Zehr says the benefits of this relationship are not just one sided. 

“[Judd] asks really intelligent questions,” she says. “As a manager, it was awesome to have somebody here that would think … three steps ahead instead of a step behind.”

Swanton echoes with similar praises, saying Zehr’s managerial style is one that inspires him.

“She really cares about the breeders and the customers that she has here, and I think that’s another thing that sets her apart from most. She always puts it into the perspective of, ‘Well, if it was my cow, I’d do this’ or ‘If it was my situation, I’d do this,’” he says. “She’s kind of the person that I’ve been trying to mirror this summer.”

Swanton didn’t just see Zehr at work every day — he also lived with her and her family during the summer. Inviting a stranger into your home for a few months could be a recipe for disaster, but Zehr says Swanton fit right into their dynamic.

“My kids absolutely love him,” Zehr shares with a smile. “They’re going to be so sad when he leaves.”

Zehr also says she’s grateful for the opportunity to serve as a mentor through the Angus Foundation. Having grown up immersed in the Angus community, she knows the value of gaining industry relationships and experiences.

“I guess I just see it as full circle for myself,” she explains. “I want to give forward to what I’ve gotten from the Association and the [Angus] Foundation growing up. If I can do that for kids like Judd — I absolutely love that.”

Day to day

To help Swanton get the most out of his experience, Zehr made sure he was involved in every aspect of the operations.

Swanton describes a typical week, explaining the ways he floats between the two operations based on where he is needed most. 

Mondays are busy at Blueprint Genetics, implanting and removing CIDR®s from donors and giving various hormone shots depending on where cattle are in their cycle. Tuesdays, he says, are a lot slower, as Swanton finds himself doing miscellaneous jobs and helping with the show string at Henning Farms. 

The middle of the week is Swanton’s favorite: ovum pick-up (OPU) day. 

“My favorite thing to do around here is probably to just work chuteside with the vets,” he shares. “I just really liked learning with them and being able to gain their perspective of things and being able to ask questions.”

The last two days of the week change depending on where Swanton is needed, but he says he can often be found feeding and checking cattle at both operations, helping the vets with embryo transfers or tidying up to keep the facilities in good shape.

“There’s a lot of going back and between [Blueprint Genetics] and Henning Farms,” Swanton admits. “At first it kind of felt like two separate things just because I was here, and then I’d be over there. But at the end of the day, it all kind of came together, and it’s two things that I have very strong passions for.”

For any aspiring applicants to the Talon Youth Education Learning Program, Swanton says he can’t recommend the experience enough.

“It sets you up for the best,” he says simply.

Swanton also has a few pieces of advice for fellow young agriculturalists.

“Start getting comfortable being uncomfortable,” he says. “Have the confidence to come out and do things and maybe admit if you don’t have as much experience … if you don’t learn, you’re not getting anything out of an internship experience.”

As the summer closed out, Swanton once again packed up his vehicle, this time pointing it east to Ames, Iowa, where he will complete his final undergraduate semester. He’s admits he’s sad to be leaving Janesville behind but he’s grateful for everything he learned.

Zehr says she’ll miss her right-hand man, but with this being the third Talon she’s interned, she’s used to the hard goodbye that comes with the start of the fall season. 

Spending a few summers with a variety of young cattlemen and women like Swanton, Zehr has seen where the future of the industry is heading. And she just has one thing to say.

“We’re in good hands.”