Mitch Hopkins, a Covington High School graduate and FFA member, discusses his SAE project in oil and fiber crop production, which involves growing soybeans and cotton while managing all stages from planting through harvest. He describes the complete production cycle including pest management, operating equipment like cotton pickers, and the cotton ginning process that separates lint, seed, and unwanted materials. Through this hands-on experience, Hopkins transitioned from employee to co-owner alongside his parents, learning valuable business lessons about managing stress and responsibility while discovering his passion for agricultural work.
