OFI 1791: High Achievements Don't Get Accomplished On The Couch | FFA SAE Edition – Featured Freshman | Ty Oyen | Tri-Valley High School FFA

Ty Oyen has already been on the big stage at the National FFA Convention for he and his partner, Gage's, Agrisicence Research Project regarding water quality on part of Ty's farm in South Dakota.  This happened in Ty and Gage's 9th Grade year of high school!  It is amazing to see photos of those two receiving their awards in Indianapolis and to know that they have just begun their high school and FFA journeys.

However, after speaking with Ty for a few minutes you realize that being surprised that he accomplished this already is just underestimating him.  Ty is devoted to farming, and his schedule reflects that.  He is having very much a normal high school experience for an athletic person.  He plays three sports - football, basketball and track - and of course, he is in the FFA.  But all of that is book ended by farming.

Ty gets up in the morning at about 6am, and before he heads to school he bottle feeds about 30 calves.  Then he has school all day, practice for whatever sport is in season after school and he finally heads home.  But, when he gets home he changes clothes, heads out to the shop and works on whatever project his father and grandfather have given he and his brother.

When school is out for the summer, Ty is working in the family business custom bailing hay for folks or custom chopping hay and corn for other people's livestock feed needs.  Looking into the future, Ty is focused on farming.  He and his older brother are going to study to become diesel technicians, specializing in John Deere Equipment.  They use a lot of John Deere equipment on the farm already, but it becomes increasingly more complex to work on.  However, by becoming experts they will be able to solve a lot of these problems themselves, without the need to pay expensive shop rates and taken equipment back to the dealership.