Off-Farm Income

Today is another farm update episode, and I will be covering: The Farmer's Tax Guide Kidding Update Very Good Farm Help Night Checks The Creek Filling Up More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Do You Check The Sex Offender Registry For Your area? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://weartv.com/news/local/taken-for-a-ride-santa-rosa-county-deputies-investigating-high-dollar-tractor-thefts https://wellsvillesun.com/blog/2024/04/11/nys-department-of-environmental-conservation-investigating-timber-theft-in-andover-ny/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.ckom.com/2024/04/11/veterinary-drugs-stolen-from-trailer-parked-near-saskatoon-airport/ https://www.walesfarmer.co.uk/news/24245763.police-use-stinger-take-powys-farm-theft-getaway-car/ Africa https://www.chronicle.co.zw/comment-communities-should-unite-against-crime/ https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/ethi-residents-appeal-for-npr-deployment-to-tame-banditry/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://dailyridge.com/2024/04/10/check-up-on-non-reporting-registered-sex-offender-in-lakeland-leads-to-burglary-arrest/ https://www.wishtv.com/lifestyle/offbeat/mountain-goat-stuck-under-kansas-city-bridge-survives-rocky-rescue/

Zack Parisa is a co-founder of NCX (Natural Capital Exchange), as well as the CEO. NCX is also a sponsor of the show and has been for several months. On today's episode I get to sit down with Zack and talk with him about the reasons I partnered with NCX to share their message on the show. We will discuss the different revenue streams that might be present on your land, and how you might take advantage of the to sustain your farming lifestyle. We will also discuss some of the things to look out for, and how the different markets for things like solar, carbon and environmental improvement are emerging and developing all the time. My partnership with NCX has been something that I am proud to promote, and on today's episode you will learn why!

Our guest today has a passion for farming, a path to farming full-time and a job that he likes that might keep him from doing just that! Chris Benton and his wife Leann are the owners and founders of C&L Farms Grows. They have an 8 acre farm about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta, Georgia and they are focused on growing microgreens. Chris told me that he chose microgreens for a number of reasons. The fact that there is an almost immediate harvest and return, nobody in his area was doing it and they are so nutritious were among his top reasons for this decision. The way that Chris and Leann developed their business is interesting as well. Chris grew up around agriculture and wanted to be involved with that. Leann did not necessarily have the same desire to farm, but she wanted to find a niche business that would allow her to work from home for a number of reasons. Thus the business was developed. It allows Chris to be involved in agriculture, and it allows Leann to stay at home.

It is kidding season for us, and I am up late checking goats. So, why not record a podcast? Lots to talk about tonight: Dog Behavior Circadian Rhythms End Of Watch Coast To Coast Rain

Mikayla (Kayla) Kraft is the current Chapter President for the Broadwater High School FFA Chapter in Townsend, Montana. She is also a journalist for MT43, a newspaper located in Townsend. Kayla first started writing for MT43 when she was the chapter reporter, but she had to let that go when another student became reporter. However, Kayla enjoyed what she was doing and wanted to stay on, so she approached the paper and struck a deal to continue writing for them, freelance. There was a conundrum however. In order to not steal any thunder from the current chapter reporter, Kayla had find other topics to cover. And, man did she! Her interests in agriculture have now taken her as far away as Washington D.C. to cover stories! Kayla is heading to North Dakota State University next fall to study animal science. She discovered NDSU while she was there covering a story and found it to be the perfect fit for her to pursue her degree. She is planning on veterinary school as the step following NDSU, and currently she is considering Wisconsin and Kansas. She loves her Montana Mountains, but her career pursuits seem to be taking her east!

Tip Of The Week If it has an engine, it is a target… Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wkrg.com/baldwin-county/2-utvs-atv-stolen-in-baldwin-county-sheriffs-office/ https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/theft-of-large-farming-equipment-in-haywood-county-leaves-officials-digging-for-answers/article_963869b6-f29c-11ee-a400-039c3c4f4cbb.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2024/04/05/police-warn-rural-residents-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-egg-thieves/ https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trailer-stolen-five-years-ago-071614561.html https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-68726072 Africa https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-241503.html https://www.pd.co.ke/news/governors-want-cattle-branded-to-end-rustling-228727/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.pleasantonexpress.com/articles/one-arrested-and-charged-with-burglary/ https://cbs12.com/news/local/ysairis-gonzalez-50-arrested-for-alleged-animal-slaughter-miguel-cabrera-butcher-animal-recovery-mission-st-lucie-county-sheriffs-office-florida-march-5-2024 https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2024/03/08/riverside-man-facing-41-animal-abuse-charges-after-131-dogs-seized-from-property-breeding-facility/72880471007/

Taylor and Dylan Roberts are the owners of Roberts Five Farm in Sparta, Tennessee. They are a young couple, just starting their family, and they have a phenomenal story. They are just at the tail end of their first season of growing and selling tulips, and the response from their community has been unbelievable. On today's episode I speak with Taylor, and she tells me the whole story. Beginning with she and Dylan dating as sophomores in high school to today, farming one acre of tulips on their 12 acre farm and coming up with an excellent business plan. Their trajectory is currently straight up! They have had a first year that any farmer could only dream of, and I do not doubt that they will continue on this path!

