Trading tractors for classrooms

Marissa Espino

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Mesa View Middle School Principal Lon Hyland

gave up 200 acres worth of peace and quiet in Minnesota to come back to

the Ocean View School District after a short, eight-month retirement.

The vegetable farmer taught in the district for 23 years and was

assistant principal at Spring View Middle School for the last 12 years

before retiring in 1998.

“After 35 years of working with children, I thought I should retire,”

the 59-year-old Fountain Valley resident said. “Over the years, I

purchased land [in Minnesota] knowing when I would retire I would try

another lifestyle.”

His second lifestyle involves farming 80 acres of land to raise sweet

corn and peas for the Green Giant Co., and farming 90 acres of land to

raise soy beans for grain depots in south central Minnesota.

Hyland was a summer farmer for the past four years and returned to his

home state to become a full-timer after his retirement.

“There’s no one around there,” Hyland said. “You don’t hear cars,

planes, you don’t hear sirens. It’s a whole new world.”

Hyland was doing occasional substitute teaching at Spring View last

March when Supt. James Tarwater asked him to come back as Mesa View

principal.

“After much soul-searching and changing of plans, I said yes,” Hyland

said. “Working with new faces at a new site really was the key. I worked

here a couple days before taking the position and the staff was very

receptive. They kind of coerced me a little bit.”

Tarwater said Hyland was a natural fit for the top position.

“He failed retirement and came back,” Tarwater said. “He has always

been a summer farmer and enjoys that passion, but he was willing to come

back and be a principal.”

To prepare for his new job, Hyland had to rehire employees to man the

farm during his absence, but said he is looking forward to new and

unexpected challenges this school year.

He said applying to the state to make Mesa View a California

Distinguished School is a top goal.

“I’m still young and I got the energy,” Hyland said. “My farm will

always be there. I will still go back every summer and pull out my old

tractors and drive them around.”