Off-Farm Income

Kaylea Taylor first appeared on the show during her sophomore year of high school in episode #681. She was just beginning her journey of putting on camps to teach 4H and FFA students better skills in exhibiting their goats. Over time this became known as "Stepping Up Show Goat Camp" and her reputation has spread. Today I am proud to have Kaylea back on the show as a national proficiency finalist.

As you all know I was invited to give a keynote speech at the Montana FFA Foundation's Ag Expo at Montana State University which took place two weeks ago. After the keynote, Trent Petersen, the president of the Red Lodge FFA Chapter from Red Lodge, Montana joined me on stage for his and my first ever, live podcast recording. It was a blast, and I am featuring it for you here today. Trent is a very impressive young man with a dream of running his own cow/calf herd. He is already building that herd, finding land anywhere he can in his area to put a few head of cattle, get his calves, retain his heifers and sell his steers. He has a vision of returning to the classroom in the future as an FFA Advisor, and this is his chosen method of creating his off-farm income to support this cattle operation that he has envisioned.

Every now and then in an interview there is so much information to cover that I find myself exceeding the normal length of an episode. That was definitely the case in my interview with Jeremiah Geise. I first learned about Jeremiah because he was a national proficiency finalist in the category of diversified livestock. As they say, that was only the "tip of the iceberg". Jeremiah is doing a lot more than raising multiple species of livestock, i.e. pigs, sheep and goat. He is also using artificial insemination to breed as much as he can, and he has discovered multiple niche markets. He also had set up contracts and direct marketing on all three species. So, when he has an animal born on his farm, he already knows who the buyer is and that the buyer exists! This is next level agricultural marketing!

Tip Of The Week There are multiple crime prevention tips in this article that I think are worth taking a look at: https://www.djournal.com/monroe/news/property-owners-can-do-their-part-to-help-deter-theft/article_4307a11b-e9d4-52de-b952-2dbe75b84d87.html Rural Crime In The U.S. https://salinapost.com/posts/dfe029e0-98d1-485b-9471-5283c0a5890f https://www.wdam.com/2021/11/18/multiple-cows-shot-2-killed-simpson-county-cattle-farm/ https://www.blythewoodonline.com/2021/11/sheriff-seeks-leads-in-theft-of-tractor/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/crime/eagle-eyed-rural-volunteers-help-thwart-suspected-poachers-in-northumberland-3463955 https://www.producer.com/livestock/police-warn-producers-about-livestock-theft/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.katc.com/news/lafayette-parish/lafayette-men-arrested-for-alleged-horse-thefts https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/first-forever-horse-theft-defendant-pleads-guilty/

Writing, whether it be as a fiction author, a novelist or a freelancer is one of my favorite methods of off-farm income creation that I cover. Maybe it is because when I first started this show I interviewed an author and it gave so much credibility to the concept that I was pursuing, or maybe it is because I admire people who can write for a living, but I am a fan. On today's show Rachel Gabel joins us to talk writing, raising cattle and raising goats. Rachel lives and ranches in Northeast Colorado, and she has been in that general vicinity all of her life. Growing up there and ranching there has given her special credibility with the people who read her words, and it has allowed her to write about some topics that only a few people would be accepted discussing. She primarily writes for The Fence Post Magazine, and she has been doing so since she was a young teenager.

Jerry Apps is one of my favorite, all time, agricultural authors. Tomorrow we are featuring an agricultural author whom I have just met that creates her families off-farm income through writing. I thought this would be a great time to replay my second interview with Jerry. I especially enjoy reading and listening to him around the Thanksgiving Holiday as his stories evoke those warm, family memories. Below are the original show notes from episode #668.

Brandon Jakobi is a National Proficiency Finalist this year for his custom round bale business in Wisconsin. He had several things come together at once that were the catalyst for him to achieve at this very high level. Brandon joined the FFA in the 7th Grade. It was something that he always knew that he wanted to do, and he made it happen at his first opportunity. Brandon's father had been in the FFA and was part of the FFA Alumni Chapter in their area, so he knew the ropes. Knowing that Brandon would need a good SAE, he suggested that Brandon purchase his round baler and start his own business baling hay and cornstalks, etc. for people in their community. Brandon's dad also knew that Brandon had been inspired by another student from their area who had won a National Proficiency Award. Brandon told me that the community really celebrated this accomplishment and that made him want to do the same thing. Knowing that a national proficiency award was the goal, Brandon and his father thought this business could be the perfect fit to help him achieve this. Brandon Jakobi's Round Baling was born. Since that time Brandon has continued to build his client base by using such marketing methods as hanging fliers in stores and pulling his round baler through parades. Today his business supports him financially, and when he is not baling hay he is working on his families farm or a neighboring dairy. Brandon is still living in the surreal knowing that he is this close to accomplishing his goal and realizing just how far he has come.

