals for 2019?
MH: I’d like to spend some more time with my family.
RS: What is your favorite youTube video right now?
MH: It’s not a single video, but there is this channel called The Hunting Public. These guys start in the northern US and follow the deer season and they go only on public land that’s open to the public for hunting. They hunt out of these little crappy cars that are terrible and the doors don’t shut and its really awesome.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlnaIrdxwJITyrESOReqxg
RS: I’m planning to ask everyone at PSS this question, and I know it’s weird, but would you rather be a tiny elephant or a giant hamster?
MH: I’d definitely say a tiny elephant. Its kind of cute. People might actually like it. No one is going to like a huge rodent.