October 22nd, 2025

Farming Smarter opens doors to ag industry


By Lethbridge Herald on October 21, 2025.

Nathan Reiter
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

All it takes is a simple summer job or student opportunity to change the outlook of someone’s career path.

For Farming Smarter, several former summer students have gone onto careers in agriculture, whether continuing with the organization or elsewhere in the industry.

Executive Director Ken Coles says he loves seeing students succeed.

“When I think back over the years I’ve been here, I think 19 years now, the number of students that have come through here and moved on to ag careers is pretty tremendous and you realize that you have such an impact through them that has been cascading out in the in the ag world that it’s worth noting. We’re mostly in the crop production side here, but there’s 30 to 35 crops that we work on. There’s the whole research dynamic to it, working with different companies. The students that come usually have quite an experience and they also get to know a lot of people, they have fun with each other and I think we have a pretty good work culture.”

Coles farms mixed grain with irrigation near Coaldale on top of his role with Farming Smarter. He says the feeling never gets old when he sees a student fall in love with the industry. 

“It brings me to tears sometimes man. It’s crazy, I think to see that passion and I hate to admit that I’m at that point in my career now that’s what gets me excited. The same feelings that I had when I started in the industry just loving science, loving the outdoors and loving farming and seeing people literally light up because you know they found a new purpose in life. That’s pretty monumental.”

One former student who has continued on with Farming Smarter is Evrett Krippl. Krippl moved to southern Alberta from Calgary to study geography at the University of Lethbridge. 

He is in his second year working for Farming Smarter. In an interview, Krippl says he likes the research he participates in.

“I really enjoy working outside a lot of the time and kind of the mix at least for the research side of it of doing some outside work and then also doing some data computer work because I do like numbers and working with that. I was kind of surprised at how much they connect both of those together.”

While first starting with Farming Smarter as a summer job, Krippl says part of the reason he stayed is because of the positive learning environment that is supported. 

“Farming Smarter does a really good job at teaching new students, people who are new to agriculture. I know the past few years specifically we had a lot of people who had never been in agriculture before and it was their first experience. I think they do a really good job at teaching people about it but also just building that community with farmers and with other people in agriculture. You just get to see a lot of different things and it’s really helpful in that way.”

George Joseph Jr. is another former student who has stayed on with Farming Smarter. Joseph Jr. was a student with the organization while he completed his agronomy diploma.

While he had an interest in getting into the agriculture industry, Joseph Jr says he was thankful for the teaching he received while with Farming Smarter. 

“For me, even though I wanted to be involved in agriculture, I didn’t really hadn’t any experience per se. For me, everything I did here was brand new, and they were super helpful at teaching me. I didn’t know how to run the equipment or detailed information regarding agriculture, but they were super patient. They helped me a lot with teaching how to use equipment or all the information regarding agriculture.”

Farming Smarter is located along the jail road just outside of Lethbridge city limits. 

Share this story:

17
-16
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments


0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x