The grey early morning sky sheds light on the leaves and trees. A deer stands looking at a tree. In what feels like a minute, a bullet flies from 50 yards out. Without waiting, the deer drops to the ground.

Cole Jipsen enjoys hunting, fishing and “working on the farm” in his free time. His parents are Amber and Kevin Jipsen and he has two brothers, Clayton and Cooper.

While in high school, Jipsen has been the manager for the boys’ basketball team. His favorite moment of high school was when the Trojans beat the Glenwood Rams by a close 1-point margin of 69-68 during the 2016-17 season, allowing them to compete at State.

Ever since he was a child, Jipsen knew he wanted to farm. His grandpa taught him everything he needs to know about the agriculture business and because of this, Jipsen looks up to him the most. He said he enjoys the uniqueness of farming and working with livestock as “there is always something new every day.” In seventh grade Jipsen bought his first heifer, which got him started in the cow/calf industry, explaining that a cow/calf operation is a method of raising beef cows by owning a permanent herd of cows that give birth and then the calves are sold at a later date.

After graduation, Jipsen plans to attend Kirkwood Community College and receive a degree in Agricultural Geospatial Technology, also known as precision farming. Kirkwood is one of the only schools in the nation that offers this specialty.