Audrey Levatino is the author of Woman-Powered Farm: Manual for a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle from Homestead to Field. This is a book that I was intrigued by when I first heard of it, and I knew that I would want to have Audrey on the show. I initially got the book so that I could read it prior to interviewing Audrey. However, it turned out to be much more than work. I could not put the book down. If you have an interest or passion for farming, this book is for you - man or woman. Audrey's stories, writing style and coverage of a wide breadth of issues that come with running your own farm will inspire you to either get moving or keep moving. Audrey covers a multitude of issues. Everything from what tools to buy to how to protect your small livestock are covered. She even breaks down income potential by the size of the ground you own or have access to, and the most profitable business possible on that size of ground. Audrey was a great pleasure to speak with, and I continued to be inspired in our actual conversation, just as I was reading her writing.

Cole Abercrombie is the chapter president at Tunstall FFA in Dry Fork, Virginia. He also operates his own "side hustle" mowing lawns and taking care of people's yards. And, he has one of the purest views on community service that I have ever profiled on this show. As if that were not enough, he has a passion for agriculture and farming that spans multiple states and multiple lines of his family. Cole actually lives in a city and not a farm. However, he has family that farms about 2.5 hours south of him in North Carolina and 25 hours west of him in Nebraska. While he doesn't get as much time on those farms as he would like, he knows every detail about what they are doing, at both places. This only happens if you are truly passionate about something. Otherwise, you just don't retain all the knowledge that Cole has. The area of Virginia that Cole comes from is largely agricultural and rural. So, the needs and values of that region are not recognized as frequently in the state legislature because there aren't as many representatives from there. Cole's future goals include being a voice for the folks of this region. He is hoping to go to law school after obtaining and agricultural business degree. Among his goals as a attorney are to advocate for agriculture and this region of Virginia, and to have an impact on policy that represents agriculture positively!

Where do tales of haunted forests in the days of Mid Evil Knights come from? I may have solved that riddle on my own farm. I'll talk about that and some actual farming on today's Farm Update Episode!

Izzy Mikkelsen is the owner of Turbo's Treats Bakery in Gettysburg, South Dakota. She is also a 9th Grader and in just her first year of the FFA. During the lockdowns during Covid, Izzy's mom encouraged her to start baking to pass the time. Something about that was a natural fit for Izzy, and she really took to it. About a year and a half later she had progressed to the point that she started selling the baked goods that she makes, and she hasn't looked back. Today, primarily through word of mouth, she bakes for events and does specialized cakes for people like the one you see on the post here today. The pinnacle so far has to be the 100 year anniversary of the founding of Gettysburg when she had a booth selling cupcakes. She baked 1,000 cupcakes for the event, and she sold them all. In 2 hours! That is 500 cupcakes per hour. Or, put another way, she sold more than 8 cupcakes per minute!

Tip Of The Week "We're Going To Need A Bigger Tractor" Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.nwestiowa.com/news/information-sought-on-cattle-gate-thefts/article_0d425d46-ec85-11ee-843e-c77398c33577.html https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/03/07/thieves-make-off-with-large-water-tanker-truck-another-ranch-burglary/ https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2024-03-01/farmers-advocate-for-legislative-action-on-agricultural-crimes# Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/news/staffordshire/news/2024/march/we-are-appealing-for-information-after-a-dead-sheep-was-found-by-a-dog-walker-in-horton/ https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/crime/operation-recall-uk-police-and-charities-join-forces-to-launch-operation-to-tackle-livestock-attacks-4573330 https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/24214969.two-tiny-lambs-stolen-small-family-farm-bridport/ Africa https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=52207 https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/farm-guard-arrested-for-allegedly-shooting-woman-and-killing-her-male-friend-in-hail-of-bullets-ac89e6ee-a42b-4802-93ec-2db46a75847f Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/ada-man-charged-with-cattle-theft/article_16cd4c22-ead7-11ee-914a-1f4afbbc263e.html https://abc13.com/police-chase-with-stolen-tractor-man-pulling-trailer-leads-high-speed-gulf-freeway-activity-webster-pursuit/14577097/ https://www.ksn.com/news/dont-miss-this/watch-police-and-front-end-loader-chase-stolen-tractor/

Richard Fultz is the Land Survey Supervisor with the Modesto Irrigation District in Modesto, California. I bumped into Richard while I was in Modesto in February and learned of his position. He suggested doing an interview about his profession for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons was how much he gets to work in agriculture through this career. Also, because there are a shortage of land surveyors, he believes this can be a very lucrative career for an agriculture student. In today's episode we talk about what it takes to become a land surveyor, who seems to fit the best in the career and what you get to do. Richard also talks about his pathway to doing this, and some internship opportunities to help students determine whether or not this is the correct fit for them. It is my sincere hope that this helps a student find the pathway in agriculture that they are looking for.

