Off-Farm Income

Tip Of The Week Pay attention to the rising cost of living - now that you understand rational choice crime. Ceres Tag Article: Ceres Tag Episode Link https://www.une.edu.au/connect/news/2022/09/report-released-on-stock-theft-prevention-ear-tag Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/crime/elderly-couple-targeted-in-rural-home-invasion/69-dd37dcc0-3563-4005-8664-143cfe88ce9b https://www.lobservateur.com/2022/09/01/tpso-seeks-help-identifying-generator-theft-suspect/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/crime/rural-crime-alert-as-police-probe-a-spike-in-burglaries-in-mid-and-east-antrim-3835334 https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-09-07/two-sheep-found-dead-and-two-injured-in-dog-attack-in-dorset https://www.itv.com/news/2022-09-07/you-shouldnt-buy-meat-in-the-pub-butchers-worry-food-fraud-is-on-the-rise Africa https://www.theafricareport.com/238234/crops-and-conflict-how-insecurity-affects-nigerias-agriculture-sector/ https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/watch-28-stolen-sheep-found-inside-minibus-taxi-abandoned-on-n12-20220905 https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-09-07-three-arrested-after-robbery-and-stabbing-on-farm-in-leslie/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.ouraynews.com/news/keeping-eye-ranch https://www.centralmaine.com/2022/09/01/two-teens-charged-in-arson-burglary-theft-case-in-farmington/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

We have talked about the different ways in which businesses get started on this show many, many times. The most common answers are people being frustrated that something does not exist and then creating it, or people seeing a product or service and knowing that they could do it better. While these encompass the vast majority of stimulus behind business development, there are other reasons that can be even more compelling. In today's episode our guests, Karen and Nik Fitch, will share their story of the development of the Cuddle Cow Company and how unbelievable adversity inspired this business. Nik and Karen have been married since 2017, and prior to meeting each other they were both already on a path to farming and raising cattle. After they exchanged vows, they were able to obtain a farm together that was in CRP. This gave them time to focus on fixing up facilities as well as the home, and they continued to build a herd of cattle that Karen had already started on her father's property. Since she was very young, Karen had been dealing with a congenital condition called "AVM" or "arterial venous malformation" which was located on her upper spine. This had required constant monitoring by physicians and some surgery to deal with, but the prognosis was good. However, in 2019, quite by surprise, that all changed and Karen found herself with a significant spinal cord injury as a result of the "AVM". This led to months in multiple different hospitals, her having a very elevated risk to Covid when that began and her not not having the use of her limbs and needing 24 hour care. This is the type of situation that can and does lead so many people to lose hope or to blame the world for being unfair. However, in Karen and Nik's case it led to inspiration. After the spinal cord injury took place they were inspired to start a business that would raise money for spinal cord research at the same time as it functioned as a business for them. Seeing a gentleman whose business model was donating a pair of shoes to somebody in need for every pair that he sold inspired them to try the same thing. There were a few criteria for this business. First, they wanted the business to somehow share their farm and love of agriculture with the world. Second, they wanted the business to help further spinal cord research. And last, they wanted to provide the comfort to their customers that had been brought to Karen when somebody sent her a blanket to snuggle with while she was in the hospital. Cuddle Cow Company was born. In today's episode hear the incredible story from Karen and Nik themselves, and find out all about how they decided to sell blankets, how they are able to enhance those blankets and how they have broadened their product line! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I have always enjoyed profiling guests who had their own meat rabbit business. It is a very interesting niche business that seems to have so much upside. However, I have never had a guest on the show who has a meat rabbit business that has propelled them to being a finalist for the award of American Star Farmer! Well, that is exactly what Emily Makos has done, and it is my pleasure to introduce you to her today. Emily has been raising rabbits since she was 8 years of age on her families "hobby farm" in Wisconsin. After getting to know rabbits better and better over time, she decided to start selling rabbits for meat. She actually broke into this business selling them into the restaurant business, and this eventually evolved into direct sales to individual customers. Later, Emily pivoted again and started selling rabbits to people as a form of dog food. There are aspects of rabbit meat that people really like, and she was able to serve this customer base. What is so interesting about this aspect of her business is that she is vertically integrated, and she is able to take advantage of the entire rabbit. Emily sells the fur, she dries the feet and ears for dog chews and she grinds the rest of the animal for a healthy dog food for discerning dog owners. Since her consumer for this products are not human, she can do all of this herself without USDA oversight. Emily is currently studying to become an occupational therapist in an accelerated program through Concordia University. She sees rabbits staying as a part of her life, and hopes to use them as therapy animals in the future. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Rabbit Production HIGH SCHOOL: Juda High School; Juda, Wisconsin MASCOT: Panthers FFA ADVISOR: Joseph Lynne CONTACT INFORMATION FOR EMILY MAKOS: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Juda High School Website: Emily's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Juda High School Telephone Number: (608) 934-5251 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.".U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I have been looking into some innovative ways to improve the productivity of my farm, and some really outside the box ideas. On today's farm update, I'll tell you all about them. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I am always amazed by the natural curiosity that students who are American Star Finalists for Agriscience Research have. Today's interview illustrates exactly why that is. Sydney Hefty has quite an FFA legacy already going in her family. Her cousin, Leah Hefty, previous a guest on this show, was also an American Star Finalist in the category of Agriscience Research, and is now Sydney's FFA Advisor. Sydney and Leah's grandfather was a career FFA Advisor, and he introduced Sydney to science and research when she was just five years old, but not because he saw this coming. He wanted Sydney to get involved with public speaking as soon as possible, and the only avenue open to her at that age was the science fair. Little did he know that he was tapping into a natural curiosity and aptitude for research that would carry forward all the way to today and the National FFA Convention. Sydney has been researching ever since. For example, she once looked at a wind turbine, wondered how it worked and then designed her own out of an empty cylinder of Quaker Oats. She also saw the need for something different that would be able to kill pigweed because of its resistance to conventional herbicides, and she developed her own, organic herbicide with a 94% kill rate! All of this has led Sydney now to Purdue University where she is studying agricultural economics, she is already teaching courses as a sophomore and she continues to chase her natural desire for research and problem solving! Here is Sydney's Recipe for her natural herbicide 6oz of 20% concentration vinegar .o02oz of dish soap .5oz of orange oil SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Integrated Agriscience HIGH SCHOOL: DeKalb High School; Waterloo, Indiana MASCOT: Barons FFA ADVISOR: Leah Hefty CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SYDNEY HEFTY: Click on the picture below to be taken to the DeKalb High School Ag. Department's website: Sydney's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] DeKalb High School's Telephone Number: (260) 920-1012 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "Because American farmers are able to provide for so many of us, they give more and more of us the freedom to pursue goals and livelihoods beyond growing the food we need to survive." U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Don't underestimate the power of the GOAT… Rural Crime In The U.S. https://fox40.com/news/national-and-world-news/are-you-kidding-me-goats-take-over-deputys-car-eat-his-paperwork/ https://lacrossetribune.com/winona/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-implicated-in-20-000-worth-of-theft-damage-in-winona-home-burglary/article_61b13338-2946-11ed-b4a6-5ff1ca2ce8b8.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.therural.com.au/story/7885103/kalahari-red-bucks-reported-stolen/ https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/cctv-captures-man-stealing-bottles-24898555 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/taranaki-farm-prowler-attempts-to-steal-quad-bike-but-crashes-into-fence/YTLVVMANUTRZZ6P4PJJ5WY6L7A/ https://thelatch.com.au/shoplifting-australia/ Africa https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/16715-jihadists-in-burkina-faso-garnering-popular-support-through-crime https://briefly.co.za/people/137171-heartbroken-farmer-woke-stolen-tractor-sa-offers-support/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://abc30.com/tulare-county-ag-thest-businesses-sean-tenbroeck-arrested/12183388/ https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/588672472/vernon-parish-man-arrested-for-fuel-theft-and-crimes-committed-to-logging-equipment More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Some time back we broadened our horizons on the Off-Farm Income Podcast, and on our ag business episodes started interviewing farmers with value added business rather than just off-farm businesses. That has been a great decision, and I am so happy that we opened it up. It is interviews like today's that remind my why this was such a great decision. Profiling farmer/entrepreneurs like today's guest, Andrew Bowman, make that decision and easy winner. Andrew lives and farms in the heart of the Corn Belt, as his family has done for over 100 years. And for all of those generations his family has included popcorn in the list of crops that they grow. So, when Andrew and his wife took over the family farm after his father passed away they knew that popcorn would be part of the story. However, they also started looking at the sustainability of the farm business for the next generation, and that led them to look into doing something different. The idea that they eventually landed on was directed marketing a niche product, and that is when Pilot Knob Comforts Popcorn as a company first "popped"!. Through a series of connections that included farmers in the area, friends and instructors from college led to the development of a popcorn brand with red and blue popcorn kernels. Today, PKC Popcorn can be found all over the country and ordered online and they are just getting started. In today's episode you will hear the story of the development of this company, and I predict that you will be trying PKC Popcorn very soon as well! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are interviewing an entrepreneur who is making a delicious, value added product for direct sale to customers. His interview reminded me of the time I was able to spend with Forrest Durham back in 2015, and it make perfect sense to bring Forrest's episode back as our replay episode of the week. The original Show Notes are below: I continue to be blown away by the students that I get to meet doing interviews for this show. Forrest Durham is no exception. I think I am going to sell the gopher business and start a corn roasting business! Forrest Durham has inspired me. What an amazing business and learning process for this young man. Forrest Durham is an FFA student at Larue County High School in Kentucky. He traveled all the way to Texas with his father to purchase a corn roaster. Then, he started roasting and selling corn at festivals and fairs throughout Kentucky. His business has blown up. Inspired by his father's fudge business, he has found a way to bring agriculture directly to people who want to taste the delicious foods that are grown on our farms. I think you will be inspired by Forrest Durham as well! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Roasted Corn Sales at Fairs and Festivals HIGH SCHOOL: Larue County High School, Hodgenville, Kentucky MASCOT: Hawks FFA ADVISOR: Mrs. Misty Bevins and Mr. Chris Thomas CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FORREST DURHAM: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Larue County High School website: Forrest's FFA Advisors' Email Addresses: [email protected] & [email protected] Larue County High School's Telephone Number: 270-358-2210 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "Because American farmers are able to provide for so many of us, they give more and more of us the freedom to pursue goals and livelihoods beyond growing the food we need to survive." U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

