Cassie Cross lives to serve as a goat farmer and park ranger.
“‘Living to Serve’ means that I provide for others. I provide my time, my heart and my efforts to others who need it,” says Cassie Cross, a park ranger for the U.S. Corps of Engineers at John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir.
From informing others on the rules and regulations of the campsites to conducting controlled burns for habitat management, Cross lives to serve each day in a variety of ways. When asked about her favorite part of her career, Cross said that she loves interacting with new people and admiring nature while protecting it. “I wear a lot of hats as a park ranger, and I enjoy every one of them,” she adds.
The Cross Family Farm
When Cross is not performing her duties as a park ranger, she owns a 5-acre farm. At Whistling Creek Farms, the Cross family raises 100% New Zealand Keko goats. Goats are Cross’s favorite animal, and these meat goats have parasite resistance. “I just think they are so funny to watch,” she says. She enjoys having goats because of their versatility; they can provide meat for her family, as well as milk, which she drinks and uses to make cheese and soap.
FFA Memories
Before Cross became the hardworking park ranger and farm owner she is today, she was an FFA member. One of her favorite FFA memories was helping with the greenhouse outside of school. She enjoyed watering plants, feeding fish and repotting plants. “I always enjoyed being in the greenhouse and getting my hands dirty,” she says.
Additionally, she liked attending state conventions held at Virginia Tech. There, she “loved seeing all the blue and gold jackets and other Virginia counties coming together to support one another.” Being part of the blue jacket family brought Cross a lot of pride.
The Blue Jacket Lives On
Now, Cross serves as a member of the Mecklenburg County FFA Alumni. She attends monthly meetings and supports her local chapter in various ways, and says that she has always wanted her chapter to grow and thrive. She is a part of the FFA Alumni because she wants to continue to support FFA and her local agriculture community.
“Without agriculture, we would have nothing,” she says.