I just returned from an incredible three days in Montana, the genesis of which was the greatest professional honor bestowed upon me in my life - presenting my very first keynote address at the college that I received my agriculture degree from to an audience of FFA students. On Thursday I presented a keynote and did my first ever podcast interview in front of a live audience at Montana State University. You all know how much I love my former university and the small city that adopted me for three years. In today's episode I get to tell you all about it!

Our guest today has a really amazing story of growth and development. To preface this, Case Edwards is one of four national proficiency finalists in the category of Ag Mechanics Repair And Maintenance. But to hear him tell his story, when he was a sophomore in high school if you had shown him a spark plug, he would not have known what it was. Case's story really starts with joining the FFA, but it takes a big turn during his sophomore year when his friend Terrence started small engine team in their chapter. He talked Case into being part of it, and soon Case discovered an aptitude that he did not know that he had. This led to the idea of fixing up old lawn mowers and flipping them, and things just kept snowballing

Tip Of The Week Listen to what I have been saying about catalytic convertors… Rural Crime In The U.S. https://naturalresourcereport.com/2021/11/farmers-hit-hard-by-catalytic-converter-thefts/ https://www.wcbi.com/noxubee-county-deputies-need-help-finding-a-wanted-person/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://krugersdorpnews.co.za/471236/man-arrested-for-transporting-25-stolen-goats-worth-r80k/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://coosavalleynews.com/2021/11/rome-man-found-with-crime-tools-while-hiding-under-car/ https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/local-news/lynchburg-central-virginia-news/police-charge-28-year-old-man-in-connection-with-catalytic-converters-theft/ https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news_article?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGOTg0NDUuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D

The purpose of this show has always been to help you find ways to create the revenue that you need so that you can sustain you farming or ranching lifestyle. I have always picked entrepreneurship as the way to do that because of the many benefits that come with it such as making good money where few jobs exist and being able to be on your farm when your livestock or crops need you to be there. In today's episode we are profiling another such opportunity that accomplishes both of these goals. I will be speaking with John Hansen, the landowner profitability manager for Land Trust, a business based in Bozeman, Montana. Land Trust thinks of itself as the "airbnb of hunting, fishing and agri-tourism". This service works like Airbnb in that it allows a land owner to sign up and then market their land to potential customers for the purposes the landowner is willing to allow. This could be hunting, fishing, agri-tourism, bird watching or whatever!

Today is a replay of an interview I did on how one entrepreneur took his time in educating himself before he started his business. He had a passion for hunting and the outdoors and he combined it with his desire to want to improve farm ground all while building his business. Listen in the learn more about Al Wisnefske and his wildlife consulting company, Land and Legacy Group, LLC.

Our guest today is very involved in her families dairy and dairy business, but it hasn't always been that way. Along the way to Maggie Mathew's nomination as a National Proficiency Finalist there were some bumps in the road. In some ways her childhood has been very similar to mine, starting with the divorce of her parents. At that point she was exposed to agriculture and livestock, but at a smaller level. However, after her mother remarried she was brought into a farming family and she took flight from there

I am brining on a new advertiser on November 22nd of this month and am very excited about the new contacts in the industry, the affirmation of my show that they are giving me and the fact that the business is growing. However, what has got me the most excited is the fact that I have stayed true to the advertising model that I committed to for this show, and it is working. Today, I want to touch on my philosophy once more and get you all ready for what is coming.

The story of today's guest could be a recruiting poster for the FFA, if the FFA actually needed recruiting posters. I found out about Francisco Rocha because he is a national proficiency finalist this year. However, that is the current version of his story. What is so compelling here is the "rest of the story", to quote Paul Harvey. Francisco grew up in Heber, California, which is right next to the larger city of El Centro. When he started high school he was placed in an introduction to science class, and this was taught through the agriculture department. The next thing that Francisco knew, he was an FFA member, and he embraced the group. He continued to get more involved, even though he had not grown up on a farm. In Francisco's junior year of high school, he took a job with his father a produce packing business in El Centro. There, he tagged boxes of produce grown in his area of California as well as produce that had been shipped over from Mexico. After these boxes were tagged they were shipped all over the U.S. to grocery stores and restaurants for human consumption. During this time he was learning about food safety, the supply chain and customer service. At the same time, his FFA advisor encouraged him to make this job his supervised agricultural experience, and he took the advice.

