Ag Econ professor retires, will continue with workshop

By Jenny Jones
Summer Reporter

Howard Doster has spent 34 years in the same office, but that's all about to change.

In July, Doster, associate professor of agricultural economics, took part in the State Farm Management Tour, a program that allows people from the agricultural department to visit five outstanding farms and evaluate the farmers on the operations of their business. Doster has been coordinator of the tour for the past seven years.

During this year's tour Doster did something different. He stood inside a barn at one of the farms and signed a letter of retirement.

"I didn't really expect to retire…ever," Doster said.

Doster made the decision to retire after he got into a car accident. The accident took place while Doster was traveling to Vincennes University where he taught a freshman agriculture class as part of an extension program. That is when he decided he didn't want to drive as part of his job anymore.

Now, three days after his official date of retirement, Doster is moving into a small, dark graduate student office just next door to the larger, windowed office where he spent his entire 34-year career. "I hope (the person who fills my position) will leave the door open, so I can see out the windows," Doster said.

Doster will remain at Purdue to continue his work with the Top Farmer's Crop Workshop, which he has worked on every day while working at Purdue.

The Top Farmer's Crop Workshop allows farmers to come to Purdue and learn how to improve their farms by changing the tilling systems, machine sizes or crop mixtures they use. The farmers then test their plans over a four-day workshop period. They then take what they have learned and implement it at their own farms, hoping to increase production.

Doster said that he and his colleagues have found the workshop to be important to the farming industry.

Although Doster intends to continue his activism in the farmer's workshop, his real interest is to collaborate with his wife, Barbara, who retired from Krannert's advising office about two years ago.

Doster said he hopes he and Barbara can work together in doing one-on-one consulting with farmers.

While Doster is energetic about collaborating with his wife, Barbara said she would be glad to do her husband's typing and scheduling, but she doesn't want to get on the type of schedule that a job would require.

Barbara said she would, however, be supportive of anything Doster wanted to do.

Work is not the only thing on Doster's mind as he packs up his office.

Last week he played in a slow pitch softball tournament — he hit a double and won the game for his team.

After the game, one of Doster's teammates offered him a job as assistant coach for a junior varsity baseball team. Doster accepted the position. "I'm looking forward to spring training," he said.

In addition to coaching, Doster plans to join a 65 and older softball league next summer.

Playing softball is not the only thing Doster wants to do during his retirement.

Doster and his wife purchased a historic home in their home state of Ohio approximately five years ago. The home was built in 1818 by Doster's great, great, great grandfather, who used the home as a safe haven for fleeing slaves.

Doster said he and his wife are going to spend time at the house fixing it up.

Even though Doster has been making plans on how to spend his newly found time, he said he's jumped right into retirement.

On his first day of retirement he got out of and made scrambled eggs and toast.

"I'm retired, I can take (the) time," Doster said.