Heavy Equipment Operations (HEO) student and Tulpehocken senior Austin Merkel is wrapping up his high school career with hands-on experience, leadership in the field, and an exciting opportunity waiting immediately after graduation.
Austin has spent the past two years serving as the student supervisor when the HEO class is working at the quarry, helping guide classmates and manage responsibilities in a real-world jobsite setting. In addition to the work in the program, Austin is a student ambassador and is actively involved in FFA through the home school.
Now, Austin is preparing to take those skills across the country. Austin has been accepted onto the crew at Froese Brothers Harvesting, a custom harvesting operation based in Inman, Kansas. The opportunity came after an application process completed late last fall, inspired by a friend who had previously joined a crew.
“I’d always wanted to go out west and work on a harvest crew after graduation,” Austin said. “I heard about it from a buddy who had done it before, and I decided to go for it.” In early February, Austin received the call that made it official. “I was at work when I saw a call from Kansas, so I stepped out to take it,” Austin said. “He told me later that week I was accepted and that he wanted me on the crew. That was pretty exciting.” Austin will be part of a growing number of Berks County students and graduates heading to Froese Brothers this season, including both experienced crew members and several first-year recruits.
Austin plans to leave the night of graduation, traveling 18 hours—more than 1,200 miles—to Kansas to begin the next chapter. Once there, Austin will begin working toward a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) permit and quickly transition into field operations.
The harvest season runs from May through November, covering multiple states including Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. The work includes harvesting wheat, corn, and sorghum, hauling grain, and supporting large-scale agricultural operations. “I’ll be doing whatever they need—combine work, grain carts, trucks,” Austin said. “I’m just excited to get out there and run equipment.”
Crew members travel throughout the season, staying in bunkhouses, motels, or other temporary housing as they move from one job to the next. The fast-paced, hands-on environment is exactly what Austin has been preparing for.
Austin’s interest in heavy equipment comes from a strong family connection and a lifetime around agriculture. “My great-grandfather had his own equipment business, and my grandfather worked for him,” Austin said. “I never met him, but I always heard about it. Growing up around farming, I just always knew I wanted to run big equipment.”
At home, Austin works on a small family farm, helping care for beef cattle and managing hay production. Work experience goes well beyond agriculture as well. Over the years, Austin has worked at a farmer’s market, for a landscaping company, on a large-scale dairy farm, and for a concrete company operating equipment. Austin currently works at an automotive garage. Balancing school, work, and farm responsibilities has helped prepare Austin for the demands of the harvest season.
Looking ahead, Austin encourages younger students to follow their interests and take chances when opportunities arise. “Do whatever makes you happy,” Austin said. “If you have something in your head that you want to do, go for it.”
Austin’s senior quote sums up that mindset: “If you have a dream, chase it—because a dream won’t chase you back.”
As Austin prepares to head west and begin life on the harvest trail, strong skills, work ethic, and determination will continue to guide the journey ahead.