Upper Valley at Work
Meet
Jinny Cleland		 Joan Ecker
photo © Thomas Ames Jr.
 
Hometown: Royalton, Vermont
Current Profession: farmer
Other jobs held: baker, campground owner, parent, designer, worked for Native
American Studies program
Hobbies/Interests: music, dancing, cooking, sewing, knitting, hiking and activities with my kids
Strengths:financial management, carpentry, writing, design and planning skills, well-organized, efficient, energetic, neat, good memory, intuitive, outgoing and friendly

Judy Jorgensen Download this profile

Questionsclick to ask me a question

How do you use your strengths in your job? Farming requires me to use all of my strengths. I need to be flexible when dealing with nature and attempt to stay ahead of the game to take advantage of weather, diverse personnel, balancing growing and marketing and integrating the multiple projects that overlap through the year.

What was your biggest learning challenge in school? I am a hands-on person so I found learning through reading was not all that good for me. I mostly studied design and found that easy and analyzing literature next to impossible.

What motivates you to go to work? Farming is a way of life. I don't set aside time that I "go to work" and then come home to do other things. I love all the aspects and especially the changes from season to season so nothing gets stale. I have always believed that we are here to do things for others. My passion is feeding people and starting with the growing of plants and taking it all the way to helping people prepare the food they get from here.

Every job has specific skills. What do you need in yours? Farming is an art, a science and a business. All the skills required to be a business owner are essential. Intuitive skills and learned information are all brought into play.