Hannah joined #ecoationnation in March of 2020. Although many things have been uncertain in the months that followed, one certain thing is Hannah’s dedication to her work in the greenhouse and leaning into ecoation’s mission of empowering the grower. Her hard work has not gone unnoticed, moving ecoation’s Director of Field Operations, Michael Mastronardi, to share that "every day, Hannah arrives on time and ready to bring her best work to our customers. Since joining the team just earlier this year, Hannah has been quick to learn and make an impact.” He described her “dedication to a job well done, ability to adapt to any situation, including all of the new protocols introduced this year, and unwavering attention to detail as she moves from row to row” to be just a few things that make Hannah an exemplary member of the ecoation team.
Based out of the Kingsville, Ontario office, Hannah works on-site at customer greenhouses in the agricultural hub that is the Kingsville/Leamington area. With over 5-years of greenhouse industry experience, Hannah continues to make ecoation proud every day. This post aims to celebrate Hannah and the amazing work she does.
1. Having joined the ecoation team in March of 2020, what has your experience been like thus far?
“My experience with ecoation has thus far surpassed my experience in any other greenhouse operation. I have worked in the greenhouse industry for 5 years, in multiple roles, and have seen how different greenhouses operate. So, I’m very familiar with what each of the jobs entails, and how everyone plays a key role to ensure things run smoothly and efficiently. I really enjoy my position as a scout. I’ve learned the different in’s and outs of the role which previously I’d only observed and I enjoy working with ecoation.”
2. What does a day in the life of an ecoation Scout look like?
“My day as ecoation Scout starts at 8:00 in the morning. Due to our current climate with COVID, the job looks a little different than it normally would. Following Canada’s safety guidelines, I complete a questionnaire to ensure my personal safety and the safety of my coworkers. My temperature is taken and I suit up for the day. I prepare my machine including sanitizing, safety checks, and program set up. Following that, I start at the appropriate row and scout for pests, diseases, maintenance issues, and anything that looks suspicious within the crop and log accordingly. Before entering another row I clean and sanitize my machine so that anything within that current row remains as is and nothing is compromised. At my designated breaks I bring my cart to the bay station so that any information recorded can be uploaded. At the end of the day, I deep clean my machine, plug it in, and ensure that all information is uploaded for the day.”
3. What are some of the challenges and problem-solving opportunities that you experience as a Scout?
“Maintaining an adequate speed to ensure that I cover enough area for the day while not missing any crucial issues is a continuous challenge in this role. Likewise, as mentioned previously, the greenhouse operation needs a lot of employees in order for things to run smoothly and efficiently. We try our best to stay out of each other's way so we can move forward efficiently.”
4. What are words that you would use to describe how you feel in your role?
“Valuable, Inquisitive, Essential.”
5. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit that ecoation brings to our customer’s greenhouse operations?
“ecoation provides greenhouse operations with knowledge of their plants, diseases, maintenance and so much more all under one platform. This allows for the company to always have updated information so that they can move forward with the necessary steps to ensure that the greenhouse operates as smoothly as possible.”
6. What do you like most about working at ecoation?
“ecoation gives me the freedom to make decisions according to my role. They trust my experience and knowledge in the field and listen and respect my work. Additionally, they vocalize their appreciation of me as an employee. The respect they have for me as an individual goes a long way in regards to my eagerness to come to work every day to know that I’m valued.”
“Hannah is one of the hardest working scouts I've had the pleasure of working with. Her appetite for learning has continued to make her an invaluable member of our team and I look forward to helping her grow in her role and in the company.” - Tara Celetti, IPM Specialist
Thank you, Hannah, for sharing a bit about your experience with ecoation thus far. You are undoubtedly essential to our collective success, and we thank you for the work that you do.
Looking to join the team? Check out our Careers page for all of our current opportunities!