Tip Of The Week Be careful with lock combinations Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/horse-hair-thieves-continually-target-west-jordan-family https://www.hawaiipolice.com/11-04-21-police-seek-information-regarding-theft-of-bee-hives https://www.katc.com/community/crime-stoppers/vermilion-crime-stoppers-help-needed-locating-stolen-equipment Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://thatsfarming.com/farming-news/in-lamb-ewes-stolen/ https://www.farminguk.com/news/police-appeal-after-rustlers-steal-26-ewes-in-devon_59270.html https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/crime/appeal-after-classic-tractor-stolen-3445281 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://jacksonholeradio.com/2021/11/man-pleads-in-cattle-case/ https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGOTgzMTQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D

All of the concepts that I teach and much of what I went through as I was transforming into an entrepreneur is covered in today's episode. It is amazing to me how often I interview an entrepreneur who has made the same transition that I have, and when they tell their story there are so many common themes. Julia (Julie) Jacobsen went to work in her local county office when she was 19 years old. During that time she married a rancher, started having a family, and devoted nearly two decades to that position. However, her presence was being demanded on their ranch more and more over time in addition to the demands that were being placed on her by having a toddler running around the house. She knew it was time for a change, and she left her county job to be on the ranch with the kids full time. Julie and her husband had budgeted for this, but with the loss of her off-farm income, the margins were extremely slim. So, they knew that at some point Julie would have to start bringing in an income again. Julie knew one thing for sure. She wasn't going back to work for an employer again. She had creativity and "outside the box" thinking boiling over in her soul, and her experience in the workplace was not one that embraced that part of her spirit. It was one that attempted to smother it out!

Today is a special replay of a show featuring an interview I did with Andy Dyar, who followed his entrepreneurial dream and started a T-Shirt company. He did extensive research and learned that professionalism was key in building his business, Farm Heritage, Inc.

Our guest today is just a junior in high school, but his achievements suggest someone who is well beyond high school. Ethan Lulich is a National Proficiency Finalist already, for this his supervised agricultural experience restoring and selling antique tractors. In addition to that he has two placement SAE's and another entrepreneurship SAE. He is also serving as his chapter's president already. Needless to say, Ethan is busy, and that means that he has to be well organized. As I conducted this interview with Ethan one theme that kept coming up was goal setting. He is achieving so much in such a short amount of time, there has to be a way that he is getting this done. It turns out that Ethan is very good at setting significant goals and then sketching out a map to follow to help him get there. Between his ability to set these goals and his discipline to follow the plan to achieve them he is seeing great results. Learn more by tuning into this podcast today.

Last Saturday night at about 11pm my wife and I touched down at the airport, exhausted from an incredible but very active week in Indianapolis. We had been at the National FFA Convention all week, walked dozens of miles and met hundreds of incredible people. We had seen the future leaders of our country, with all of their hope and promise, talent and work ethic, on display for the whole world to see. And then, just like that, it was over. After the plane came to a stop at the gate we walked through the empty airport, retrieved our bags and found our car. Driving through the night we found our way back to our farm, back to our normal life and the last little bit of travel adrenaline wore off. Our daughter had flown to and from the convention with her FFA chapter, so she had beat us home. She was already in bed, and there was no waking her. My wife made her way to bed and to sleep as quickly as possible, but I wasn't quite ready. I had been gone for five days, and I missed the farm. It was a beautiful night so I decided to take a walk and check a few things before heading to bed. The chickens were all locked up, the pigs had feed and water and the cows and goats were bedded down where they should be. Nothing was amiss, and from the perspective of our livestock it was like we had never left. The night was quiet and clear, and I stood looking at the stars. As I stood there thinking about the great week that we had just concluded I heard a train blow its horn as it approached town. I couldn't help but smile. Just six hours earlier I had pulled off the side of Interstate 57 to take a picture in front of the Kankakee sign as we drove towards Chicago. We had flown in and out of Chicago and rented a car so we could get a look at the "houses, farms and fields" of Illinois and Indiana on our way to and from the convention. I had purposefully chosen this route on our way back so I could see this town with the funny sounding name that Steve Goodman wrote about and Willie Nelson sang about in the great song, "The City Of New Orleans". Coordinated Inspiration As I stood there a thought entered my mind and my smile began to grow and grow. At the same time that we had made our way back to our farm, tens of thousands of American youth were making their way back to theirs. All across the country FFA students were making late night arrivals at their family farms, ranches and rural towns as they returned from this great convention. I imagined these students looking up at the stars in their own hometowns, inspired by the time they had just spent in Indiana and dreaming of what their futures would be. There is a big world out there and it is filled with opportunities. However, if you are never exposed to those ideas or nobody ever tells you about them, you don't even know they exist. For the 55,000+ FFA students who were able to attend this great convention they couldn't help but be excited. This whole world of opportunity was brought to them and placed at their feet, all under one roof. Whether their path is in the military, the trades, college, niche farming or production agriculture, everywhere they turned there was somebody who was eager to have them join them in their vocation and call to service. I could not fathom how many thousands of students at that moment were telling themselves, "I didn't know you could do that for a career" or who had received the spark necessary to light the fire in their souls that had just been waiting to burn. If all the adults in the expo hall reaching out to these youth by metaphorically saying "follow me and serve your fellow man" weren't enough, there were the general sessions. The folks at the FFA are experts at creating an environment that first gets you very excited, followed by inspiration after inspiration in each of these general sessions. No Excuses The best thing this convention does, whether or not this is intentional, is that it removes all excuses. In every session there are FFA students on the stage that are achieving at a very high level. From the National Officers who run the show, to future professional musicians, to American Stars and Proficiency Finalists, you are shown the best of the best. The stories of these students and how they made it to that stage are told to you, and every student sees what is possible. For example, if a student had just found out about a dream career in the expo and told yourself, "that's for other people, I could never do that", in the general session they would get a metaphorical wake up call from the stories of the students on the stage that would leave them with only one answer - "If they did it, I can do it too, the only thing holding me back is me". That is a sobering thought, but it is also freeing and it is just what these students need to hear to be able to unleash their greatness. Student after student walks across that stage. Some receive the highest awards, others do not, but every nominee has achieved things that even adults only dream

