Student Spotlight: Codey Puttkamer
Meet Codey Puttkamer, a student veteran at Cape Fear Community College whose journey weaves through the discipline of electronics maintenance in the Marine Corps to an unexpected passion for horticulture.
During his six years in the Marines, Codey was trained as an electronics maintenance repairman. He tackled a diverse range of non-flying electronic equipment, including computers, printers, minesweepers, and EOD robots. However, he found his true calling when stationed in Japan.
In Japan, Codey discovered a profound interest in the local plants, prompting him to delve into horticulture. His quest for knowledge led him to CFCC’s Landscape Gardening program.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY?
I am from Wisconsin. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune. My wife and I like the Wilmington area, so we decided to stay.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ENROLL AT CFCC? WHY DID IT MAKE SENSE FOR YOU?
As a veteran of the Marine Corps, I wanted to use my GI Bill to go to college. CFCC programs are affordable, so I knew I could get the most education for my GI Bill. The campus location is convenient to my home in Rocky Point, where I have an 8-acre property.
I am in the Landscape Gardening program. I came here for landscape design and greenhouse management courses because I plan to start my own business and operate my own greenhouse.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE THAT CAREER PATH?
I served a couple of years over in Okinawa, Japan. The plants there are really interesting. I tried to learn about their plants, and that played a part in my interest.
After the Marine Corps, I was thinking about what I wanted to do. I had taught myself a lot about horticulture, but I wanted to learn more so I could plan and maintain my own orchard and greenhouse. That interest developed into starting my own business.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CFCC.
One of the things that I like about this program is the majority of my classes are taught by Landscape Gardening Program Director Ken Wells. He’s extremely knowledgeable in landscaping and horticulture. His work background includes many years as an extension agent. He brings a great deal of knowledge to the classroom.
Part of the program includes work-based learning. We had to get a job for the summer semester and work a certain number of hours. I worked with Freeman Landscaping this past summer. I can add this experience to my resume, and there’s an opportunity to work with them again.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION?
I am ready to start my own business. I had the website set up. I have business cards. I have everything ready to go. I’m waiting until I graduate next spring to start advertising.
The name of my business is Nature’s Way Edible Landscape Design . I’m trying to copy nature’s way of doing things with an edible landscape design. I want to make landscape designs with edible species. So, if someone wants a backyard orchard, I could help them with the design and educate them about how to maintain their landscape.
HOW HAS CFCC HELPED PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR NEXT STEP?
What has helped me the most with operating a business is learning how to start my own nursery pad. Learning about the cycles of planting, how to run a greenhouse nursery pad, and getting tours of nurseries in the area have been especially helpful. After learning about irrigation, I’m ready to run irrigation on my property.
I want to grow as many of the plants as possible. By growing the plants myself rather than ordering them online, I can provide them to my customers right up front. The plants will already be acclimated to our area, increasing the success of the plant’s growth.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING STUDYING AT CFCC?
Meet with an advisor to make sure you are taking the right classes and in the right order to get the most out of your program.
Apply for scholarships. I applied through CFCC’s Foundation . I received seven scholarships in addition to my veteran benefits.