It is always a great thrill for me when a student who I have previously interviewed on the show comes back on as an American Star Finalist! That is happening in today's episode with Emma Victery. Emma was first on the show in 2020 when she was the national proficiency winner in beef production placement. She has continued her efforts, and now she is back as an American Star Finalist! Emma's original show notes are below: Having a business model on your farm that is sustainable is challenging. Of course, if you are commodity-based there are so many factors that are outside of the control that you've got to get bigger and push harder. If you are smaller you are almost forced into being niche so that you can increase the size of your profit margins. And then of course, if you only offer one product you can get into really hot water if the price or demand for that product falls. In a perfect world, we would all know what type of farm business we were going to be involved in, in the future, and we could plan out our skill sets accordingly. Of course, there is no such thing as that perfect world. However, the FFA offers a future farmer the best chance of coming as close to this perfect world as anything that I know. This is illustrated very well by today's guest, Emma Victery. Emma has grown up on her family's farm in Oklahoma. She is hoping to take it over at some point in the future. She and her father have been looking at different products they could sell, different markets they could be in, and different ways to grow the business so that it will last for Emma and for future generations. Just recently they began marketing bulls as a compliment to their commercial herd. Looking into the future, Emma sees the sale of embryos and using embryo transfers on their farm as a way to offer other products and to really speed up the rate at which they improve their genetics. Right now, Emma is a senior in high school. But that does not stop her from looking into the future and trying to figure out how she is going to make all of this happen. Emma will start college at Oklahoma State University in the fall of 2021. She is planning on double majoring in animal science and agricultural communications. She wants to go to veterinary school, become a veterinarian, and specialize in reproduction so that she can use those skills for embryo transfers on their farm. This would also give her a great form of off-farm income. Right now she is taking over the marketing responsibilities on their farm, and she plans on using her studies in agricultural communications to strengthen her abilities in this part of the business. All of her efforts have led Emma to be the 2020 National Proficiency Winner in Beef Production Placement. She is looking at applying for several more proficiency awards going forward, and feels like her journey in the FFA has just begun. She has also been accepted to the honors college at Oklahoma State already due to her academic performance. Emma is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the cattle industry, and it is going to be fun to watch! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Beef Production Placement HIGH SCHOOL: Chickasha High School; Chickasha, Oklahoma MASCOT: Fighting Chicks FFA ADVISOR: Emily Schmidt CONTACT INFORMATION FOR EMMA VICTERY: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Chickasha High School Website: Emma's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Chickasha High School Telephone Number: 405-222-6500 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.".U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Hi everyone. So often we talk about things you have to do to become or succeed as an entrepreneur on the show. So, in this episode I decided to discuss 10 things you don't have to do as an entrepreneur: Get Bossed Around Commute Ask Permission To Do Something Watch A Clock Live In A Certain Area Work Overtime Buy Expensive Clothes Be Drained Mentally Postpone Your Life Depend On Others If I hadn't already convinced you that starting your own business was the way to create your off-farm income, maybe this list will push you over the top! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