Today's episode is a bit different than any normal, Off-Farm Income episode. Today I am speaking with Kathleen Dowling. Kathleen and I have a lot in common. We both grew up in California, we both started our collegiate education at a community college, we both had a dream of moving to Montana, we both became Montana state residents and we both got ag degrees from Montana State University. Recently I saw a post on the Facebook Group, My Job Depends On Ag, that Kathleen had put up. She expressed a bit of frustration with finding a career in agriculture and was asking for recommendations from other people. I reached out to her and offered to provide some career coaching if we could release the conversation as a podcast. She agreed to that, and today's episode is that conversation.

Joleigh Nailor is the president of her FFA chapter and a very prolific livestock exhibitor. Growing up with a father who is a full-time dairyman, Joleigh has been engrossed in the dairy industry. When she is not milking dairy cattle, she is showing them. Between the Holsteins she owns, as well as a string of Shorthorn cattle and even Jerseys, she has the ability to participate in the show arena in many different ways. Also, she is very active showing pigs and market steers. She just can't get enough. There was something very telling about Joleigh's personality when I asked her about the return on investment from traveling up and down the East Coast to different livestock shows, fairs and jackpots. One the most important things she named was the friendships she made being out there, showing livestock with others. She also noted having the opportunity to be a part of younger exhibitor's journey as they develop their skills.

I have recently taken up the hobby of speaking on a GMRS Radio and using repeaters to connect with people outside the range of my handset. On today's episode I want to expose you to the fun and the practical side of this activity. Links Discussed On The Show: My GMRS: https://mygmrs.com/ FCC Licensing: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs Notarubicon YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNotaRubicon Treasure Valley Linked GMS Repeater Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/889860782756239 GMRS Live: https://www.gmrslive.com/

Abbie Chase is a junior at McCook Central High School and is serving as the chapter's Vice-President of Building Community. Abbie is also a very determined bee keeper, which you will figure out when you hear her story, and she is growing the number of hives she keeps as quickly as she can. This was a very interesting interview for me because it incorporated a story of a severe weather phenomena that I have never experienced. Abbie did experience this, and it really changed her outlook on the service component of being in the FFA. It also impacted her personally because of the impact that it had on her bee hives at the time when it occurred. So, in today's episode not only is there a great story of an outstanding FFA student, but there is a great weather story that leads right into perseverance in agriculture!

Tip Of The Week Find reputable legal training before you protect life or property with a gun Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.kcci.com/article/gun-theft-burglary-ames-iowa-theisens-brazen-smash-and-grab/60191829 https://www.kfvs12.com/2024/03/13/authorities-searching-theft-suspect-western-kentucky/ https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/calaveras-county-man-arrested-for-shooting-shotgun-toward-atv-rider-on-property/103-a1083e9c-5f26-4e42-a201-76243ba90fac https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/18/us/woman-shot-wrong-driveway-upstate-new-york/index.html https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-rules-white-man-will-stand-trial-for-shooting-black-teen-ralph-yarl-who-went-to-wrong-house https://www.wtva.com/news/local/kids-accused-of-stealing-horses-in-clay-county/article_b43fedc2-e08f-11ee-8d4c-973a3c9e60d0.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/farming/2024/03/14/farmer-speaks-out-after-scores-of-lambs-butchered-in-field/ https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/rural/rural-crime/stop-me-stickers-given-to-farmers-to-protect-machinery-and-vehicles-against-thieves/ Africa https://www.citizen.co.za/southlands-sun/lnn/article/two-men-arrested-allegedly-stealing-213-sheep/?amp https://dy365.in/assam/assam-two-cows-stolen-from-cattle-shed-in-khetri-13875 https://www.citizen.digital/news/family-of-two-killed-over-chicken-theft-claims-wants-perpetrators-charged-n338288 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.agdaily.com/news/s-c-man-surrenders-in-suspected-120k-feed-corn-theft/ https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/buxton-man-sentenced-crop-insurance-violation-ending-series-four-cases-involving-potato