So, what's in the water in Slaton, Texas? Is it some sort of magical elixir that produces national proficiency and American Star finalists? This is a question that I am pondering more and more. Today's show features a repeat guest, Rachyl Kitten. Rachyl first appeared on the show just over a year ago on episode #895. The way that I initially found out about Rachyl was that she was a national proficiency finalist in 2020. Well....she is a national proficiency finalist again, this time for 2021! She has great entrepreneurial instincts, a great business, and a great supporting cast at Slaton. What is incredible about Slaton? Tune into this podcast to find out!

Tip Of The Week If you employ people, learn about threat assessment Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.agweek.com/news/crime-and-courts/7251594-Fired-employee-at-Nebraska-grain-elevator-kills-two https://nypost.com/2021/10/23/catalytic-converter-theft-quadruples-in-one-year/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/crime/farm-equipment-stolen-from-mulbarton-farm-8433596 https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/crime/warning-over-rogue-traders-in-suffolk-8436716 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://southyorks.police.uk/find-out/news-and-appeals/2021/october-2021/make-an-appointment-at-halfords-to-protect-against-catalytic-converter-theft/ https://krcrtv.com/news/local/shasta-county-man-leads-deputies-on-pursuit-in-stolen-atv-on-tuesday

How great would it be to discover a niche in the marketplace that nobody had filled and everyone was waiting to be filled? Well, our guest today, Korri Atkinson, the owner of The Ranch Signs & Company, can tell you because that is exactly what she has done. Korri and her husband own a small farm just north of Boise, Idaho, right in my backyard actually. Korri homeschools the kids and takes care of the animals during the day which keeps her plenty busy. However, about seven years ago she got an itch to try out an idea. The idea was to create and selling beautiful signs for the horse industry. These were "stall signs" meant to be hung up in horse stalls at shows, events, etc. to identify horses, warn people to stay away, or even list out the allergies of the equine.

Today's podcast is a replay of an earlier show I did on why social media is important, especially if you own or manage a business. Whether you don't have social media accounts, are new to the world of social media, or need some further insight, be sure to tune into today's podcast. Original Show Notes: For years I have been jealous of those of you who never opened a social media account. By the time I developed that opinion I was well invested in social media for my business, and there was no changing that. Then, I put out an ad for a full-time, podcast producer and started interviewing candidates. This hiring process has clearly shown me one thing, and that is that all of you who are seeking a certain lifestyle should be posting content on social media. Hang with me on this. I know it can be a toxic environment, but there is a really good reason. I delve deep into this in this episode, and I hope you will join me!

Lashawna Vogel has so many positive attributes and has accomplished so much already that it is impracticable to try and list them all here. With that said, the thing that stands out to me, so big, is that she grew up outside of agriculture. One of her aunts encouraged her to take ag classes and join the FFA because she knew how positive it could be for Lashawna. Lashawna gave it a shot, and the rest, as they say, is history! Actually, it is not quite history yet. Lashawna is still competing and accomplishing a lot in the FFA. Right now she is serving as a state officer for the State Of Wisconsin. And, she is one of just four national proficiency finalists in the category of Agricultural Communications! She has been working as a "media intern" in the FFA since her 8th-grade year when she was awarded that position in her middle school chapter. She continued that throughout high school and has grown her skill set more and more each year. Now, that exposure, the training, and the challenges are all culminating in national recognition. She is also pursuing a degree in agricultural marketing and communications and plans on advocating for agriculture through the medium in the future.

