Mujeres importantes en la agricultura de Oklahoma: Karen Eifert Jones

Oklahoma .- Dos años paso a más de dos décadas.
Después de graduarse de la Universidad Estatal de Oklahoma, Karen Eifert Jones tuvo la intención de irse, trabajar un par de años y luego regresar a la tierra donde creció, cerca a la carretera 81 de Waukomis en el Condado de Garfield.
Pero, Jones pasó más de 20 años lejos de su casa trabajando en la industria de la agricultura en finanzas ag, ventas química ag, programas de gobierno y manejo de granja.
Sin embargo, dos décadas no es tanto tiempo si tenemos en cuenta sus vínculos con el suelo de tierra rojiza donde se crió y tiene una historia de más de 125 años de sus bisabuelos. Esta conexión fue bastante poderosa que Jones regreso en el 2008 y en muchos días le han podido encontrar cubierta desde su frente a los pantalones vaqueros con esa tierra que tanto ama.
Un reciente reconocimiento describió a Karen Eifert Jones. Este año, ella recibió un premio de "Maestro agrónomo" de la Universidad Estatal de Oklahoma. Los destinatarios de este premio, iniciado en 1947, han participado en esfuerzos de la Educación Agronómica y han aportado valiosos servicios públicos debido a sus esfuerzos únicos en los campos de conservación de suelos, manejo o producción de cultivos.
"Siempre he tenido una fé profunda en el plan de Dios para mi vida," dijo Karen. "Yo no podría nunca haber predicho muchos de los giros que ha tomado mi vida. Por lo tanto, no, no siempre sabía que iba a regresar a la granja en la que crecí. Estaba en paz en cualquier faceta de la agricultura en que estaba y el plan de simplemente confiar en Dios."
Jones, quien tiene un buen sentido del humor, se le preguntó lo que la llevó lejos de la granja y lo que la trajo de regreso. En broma, pero literalmente, ella respondió: "Me fui en un coche Nissan y regresé en una camioneta Dodge".
Jones se graduó de la Universidad de OSU en agricultura en 1985 dentro de los mejores 10 graduados. Su padre sabía que sus cuatro hijas todas llevan una profunda devoción a la granja. "Pero a pesar de su amor por la agricultura, él se aseguró garantizar que cada uno de nosotras fuera a la Universidad y me dijo que no me permitía volver a la granja sino hasta después de dos años de graduada", dijo. "Él quería estar seguro que si yo regresaba a la granja era porque lo elegí, y no porque no sabía nada más que hacer".
Ella ha alentado a mentes brillantes para participar en el exitoso programa de liderazgo de Agricultura de Oklahoma. Jones ha luchado por los préstamos para aquellos que tienen potencial pero apenas cumplen los criterios. Con paciencia, ella ha enseñado a muchos de los que necesitaban un trabajo como conducir un tractor con una camioneta con transmisión estándar. Ella ha reconocido a los estudiantes de secundaria que tenían potencial sobre trabajo en la agricultura y los a guiado "mentor” a través de su trabajo en su granja y la Universidad".

