1st Place, Personality Profile
2022-23, Division 3, News Writing
By Madalynn Emeott & Madison Yockey
Focus
Midland HS
What once started as a 1,700-acre plot of land has turned into a fifth- generation family farming legacy passed down since 1892. Balancing the farm with school and sports has always been natural for senior Hudson Gerstacker.
Gerstacker Farms is a Midland- based farm that used to be focused on dairy production. Since Hudson was born, however, they have torn down the barn, sold the cows, and focused on cash crops, corn, sugar beets, and soybeans. While they now have two cows, they’re mainly used for meat.
“I couldn’t imagine living in the city and having zero lawn and just a little square next to the street,” Hudson said.
Hudson started off by cleaning the cow pens, waxing down equipment, and driving the tractors at just nine years old. His workload has evolved to preparing a steer for the summer fair, harvesting in the fall, and maintaining equipment throughout the winter.
Working at his family farm has allowed Hudson to participate in the summer Midland County Fair and bring his own steer every year. This year was the ninth time he had entered and he plans to enter next year. Zeke, his steer past summer, sold for $6.50 a pound and placed second in his class.
Approaching fall, however, Gerstacker’s priorities at the farm shift.
“It’s pretty loaded right now,” Hudson said. “I’ll get home from school or after football practice and then I’ll go change and go to the field. I’ll start topping sugar beets and driving my tractor around. I’ll get done late and probably do homework while in the tractor while waiting for a truck to get back.”
When harvest and planting season begins in September, Hudson spends 24 to 36 hours in the field on his weekends. Driving the tractors has always been his favorite part of working on the farm, even when things don’t go as planned.
Harvest season is the most stressful season due to the work that needs to get done. In the most extreme cases, tractor tires were blown off their rim, a sugar beet cart had a wheel break off, and a piece of equipment pulled down a power line and drug it all the way to the Gerstacker’s house. Even through all of these struggles Hudson’s attitude remained positive.
“If you know Hudson, you know that not a lot gets him down,” Hudson’s father, Clark Gerstacker said. “So when we’re all getting frustrated, he’s poking fun at the situation. He seems to always have a good attitude”
When it comes to harvesting, Hudson has learned through not only his family, but his own experiences.
“It’s my dad and my uncle just trying to explain everything and walk me through how to do it,” Hudson said. “And it’s so hands-on, you just pick up as you go.”
When Covid hit in the spring of 2020, Hudson stepped up and was able to learn more about his farm and focus on that rather than having to go to school.
“The Covid year was a great spring for Hudson on the farm.” Clark said. “He was able to work with me all day, everyday outside of having to attend a few virtual classes. It was a really unique opportunity for him to really get a full view of what we do all day every day.”
Once winter comes around, It’s all about keeping up the tractors for the spring season. Hudson goes to the shop and greases all the equipment, and conditions them for the spring planting season. However, working on the equipment isn’t the only thing that needs to be done. As a future heir to the farm, Hudson spends his winters being educated by his father on the business side of farming. He and his father will go to sales and equipment technology meetings and immerse Hudson into that side of the farm.
Hudson plans on going to college close to home so he can come back on the weekends and holidays to help out on the farm.
He plans on one day taking over his family farm and wants to leave a lasting impact.
“I feel like everyone wants to be remembered whether they admit it or not,” Hudson said. “It comes down to what they do while they are there to leave that mark.”
NW-15. Personality Profile
The personality profile captures the life, interests, accomplishments of well-known or interesting people, based on interviews from multiple sources. The subject(s) should have experiences, thoughts and accomplishments worth reporting. Anecdotes add to the personality profile. Submit a PDF of the print page(s) on which the story was published or the URL to the story on an online news site.
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity; reason for sketch is made clear early in story
- Emphasizes fresh angle; individualizes person
- Colorful, lively presentation; effective form/style
- Descriptive writing demonstrates the concept of “show, don’t tell”
- Reflects adequate research, sound interviewing techniques from a variety of sources
- Avoids encyclopedic listing of subject’s accomplishments
- Effective use of quotes
- Interesting; appeals to the emotions
- Proper diction/grammar