On the day this episode comes out I am heading to my 3rd National FFA Convention, but I won't be going alone. Actually, Hattie is already there with her Conduct Of Chapter Meetings Team as well as 32 other members of her FFA chapter. And, because Hattie is competing there Autumm took the time off of work and is traveling with me to Indianapolis as my assistant. But of course we will both be covering the conduct of meetings competitions very closely and are looking forward to seeing Hattie and all of her teammates perform. Even though this will be my 3rd National Convention, there will be a lot of firsts for me. This is the first time that any of my family members are going. This is the first time that I will be going as a member of the advisory council for Kuna FFA. This will be the first time that Autumm and I have ever visited Chicago. It is going to be a great trip, and I have all of you in the his audience to thank for this! If it were not for you supporting this show, there is a good chance that Hattie would not be in the FFA, I would not be on the advisory council and I would have long since abandoned the podcast and never gone to that very first National Convention! Thank you!

Behind every successful person, there was somebody who was pushing them or encouraging them, and today's interview is absolute proof of that. Kami Holt is a National Proficiency Finalist this year in Ag Sales Entrepreneurship, but her journey didn't just start yesterday. Growing up on her family's century farm in Southern Utah, Kami has been exposed to agriculture her entire life. However, it was her older brother's membership in the FFA that sparked this interest and ultimately led her to join. However, joining was enough for Kami, and when she was asked if she was going to compete for a leadership role she said "no". Kami's grandmother and brother would not take "no" for an answer and really pushed or, as Kami put it, "coerced" her into filling out the application to join the officer team. Ultimately she was selected, spend three years as an officer, and found that to be a very rewarding experience. During this time Kami took over her brother's SAE project, selling corn stalks and straw bales, and continued to grow the business.

Tip Of The Week The truth is always a good way to go…. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.facebook.com/76886619686/posts/10159418781439687/?d=n https://www.newser.com/story/312440/farm-owner-hit-with-animal-cruelty-charges-over-md-zebras.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.dorsetview.co.uk/dorset-police-launches-rural-podcast-to-tackle-crime/#.YXMnnS-B2-o https://theprestonhub.co.uk/2021/10/20/100-pieces-of-farm-equipment-marked-during-roadshow/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/man-pleads-guilty-to-shutting-down-rural-kansas-water-system/ https://www.monroenews.com/story/news/crime/2021/10/21/woman-admits-damaging-soybean-field-no-charges-sought/853235000

Our guest today is Britin Wardlaw. Britin grew up on a citrus farm and raising cattle and married another farmer. One of the permanent crops that they grow are persimmons, which is a bit of a niche crop and they tend to be aesthetically pleasing and associated with the fall and winter. Britin noticed that before all of the persimmons could be harvested, many, perfectly good fruit fell off of the trees, rendering them no longer suitable for human consumption. This waste bothered her, and it also gave her an idea. Britin has an eye for decorating and styling the front porches of people's homes. What is better, is that she has a deep desire to do this in such a way that reflects the agricultural industry and heritage of the surrounding area. So, she came up with an idea for a business, The Western Loom, in which she would get paid to decorate people's homes in her area of the San Joaquin Valley of California.

is interview is so good, it is worth another play. Hannah was originally on our show on episode #410 talking all about how she combines an eye for art with her knowledge of agriculture. I am proud to say that her talents took her all the way to becoming an American Star Finalist in 2020, and it was my pleasure to profile her again. Below are the show notes from the first time she was on the show. Original Show Notes: Have you ever heard of a starving artist? Of course, you have. How about that old cliche about the artist that created a solid business plan, developed a targeted market that would pay for their art, and designed a solid business? Right.....that cliche is not as common. Our guest today is that second kind of artist. Hannah York has an eye for art. Specifically, she crafts her vision into artistic holiday creations for businesses around Princeton, Kentucky. She has one, VERY busy season where she must completely prioritize her business. As her reputation grows, so does the demand for this service that she provides.

Kayla Rossi is a National Proficiency Finalist in the category of diversified livestock production this year. And to look at what she is currently doing and what she has already accomplished might make you think that it has been easy. If that is the case, it is only because she makes it look that way. Kayla raises her livestock on her family's ranch in the high country of Northwest Colorado. This brings challenges that many of the rest of us never have to deal with including harsh winters, drought, and predators. In 2019, as Kayla was really getting ready to hit her stride in her herd of cattle, a herd of goats, and a flock of sheep she had a major predator loss. That year her profit, or lack thereof, on her lambs was negative $29. She did not allow this to stop or discourage her, however. She made adjustments and persisted.

