Word of the Day: Cluster

This past week was very exciting! Because it was so exciting, I will be splitting up my adventures into more than one post. I had the privilege to travel with the AFA Student Advisory Team to Fresno, Calif. for our June meeting and industry visits from June 8-11. Not only was this my first time in California, but it was our team's first traveling meeting to learn about different methods of agricultural production and to mingle with supporters of our organization.

Each of us enjoyed learning more about California's diverse agriculture practices, like pistachios!
I am pictured second in from the left.

Every evening after our meetings, we share our "word of the day" to compile our thoughts and share it with the group. Unfortunately, we were unable to express our last word of the day on Tuesday because some of the team had to catch early flights across the country. Therefore, this is the perfect opportunity to share my word of the day and introduce a string of different posts about my California experiences.

My word of the day is cluster.


There are a few meanings behind my word of choice.

1. It symbolizes a united group. This reference not only refers to the tightened relationship among the Student Advisory Team (SAT), but also the cluster found throughout the agriculture industry.
   
2. At our last stop on the tour to International Center for Water Technology at Fresno State University, our speaker discussed how there are different "clusters" of agricultural organizations and supporters in the state.
   
3. We toured and saw vineyards (which have clusters of grapes).
   
4. This trip revealed a deeper need for tight-knit clusters for the agriculture industry in future years.
   

Now that you understand why I chose cluster, please keep an eye out these next few days as I post content focused on the agricultural clusters found here in California and their relationship to my other experiences and knowledge about the industry.