About Me
My family’s farm, Spychalla Farms, sits on silt loam soil from the glacial outwash plain of the last glacial advance in North America. The farm established its roots back in 1913 when Anton Spychalla traveled to Antigo, Wisconsin from Poland and created the homestead. Since then, the farm has seen five generations of potato growers with each generation contributing new technologies and goals to the business. Currently, the farm produces hydroponic and aeroponic minitubers and Field Year 1 seed potatoes.
5 Generations of Potato Growers
Anton Spychalla
Jim Spychalla
Jimmy Spychalla
James Spychalla
and
Barbel Kohm
Jamie Spychalla
and
Pia Spychalla
This upbringing in rural northern Wisconsin has not only taught me to have a strong appreciation for agriculture, but also has prepared me for conducting research by establishing a strong work ethic and teaching me a niche set of skills.
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison while working in a vegetable plant pathology lab overseen by Dr. Amanda Gevens. During my time in undergraduate, I took a course about plant breeding and fell in love with the discipline. After taking more courses on the subject and a research experience for undergraduates (REU) at Washington State University with Dr. Arron Carter, I decided to pursue a career in the field and begin my research on potatoes at Cornell University with Dr. Walter De Jong.
To learn more about my current research and work, visit the other tabs, find me on social media, or download my CV.