I ran across a very interesting story about pigs being used to solve a safety problem near an airport in Amsterdam. After seeing the creative way that the pigs were used, it got me thinking about the way we view livestock in the United States. There is a mantra in the West among those who support grazing cattle in national forest lands that goes "log it, graze it or watch it burn". As I thought about this it occurred to me that there is a group of very vocal Americans who are against grazing cattle in national forest lands. However, they will support the use of goat and sheep for certain prescribed grazing in the name of fire suppression. As I considered this I wondered if the way cattle were viewed by certain individuals could be shifted from a symbol of wealth and power to a defender of the beautiful forest lands if that would create on consensus on grazing national forest lands once again. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-58928677 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sully_Sullenberger

As you all know this show is all about entrepreneurship in agriculture. So, I almost never interview FFA students with placement SAE's except for American Star Finalists. Guests like Duncan Patton definitely make me rethink this strategy. It seems like I run into this same puzzle each time it is American Star Interview Season. I come across a student who has risen to the top in agricultural placement, and I can see the extreme wisdom in what they have done. Duncan Patton definitely has this wisdom. Duncan has been working on his family's farm since he was five years old, and that is right where he wants to be. However, he has also worked for a number of neighboring ranches and farms, learning a myriad of other skills. After high school, Duncan moved all the way to Ohio to study diesel technology, and while he was there he worked for a very large farming operation and learned about chickens and the different ways that farming gets done there. During the interview, Duncan talked about these experiences.

Tip Of The Week New methods of generating farm revenue can generate new types of problems Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.newsweek.com/woman-complains-after-pumpkin-farm-kicks-her-out-bringing-giant-snake-1639462 https://roanoke.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bond-denied-again-for-man-accused-of-stealing-plants-worth-330-000-from-hemp-farm/article_06ff2f3a-1a4c-11ec-9d48-7330114f4686.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/19635998.organised-crime-gangs-stealing-gps-equipment/ https://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/news/politics/council/police-call-on-rural-residents-to-be-on-their-guard-as-dark-nights-draw-in-3412659 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/thieves-targeting-farm-equipment-in-hagerman/ https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/crime/washington-county-woman-arrested-on-drug-theft-stolen-property-charges/

Marie Canon and her husband, Mark, have been married and operating their dairy in Western Pennsylvania for 31 years. However, the legacy of this farm goes back much further than that, all the way to the Revolutionary War. Over time there have been different business models on the farm, and it has been some time since any direct marketing was done, such as the milk route that Mark's grandfather once had with the milk produced on the dairy. About two years ago, Marie and Mark's daughter, Josie, told them that she wanted to come home and work on the farm, but she did not want to be involved in the day to day of milking and raising crops. The dairy was already supporting Mark's parents, Mark and Marie, and their son, Trent's, family. There simply was not enough pie left to cut out another slice. So, what do we do? It was decided that they would begin direct marketing and selling products directly from their farm. They would also start creating value-added products to have something to sell. Some capital was put aside to make all of this happen, and "Canon Creamery" was born. There were a lot of unknowns going into this, such as how to market, would customers come to their farm, and when to be open. However, those fears were overcome and the business was started. This was not without difficulties, however. Covid definitely slowed down the development and delayed the ability to start recapturing some of the capital that had been outlaid. However, a spontaneous grand opening that was caused by the perishability of milk proved the concept, and now they are off and running!

Not much has changed when it comes to using the term "value-added" since the first time I aired this interview with Logan Schlauch who is benefitting from the trend in adding something a little extra or giving the consumer a little more while, in this case, a dairy producer can add to his bottom line. Here is the story of one small dairy operation that got creative and created a value-added product in order not only to help with profit margins but to also appease customer demand for greek style yogurts. Additionally, this project has served as an FFA learning experience for Logan Schlauch.

Interviewing FFA students I find myself constantly asking "what was I doing during high school?". I think I was a pretty typical high school student way back in the 1900s. I played sports, got decent grades, had a job, and focused on menial things outside of that. I also wasn't in the FFA, and interviewing these students from all over the country makes me realize that there is a whole other level of achievement possible in high school. To say that there is a whole other level of achievement seems like an understatement when describing today's guest. Josh Heupel is an American Star Farmer Finalist, and his resume is unbelievable. As a junior in college, majoring in agricultural business and political science, Josh has already accomplished a lifetime of achievements. He is leasing and farming 97 acres of walnuts and 84 acres of almonds. He has designed and patented a piece of equipment to improve nut farmers' harvests and encourage the use of cover crops in orchards. He owns and operates his own custom spreading business. And, he is soon to graduate from college and take up a role advocating for agriculture in the Central Valley of California that I think is going to be unprecedented in its effectiveness.