It is that time of year again, and it is my pleasure to interview the American Star Finalists for this year's National FFA Convention. What a great time of year, and what a fantastic guest to kick off this series of interviews with! I am always fascinated with the way the mind of the finalists in agriscience research work, and with Danae Westra that is very true! Not only has Danae been doing research on her families dairy since her freshman year of high school, but she has been doing research with immediate, practical applications in the family dairy business. In addition to that, Danae has a big personality, and that has show through in the names that she has given each one of her projects: Freshman Year: "Calves R Us" Sophomore Year: "Milk R Us" Junior Year: "Protein 4 Life" Senior Year: "Milk It 4 All It's Worth" Freshman Year Of College: "Mastitis Mishaps" In this interview with Danae you will hear a repeated theme - getting up at 6am to do research before school started. Whether that was weighing calves, pulling blood samples or collecting urine, she was out there, everyday, getting it done before school even started. This is what is so inspirational about FFA students, and this is why Danae has already been recognized as one of the top four agriscience researchers out of the 850,000+ FFA students in the nation! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Agriscience Research HIGH SCHOOL: Central Valley Christian High School, Visalia, California MASCOT: Cavaliers FFA ADVISOR: Kelsey De Jong CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DANAE WESTRA: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Central Valley Christian High School website: Danae's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Central Valley Christian High School Telephone Number: 559-734-9481 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - FFA students can start small businesses through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% and the rest of the world. FFA provides the needed education, training, and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and ensure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers, and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the food search is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Have you considered the use of Air Tags? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.effinghamradio.com/2022/08/16/individual-arrested-in-connection-with-stolen-tractor-and-truck-multiple-local-agencies-assisted-in-investigation/ https://www.farmanddairy.com/news/wooster-man-arrested-in-holmes-co-cattle-thefts/730964.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/police-launch-probe-alleged-repeated-27770051 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-62584263 Africa https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/r1-500-bail-for-29-year-old-man-arrested-for-allegedly-stealing-six-cows-7e6c1153-52f7-4091-8230-32e4e70bbdd3 https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/kano-man-jailed-6-months-for-stealing-goat/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://myrgv.com/local-news/2022/08/17/weslaco-man-charged-with-horse-theft-after-selling-3-miniature-ponies/ https://www.reporter.net/news/local_news/judge-sends-grinch-to-prison/article_6f344410-1f09-11ed-b5e7-1f374dd4390f.html More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On today's episode I have an interview that is going to blow your mind. We all know that farmers are innovative and solve their own problems, but the story you will hear today goes beyond anything I've ever profiled. Doug and Kathy Applegate met while attending community college in the 1970's and started dating right as they were finishing up their education in 1978. 44 years later, in 2022 they are the owners of Praxidyn with 11 full time employees, manufacturing the MIXMATE in what used to be the farrowing barn on their Iowa farm. There is a lot of story to be told about that 44 years sandwiched between today and community college, and in today's episode we get the story. There are some highlights about this interview I want to let you know about before you listen. First, is that this exactly the kind of story that the Off-Farm Income Podcast was designed to profile, but on a much larger and more complex scale than normal. In the interview Doug talks about the fact that they used to raise hogs as a way to diversify their farm income and reliance on corn and soybeans. However, they stopped raising hogs and started a business to accomplish this diversity, and the who reason for the beginning and existence of Praxidyn is to support both of their sons coming home to farm. In addition to that, both of their sons, Brent and Luke, were standouts in the FFA and are pivotal to the innovation, design and manufacturing that is Praxidyn. In 2006 Brent was the Iowa Star winner in agribusiness, and 2010 Luke was a finalist. Clearly, their time in the FFA as well as 4H has had something to do with their development as entrepreneurs and inventors. In addition to that, when the boys were around 9 years old, Doug and Kathy got them started welding and computer programming! What a combination, and after you listen to this interview you will see what it has led to! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On today's Re-Cap Episode we are going back into the archives to profile a great entrepreneurial story. This story involves seeing the market place, taking a risk and building custom equipment. What really stood out to me in this interview was that the our guest recognized that through consolidation, many smaller farmers were feeling unvalued and left behind. He found a way to fix this. The original show notes are below: SHOW NOTES Today we get to profile a fascinating agricultural business. Craig Bailey, the owner of Green Mount Grain Roasting, will be joining us to talk all about the business of mobile grain roasting. This is a very niche business, and as he will explain you need to be located in the correct type of area for this business to work. Craig is a fascinating entrepreneur. He has a high risk tolerance, and that his what led him to start his poultry farm and to purchase the equipment for grain roasting. In addition to that he is doing row crop farming and raising some livestock. This is a fascinating business that I never knew about until one of our listeners, Josh Gullman, contacted me and suggested it. Craig serves smaller farmers and dairies in his area who don't raise enough grain and soybeans to purchase their own roaster, and who are not big enough to get priority at the stationary roasting businesses. Craig services four states with his equipment, and believes there is room for other people in the U.S. to start this business as well. HOW TO CONTACT CRAIG: Facebook: Facebook :[email protected]" target="_blank"> Email More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Our guest today, Maria Sterling, started her supervised agricultural experience out with two business partners. As she describes it, the three of them were partially joking about what to do for their SAE and the idea of them raising chickens for eggs came up. They decided to go for it, and between the three of them they were able to obtain two, $1,000 SAE grants, to fund the project. This was during their sophomore year, but by the end of their junior year, only Maria was still interested in the business. I have definitely experienced the same thing in life. Several people are interested in a project, but when the everyday challenges of the work set in, just one or two people are left standing. In this case it was Maria, but looking back on how it developed, it kind of looks obvious now that she had the passion. When Maria found herself being the sole owner of the business she branded it "Sunny Side Eggs" and started marketing through word of mouth, at her school and on social media. And, she has found herself at times, not able to keep up with the demand for her eggs. Maria just graduated this year, and she is off to the University Of North Carolina at Wilmington, right around the time that her episode is released. She is still deciding what to study but had narrowed it down to either marine biology or environmental science. She says that no matter where this ultimately takes her, you will find her raising chickens, either on a larger basis like now or in a back yard flock. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Egg Production HIGH SCHOOL: Smyrna High School; Smyrna, Deleware MASCOT: Eagles FFA ADVISOR: Kellie Michaud CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MARIA STERLING: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Smyrna High School Ag. Department's website: Maria's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Smyrna High School's Telephone Number: (302) 653-8581 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

One lesson I have learned, over and over again, throughout my entrepreneurial journey is that persistence pays off. This latest example happened in the strangest of ways. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