Significant Women in Oklahoma Agriculture Highlight: Karen Eifert Jones

Oklahoma .-Two years gave way to more than two decades.
After graduating from Oklahoma State University, Karen Eifert Jones intended to go off and work for a couple of years and then return to the land of her raising, just off U.S. Highway 81 near Waukomis in Garfield County.
Instead, Jones spent more than 20 years away from home working in the agriculture industry in ag finance, ag chemical sales, government programs and farm management.
However, two decades isn’t all that long when you consider her ties to the reddish silt loam soil where she was raised go back more than 125 years to her great-grandfathers. That connection was powerful enough, that Jones did return in 2008 and many days can be found covered from brow to jeans in that dirt she loves so much.
One recent honor goes a long way in describing Karen Eifert Jones. This year, she was a recipient of Oklahoma State University’s "Master Agronomist" award. Recipients of this award, initiated in 1947, have participated in agronomic education efforts and have contributed valuable public service because of their unique efforts in the fields of soil conservation, range management, or crop production.
Both on and off the farm, Jones has remained a faithful friend to agriculture throughout her life.
“I have always had a deep faith in God’s plan for my life,” she said. “I could never have predicted many of the turns my life has taken. So, no, I didn’t always know that I would be back on the farm I grew up on. I was at peace working in whatever facet of agriculture I was in and simply trusting God’s plan.”
Home and away, and then back home
Jones, who has a rich sense of humor, was asked what took her away from the farm and what brought her back.
Jokingly, but literally, she replied, “Left in a Nissan car and came back in a Dodge pickup.”
Jones graduated from the OSU College of Agriculture in 1985 as a Top Ten Senior. Her father knew his four daughters all carried a deep devotion to the farm.
“But despite his love for agriculture he ensured that each of us went to college and told me I was not allowed to come back to the farm for two years after graduation,” she said. “He wanted to be sure I was there because I chose it, and not because I didn’t know anything else to do.”
She was away from the home place for 23 years.
In that span, she was employed by Dow AgroSciences working with farmers and ranchers and teaching proper use of chemicals. Then she spent several years with USDA Farm Service Agency analyzing farm finances and administering the guaranteed loan program in conjunction with local lenders. During eight years of her USDA career, Jones was based in Washington D.C. and traveled to nearly every state and Puerto Rico.
She returned to a life of full-time production in 2008. Her husband Dr. Rod Jones is a professor of Agricultural Economics and Finance at OSU and they have two children, son Weston, 16, and daughter Caroline, 14. While Karen is the primary operator of the farm, she says "there is no way I could be doing this without him." Rod comes home as often as he can and the two are in frequent contact on production decisions. It is truly a family farming operation.
“God’s timing allowed me to become a full-time farmer as my employer had offered a buyout to reduce staffing and my father had passed away leaving a void in the family farming operation,” she said. “We did not take over the family farm. We simply rented land from my family; most of which I have a part ownership in. My mother kept the cattle. We also purchased several quarters ourselves and rented some from neighbors. It has been a building process. We didn’t walk into a ready-made operation. My husband liquidated some of his own farmland in Kansas to purchase land here.”
Jones’ approach to farming is as diversified as her overall ag experiences.
“I knew that the only way we could grow a sustainable operation was to utilize no-till practices and rotational crops to improve the soil and produce the best crops,” she said. “This year I have corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum growing and canola and wheat being harvested now.”
Away from the farm, but still knee deep in agriculture, Jones worked in sales and marketing, policy development, auditing and ag lending.
She looked at organizations that worked and saw what made others fail.
Jones worked with corn in Iowa, almonds in California, rice in Arkansas, fruits in Puerto Rico, ranches in Montana, poultry producers in Delaware, wheat farmers in Oklahoma and almost any other ag commodity you can name.
“I had a front row seat to agriculture of all types in all areas,” she said.
If experience in the ag industry were grain, Jones would have countless bins that could be completely full. The key is “could be” because instead of storing her knowledge, her challenges and her successes, she readily shares with others.
“Looking at Karen’s career in agriculture, her greatest service is that she is an encourager,” said Dr. Damona Doye, who has known Jones in part through the producer’s service for several years to the planning committee for the Oklahoma Women in Ag and Small Business Conference. “She has held leadership positions, but really thrives when in a role of encouraging others; helping them to be their best so they can contribute to the industry that she holds dear.”
Jones has remained in the ag industry not only because of her own love for agriculture, but also to encourage others who are traveling paths she’s already been down.
“When I was in the FSA Kansas State Office, helping field staff was my focus,” she said. “When I was selling chemical, I worked hard to see that the least knowledgeable could become educated about range and pasture management. I have helped coworkers move ahead. I have broken through barriers so others can succeed without wasting time or energy on those.”
She’s encouraged bright minds to participate in the highly successful Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program. Jones has fought for loans for those that seem to have potential but barely meet the criteria.
Patiently, she has taught many who needed a job how to drive a tractor or a standard transmission pick up. She’s recognized high school students that seem to have potential and “mentored them through their job on our farm and college.”
All because, Jones is not only an ag producer but an ag encourager.
Even though she’d been away from home for more than two decades, Jones feels blessed that her life has circled back to Waukomis “and we get to raise our children on the land that is in my soul.”
“Our children are growing from life here and will take the farm with them in the form of passion and life lessons, regardless of the vocation they choose to pursue,” she said.
Photo caption (Photo credit: Courtney Newman): Karen Eifert Jones is shown near a barn that was built by her great-grandparents Solomon and Helen Beese and “with the help of the community I’m sure.”