Today is a big day on our farm in Kuna, Idaho. Our daughter, Hattie, has completed driver's training and been awarded her driving permit. She is going to start driving with us and fulfilling the requisite hours to make her eligible for her full driver's license. We are going to go through the motions and do everything we need to do to comply with the requirements of the state for this to happen. However, she has been driving for years now. She drove the pickup while I fed hay off the back, then she started driving up the driveway when we got home, then I let her drive out in the desert and finally we cheated and let her drive on the farm roads by our house. This got me thinking about my own experience as a teenager. I drove a lot before I ever even got my permit. Sometimes this was with my parent's permission and sometimes this was not. But growing up in a very rural area, I got behind the wheel a bunch to the extent that driver's training was really just a formality. My question today, is should we return to a time in which farm kids are treated differently when it comes to licensing?

Our guest today is an American Star Finalist in the category of Agricultural Placement, and there is an incredible story that comes along with this nomination. Caleb Peckham has grown up on his family's small dairy farm in eastern Connecticut. In the latter half of the 2010s, low milk prices were harming dairies all over the United States, but smaller dairies in Connecticut seemed to be getting hit extra hard because they were so much more sensitive to the margins they were operating on. As a response to these prices, Caleb's parents knew that something had to be done so that their family farm could survive. The decision to start direct marketing products through a farm store they called Farm To Table Market in 2018.

Tip Of The Week Don't mix business with personal relationships Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/crime/it-becomes-way-too-tempting-620k-taken-from-fresno-county-farm-sheriffs-office-says/ https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/crime/louisiana-man-threatens-workers-opens-fire-after-denying-them-water/289-01fc0da0-b31a-4de2-ba8b-c4a2478c8d73 Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/police-believe-dog-owner-moved-21789133 https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19628343.hunt-meat-fly-tipper-remains-found-dumped-sussex/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://tscra.org/arizona-man-behind-bars-in-west-texas-cattle-theft-case/?fbclid=IwAR11xWIzLPEacKrI0iogbKdf4-OULlKtCD7jvh_X-8HvMwgDvQxJZIGXqMM https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/19632345.merthyr-tydfil-burglar-jailed-abergavenny-cardiff-raids/ https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Zapata-County-man-accused-of-stealing-multiple-16517215.php https://cortlandvoice.com/2021/10/06/cortland-county-man-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-burglary-charge/

90% of farmers in the U.S., large and small, rely on off-farm income to run their households because the farm revenue just won't. In a larger percentage of these instances that revenue comes from a working spouse. In today's episode, I get to interview Rosie Bosse, who is and was that working spouse and she has an amazing story of entrepreneurship, creativity, and hard work that spans 42 years. Rosie and her husband farm and raise cattle in Northeast Kansas. Over their 42 year marriage, they have raised four children, who are all out of the house. They continue to farm and raise cattle to this day. In our interview, Rosie stated that the farm paid for itself, but it didn't produce enough income to support the household. Therefore, her role, in addition to the parent, was to come up with a way to create that income to run the home. Tune into this podcast to find out she did that.

On tomorrow's Friday episode I am profiling a woman who supported her families farming lifestyle for 30 years selling Tupperware, driving all over Kansas and Nebraska and working six nights per week. I like my re-cap episodes to flow into my Friday episodes, and I thought this previous interview with Elisabeth Watkins would be perfect. Elisabeth turned something that we all have to do, cooking, into an art form and then into a regular television appearance in Sacramento, California. And, she did this all while she was in the FFA at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, California. Both of these women took tasks that had to be done everyday in their homes and saw the possibility to take it further. This shows that entrepreneurship does not have to be inventing a new software program. All it takes is a will to make it and a creative outlook.

One of the things that I love about interviewing FFA students is coming across individuals that don't care what age they are and who will not take "no" for an answer. Never has that been more true than in my interview with Mackenzie Camacho today. Mackenzie is now a sophomore at Purdue University, where she is studying civil engineering. She has been nominated an American Star Finalist in the category of agriscience research, and it has not been easy. Mackenzie grew up in the San Joaquin Valley of California around many different tree crops, and something about them and research took hold when she joined the FFA. Mackenzie started studying different parasitic pathogens in tree crops and how they could be controlled either through specific management practices or by altering traditional management practices. However, she was doing really advanced work while still in high school. As a result, some of the researchers she took her findings to dismissed her without really hearing her out. However, she didn't give up and continued talking to researchers about what she had found and what her conclusions were until she found somebody who would listen. As a result, she has now presented to farmers all across the West, and she found partners to help her further her research. Mackenzie now wants to focus on building infrastructure, like dams, that can help California agriculture. I am very excited to see where she takes all of this!

