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Matti Boomgaarden is the new Extension educator for Pipestone and Murray counties. She started her new position earlier this month. Photo by Kyle Kuphal
Matti Boomgaarden is the new agriculture production systems Extension Educator in the Agriculture Natural Resources Department of the University of Minnesota Extension, serving Pipestone and Murray counties. She began her new role on June 9 and filled the position previously held by Melissa Runck, who became the beef production systems Extension educator at the regional office in Worthington.
Boomgaarden said she’ll be learning about both counties and working with the community Extension committees in each county to determine what kinds of agricultural education and programming are needed. She’ll then develop programs and educational events based on those needs. She said that might involve working with other people or groups within the communities.
Boomgaarden previously worked as an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Pipestone Area Schools for two years and, before that, she taught for five years at Clark, S.D. She thinks her teaching experience will help her in her new position.
“In my previous job, I really had a plethora of knowledge across all different topics of agriculture, so I get to take that into this position and run with it,” she said.
She was interested in the role of Extension educator because she thought it would work better with the plans she and her significant other, Kyle Blume, have to take over her family’s farming operation, which includes cattle and sheep. She said she’ll still be able to volunteer to work with kids and FFA, which she enjoys.
“I’ll be able to get the best of both worlds,” she said.
In her new position, Boomgaarden said she’s looking forward to working with producers and helping them solve problems. She said she has a wide network of Extension educators that she can call upon to help and to learn from.
“I get to surround myself with people who are incredibly knowledgeable and smart, and I’m a lifelong learner — I love to learn, so that’s something I also look forward to, is learning from the other professionals in the Extension,” Boomgaarden said.
Her immediate goals include getting to know the people in the counties she’ll serve and their needs, working with the county commissioners, and holding some programs, including some that are new.
“I’m really excited to finally be in the position,” Boomgaarden said. “We’ve kind of been waiting for the end of school to come around for me to start. Everyone’s been very patient and I appreciate that. I’m excited to finally be here and to be started and to begin a new role, and to meet new people.”
Boomgaarden grew up in Pipestone and graduated from Pipestone Area Schools in 2014. She now lives near Ruthton on a family farm that previously belonged to her grandparents, Ralph and Leona Boomgaarden.
People can contact Boomgaarden at boomg022@umn.edu.