Hard Work, Real Growth: My Fourth Year in Agriculture.

I’m really happy to let you all know that I’ve officially completed my practical year, which also marks the end of my fourth year in school. Honestly, when I look back on everything I went through this year—both the challenges and the lessons—it feels like a big achievement. The journey hasn’t been easy at all, but I’m grateful to God for seeing me through and making it a successful one.

Today, I just want to share a few of the experiences I had during this period. I believe it’s important to reflect and document moments like these because they shape who we are and how we grow, especially as students of agriculture.

One of the practical experiences that stood out to me was working with maize. Before now, I had never really been involved in the actual threshing process, so this was something completely new to me. We were grouped and assigned roles.

First, we gathered the harvested maize and packed them into separate bags.

After that, we powered the maize thresher machine and began pouring the maize into it for separation. The machine did the work of removing the maize grains from the cobs.

My specific duty was to pack the cobs (also called combs) after separation and dispose of them properly.

Now, this might sound simple, but let me tell you—it was exhausting! We spent several hours lifting heavy bags, working the machine, and cleaning up.

At the end of the process, we bagged the clean maize grains into about nine different bags and removed the dirt. It was tiring, no doubt, but there was also this satisfying feeling that came from seeing the final result of our hard work.

Another major experience I had was during our visit to a poultry farm. The farm had thousands of layer birds spread across five large pens. The first thing we did was observe the birds and identify any that looked weak or sick. Once we separated those birds, we began injecting them with the necessary medications to help them recover. In addition to that, we gave vaccines to some of the healthy birds to protect them from possible disease outbreaks.

What made it even more interesting was that the farm owner was preparing for the arrival of new layer birds. So, we joined in cleaning the pens—using rushing water and scrubbing tools to get rid of dirt and waste. It was a team effort, and although the smell wasn't pleasant and the job was physically demanding, it was still a great learning experience. It made me understand the importance of hygiene and routine care in poultry management.

In all honesty, this practical year has been one of the most impactful phases of my academic journey so far. I’ve learned things that no textbook could have fully explained. From maize threshing to poultry vaccination and sanitation, I now feel more grounded in my field.

As I look forward to my final year, I carry these experiences with pride and a deeper passion for agriculture. Thanks for reading, and I hope to share more as I continue this journey!