OFI 2079: The Creation Of A Plant Breeder | FFA SAE Edition | Gabe Olson-Jensen | River Falls High School FFA | Re-Cap Episode

I am starting to think that plant breeders are born, not made.  At least every time I interview a young man or woman with this passion it appears that is correct.  In today's interview I am speaking with a junior in high school that has already obtained $10,000 in funding to begin an apple orchard on his high school's property.  Gabe Olson-Jensen is our featured guest, and look at this list of accomplishments:

• Started working at a local orchard at age 12
• Grafted his first trees at age 12
• Obtained land at his school start a 1/4 acre apple orchard in 2020
• Applied for and received a $1,000 SAE grant in 2020
• Applied for and recieved $9,000 in funding from USDA SARE in 2020
• Purchased 200 apple trees and trellising and began the orchard in 2020
• Using integrated pest management to sustain and grow the fruit trees

Gabe really has an amazing story as so many of these seed breeders do.  Today, we will profile it all for you!