Lukas Hitchcock is 19 years old, has a passion for farming and has little to no farming background.....and he has a vision. When Lukas was about seven years old he had some limited exposure to farming on one of his cousin's operations in Iowa. He can remember that moment, and he cites it as the moment that he fell in love with farming. However, life circumstances for Lukas were not conducive to him growing up learning about farming or working on a farm. In fact, based on some bad choices of his parents, his attention had to be diverted away from higher level things like learning about farming to just day to day success. Ultimately, Lukas was thrust in adulthood and independence earlier than most of us, at age sixteen. As soon as this occurred he started working as a farmhand wherever he could, just to be part of the lifestyle and to learn. He continues these efforts today, three years later. Lukas has a vision of having his own farm at some point in the future, and like so many of us, young and old, he has no idea how to make that happen given the large financial obstacles that stand in his way. Lukas is doing what everyone in his position does. He is seeking, researching and looking for information wherever he can find it. That led him to reach out to me for advice. Instead of having a private telephone conversation about ideas, we decided to record the conversation and publish it as a podcast episode if we both agreed. At the end, neither of us said anything that we wanted kept confidential, and we decided go ahead with publishing it in the hopes it might help somebody else.

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are looking at the concept of farm transition again. It has been several years since I have done this, but it is a topic that we should keep front of mind because it is a valid way to begin farming or ranching. Back in 2017 I interviewed a young man who was a National Proficiency Finalist and a sophomore in college. He was raising his own cattle and working for a neighbor on his ranch, and that neighbor was ready to retire. The neighbor did not have a family member who wanted to farm the ground, and he was transitioning the operation to my guest, Stetson Dittmar. On today's show we will revisit that conversation.

Our guest today is an inspiration to people everywhere who have said "how do I get the land that I need to farm?". Tyler Worthey is showing everyone what can be done from your own back yard and kitchen. Tyler is the Chapter Reporter at Neoga FFA in Illinois. He was recruited by his FFA Advisor back in the 8th grade after being enrolled in an introduction to agriculture class, and he has not looked back. That year he started making hot sauces in his kitchen at home just for fun, and he would share them with friends at school. It wasn't long until people were requesting certain sauces and were even willing to pay for them. Worthey Peppers was born. Today, Tyler is growing his own supply of peppers in the back yard of his parents house in a neighborhood of Neoga. He is taking those peppers and turning them into a variety of hot sauces, jams and jellies in the kitchen of his house. And, he is fully licensed and certified through the State Of Illinois as a "cottage food producer". He then markets those products at fairs, festivals and farmer's markets. He is killing it, and has really got a great brand created and a great product to sell!

Today's episode was inspired by a Tuesday show I did back in 2019, #662. I will be discussing getting yourself to a conference this year as a matter of pivotal importance to the growth and sustainability of your business and/or farm enterprise.

Ava Belanger is just finishing up her sophomore year of high school, but is well ahead of the pace when it comes to her knowledge of horticulture. She and a partner are currently growing floating flowers in a kiddie pool at her school, and they have already rescued them from deterioration and death once only to see them come back flourish. This all began when Ava decided she wanted to be a neurologist at the end of her 8th Grade year. In Massachusetts some students can attend high schools dedicated to one main area of study. At Norfolk County that is agriculture. Ava saw this and thought that it might help her in the scientific pursuit that she had identified. So, she enrolled at Norfolk. However, she later determined that was not the direction she wanted to pursue and developed an interest in plants. Today, Ava is serving as a Junior Officer in the Secretary position. She hopes to advance to an upper level officer position next year and keep pursuing her interest in plants.

For Information Like Degrees Offered, Annual Costs, Etc., Please Click The Banner Below: The Agricultural College Episode is designed to profile agricultural trade schools, junior colleges, colleges and universities around the U.S. This episode is an effort to replicate the conversation that prospective students, parents and ag teachers might have with agricultural schools at trade show like the National FFA Convention. I have more students from around the country tell me that they are going out of state, to Oklahoma State University, to study agriculture than to any other university. On today's show I finally get to find out why this is! OSU has something going on, and it is working. The lineup of guests we have today do a great job of demonstrating what there is to love in Stillwater, and today will get to profile the Ferguson College Of Agriculture.

