My official Hazera title sounds fancy, but I’m really just a genetic detective solving rare DNA mysteries. This week was a fun mix of running around, getting my hands dirty, and having great laughs with the team. Turns out, chasing down genetic glitches is a lot more exciting than a job description makes it sound!
Sunday – Preparing for the year ahead
Day 1 kicked off with annual performance reviews. It’s so rewarding to see how much people grow here—like watching a teammate who joined six years ago absolutely thrive. My secret to keeping the goal-setting process smooth? The classic “candy for targets” bribe. Works like a charm every single year!
Monday – Lessons from the field
Day 2 was spent out in the melon fields with QC and our breeders, Yoav and Noah. Seeing the breeding work up close was great, but the best part was tasting our ridiculously sweet Hazera melons. It was so delicious I’m seriously considering making field visits a weekly habit!
Tuesday – Bringing the team together & Birthday Celebrations
Day 3 was all about our team meeting, but we leveled it up by switching to a cool new location. The real highlight? Ice-cold slushies in the middle of a scorching day. Turns out, team alignment goes down a lot smoother with a nice brain freeze! I also celebrated my Birthday with my team, I was very happy to celebrate one more year with my team at Hazera.
Wednesday – Safety, quality, and people in practice
Day 4 took me to the Sderot plant for a safety visit and warehouse tour with Ilia. Every day at Hazera brings a new lesson—today I learned the fine art of screwing plastic feet onto shipping cartons. The true safety miracle, though? Discovering that size 38 safety shoes can somehow fit size 45 feet!
Thursday – Discovering innovation in every step
Day 5 wrapped up with a look at SEQSO, a high-tech seed sorting machine at the Sderot plant. It was a great reminder that innovation at Hazera isn’t just about fancy machinery—it starts with the incredible people behind it, like Tamir Zaguri, who makes the magic happen. Perfect high-tech finish to the week!
Weekend – Hazera on the shelf
Even on the weekend, Hazera follows me everywhere! Spotting our delicious Maggie tomatoes on the supermarket shelf was a super meaningful way to wrap up the week. Naturally, I had to buy a pack—though half of them didn’t even survive the drive home, as we snacked on them in the car!
In summary
Looking back, genetic purity might sound like pure technical science, but at Hazera, it’s really all about the people. Between melon tastings, safety checks, slushie-fueled meetings, and tasty tomatoes, this week was a great reminder that our best work comes from collaborating, laughing, and growing together!