As many of you know I am very lucky in my connection to the FFA. Of course, through this show and by doing interviews for the National FFA, I have the 30,000 foot, nationwide connection to this great organization. However, in my community of Kuna, Idaho I also have the local connection, which for the past three years has included being part of the advisory committee for our FFA chapter of which my daughter is now a member. Part of my duties being on the committee include interviewing students who had applied for scholarships at the end of their senior year of high school. This year one of those interviews was with today's guest, Jadelyn Mecham. Jadelyn's interview was very impressive, and it was the first time that I learned that she had a supervised agricultural experience working with driving horses. I was intrigued by this aspect of horsemanship that I am yet to have profiled on the show. A few weeks later, I was working at the Kuna High School Ag Expo, pulling a hay wagon around filled with elementary school students who had come to learn about agriculture. During a down moment I was able to visit with Jadelyn again and discuss more in depth, her project working with horses. That was plenty for me, and I invited her onto the show. Today, Jadelyn and I will be talking about breeding horses, fixing bad behaviors in horses and how you train a driving horse to get used to the feel of the harness, having a load to pull and having somebody control it from the rear. Jadelyn also introduces me to the horse breed, Gypsy Vanner, which I was unfamiliar with until this interview. I learned a lot in this interview, and I am sure that you will as well! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: DrivingHorse Training HIGH SCHOOL: Kuna High School, Kuna, Idaho MASCOT: Kavemen FFA ADVISOR: Travis Edwards CONTACT INFORMATION FOR JADELYN MECHAM: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Kuna High School Ag. Department's website: Jadelyn's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Kuna High School Telephone Number: 208.955.0200 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Anchor your safe to the floor Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.shorelinemedia.net/oceanas_herald_journal/news/general_news/burglary-suspect-flees-reward-offered/article_4c6fbe34-8832-54f4-b025-a7fc54977570.html https://darkhorsepressnow.com/hazlehurst-man-wanted-in-copiah-county-atv-theft/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/20672070.distressing-incident-deer-decapitated-left-manure-pile/ https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/terrifying-moment-masked-burglars-creep-around-kitchen-272125/ https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/crime/milk-float-theft-shock-as-milkmans-transport-stolen-at-marsh-lane-near-sheffield-3809602 Africa https://www.businessinsider.co.za/cattle-lockdown-starts-in-south-africa-2022-8 https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-08-16-deal-with-bandits-and-assure-us-peace-ruto-told/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.facebook.com/208481162694659/posts/pfbid0XP72oCtHXqFdXQEebMZGt1nDb5MeYVzXtMpyLyPEyj3g8sY3dSUYaPBByTecSwBTl/?d=n https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/crime/article264610911.html More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Why did it take so long for the small, destination winery business to take off. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems like it should have been obvious for decades. No matter how long it took for the American public to realize they loved going to places like this is fine. What matters is that families like that of Maggie Hall, today's guest, have the ability to create sustainable agricultural businesses by giving people what they want. Maggie is the only child of two free spirited and creative lovers of agriculture. Maggie says that to look at them, you wouldn't know how free spirited they are, but her parents have been seeking a way to live and maintain an agricultural lifestyle since before she can remember. For a couple of decades this took the form of a horse farm that included breeding, training, selling and even cart pulling for special events. However, about seven years ago the bottom fell out of the particular horse market they were in, and they made a change to growing grapes and running a destination winery. Today, Maggie is the social media marketing expert for her parents' business, Broken Spoke Winery. On the same farm that used to be primarily devoted to horses they now grow grapes, make wine, host events, provide entertainment and sell locally produced, value added products. Maggie describes their location as the "middle of nowhere" but as it turns out, a lot of people vacation in the area. So, with the assistance of social media, Maggie can target folks in the areas that tend to travel to her part of Maryland and inform them about the events and entertainers that will be appearing at Broken Spoke Winery. In today's interview Maggie will tell us all about the journey, her role and her parent's philosophy on business and agriculture! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are profiling a very interesting entrepreneur in the wine business. It occurred to me that this would be a great opportunity to return to a very impressive FFA interview I did years ago with Mark Cavellero, who at that time was growing grapes for champagne that he was too young to drink! The original show notes are below: INTRODUCING MARK CAVALLERO! Our guest today is a finalist for the star farmer award at the 2017 National FFA Convention. Mark Cavallero is studying plant science at Reedley Jr. College in Reedley, California. During high school he started farming grapes and almonds on his family's farm in Madera, California. While Mark was farming he started trying a new variety of almonds that did not require him to bring in bees to pollinate. He stated that move has saved him a lot of money in operating costs and it has worked out well. Mark also grows Thompson Seedless Grapes, and the primary use of his grapes is for the production of champagne at a nearby winery. He is looking forward to turning 21 in about 1 month and being able to taste what his grapes finally turn into. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Grape And Almond Farming HIGH SCHOOL: Madera South High School; Madera, California MASCOT: Stallions FFA ADVISOR: Tim Deniz CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MARK CAVALLERO: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Madera South High School Ag. Department's website: Mark's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Madera South High School Telephone Number: 559-675-4450 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "Because American farmers are able to provide for so many of us, they give more and more of us the freedom to pursue goals and livelihoods beyond growing the food we need to survive." U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Our guest today is from my home state.....well, that is if you are counting the very state that any of my ancestors ever lived in, in America, that is. My ancestors founded two town towns in Connecticut in the 1600's, and whenever I am lucky enough to interview a guest from that great state, I have to brag about that for a moment. Coming back to present day, Amelia Withington, just finished up her 11th grade year of school and will be starting back as a senior very, very soon. During her time in the FFA she has been creating one of my favorite, value added products - goat milk soap. This is such a great product and business for an FFA student who raises goats and is looking to make great money. When you start looking into the benefits of goat milk soap, it almost sells itself. And goats can be kept in a small area but still produce a large amount of milk, or in Amelia's case, raw materials! Operating a business like this, Amelia is able to learn about agriculture production, value adding, marketing and sales. It is a great way for a student to learn about business and industry! Amelia's business is called "Just A Girl And Her Goats Soap And Stuff" and she is selling her products in farmers markets in her area. She has also recently obtained an alpaca, and she plans on harvesting fleece from it for another value added produce, yarn! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Goat Milk Soap Production HIGH SCHOOL: Lyman Memorial High School; Lebanon, Connecticut MASCOT: Bulldogs FFA ADVISOR: Brenda Wildes CONTACT INFORMATION FOR AMELIA WITHINGTON: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Lyman Memorial High School Website: Amelia's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Lyman Memorial High School Telephone Number: 860-642-7567 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I am overwhelmed with gratitude today and thrilled to tell you all that I have been selected to receive an Honorary American Degree from the FFA this October at the National Convention. I owe big thanks all around for this honor, starting right her in my hometown of Kuna, Idaho. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