Tip Of The Week Don't pay for anything you don't have in your possession without safety measures in place Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wlbt.com/2024/03/08/hay-horse-scams-sweeping-internet-ms-ag-theft-bureau-says-be-cautious/ https://www.klfy.com/local/st-landry-parish/officials-ask-for-publics-help-in-locating-missing-livestock/ https://ktemnews.com/ixp/341/p/red-paint-tree-meaning/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/24185243.gps-dome-stolen-tractor-west-dorset/ https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/rural/rural-crime/shropshire-farmers-warned-following-rise-in-diesel-thefts/ Africa https://www.chronicle.co.zw/byo-police-recover-19-head-of-stolen-cattle/ https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-03-13-state-opens-more-security-camps-in-baringo-to-tame-banditry/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.wdsu.com/article/community-rallies-around-slidell-women-who-discover-therapy-goats-dead-or-stolen/60192109 https://www.thedailystar.com/news/davenport-man-sentenced-for-insurance-fraud/article_76ed8290-e16b-11ee-beb7-eb6bd39a765d.html

John Price is 26 years old and has been running his own farm for 1/2 of his life. Today, he runs Archlynn Farm with his wife, mother and step-father in Charlotte Courthouse, Virginia. There they raise over 50 acres of produce for direct sales to customers and sales in grocery stores. When John was in elementary school he, his sister and his two brothers were all in the 4H, and John never liked it! He exited the 4H as soon as he was able and really was not enthusiastic about agriculture. However, when he was around 13 years old his family planted a 1/2 acre garden, and he worked with the rest of the family on the plot. At some point, friends and family started asking to purchase produce from them, and this led to the development of a CSA. Something clicked for John at this point, and he has been loving farming ever since. That was 13 years ago, and the time since then has spanned half of John's life. Today, his siblings have moved onto to other pursuits, but he is farming with his folks and his wife. They are now growing produce on 50 acres of land and selling to multiple outlets. There was a pivotal moment in the development of the farm that led to a question - "do we scale back so the four of us can run this, or do he hire help so we can grow?". The choice was to grow, and to develop a business that would sustain the four of them as full-time farmers. This decision led to the problem of finding reliable labor on the farm. Ultimately they chose to participate in the H2A Program and hire labor from Mexico during the growing season. John and I spend the final 15 minutes of the interview discussing how this works and the decision process.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am profiling a farmer from South Virginia with an impressive vegetable farm. This made me think about the interview I did with the owners of Diemand Farm back in 2019 and how many different enterprises and value added products they had to keep going. I thought this was a great tie in for tomorrow's ag business episode, and I am eager to play it for you again.

Quinton Berg has a passion for livestock judging, and he has carried that forward through his time in the FFA. He has been judging livestock since he was in the 4H, and he travels to competitions all over the Mid-West to pursue this skill set. Last year, he decided to share it with others the way it had been shared with him. So, he set up a free livestock judging clinic to teach younger 4H members how they can participate. Through his efforts, Quinton received donations of money, door prizes and livestock to be judged. He also had a lot of help putting on the event, and he acknowledges those who assisted him in the interview today. There is no doubt that his passion for this type of competition shines through wherever he goes. At a competition at the Fort Scott Community College in Kansas last year the college's judging coach saw something in Quinton and offered him a scholarship to come be on the team. And you guessed it, Quinton will be judging livestock for Fort Scott starting in the Fall of 2024!

Today is a regular farm update for you. On the agenda is: March snows Building a heated room in my shop Taking up wood carving HenGear Nest Boxes

Ashlynn Lamp is her FFA Chapter's Reporter, she raises chickens and goats at her home and she is passionate about horticulture. So much so, that her FFA Advisor knew she would be a great guest on the show. In today's episode featuring Ashlynn we will talk about her journey into food production, and therefore into the FFA. We will also talk sports, horticulture, becoming an FFA officer and where she plans to take this great experience in the future.

For Information Like Degrees Offered, Annual Costs, Etc., Please Click The Banner Below: The Agricultural College Episode is designed to profile agricultural trade schools, junior colleges, colleges and universities around the U.S. This episode is an effort to replicate the conversation that prospective students, parents and ag teachers might have with agricultural schools at trade show like the National FFA Convention. [caption id="attachment_421797" align="alignleft" width="121"] Tyeson Gravenhof - Student Ambassador[/caption] Northeast Oklahoma A&M is a community college very near the Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri borders with Oklahoma. Students from throughout the U.S. come here to be on the livestock judging team, and many careers in agriculture are launched here with transfers to four year institutions in Oklahoma and surrounding states. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Don't give up on stolen horses Rural Crime In The U.S. https://theprowersjournal.com/2024/03/livestock-theft-meeting-to-be-held-march-14-in-springfield/ https://www.ivpressonline.com/news/county-approves-funds-to-address-farm-theft-vandalism/article_61b9fa66-db35-11ee-9ce9-9f511f474061.html https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/livestock-theft-in-georgetown-county-10-chickens-2-ducks-missing Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/rural/rural-crime/hundreds-of-sheep-stolen-as-livestock-rustlers-target-uk-farms/ https://www.miragenews.com/nsw-police-hunt-for-leads-in-mid-north-coast-1188449/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-07/nobby-night-watchman-keeps-close-eye-on-cattle-high-country-sale/103546204 Africa https://www.withinnigeria.com/news/2024/03/07/deadly-attack-claims-lives-of-herder-and-livestock-in-plateau-state/ https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=51799 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.ksbw.com/article/chp-recovers-two-tractors-stolen-in-santa-cruz-california/60115164 https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/03/06/indian-river-timber-harvester-jailed-45-days-for-embezzlement-from-landowners https://www.kpua.net/2024/03/07/hpd-receives-donation-of-certified-agricultural-produce-scales-to-combat-theft/ https://fox40jackson.com/local-news/mississippi-authorities-recover-stolen-racehorse-in-kentucky/

