Cooper Tonnessen –
Ag Processing Proficiency Award Winner
By Brenda Goettle
North Dakota
is the number one honey-producing state in the
nation. Cooper Tonnessen, a junior in the Granville FFA Chapter, is proud
to be part of that statistic. Several years ago, Cooper was given two
hives of bees as a gift from his bee-keeper uncle in
Kansas
. Since then he has worked with a bee-keeper near Granville to learn all
aspects of the apiary business. His bee season begins in June when the
hives return from wintering in
California
and ends in the fall with the extraction of honey from the hives. Cooper
realizes that good marketing strategies are important to the success of his
business. He sells honey in a variety of venues, both locally and out of
state, and continually strives to expand those markets. Cooper plans to
have a career as a welder but hopes to continue bee-keeping for supplemental
income and to make his life a little “sweeter”.
The Ag Processing Proficiency awards are sponsored by the ND Ag Products
Utilization Commission.
ND FFA Foundation
Ths
page is sponsored by the ND Grain Growers Association