My journey to hosting the Off-Farm Income Podcast all began with me becoming a business owner. That original business was named Idaho Gopher Control, and i used compressed carbon monoxide to exterminate gophers for farmers. Prior to purchasing the equipment and starting the business I did my research, and part of that research included asking some questions to a gentleman named Rod Zehr who lived about 50 miles away from me in Ontario, Oregon. Rod used these machines and had a successful business, and he was kind enough to take the time to meet with me. Today, I am honored to welcome Rod's son, Tanner Zehr, onto the show. Tanner is a senior at Vale High School in Vale, Oregon and at age 18 he has a decade of gopher extermination under his belt already. He has learned a ton about the machinery, the business and about hard work. On today's episode I get the opportunity to reminisce about the gopher business and hear from a young man who has been inspired to entrepreneurship and is about to begin his journey! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Gopher Extermination HIGH SCHOOL: Vale High School; Vale, Oregon MASCOT: Vikings FFA ADVISOR: Anna Chamberlain CONTACT INFORMATION FOR TANNER ZEHR: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Vale High School website: Tanner's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Vale High School Telephone Number: 541.473.3181 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Don't forget that this life is about community. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/goats-allegedly-stolen-from-highland-high-school/ https://tscra.org/crime-watch-cow-missing-near-lake-striker/?fbclid=IwAR3zVjLuEKX6gjuio3lAuo49CliCyRkHj-KqrOITMS47cRC4N4v-ueAu8eo https://tscra.org/crime-watch-cow-missing-near-kennard/?fbclid=IwAR2jL2NcdENyYPyQyOhc3oxMtagVmMCKS9i-SEaOAA4SWoyawS0Ln4MuwmY https://tscra.org/crime-watch-cows-stolen-near-mcgregor/?fbclid=IwAR0OZcwobvKtZ1BXdUkwxesO2hG0tjQsstMmLdf4LMiyLOXLpCQXl5FgMZc https://tscra.org/crime-watch-calves-missing-near-wills-point/?fbclid=IwAR0OZcwobvKtZ1BXdUkwxesO2hG0tjQsstMmLdf4LMiyLOXLpCQXl5FgMZc Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/dorset/news/police-appeal-man-kicked-head-horse-dorchester/ https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/20622528.keep-trailer-safe-theft-targetted/ https://www.norfolklive.co.uk/news/norfolk-news/norfolk-farmers-targeted-burglars-cctv-7449476 Africa https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-222258.html https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/08/rustler-forced-to-eat-raw-goat-meat/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-holmes/man-arrested-after-6-cattle-stolen-in-holmes-county-sold-at-auction https://www.goskagit.com/growskagit/fundraising-efforts-pay-off-for-viva-farms/article_b4f4f1ec-8d8f-52fe-b49b-83520c854631.html More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Have you ever gone to a wedding in somebody's old barn, loved the venue, had a great time and later asked your spouse, "why don't we do that"? It looks simple doesn't it? Most people don't have land or barns, so, if you have one, the other or both, why wouldn't people just flock to your property and pay you thousands of dollars to have their weddings there? Our guest today, Lea Cahill, has gone through this entire process from first thought to six months worth of bookings and great success. In today's interview she will talk with us about starting this business, the mistakes she has made and she will share some great tips on protecting yourself from liability. If that were not enough she will talk about how to deal with alcohol consumption, liability insurance, what to demand from customers and what to demand from venders. This really is a treasure chest of great information on the realities and pitfalls of this type of business. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On today's re-cap episode we are going back into the archives into one of my trips out to North Carolina to speak at the University Of Mount Olive. While I was there I was lucky enough to visit the Broadslab Distillery and hear a great story of entrepreneurship and full-time farming. I'm happy to bring this interview with Jeremy Norris back to you today. The original show notes are below. SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS: This show is all about finding a way to stay on the farm full time, or at least as much as possible, through entrepreneurship. Our guest today is the epitome of doing just this. Jeremy Norris has been entrepreneurial for a long time. He built up a couple of good body and paint businesses as well as some investment properties. He could have clearly just held on to the businesses and the rentals with a nice, passive income coming in from all of that. However, his goal to farm his families land was too strong. He ended up selling his investment properties and one of his auto body businesses to purchase the family farm that has been in his family since the 1840's. Jeremy had learned from his grandfather that in order to pay for an expensive piece of farmland you had to get creative with what you are selling. His grandfather did it with a roadside vegetable stand, but then the interstate came in and took the drive by traffic away. So, that option was out for Jeremy. Jeremy decided that he would follow another family tradition, making corn liquor. He now grows his own corn for making the whisky, and he adds a lot of value to the corn with the fermenting. The moonshine brings in customers for what is now a fantastic agri-tourism business. He has found ways to double or triple the revenue off of everything he does with multiple markets and back up markets. It's really a remarkable story ADVICE FROM JEREMY: CARDS: Don't play all of your cards on one hand. Test your ideas before you go "all in" on it. BACKUP: Always have a backup plan, just in case the first idea doesn't go your way. REVENUE: Make sure to create additional revenue streams as soon as you can, so you are not overly reliant on just one source. BEST BUSINESS ADVICE JEREMY HAS RECEIVED: "Stay Conservative, Be Creative & Think Things Through" PERSONAL HABIT THAT HELPS JEREMY SUCCEED: Jeremy will stay at his location until late at night until he is satisfied that everything is put away, tidy and correct for the next day.....every day. CONTACT INFORMATION AND LINKS: Website: LINK Email: LINK LISTEN TO US ON SATELLITE RADIO! WE ARE CONTRIBUTORS TO "FFA TODAY" ON RURAL RADIO SIRIUS XM CHANNEL 147! "FFA Today" airs on Rural Radio Sirius XM Channel 147 Saturdays at 7:30 AM Eastern and Sundays at 6:30 PM Eastern. Please let RURAL RADIO know that you like hearing us on their channel! Here is how to contact them and leave feedback: Email: [email protected] Website: RuralRadio147.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/RURALRADIO147

When you are young, you have energy, and you might as well take advantage of it! That is very true for today's guest, Lane Willard. Lane is between his 9th and 10th Grade years right now, and he has one year of FFA under his belt. And, he has been busy. In addition to working on his families farm, he is playing sports, raising his own livestock, farming his own ground and participating in the FFA. Lane and his family have been farming this ground for three generations now. In the late summer is when Lane really feels the heat. Right at the time that he is getting his pigs and heifers to the fair, football practice begins. So, he has football practice in the heat, farm work after practice and animals to take care of at fair. Luckily his coach, his family and his community support the FFA and everyone understands.

I've got nothing but gratitude for you in this episode. We just hit 2 million downloads, and my mind is blown! I've known this was coming for some time, but I don't think it really hit me until I actually saw the number on the screen. What makes this more unbelievable is that we just celebrated hitting our one millionth download in August of 2021. So, it took us 7 years to hit one million and just one year more to hit two million! Thank you all so very much! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

