Farmer, Seven Springs Farm

Nick Woodruff is a farmer at Seven Springs Farms, and his career profile is unique as he didn’t grow up with agriculture, a “late bloomer,” he says. Nick didn’t know agriculture was a career path he could take until, in middle school, he met a young farm girl who would eventually be his wife. This was his first exposure to agriculture, and he began to help on the farm during breaks from earning his degree in Finance from Western Kentucky University. 

Nick says, “Being exposed to ag through her and her family helped me see the opportunities that agriculture offered in our area.”

After graduating in 2010, Nick worked to pursue a career in finance, but at the time, work in that field wasn’t as bountiful as the work on his wife’s field. 

“My plan was to work on the farm temporarily, but I began to take on more responsibilities and enjoyed it. I’ve been here ever since,” he says. 

His financial knowledge hasn’t gone to waste, however. His day to day tasks include, but are not limited to: management of grain handling, conditioning and storage, planning and review of applications, logistics, input procurement, HR, crop reporting and insurance, budgeting, and financial analysis. 

Nick acknowledges the benefit of being exposed to agriculture education early on, but wouldn’t change his career path, stating that there are many positives in entering a career with outside perspectives. For those looking to join the agriculture workforce, Nick urges that you don’t overlook how numerous the opportunities can be, even in a small local community.