Avery Shoffner has her own flock of sheep, is a senior in high school, lives on her family's Century Farm and makes a great income over the summer showing the sheep that she raises. Avery has been involved in raising and showing sheep, largely influenced by her grandfather, since she was very young. Today, she manages her own flock, exchanges labor on her grandfather's farm for feed and pasture and is at a show every weekend of the summer. She has become hyper-focused on this supervised agricultural experience, stepping away from school sports and the FFA officer team for dual reasons. First, is her devotion to this project and showmanship, which takes priority over everything else. Second is the wisdom and integrity of knowing that she wasn't giving what she believed to be necessary attention to those other things when there was somebody waiting in the wings who would. Avery loves her family, her farm and her sheep. She also has a heart for service. So, after graduation she is starting her collegiate career at a nearby community college. This will allow her continue living at home, save money and work on the farm. She will be pursuing a career as an elementary school teacher. She knows she wants to help people and to make a difference, and that is where she believes she can do it best!

On tomorrow's episode I am interviewing a young lady who raises sheep. Also, this is the time of year that students are going to be pursuing the chance of a lifetime to be State FFA Officers. So, I thought for today's re-cap this interview with Renee Stillwell from back in 2016 was perfect. Not only was she raising sheep, but I titled this episode "How To Become A State Officer".

Greyson Applebee is his chapter and section's secretary in just his junior year of high school, and this follows a history of not wanting to join the FFA. Greyson has twin, older brothers, and they were both in the FFA and both officers. And, his father believes that it is important to have a background in farming and agriculture. So, when it was time to start high school the only person that didn't want Greyson to join the FFA was Greyson. However, his father registered him for the introduction to agriculture class, and things took off from there. Greyson said that once his FFA Advisor had the opportunity to start exposing him to activities he got hooked. Greyson's ascension into fish farming was just as quick. He was able to go to the National FFA Convention his 9th Grade year, and on that trip the chapter did a number of tours. One of those was a facility where fish were being raised. Greyson was fascinated, and by the spring of his 9th grade year, he and a friend, had rounded up the necessary equipment and were raising fish. Greyson is continuing to grow his supervised agricultural experience and has identified a career area that he is interested in for the future. Sales for John Deere is the dream job that he named when I asked him. Based on the track record he already has, I suspect that he is going to accomplish this goal also!

A while back I spoke with you about setting your New Year's Resolutions later in the year, rather than on January 1st. There was a good rationale for that, and I am find that to be proven true. On today's show I'll share with you what my two resolutions for 2024 are.

Lilly Cappitte is her chapter's president, a business owner and a gregarious agriculturist, but it wasn't always this way. Growing up in her blended household, Lilly did not have anyone expressing any agricultural influence on her. Nobody in the family worked in agriculture or was trying to move back to a farm or anything like that. When Lilly was in her second semester of her sophomore year of high school she took a veterinary science course because she was interested in animals. This was taught by one of the FFA advisors, and it automatically enrolled her in the chapter. One day, her teacher approached her and asked her if she would be willing to be on a plant science team to help out. They were one person short, and without a full team they could not compete. Lilly said yes, went to the competition and ended up doing very well on the individual level. Since that competition, Lilly has caught fire in the FFA and has served as an officer twice. She has also started her own flower business, selling flowers at the farmer's market as well as to friends and classmates for dances. She also took a job on a farm helping to teach children about agriculture. She is planning on getting a degree in agriculture, and she is totally in on agriculture!

