When you grow up in a competitive family, working hard isn’t optional — it’s expected. That’s especially true for Jadyn Dirksen, a 2024 high school graduate who’s making her mark both at Latham Seeds and in the livestock show ring.
Jadyn started working at Latham Seeds as a summer box washer, but her strong work ethic quickly caught the attention of her supervisors.
“She was always one of the first to show up and never afraid to get her hands dirty,” says one team member.
Jadyn returned in the fall to help with painting projects, and soon after, she was offered a full-time position in the plant.
“I like that there’s something different to do every season,” Jadyn says. “And I love working outside. I don’t want to be stuck behind a desk.”
She’s also looking forward to the remodel of Latham’s scale house, which will bring the lunchroom, team meeting space and seed lab under one roof.
“It’s going to be so nice to have everything in one place,” she adds.
That flexibility and variety are a perfect fit for someone with a full summer schedule. Jadyn shows sheep through FFA after aging out of her 4-H club, West Fork Winners, where she was a member for nine years. Her interest in showing started early, helping her older sister, Macy, before stepping into the ring herself.
“I figured if I was going to work that hard, I might as well show my own sheep,” she says with a smile.
Today, Jadyn favors Katahdins, a hair sheep breed that’s easier to manage and doesn’t require shearing. She works with her lambs every day and showed two ewes and one ram at this year’s fair.
“Showing teaches responsibility and commitment,” she says. “Once you start, you have to finish.”
When she’s not working or preparing for the next fair, Jadyn enjoys spending time outdoors. Her first big purchase after starting full-time at Latham was a Chevy Silverado 1500, which recently endured a muddy fair week and a very long pre-wash.
Her next goal?
“I want to buy a Razor and go trail riding in Wisconsin and South Dakota,” she says.
Whether she’s learning the ins and outs of seed production or mastering the show ring, one thing’s for sure: Jadyn brings determination and grit to everything she does. And those are qualities we’re proud to have on our team.
Here’s Jadyn’s favorite banana bread recipe:
Banana Bread
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3 medium bananas ripened
- 2/3 C sugar
- 1/3 C oil
- ½ C chopped walnuts
- 1-3/4 C flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Mash together eggs and bananas
- Mix in all remaining ingredients until just combined
- Pour into a greased loaf pan
- Bake at 350-degrees for 55-60 minutes