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TCGA Interns Report On Their ‘Real-World Experience’ The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association chose two interns to join the organization this summer and have an opportunity to experience the cotton industry. Both are with member gins throughout the summer. Josiah Keck is a student at Texas A&M University majoring in agricultural systems management. He will graduate in 2025. Keck is originally from Iowa. His family moved to College Station in 2016. He makes and sells knives and started his own company (Keck Knives) in 2020. Keck has also worked for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension as a student worker. He is interning at Petersburg Co-op Gin and Smith Gin Co-op in Odem, Texas. Riley Gryder is a student at Texas Tech University majoring in mechanical engineering. His expected graduation date is May 2024. Gryder is from Mertzon, Texas, (west of San Angelo) where he is the owner and financial manager of Rocker G Cattle Company (30 cow/calf) ranch. Gryder is a member of the Texas Tech Honors College and is interning at Edcot Gin in Edmonson, Texas, and Edcot Co-op Gin in Odem. TCGA provides college students with a chance to show their value to potential employers. They will gain valuable “real-world experience” and take the next step in their careers. Below are their reports as they navigate their summer internship.
Josiah Keck “I have been working for Myles Ramsey, manager of Petersburg Co-op Gin, for the first half of my internship. I have been learning the process of cotton ginning from Mr. Ramsey. The first week I helped take apart augers in the distributor. Next, I took apart the hangers, which are attached to the augers. I cleaned and replaced chains around the sprockets and checked for any damage around the drive shaft, sprocket and ball bearings. Later that same week, I helped one of my co-workers clean out and replace the gin stand saws. “Mr. Ramsey also took me on several tours. Josiah We toured PYCO Industries, RAM ManufacKeck turing and where the cotton samples go to be graded. PYCO was one of the most fascinating to me. PYCO is where the cotton seed, after being ginned, goes to be made into cottonseed oil. There I learned about the process of how a cotton seed is turned into oil. What was very fascinating to me was the lint around the cotton seed. PYCO has three cleaning processes of taking the lint off the seed, and they later turn the lint into bales. One of the coolest facts I
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20 COTTON FARMING | AUGUST 2023
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