For Information Like Degrees Offered, Annual Costs, Etc., Please Click The Banner Below: The Agricultural College Episode is designed to profile agricultural trade schools, junior colleges, colleges and universities around the U.S. This episode is an effort to replicate the conversation that prospective students, parents and ag teachers might have with agricultural schools at trade show like the National FFA Convention. The Pennsylvania College Of Technology is a niched agricultural college with specialties in forestry, horticulture and diesel technology. Offering associates, bachelors and master's degrees, upwards of 90% of the forestry students study for an associates degree and then get to work. The hands on learning is impressive with 3 hours of lab work, in the forest, for every one hour of classroom instruction. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week How can you help with threat assessment? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://salinapost.com/posts/d8120ba2-e53e-4785-b9ad-5deb4f882340 https://www.greenriverstar.com/story/2024/02/29/news/recent-sentencing-from-the-us-attorneys-office-district-of-wyoming/11404.html https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/miniature-horse-shot-killed-maple-valley/P2ZSZDBNGFFKLDCREBSO56ZYJE/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/n-s-rcmp-charge-four-following-alleged-copper-theft-1.6788080 https://www.iheartradio.ca/virginradio/winnipeg/news-trending/it-s-frightening-rural-manitoba-residents-take-action-to-curb-crime-1.21933772 https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2024-03-01/merriwa-farmer-reward-black-angus-cattle-rustlers-police/103532808 Africa https://www.chronicle.co.zw/6-arrests-58-stolen-cattle-recovered/ https://gna.org.gh/2024/02/man-convicted-over-water-meter-theft/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://hpj.com/2024/02/29/south-dakota-bans-home-equity-theft/ https://ktla.com/news/local-news/farm-watch-used-to-bust-agricultural-theft-crew-in-southern-california/

Nate Crumbley is a chapter sentinel and is just finishing up his junior year of high school. He has wanted to farm and be part of agriculture ever since he can remember first riding around on a tractor with his grandfather. This is what first led him to try raising rabbits. During the year of Covid lockdowns and online school, he had very little to do and lived with his grandparents on their farm. So, he began raising rabbits as an enterprise of his own. When school started again the following year, he moved back to his parent's home where he would attend school in person. Taking care of the rabbits became more of a challenge considering the travel required and the level of attention required. As a result, the enterprise failed. Nate was not done, but he knew that he needed to try something different than rabbits. Through a series of examples, contemplations and research Nate and his grandfather decided to have Nate try raising Dorper Sheep. This is where Nate found his niche and his passion. Today he is the owner of Cartwright Dorpers and is operating both a purebred and commercial sheep enterprise.

Today's episode is significant to me for a couple of reasons. First, what Dan Frank is doing epitomizes what this show is all about. He is a small, owner/operator of a business that allowed him to "make it in farm country". Dan values the lifestyle that living rural and farming brings, and this drives him to find a way to make a living "out there". Dan chose entrepreneurship to be the main way of creating his income in an area where jobs normally are scarce. He sees our current economy for what it is - a moment in time that will allow you to get ahead. Right now, Dan can get all of the side jobs he wants working for other people because unemployment is so low that farmers cannot find labor, let alone quality labor. However, Dan realizes that this is not going to last forever. So, instead of sitting back and enjoying the fact that he can work as much as he wants for other people and make good money right now, he is building his own business on the side for when the economy slows and jobs are less plentiful and competition for those jobs is higher. Dan has been bootstrapping his silage hauling business, Frankie's Feed Movers. He started out by purchasing an old truck and using an old box on the truck to get started. He is now creating enough revenue that he is going to be able to upgrade equipment and expand the services he can offer.

Jace Taylor is the Chapter Reporter for his FFA Chapter and a sophomore in high school. He is also the owner of "Goat Tuff Solutions", a company that he purchased from his father in which he manufactures panels, gates, feeders and more for goat production. Jace has some big goals in the FFA. Currently he competing at the state level in Oklahoma in the chapter reporter position. He is striving to win a state award for his work in that position. He is also growing his business and manufacturing more equipment for people who see his work and recognize the quality. Jace was preceded by his sister in the FFA, and she demonstrated to him what could be accomplished all while really enjoying yourself. Jace is exhibiting wisdom right now. He has goals of possibly growing his business after high school, but he doesn't want to grow it too fas

Hello everyone. Today is our 2,000th episode! I never thought this possible, yet here we are! I have you to thank for this, and that is what I do in this episode. Please join in to learn just how much you have impacted, not just my life, but the lives of my entire family.

Clayton Jennings is currently serving as a 2nd Vice-President in his FFA Chapter as well as playing two sports. He and his sister work together on their families farm and raise pigs, with a total of three enterprises devoted to selling show pigs, showing their own pigs and selling pork. The pork enterprise, called C&C Premium Pork, belongs to Clayton alone while his sister sells show supplies as a distributor for Sullivan Supply as her own enterprise. Clayton and his family moved about three hours from their previous home approximately a decade ago so that they could live this lifestyle. Clayton's parents had grown up around livestock, and they found themselves living in the city of Columbia, Missouri as the kids were growing up. However, the ability to work remotely changed the opportunities that they had, and they ended up moving about three hours away to a piece of property that was conducive to starting a pig breeding operation. From there, Clayton and his sister got to work and have been developing these enterprises ever since. Clayton has a strong interest outside of agriculture, and that is sports. In addition to playing basketball and baseball in high school he is very interested in statistics, and is hoping to have a career in sports media. You might wonder how the two things will relate. When I asked Clayton about his vision of how his career in sports media would look, it involved three distinct ways of reporting on sports. I found this to be very similar to the three enterprises of the pig business that he finds himself involved in now.

