Extension honor richly deserved

In the early 1960s, Noel Mues gained an appreciation for education as a vocational agriculture student at Holbrook High School.

"I started out raising shorthorn cattle on my parents' farm, then developed an interest in education through the vo ag classes and the FFA chapter in Holbrook," he said. That interest spawned a career in agricultural education which has spanned more than three decades and brought Noel to the pinnacle of recognition in the cooperative extension field.

Last month, Mues stepped forward at the annual meeting of the nation's county agricultural agents to receive the highly coveted Distinguished Service Award. Less than two percent of the county agents in the nation receive the award, which is restricted to those agents who have more than 10 years of service to their profession.

Mues, who returned to Furnas County more than 24 years ago as the extension educator, was among 81 agriculture agents in the nation to earn the honor, which was presented at the conference July 17 in Green Bay, Wis.The recognition was especially meaningful for Mues, because he shared the spotlight with a good friend and contemporary, Dewey Teel, the extension educator in Antelope County in the eastern part of the state.

"Dewey grew up in the Maywood area at close to the same time I was starting out in Holbrook," Mues said. "It was special to receive the award at the same time he did."

Lots has changed in the four decades since Noel's growing-up years on the family farm, most particularly advances in irrigation, ecofarming, research and management methods.

But, now -- as then -- Noel's emphasis remains on education, helping to show youngsters and experienced operators new ways to improve practices which, hopefully, lead to more efficient and profitable agricultural endeavors.

Noel lost his wife, Vicky to a heart attack in February of 2000. Their children followed in Noel's footsteps, pursuing careers in the service professions. The Mues' son, Brandon Mues, is a teacher, and his wife, Cheryl, is a nurse. Similarly, the Mues' daughter, Ashley, is a nurse, and her husband, Ryan Groene, is a teacher. Both families, including Noel's four grandchildren, live in Washington County near Omaha.

Throughout his career, Mues has received a series of awards, including ones for excellence in resource management, programs for corn diseases, beef herd management and ecofarming programs.

In recognition of his expertise, Mues has been given additional responsibilities on a regional basis for livestock and cropping systems. It's a role which is richly deserved due to Noel's career of distinguished service as an extension educator. And, to make his contributions even more personally satisfying, they took place in his home territory: Furnas County, Nebraska.