TECHE SKETCHES: Teche Growers meeting shows attributes of organization

What happens when you combine agriculture professionals of all ages, add interesting lectures and provide delicious suppers as well?  

The result is the Teche Growers Association.

Now in its third year, this group consists of about 75 members, mostly younger professionals, who are passionate about both farming and acquiring scientific knowledge to improve their production.  The majority are sugar cane and rice farmers representing the parishes of Iberia, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion.

The organization holds meetings about five times a year and is partly inspired by an earlier, now defunct group that had similar goals.  

 I was privileged to join them for their most recent meeting a few days ago at the Veterans Memorial Building in Jeanerette.  I spoke with the current president, Chris Patout. 

“We decided to get together for the purpose of obtaining the latest technology in order to educate ourselves and share ideas,” he emphasized.  “One of our objectives is to have regular discussions about anything pertaining to the improvement of our livelihoods.” 

The association’s initial program centered around cane farmers … but that has since evolved. 

Chris remarked, “We have now broadened our horizons to include any topic related to the products from farming, ranching, and water.” 

Incidentally, every meeting is supported by different local sponsors.  And the evening meals are usually prepared by both members and volunteers. 

I was very pleased by the overall convivial mood of the gathering.  Business and pleasure were mixing beautifully.  But what impressed me the most was the number of younger attendees. 

Indeed, one of the older members, New Iberia cane farmer Lane Blanchard told me, “We’re trying to keep young people involved in what we do so that we can all promote our industry.” 

Standing nearby, Wilson Judice, a young farmer from St. Mary Parish echoed similar sentiments. 

“I see this association as a sound group of younger individuals determined to excel in their chosen fields,” he said.  By the way, Wilson is a graduate of LSU who majored in Crop Science. 

One of the highlights of every meeting is a guest speaker who is usually an agriculture expert or specialist in a related field. 

That night after supper a consultant from Missouri, Carroll Montgomery, spoke about the importance of maintaining the proper balance of nutrients in the soil.  Even to a non-farmer like myself, it was obvious that the presentation was as detailed as it was useful to the members of the organization. 

Toward the end of his lecture, Mr. Montgomery scanned the audience and said, “There’s only one expert on your farm … and that’s you.” 

Uncannily, this gentleman was expressing what I was feeling. 

I looked around and observed the degree of interest visible on the faces of young and old alike.  In my opinion they were all experts.  Whether they were just starting out, or very experienced, the members exhibited a palpable fervor about their occupations, the acquisition of information, and the merits of their organization.   

Before I left, Kassi Berard from Breaux Bridge, the group’s secretary stated that “… the exchange of ideas that we have here is one of our strongest goals.”

She was absolutely correct.

O.J. GONZALEZ is a native and resident of Jeanerette. He graduated from USL in printmaking and photography and his photographs have appeared in publications in Louisiana, Alaska, Canada, New Zealand and England.