All summer we have been profiling students transitioning from their 9th to their 10th grade years in the FFA. These interviews are a lot of fun to do because if I can ask just the right question I can tap into area of expertise that are already developed in these young students. Our guest today is Hayven Smethurst. She has a lot of involvement in the FFA. She joined because she thought it would help her to advocate for agriculture, and she took action. She did this by recruiting her friends, who are not involved in agriculture, to join the FFA with her. She believes through these efforts she can expose more people to agriculture and help to bring people into this industry to keep it going into the future. So far she has successfully recruited three people to join her chapter who otherwise would not have done that! In addition to her advocacy efforts Hayven loves animals and raises several different species at her home. She also works with dairy cattle on her grandparents dairy, and she shows dairy cattle for a nearby dairy with registered Holsteins. If fitting, training and showing 8 head of Holsteins in a summer were not enough, she also shows horses and keeps 8 of her own. When I started asking Hayven about showing horses and being successful in the arena, her knowledge and expertise really started to shine. She had a lot of great information for any future or current exhibitor who wants to show horses and has goals of improving their performance. Hayven's passion for the equine shone through in the interview so strongly that I titled the episode "how to succeed showing horses"! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Equine & Dairy Production HIGH SCHOOL: Seneca High School; Seneca, Wisconsin MASCOT: Royals FFA ADVISOR: Brigid Leofeoholz CONTACT INFORMATION FOR HAYVEN SMETHURST: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Seneca High School website: Hayven's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Seneca High School Telephone Number: 608-737-9177 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Is there a way to make your livestock stand out if stolen? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://etvnews.com/udaf-issues-warning-rising-number-of-stolen-livestock-and-livestock-killings/ https://www.enidnews.com/news/pollard-farms-former-ranch-manager-accused-of-stealing-selling-cattle/article_30231848-140d-11ed-80d3-43d738f3af80.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://mydroll.com/rural-crime-wave-forces-farmers-to-paint-their-flocks/ https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/padstow-farmer-angry-been-made-7419195 Africa https://dailytrust.com/woman-65-killed-buried-on-her-farm https://zwnews.com/stock-theft-man-39-juvenile-15-steal-8-herds-of-cattle-from-neighbour/ https://www.gistmania.com/talk/topic,541882.0.html Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://kgab.com/weld-county-father-and-son-busted-for-allegedly-stealing-hay/ https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/crime/two-sought-in-three-burglaries/ https://www.myclallamcounty.com/2022/08/04/two-suspects-in-recent-burglary-cases-arrested-third-perp-still-at-large/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I am sure you have heard it said before that farmers take great care of everything: livestock, soil, crops, equipment - except they neglect themselves. This neglect can come in the form of nutrition, exercise and mental well being. In fact, even though farming is associated with very difficult, manual labor, with a lot of the technology that is available today to farmers, it can be a very sedentary job at times. Our guest today, Amanda Nigg, has always been into sports and fitness in one way or another. When she launched her career in the insurance industry in South Dakota she was introduced to her husband who was a fifth generation farmer. Soon, she found herself living a life that was the complete opposite of what she has envisioned.....and loving it! Amanda did not allow living in a very rural part of the country to diminish her passion for fitness and working out, and then a personal catastrophe happened - their newly constructed home burnt to the ground. Shortly after this occurred the entire country shut down due to Covid. Amanda found herself strongly relying on exercise and fitness to manage her mental well being as she and her husband worked their way through this time. This was the inspiration for her to begin Farm Fit Momma, her fitness and mental well being coaching business. Amanda went for it, 100%, and her business has taken off. Now she has been featured on RFDTV, several podcasts and radio. She has a huge network of farmer followers and social media and she has more people applying to be a client of her business than she can serve. We are lucky enough to have her tell her story on today's episode! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On tomorrow's ag business episode I am profiling an entrepreneur who is staying fit on her farm. I thought bringing back this episode with Dolly Denson, "The Fit Stock Show Mom", was the perfect segue into this business interview. Today, Dolly has grown her business even more and is the host of the "Be The Mom Movement Podcast". The original show notes are below. SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS: Those of us that work in agriculture, and especially those of us that are working towards a future in agriculture are very busy. We are either totally devoted to the farm or business that we now have started, or we have pinpoint focus on how we are going to achieve that dream and are doing everything we can to reach it. Focus and passion are wonderful things, but they can pull you away from a balanced life. In the end, it does not matter if you have accomplished a major dream, if the rest of your life is left neglected and in shambles. The first thing to usually get neglected when we find this focus is ourselves. And the first part of ourselves to get neglected is usually our physical health. There has to be somebody, somewhere who understands us and how difficult it can be to find time to pursue better physical health. Well, let me introduce you Dolly Densen - The Fit Stock Show Mom. Here is someone who comes from our shared experiences and has figured out a system to help all of us find the time and ability to eat well and exercise, even when we are busy and on the go. Dolly is a health and fitness coach who lives in our agricultural world. Specifically, she has children who show animals all over the State of Texas, and she knows what kind of challenges that brings for parents. She has figured out how to tailor a health and fitness plan to the needs of us in agriculture through careful selection of workouts and nutritional programs. Dolly is now a sponsor of the Off-Farm Income Podcast. So, you will hear me singing her praises every week. Autumm and I are participating in her program, but for very different reasons. Autumm is in great shape, and wants to be in even better shape. I am am the typical person who has been so focused on my other projects that I am out of shape.......and I need help! Thanks goodness for Dolly! I hope you enjoy Dolly's passion and enthusiasm in this episode. There is a lot of good information here not just about fitness, but also about how she identified her niche in agriculture and has been able to turn it into a business that she can do from anywhere. Dolly is definitely an Off-Farm Income producer, and you will enjoy her story. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

When I conducted my interview with Carter Ollendick it was right before he and his parliamentary procedure team departed for a competition. Naturally, I asked him about his participation in both the Conduct Of Meetings team as well as the Parli team during the interview, and he had something interesting to say. He told me that he would recommend participation in these teams to incoming FFA students because they teach you to give your own opinion and argument in a given situation, and they force you to learn to how stick to what you believe and back that up. This is just one more of the many life and career skills that students learn in the FFA. Carter comes from a rich tradition of FFA participation in his family, and even though he just finished his 9th grade year of school, he already had four years of experience because he was able to begin in the 6th Grade. It is always interesting interview students who were able to begin in middle school, because they are ahead of the game when they get to high school. Carter has been showing livestock for many years now, starting in the 4H and continuing into the FFA in middle school. At this point he has a lot of experience showing cattle, pigs and sheep. So, last year his parents suggested that he try something new. He agreed, and he grew a pumpkin patch. Then he set up two roadside stands and sold his pumpkins on the honor system. He reports that it went very well.

There are a lot of horrible stories out there right now about the natural disasters that our fellow humans, and more specifically, our fellow farmers and ranchers, are experiencing. If you are not going through these dramatic hardships, and you have tinges of guilt about "why not me" or "why am I so lucky", you are not dealing with something abnormal. This is probably a very low form of what is known as "survivor's guilt". More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Everyone likes to joke about sibling fights, sibling rivalries, etc. And, of course, there is a little bit of truth in every joke or it just wouldn't be funny. However, many of the students that I get to interview on the show live way out on farms or in very small towns where their siblings might be the only other kids around. And, when they are being brought up in a farming and/or ranching situation together they might not just be siblings but also coworkers. So, when does it make sense to partner up with your sister or brother? Our guest today, Brooklyn Buck, is just one of those students. She is between her 9th and 10th grade year of high school this summer, and her younger sister is between her 6th and 7th grade year of middle school. Brooklyn will be starting her fourth year of FFA, and her sister will be starting her first. With all of that said, they have been partners in a herd of cattle for several years now, and they both love it. So much so that they are keeping all their heifers and trying to grow the size of their herd every year. Brooklyn brings up a lot of positive reasons that partnering with her sister has been beneficial to her. She is also not afraid to admit that they fight and disagree frequently as well. However, the most compelling part of the argument she has might just be calving season. Earlier this year they did the bulk of their calving in February, and this meant getting up multiple times throughout the night, in the cold, to check on heifers. However, with them being partnered they can split those duties, and each of them gets more sleep. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Brooklyn's Heifers HIGH SCHOOL: AHSTW High School; Avoca, Iowa MASCOT: Vikings FFA ADVISOR: Jennifer Sellner CONTACT INFORMATION FOR BROOKLYN BUCK: Click on the picture below to be taken to the AHSTW High School website: Brooklyn's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] AHSTW High School Telephone Number: 712-343-6364 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Nobody, even a judge is above the law! Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.facebook.com/1405668393032001/posts/pfbid028u7vQu4YyvuM1kjxGjokmewm9na8PzAGBeMnbinWtG4TVZYtU4PS36Uv3UWxsxjDl/?d=n https://www.wvva.com/2022/07/25/higher-drug-use-linked-increase-crime-wyoming-county/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/spike-pembrokeshire-livestock-deaths-due-153224480.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMrBpAUoK7lEAySXwJ9IqryvByz8WDZtO1VMbngP20CuhExF4ae6jI1tF7clW7CgXka4LjmwMBP5ZgHH1v51ZExNYFMWY2d4PW0zd86bBpij5ROI-Hadi9RwXQQYuywEjGrU0zxSgnqE6aYsYmm1aZR3bykm21nfiUvZOq2bqCeE https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/dairy-news/dairy-opinion/milking-it/thieves-use-air-power https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/home/869048/gardai-investigate-theft-from-south-kilkenny-farmyard.html Africa https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/co-antrim-husband-of-wife-murdered-in-south-africa-expresses-betrayal-over-june-sentencing-41870000.html https://allafrica.com/stories/202207260199.html https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/kwazulu-natal/alleged-stock-thief-says-cows-were-for-his-fiancee-but-flees-before-cops-arrive-b35d9dc2-dcce-4024-8ab4-43d7f941b965 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.beefmagazine.com/beef/5-trending-headlines-beef-world-12 More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

