Of all the employees that has ever worked for Walther Farms, both past and present, there is no one as humble as Karl Ritchie. Karl is the ‘brains’ behind the potatoes. He is sometimes called the ‘Potato Doctor’ or even ‘Mad Scientist’ as he concocts his magic to get the maximum yield in each and every field of Walther Farms Potatoes. But he would never tell you about his accomplishments, accolades or personal successes in life. He would never tell you that he holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy and Soil Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He would never tell you that he is the father of six of the smartest, most decorated students Three Rivers, Michigan has produced – he credits his wife Michelle for their success. He would never tell you that he spends countless hours walking the fields with field and farm managers making recommendations and teaching them how to check soil moisture with their hands. He would never tell you that he is in his office into the wee hours of the night pouring over data and numbers like no other. He would never tell you that his most recent AOP presentation was probably the most engaging, thought-provoking and educational presentation of the entire event.
This is because Dr. Karl Ritchie is the epitome of humility. He doesn’t want the spotlight, doesn’t want the attention, and doesn’t want to brag about his marriage or children. Since he won’t do it – we will. We can honestly say that we have one of the greatest potato minds in the country on our team. Thank you Dr. Karl Ritchie for all you do to make Walther Farms what it is today.