Extension Agent Mike Hiller recalled the lightbulb moment 19 years ago that made him realize Jackson County was the place for him. His supervisor took him to commissioners’ court and drove him around town afterwards.
“We were waiting at the main light by the courthouse, and I realized we had to wait for this man in his John Deere to cross the light,” he said. “All the traffic stopped and no one sat on their horns, the man just took his time and drove on through. I told my supervisor, this looks like my kind of place.”
Much of that laid back, no-one-in-a-hurry lifestyle is what’s kept him here in Jackson all these years. Now, the time has come for him to say goodbye and retire at the end of this month.
“It’s time for me to work now that I’ve retired,” Hiller said, but only half-jokingly. He owns a farm in Victoria which needs his attention, not to mention five grandkids ready for their Poppy’s attention as well. “I need more moments like that,” he said, and pointed to a picture where one of his grandchildren was riding a little tractor while Hiller scooped grass beside him.
Before arriving in Edna, Hiller had worked in Corpus Christi at the research and extension center. He also was a registered beef master in the Sinton area, and was in north Texas as a farm manager before that. On becoming an extension agent, he quickly realized it essentially brought all of his education and experiences into one job, causing him to be something like a farming and ranching detective.
“I got to help people, and the more I got into it the more I enjoyed it,” he said. “Whether it be someone’s garden, their soil, someone’s pasture, any questions anyone had, they asked my opinion on a range of subjects. ‘What’s wrong with my trees, why does my grass have yellow spots, what kind of brush is this, how can I control it?’ Things like that: there’s no telling how many home and farm visits I’ve made.”
Part of Hiller’s job was using his persuasive skills to find farmers and ranchers to lead demonstrations on their craft, whether it be cotton, corn or sorghum. Though most were reluctant, the more he spoke with them they realized the benefits from it. Once it was all said and done, he found the demonstrators often wondered why they didn’t do it sooner.
While thinking out loud about his favorite moments, like Ag Day at the JC Youth Fair, where fourth graders from the county go for the day to learn and end up asking the weirdest questions, Hiller kept pulling out plaques from different places in his office.
“Throughout the years I’ve gotten all kinds of awards for doing all kinds of different things, and I don’t know where to put them all, I’ve got boxes full of them. I think, dang, there’s no other agents to give awards to? There’s no room to hang them all,” he laughed. “But really, I want to thank the people who live here in Jackson County. When I helped them, they appreciated it, and they were always cooperative, understanding and helpful.”
In looking back, it dawned on Hiller it wasn’t all luck he landed the job in Edna. He had no doubt God played a big part in his life as well.
“He plays a part in it whether you realize it or not. It puts everything into perspective and he’s blessed me in so many different ways, it’s unreal. My wife…my family…my job…wow,” he said.
Hiller’s job has also allowed him to travel. He’s a member of the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association and the national association as well, which has taken him to places like Mobile, Alabama, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Little Rock, Arkansas. He recalled traveling with local county agents for a week in 2015. After a southeast conference, they rented vans and zig-zagged to different locations, stations and educational events. They started in Atlanta and ended up in New Orleans.
“It was really neat to do something like that,” he commented.
As the interview was finishing up, Becky Miska called out from the other room. “He’s not retiring, he’s fibbing to you, Millie,” she said. “We’re not letting him retire.”
Hiller smiled. “Sometimes you realize it’s time to go, and you just know. People have my number, they’ll still be able to find me. Edna is still my home.”