In today's episode we are interviewing a fascinating entrepreneur with a fascinating, value added, agricultural business. Tina Schooler and her husband farm lavender, and they create a myriad of value added products with the lavender that, until this interview, I did not know were possible to make. Chief on my list to try is the lavender beer bread. Where I live in Idaho, there are a few different lavender farms. As a matter of fact, my wife and daughter, like to frequent one nearby in Kuna. Even with that I never knew there was a difference in lavender between culinary and non-culinary, as I learned in today's episode. Tina has considered a lot of different ideas for how to monetize this crop that she and her husband grow, and she has some great ideas, such as teaching people how to make lavender based cocktails. With all of that there was a business principle that really stood out to me in this episode that I was excited to emphasize and share with all of you. That was how Tina tested the market before diving in head first. She took a very slow and cautious approach, even though her nearest competition was over 100 miles away. And once she determined that a demand existed, and that people would purchase the value added products she had in mind, she then dove in and has set up a great e-commerce and local sales business. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald: -

This great interview with Alaskan, Jennifer Sharrock, is the perfect tie in to tomorrow's Ag Business Interview. Jennifer is a teacher at heart and teaches people in Alaska how to grow their own food and increase their self-sufficiency. It is my pleasure to bring this interview back to you today. The original show notes are below. SHOW NOTES It is always exciting to interview a person who had a dream of working full-time, in agriculture, for themself who has made it come true. We get to do that today when Jennifer Sharrock joins us on the show. Jennifer has a very interesting story. She grew up in New Jersey, went into the insurance industry and lived all around the country through her career. One of these stops was Alaska. In Alaska, Jennifer found her people, met her husband and started her family. She also discovered a passion for permaculture, regenerative agriculture and growing her own food during their tiny growing season. Jennifer really dove into this, starting around 2015. Since that time things have snowballed with her teaching classes to other people about how to farm on a small scale, the way that she does. For the past 2+ years, Jennifer has been a full-time farmer and entrepreneur. She grew her farm business large enough to be able to quit her insurance job and be completely independent. This is a powerful thing, and in the interview with Jennifer you will hear how it has impacted her. It is really an amazing thing to watch or listen to when somebody like Jennifer is able to make this transition. You spend so much time dreaming about this lifestyle, never knowing how to make it happen. Then one day you have a break through and before you know it you are there. This is my story, and this is Jennifer's, and I am excited to profile it for you. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

What year in school is too soon to start an agricultural business that serves large farmers? I'm not sure, but, based on today's interview, I know that the answer is not 9th Grade. Ashton Brusveen has just completed his 9th Grade year of high school, and he has been part of the FFA since 7th Grade. He has grown up farming on his families land, helping to produce corn, soybeans, rye and wheat. But when it came time for him to develop a supervised agricultural experience, with his grandfather's help, he decided to start a business providing a service to other farmers. This business, "Seed Clean", all began with some conversations with older farmers in the area talking about the need for a seed cleaning business. As the idea was discussed it became apparent to Ashton and his grandfather that there would be a lot of business for a person who started up a business like this. It just so happened that Ashton's grandfather had an old, Clipper fanning mill, in a shed on the farm. Ashton and his grandfather cleaned up the old mill, and his grandfather even purchased an old co-op facility that was no longer in use for the logistics of farmers bring seed in. Then they made an arrangement that Ashton would run the seed cleaning business as his own, splitting the profits with his grandfather until the time that he was completely paid back. The demand for this business turned out to be even higher than they expected. Therefore, Ashton is now investing in a larger mill, a Clipper 99 fanning mill, that will give him the ability to serve more customers and clean their seed faster. In addition to all of this he has got his eye on expanding his services in the future to bagging corn, and he is considering hiring his first employee. I am very excited to watch and see how this business develops. This has got national proficiency and possibly even American Star Award written all over it! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Seed Cleaning HIGH SCHOOL: Cambria-Friesland High School; Randolph, Wisconsin MASCOT: Hilltoppers FFA ADVISOR: Lauren Frances CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ASHTON BRUSVEEN: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Cambria-Friesland High School website: Ashton's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Cambria-Friesland High School Telephone Number: (920) 348-5548 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I think that every one of us that owns property, raises livestock or grows crops has days that, as hard as you try, you cannot remember why you are doing this. Some days can be so frustrating that you just cannot remember why it is all worth it. I am definitely having one of those days today, and I'll share the whole story with you on today's episode. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald: c

