I'm Ashley Holden, a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Recipient, and I am conducting research in The Netherlands from January through June 2018.   My project, "The Future of Agricultural Education:Merging best practices to improve post-secondary options",  is intended to serve as a window between the agricultural education practices in two different countries that are both agricultural powerhouses.  Specifically, how are we preparing the agricultural workforce in both countries?  How can we do that, better? 

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Follow my blog posts as I work my way around the Netherlands, comparing and contrasting what I see in Dutch education, with my experiences in American agricultural education.  My husband, Trevor, has joined me in this Dutch adventure.  He is a science and math teacher, and is a wonderful partner for sharing ideas and insights along the way.   

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I am in my eighth year as an agriculture teacher.  I have spent the last two and a half years at Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School in Northampton, MA.  Before that, I taught for five years at John Bowne High School in Flushing-Queens, NY.  I have ag education experiences from Nebraska, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. 

 

When I'm not living in the Netherlands, I am also helping with my family farm, Double H Acres in Broad Brook, Connecticut.  We raise and show registered Hereford cattle.  The farm features a farm store, Broad Brook Beef, selling high-quality, all natural pasture-raised beef and
all-natural pork.