My agricultural life is kind of split into two phases by my law enforcement career. The first phase is growing up rural and then getting introduced to working with cattle by my step-father and step-grandfather. The next phase is meeting and becoming family with my father-in-law, Terry White, who showed me an even bigger vision with cattle than I had myself. Terry and his wife, Wanda, also got Autumm and I started with our first four heifers and one bull when we first bought our farm. As a serial entrepreneur, Terry was always a cheerleader for me with my different business ideas. He was a person I would turn to that I always knew would shine a light on the positive things that I was achieving with my entrepreneurial endeavors. Terry passed away last week, and in today's Tuesday episode I want to pay tribute to him.

I don't even know where to begin in describing today's guest or her accomplishments. Emily Acevedo is a bundle of energy, confidence, and personality. And with her combining a love for research with such incredible people skills, she is really going to climb to heights that maybe even she is not imagining right now. At the age of 20, Emily is a hardened veteran in the world of agriscience research. After all, she reluctantly joined the FFA in the 6th Grade and found herself on stage later that year as a state proficiency finalist! And after an unexpected kidding incident at the fairgrounds, with no parents around when she was young, she has been obsessed with reproduction in goats ever since. That has driven her research, and that is what will take her to Indianapolis later this month to go on the big stage as an American Star Finalist in Agriscience Research.

Tip Of The Week If you are new to the area, get to know your neighbors. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.agweek.com/news/crime-and-courts/7214378-Northwest-Minnesota-farmer-charged-with-crop-insurance-fraud https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/33726-madera-county-sheriff-s-office-requests-public-s-assistance-in-locating-a-horse-pony-and-horse-trailer-stolen-on-friday-september-24-2021 Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/appeal-launched-after-sheep-dies-21698698 https://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/news/communities-work-together-to-reduce-property-crime Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/09/28/two-rising-sun-men-charged-in-tractor-thefts/ https://www.azfamily.com/news/camp-verde-man-damage-hauser-farms/article_68f6bd50-208e-11ec-9421-13fd09eaa101.html https://www.hawaiipolice.com/9-24-21-kona-crime-prevention-committee-honors-officer-dustin-medeiros-for-lifesaving-actions

Have you ever heard of a business and thought, "why didn't I think of that?" Well, that is the case in today's episode. I think the most brilliant people are those who can see what is right in front of all of us, when none of the rest of us cannot see it. Today, Lisa Lupton and Martyn Jones, the founders of Seeds With Love Cards join me to talk about their greeting card business. The two of them have a brilliant business that combines selling products with advocating for agriculture. They are based in the U.K., so they have some unique perspectives on business challenges that we don't see in the U.S. Seeds With Love Cards are greeting cards that come with a packet of seeds. The idea is brilliant. One card might come with a recipe for a cocktail, and that recipe includes the herbs that can be grown with the included seeds. Another card, for Christmas as an example, will come with a packet of seeds that can be planted at Christmas time. There are myriads of possibilities here, and Marty and Lisa are 18 months into tapping into this niche

On Today's show, I replay a fun and entertaining interview on how two FFA members teamed up to craft a unique FFA SAE. It is not just about the finished art products, it is also about unique marketing and forming a partnership using specific skillsets with a common interest in woodwork and art. More about how this idea for a "board art" SAE came about coming up in today's show. (Replay of Episode #316)

On multiple occasions, after interviewing FFA students who have started lawn care businesses, I have referred to this particular type of business as a "future millionaire maker". It seems as though every single year there is an FFA student who is a finalist for the American Star in Agribusiness that is the owner of a lawn care company, and that is because this is such a strong and great business to have. In today's episode, I get to interview Matt Rowlette, the owner, and creator of Rowlettes Lawn Care. This company actually officially began when Matt was eight years old, and he was hired to trim weeds along his uncle's fence, bordering 150 acres. His parents purchased his first mower and trimmer for him, and he has those still today. However, he has been steadily reinvesting into his business and growing it since that time.

Last night was our annual scholarship auction at the Kuna FFA Chapter. It is always a very well attended and very successful event. This year was a new record, as it seems to be every year. This year was the 10th year in a row at this auction for us. A lot has changed in that time. The first time we went Hattie was five years old. Now she is 15, in her second year of FFA and on her way to the National Convention to compete in Conduct Of Chapter Meetings in just a few weeks. Instead of being the new person in town, hoping to meet people, now I host an agricultural podcast and interview FFA students every week. And, I am one of the advisory board members for our chapter. They are huge changes and differences, but every moment is thrilling.