It has been a lot of fun to profile this group of FFA students as they begin their journeys in this fantastic organization. One of the reasons I enjoy it so much is it gives me a chance to capture their level of knowledge, sophistication and responsibility right at the beginning of their journey. Then, in a few years I can speak with them again and see how they have grown and really become experts in their chosen SAE's. Today's guest, Olivia Check, really fits this profile very well. She has grown up around the stock contracting business with her family and BC Bucking Bulls. During the summer rodeo season she is gone to different rodeos weekly, helping her father with the business when he takes bulls for competition. While she is there she gets to compete on horseback barrel racing, break away roping and pole bending. And when her time in the arena is through, it is back to the business. Olivia is learning a lot, and one of those things has been how to work with such large animals as rodeo bulls. She described being fearful of the large animals at the beginning but developing a comfort level being around them. Today, instead of fear she has a deep respect for these gigantic bovines, but she is able to work effectively around them because she has learned her trade. When looking into the future Olivia sees multiple different career areas in agriculture that interest her. One of those is running the family business. Currently she is deferring to her older sister. If she wants to run the business, Olivia has other areas of agriculture that she wants to explore. If not, Olivia wants to make sure that the family business continues. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: BC Bucking Bulls - Rodeo Stock HIGH SCHOOL: Seneca High School; Seneca, Wisconsin MASCOT: Royals FFA ADVISOR: Brigid Leofeoholz CONTACT INFORMATION FOR OLIVIA CHECK: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Seneca High School website: Olivia's FFA Advisor's Email Address: Seneca High School Telephone Number: FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Lions And Teen Driver's, Oh My Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.deltaplexnews.com/jefferson-county-sheriffs-office-searching-for-stolen-tractor/ https://kgab.com/cheyenne-police-asking-for-publics-help-in-solving-trailer-theft/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/20292758.17-year-old-boy-arrested-several-sheep-killed/ https://www.edenmagnet.com.au/story/7825733/crooks-make-more-profit-from-tobacco-crops-than-heroin/?cs=7 https://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/letter/stolen-sheep/ Africa https://www.chronicle.co.zw/watch-thieves-give-methodist-villagers-sleepless-nights/ https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-07-17-wildlife-authority-kills-pride-of-lions-after-affected-community-stages-sit-in-over-safety-concerns/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.fox19.com/2022/07/21/caught-stealing-man-arrested-with-26-stolen-catalytic-converters/ https://www.kake.com/story/46912127/kansas-feedlot-workers-charged-with-cattle-theft https://dothaneagle.com/community/jcfloridan/news/local/crime-and-courts/marianna-man-arrested-in-theft-of-tractor-seed-speader/article_cf1154f4-068b-11ed-aca2-bb99d6bae10e.html More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I am a huge fan of wool and wool clothing. I am also a huge fan of my family heritage and legacy. But....I am no comparison when it comes to today's guest. Starting when she was 13 years old, Kelsey Patton, decided that she wanted to knit a sweater. However, she and her mother did not just go buy her some yarn so she could get started. Instead, they purchased sheep, a spinning wheel and much of the other necessary equipment so that they could produce their own raw materials and then refine them into a sweater. That one decision started Kelsey on a journey of entrepreneurship, farming and raising sheep that has been growing and evolving ever since. Today, Kelsey is the owner of "The Fiber Mill", which is her very own mill that processes the wool of small farmers from all over the nation so that they can sell locally raised, raw materials to their customers who will in turn, create something beautiful with the product. Kelsey and her mom still maintain a flock of sheep so that they can do the same. In today's interview Kelsey will talk about the journey and the growth process. She will also talk about transforming herself from being an artisan to a business owner and the boss of her employees. Turning a craft that you love into a legitimate business is great, but it also forces you into roles that you didn't necessarily sign up for. Kelsey talks all about that and more in today's interview. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am profiling a very impressive entrepreneur with a passion for wool. I also have a passion for wool, which was reflected in this solo episode from 2019. Below are the original show notes: Show Notes Me and the whole family were back up in the Wood River Valley of Idaho this weekend so that I could elk hunt. It just so happened that a friend of ours had a condo available that they could not use this weekend. So, the whole family was able to go. I hunted during the days, and I was able to hang out with Autumm and Hattie in the evenings. Because of the short days, we actually ended up with quite a bit of time together, so it worked out really well. For my outdoor clothing I prefer to wear wool to any other fabric, natural or man made. After this weekend, I really want to solute all those farmers who are producing wool. On my first evening I got my pickup stuck and was out in the middle of nowhere in a snow storm for quite a while. I was dressed in wool base layers, socks, pants and a heavy wood sweater. I was dry and warm, and the wind just did not have that much impact on me. The next two days I spent climbing steep slopes in about 2 feet of snow in pursuit of these elusive big game animals. Between taking every step knee deep into snow and laying prone in the snow several times I never got cold or wet. The wool clothing did just as advertised, and I could not have been more pleased. This miracle fabric is an excellent investment! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Our guest today is well ahead of her time advocating for agriculture and dispelling myths about animal ag as well as the FFA. After listening to her interview, there will be no question in your mind why she is doing this. Taylor Russell comes from a rich, Wisconsin, FFA tradition. Her aunt was the first ever female national officer from Wisconsin, both of her parents were state officers, her two older sisters are in the FFA and her mother is her ag teacher and FFA advisor. Is that enough? Hearing all of that, it is no surprise that Taylor got started in the FFA as soon as she was eligible at Shullsburg High School, which for her was in the 7th Grade. Since then she has developed three businesses. With the rest of her family she raises sheep and sells lambs every year to exhibitors from the 4H and the FFA for participation in jackpot shows and fairs. Taylor raises her own steers for exhibition and sale, and she raises chickens and sells eggs to friends and family in her area. As if this were not enough, she has another supervised agricultural experience in agriscience research that already yielded her a Gold level award at the national level. Taylor has been researching how people in the FFA communicate about the organization using social media. She has seen a lot of mis-information on social media about cruelty to animals as well as the 4h and FFA being corrupt organizations that indoctrinate students to be cruel to animals. So, she decided to combat what she knew to be untrue.

It almost seems like farming has taken a back seat for me this summer so far. Immediately after getting home from a very rare, but very large and fun vacation it was time to start turning over a rental house from which a tenant had moved out. So, I've been irrigating in the morning, getting work done on the podcast and then heading into Boise to work on one of our streams of revenue. In today's episode I'll talk about this stream of revenue and a little about our journey using this to build our current lifestyle. I also came across an interesting article about the unrest in Sri Lanka right now and discuss this. Surprisingly to me, farming is at the heart of why there are so many protests in Sri Lanka right now. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Our guest today is not afraid to get started. She first began raising goats when she was five years old by asking for a pet goat for her birthday. Her parents said that she could have one only if she took responsibility for it, and she did without hesitation. Fast forward 8 years, and Kylie Mann found herself in her second year of FFA during the 8th Grade. Her small chapter needed people to fill officer positions, and despite her young age Kylie volunteered to help out, becoming the chapter's reporter. That kind of tells the story on Kylie. She is a go getter, and she doesn't let fear slow her down. She is a three sport athlete and loves the competition. Today she has grown her herd of goats to 13 does. She shows goats, sells goats to other exhibitors and also markets goats through a livestock auction. Raising registered Nubian goats is just the beginning for Kylie. She sees her future as being on a farm, raising animals and working as a veterinarian. Coincidentally, one of Kylie's FFA Advisors, Amelia Hayden, was a previous guest on my show on episode #687 when she was an American Star Finalist. Between Kylie's fearless attitude and having mentorship like that, there is no telling where this will take her! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Goat Production HIGH SCHOOL: Lincoln City High School; Lake City, Minnesota MASCOT: Tigers FFA ADVISOR: Nikki Flaaen CONTACT INFORMATION FOR KYLIE MANN: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Lincoln City High School website: Kylie's FFA Advisors' Email Addresses: [email protected] Lincoln High School Telephone Number: (651) 345-4553 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Clean out the garage and the shop to make room for vehicles. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://fox40.com/news/local-news/catalytic-converter-woodland-police-etch/ https://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/gas-theft-becoming-an-issue-for-farmers-in-kern-county https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/pharr-pd-searching-for-stolen-tractor-trailer/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://eastdevonnews.co.uk/2022/07/14/rural-crime-east-devon-farm-burglary/ https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/20277002.ram-ewe-killed-vicious-attacks-near-wiltshire-farm/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/missing-toggenburg-goats-queens-county-1.6519309 Africa https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/07/wadyajena-fingered-in-farm-inputs-theft/ https://briefly.co.za/cars-tech/131821-cops-catch-taxi-21-stolen-sheep-north-west-baaaad-idea/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.dnronline.com/dnronline/stolen-cattle-found-returned-to-pulaski-county-farm/article_486b8f79-4e04-5245-84cb-c0eb50193585.html https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/13/kaiser-plea-for-lauren-landavazos-forever-horse-theft/65372256007/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

On today's episode Ryan Conklin, attorney and owner of Wright & Moore Law Co. in Delaware, Ohio, returns to the show to discuss another revenue generating agreement possible on your farm. Ryan first appeared on the show in episode #1353 where we discussed cell tower leases and what to look for if you were going to put one on your farm. In today's episode we are going to talking about renewable energy leases, specifically solar energy. As you will see in the episode there are many pros and cons to entering into one of these agreements. Also, there are things to look out for that a quality attorney who specializes in this type of agreement can help you navigate through. We will also discuss what to expect to be paid, different types of solar projects, what an "escalation rate" is, what a solar purchase agreement is, property taxes and much more. Putting in a solar farm is significantly more invasive than a cell tower, but there might be a situation in which this is the right fit for you. I hope this helps! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald: