Jon Weaver, an Iowa State animal science student from Waukee, Iowa, spent his summer as an operations intern at Grand View Beef. The internship provided Jon with his first real-world experience in agriculture and an opportunity to learn more about managing a cattle operation.
Jon’s responsibilities as an operations intern included moving cattle, installing temporary fencing for rotational grazing, hauling hay, operating equipment and running farmers markets on Saturdays in Okoboji, Iowa.
These experiences allowed Jon to see the many moving parts of a cattle operation and better understand what it takes to manage a farm. His long-term goal is to start and operate his own cattle herd.
When asked about his favorite part of the internship, Jon highlighted working with cattle and connecting with consumers at farmers’ markets.
“I enjoyed working with the cattle and learning how they behave when trying to get them to move from one paddock to the next. I also liked being able to talk to people at the farmers markets and answer the questions they had about raising cattle and how grass-fed and grass-finished beef differs from grain-fed,” Jon said.
The internship gave Jon a better understanding of the responsibilities involved in raising cattle and managing a farm.
“This internship helped me understand that if I’m going to have my own operation, there is much more that goes into raising cattle than just moving them from paddock to paddock. I’m more excited than I was before to start my own herd,” Jon said.
Through this experience, Jon gained insight into life on a family farm, applied what he learned in the classroom and built confidence in his skills.
Written by Leah Reicher (Oct. 2026)