Meet-A-Student: Mpho Ramuada

From: Thohoyandou in Limpopo, South Africa

Arrived: April 26, 2025

Favorite Animal at Deck: Diary cows

We have a new and happy face on the farm now with Mpho Ramuada, 24 years old, from South Africa. She is beginning her work in the dairy and then will transition to other farm enterprises as her year-long internship progresses.

Mpho has a Master's Degree in Animal Production from the University of Limpopo. The degree included veterinary assistance training along with the agricultural topics. She is very happy to now be able to apply and develop what she learned in school.

She did research on dairy cows and mastitis for her degree but never got to actually work with the animals.

"How does an animal give so many things like milk, yogurt, butter, ice cream and meat? That's very interesting to me," she said. She is hoping to continuing her research and do some writing on what she learns.

She said she got into farming because she wasn't very career driven.

"I was never too ambitious growing up, to be honest. I didn't want to be a doctor when I grow up. I don't know why," she laughed. "But my granny had cows and once when I went to visit her the man who normally was a herdsman for her didn't come. The cows were crying all day. And my granny was old and she asked me to take them out so they can graze. That's when I thought, okay, maybe that's not bad."

Mpho enjoying the sunshine

Prepping a cat for surgery

Greeting a pony in the vet clinic

Seed demonstration to high school students

Striking a pose at the clinic

At work on a sheep farm

Collecting research samples

Enjoying fashion

Helping with Deck project

Mpho also happened to attend an agricultural high school because it was a convenient location, not because her mom wanted her to study agriculture. She didn't know what she wanted to do until a project in 12th grade.

"There was a time in 12th grade when they were studying AI, artificial insemination, and I found it very interesting. I thought, maybe I can study this. And I love it!"

Mpho was researching international jobs in agriculture and the agency suggested she look at Deck Family Farm as well as some others. She chose the one that allowed her to work with animals rather than with plants.

"I was really looking forward to working with dairy cows. Everything is interesting! The research I did was on hand milking and here we use machine milking, so that's interesting. And the breed is different. These are Jersey cows and the ones I did research on were Brown Swiss. I'm learning a lot of things that I never knew!"

She is also looking forward to learning the dairy product processing: yogurt, milk, butter, cheese and the other things we make here.

Mpho says Oregon is beautiful and it reminds her of the movies she's watched. But, she is not really looking forward to winter! "I'm just glad that I came here in the summer so I can adapt the the cold weather. But I'm kind of scared of it, to be honest. In my country we do have winter, but it's not that cold."