For Information Like Degrees Offered, Annual Costs, Etc., Please Click The Banner Below: The Agricultural College Episode is designed to profile agricultural trade schools, junior colleges, colleges and universities around the U.S. This episode is an effort to replicate the conversation that prospective students, parents and ag teachers might have with agricultural schools at trade show like the National FFA Convention. Midway University is a niched agricultural college, specializing in every aspect of the Equine Industry. Located in the heart of horse country and surrounded by the most elite horse farms in Kentucky and the U.S., Midway offers students with a passion for horses opportunities for real world learning in unprecedented environments. With an aim to be among the most inexpensive universities in Kentucky, Midway is launching incredible careers working with horses. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Would you consider a GPS collar for your horses? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.kcbd.com/2024/02/14/thieves-steal-86000-worth-property-including-horses-cement-mixer-lynn-co/ https://www.mymix1041.com/mcminn-county-sheriffs-office-looking-for-stolen-trailer-tools/ https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animals/police-investigate-horse-rustlers-who-slaughtered-three-horses-for-meat/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/rural/rural-crime/45-sheep-killed-by-dogs-in-devon/ https://www.producer.com/news/man-producers-want-dedicated-livestock-police/ https://www.brecon-radnor.co.uk/news/999/police-probe-theft-of-more-than-70-ewes-from-breconshire-farm-667464 Africa https://sparkchronicles.com/millions-of-donkeys-are-stolen-every-year-and-slaughtered-for-use-in-traditional-medicine-2/ https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/two-murder-suspects-arrested-over-brutal-killing-of-cattle-thieves-burnt-beyond-recognition-5896cb01-2005-42af-a9b4-1462c9a412ca Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://localnews8.com/news/crime-tracker/2024/02/22/man-arrested-for-using-tractor-to-damage-property-farm-equipment/ https://www.keranews.org/news/2024-02-20/texas-gives-125-million-to-rural-sheriffs-and-prosecutors-for-pay-increases

Rachelle Meyer is 30 years old, the mother of 7 and a successful regenerative farmer from Southeastern Minnesota. She and her husband, Jordan, have been together since high school, and they have been farming together since they got married. Jordan grew up on his families farm/dairy, and Rachelle grew up outside of agriculture. However, her mother had farm ground that she had put in to CRP. Jordan and Rachelle struggled to find a viable business model for years until 2018 when they started practicing regenerative farming. Since that time they have had opportunities develop and productivity increase. And, they have had input costs go down. Today, they have multiple streams of revenue from their farms and the farms they lease. They are direct marketing what they produce, and they are inspired about the lifestyle they have chosen. Rachelle also works as a "business and mindset coach" helping people to frame their mindsets about farming in such a manner that leads to success. They are growing their family and growing their farm into the future, together, and today we get to share a bit of this with you.

On tomorrow's ag business episode I am featuring an inspiring entrepreneur who has built a farming enterprise with her husband through regenerative farming practices. This made me think back to this interview I did with Wil Crombie in 2011, and I realized that it was the perfect tie in to tomorrow's show.

Cash Lehrman is the Chapter President of the Bridgewater-Emery FFA in Emery, South Dakota. He is also a cattle rancher on his family's first generation operation, and he has his own business clipping cattle for other ranchers in preparation for their performance sales. Cash ranches with his family in Eastern South Dakota, and has been doing so all of his life. By now, he is well aware of the challenges that come with raising livestock in South Dakota, especially in the Springtime, when they seem to get some late winter storms and lots of precipitation. His long term, future plans, are to ranch cattle on his families property and continue to grow this business. Cash's short term plans really caught my ear as we spoke. After he graduates this year, he will be heading to Oklahoma State University to get his degree in animal science. The natural follow up question is "why Oklahoma State" when you are from South Dakota? I thought his answer really demonstrated just how much he loves working with cattle. Cash's answer was all about nutrition. He knows from the reading and research he has done due to his own curiosity that the methods of grazing and feeding cattle in the lower plains is different than that of South Dakota. He wants to learn how and why ranchers in the Southern Plains graze on winter wheat and then can follow up with a wheat harvest of what was just a forage crop. It is Cash's natural curiosity about raising cattle and his desire to know more that will take him to Oklahoma, and then who knows where else before he finds himself back on his families ranch.