PROGRESS: Future Farmer, Don Berberich

PALMER — Don Berberich is retiring from teaching agriculture at Palmer High School for the last 28 years to get into, well, farming.

Berberich tended a small watermelon patch growing up in Dayton, Ohio. Though no watermelons grew under his watch, one day Don crashed his bicycle. While his mother took him to the hospital, his father placed a watermelon from the grocery store in the patch and convinced Don that he had grown it. Love of teaching did not sprout that day, but a love of farming did.

Berberich and his family moved to Alaska. He was a junior when the FFA and Agriculture programs were introduced at PHS. Berberich jumped in with both feet. He studied a year at Ohio State, took a year off, married his wife Dee and graduated with his degree in Agriculture from Kansas State in 1985.

Berberich worked as a hall monitor and teacher’s aid before taking the full time job in 1991. The agriculture building at PHS has since seen a renovation, new lighting installed, and new hydroponic technology enter the building. But during that time, Berberich was always there.

Berberich has taught plant science, animal science, natural resources and forestry as introductory level classes, as well as small engine repair. Greenhouse production and landscape design are the higher level classes he has taught over the years. Berberich is also been the FFA advisor at PHS, a club he is truly passionate about.

“We call it leadership but they’re just really good life skills,” said Berberich. “A kid who really got into it would have an edge on anybody else in the job field.”

The face of farming has changed over the years. Growth of major companies has squeezed out small family farms and Berberich says the industry lacks agricultural literacy. Farming communities in the midwest are sometimes run by just a handful of farmers operating gigantic farming operations that bring in tractors for massive harvest operations.

“Only 2 percent of the population produces food. The industry is going to need a lot of replacement workers, the average age of a farmer is like 58. People think farmers retire when they’re 60. Most farmers don’t retire, they do it because they love farming,” said Berberich.

The Alaska Farmland Trust now protects the development rights of 300 acres. They acquired their fifth property in February and have five more applications to take the total acreage up to 600.

“We’re one of the only states of the nation that has actually seen an increase in the number of farmers. There’s this movement to return the land to farming. It’s really honest work. What’s better than growing food for people?,” said Amy Petit, director of the Alaska Farmland Trust.

However, with recent changes in the Alaska farming industry — most notably the explosion of farmers markets and the growth of the Alaska Farmland Trust buying the development rights of farms in Palmer — Berberich is changing his tone after more than 25 years.

“It allows someone to really have a chance to be successful in farming. It’s a tough career and a tough choice. There’s hope for a new farmer in the Valley. ” Berberich said. “For many years of my teaching career I didn’t encourage kids to farm… now I can actually encourage kids who really want to farm to do that. That’s my lifetime goal; I really want to farm. That’s exciting that a kid can actually do that,”

Berberich says he doesn’t do much gardening at home. Occasionally his wife will ask him to help grow something, but his hobby is also his job. An innate love of tending the land has given Berberich the opportunity to do what he loves. Berberich claims he never wanted to be a teacher, but that he will definitely miss the students.

“Every day there’s an experience working with students that makes you laugh, makes you smile, makes you hopeful, makes you glad that our futures in good hands,” said Berberich. “I hope to expand my farm. Trying to achieve a lifetime goal of having a successful farm operation in Alaska is to me one of the ultimate accomplishments. If that doesn’t work, maybe I’ll go into politics or something.”