Off-Farm Income

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode Kyle Stockdale is coming back on the show with an update on his business as well as his development as an entrepreneur. I am very proud of what he is doing and excited to share tomorrow's interview with you. Kyle first appeared on Off-Farm Income in 2021, and so for today's re-cap episode I am replaying that original interview to give you the before and after picture. You are going to be impressed!

Ava Genter is a swine producer, a Star Greenhand winner and a Star Record Keeper in her FFA Chapter. Even at age 15 it feels like Ava has been waiting her whole life to be a member of the FFA. Creating even more anticipation is the fact that in Pettisville, Ohio every grade is in the same building for the entire 13 years of public education, but FFA does not begin until the 9th Grade. Ava showed her first pig, on her own, when she was 2 years old. So, ever since Kindergarten she has been in the same building with those blue jackets and wanting to wear one. Finally, this year, it happened for her. And she is not waisting anytime getting used to the organization either. She applied to go the National Convention her freshman year, and she was able to go. She won a number of awards at her chapter's banquet in March and she has her sights set on being an officer. As you can tell from the title of this episode, there was a resonating point that stood out in the interview. I hear it all the time from FFA students, and I always want to highlight this. 99% of the FFA students that I interview who are farming or raising livestock for their SAE are paying money for feed, facilities, inputs and equipment to a relative who wants, more than anything, to see them succeed. If that is the case, why do they have them pay? The reason is that agricultural people are wise and pragmatic, and they know that awards and record books are short term awards, but true success is learning how the real world works and getting the experiences that will lead to long term success. This is true in Ava's case, and I wanted to highlight it in the title of this episode.

I thought I had dealt with the coyote issue near our farm and the threat was ended, but this morning I received a rude awakening. I found four dead goat kids, clearly killed by coyotes with only one being consumed. The rest, killed for sport or to train pups how to hunt. One is missing and was probably hauled off. That is basically all I am talking about in today's farm update. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

JD Thompson is in his first year of the FFA, and he is one of the most long term and forward thinking students that I have interviewed. Through research and exploration, JD discovered the business of raising deer for sale to high fenced hunting ranches. Once he discovered this he ramped up his research and found a ranch in South Dakota that was raising deer for this purpose. He reached out to the owner, asked him several questions and is soon going there for a tour. JD is hoping to work for him for a couple of weeks this summer to get a closer look at how the operation works. JD has a very long timeline on this project. He will be developing his facilities over the next couple of years and saving his money in order to purchase his first deer. He is hoping to purchase his first deer by his senior year, and if things go better than expected by the end of his junior year. By that time, JD hopes to have visited some ranches in Texas and started networking with owners there that host hunters. JD is showing a lot of wisdom in planning out a long timeline. This will give him the opportunity to learn and study and get experience. It will also prevent him from rushing in financially to a potentially volatile business and harming himself financially.

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 Ohio State University is the largest university that I have profiled to date on this episode. Today, Dr. Tracy Kitchel joins me to discuss the College Of Food, Ag and Environmental Sciences. Being an agriculture student at The Ohio State University in Columbus definitely sounds like it has its advantages over the other colleges, almost like a refuge from the mass of over 67,000 students at that campus. We will also discuss the opportunities at the Wooster Campus and the way that both locations integrate together for an agricultural education. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Big events = opportunities for thieves Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.atholdailynews.com/Murdock-Farm-seeks-public-s-help-following-theft-51676335 https://www.djournal.com/new-albany/tractor-hauler-trailer-stolen/article_d2b1a942-20f2-11ee-bde5-07efb5060046.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://sunburymacedonranges.starweekly.com.au/news/voicing-for-farm-crime/ https://www.farmersguardian.com/news/4120405/farmers-warned-check-farm-security-royal-welsh-show https://lacombeonline.com/articles/stolen-cattle-investigation-continues-for-alberta-rcmp Africa https://www.namibian.com.na/sampofu-calls-for-more-ear-tags-to-curb-stock-theft/ https://newcastillian.com/2023/07/17/saps-task-team-recovers-livestock-worth-over-r270k-in-nine-days/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://fox40.com/news/local-news/san-joaquin-county/sheriffs-office-puts-an-end-to-san-joaquin-hay-heist/ https://www.news10.com/news/crime/man-charged-with-robbery-at-halfmoon-farm/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

It is said all the time that you should start farming, right where you are at, in whatever way that you can. If you are in an apartment, grow some tomatoes in pots on your deck. If you live in a neighborhood, raise some chickens and enjoy the eggs. Don't wait to have 1,000 acres, start right now! I believe in this adage, but I also understand the comparison that people might make to production agriculturists when they are doing something on such a small scale. That is a reason that I am so eager to introduce you to this episode's guests. Joanna and Brian Guza both grew up on production agriculture farms and have that as their background. However, as a young couple growing their family they did not have the land to farm on a production agriculture scale. They did not let that stop them. They purchased their home on 2 acres, found a niche crop to grow and began farming and selling direct to consumer. And, when this episode is released they will be in the middle of harvesting over 300 lbs of garlic that they will sell out of, almost immediately. It's all about the farming folks, no matter what your situation is. If you love it, do it. Just take it from Brian and Joanna and their delicious garlic. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Emily Thimmes was a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast back in 2016. Being a student at Miami East High School, under the tutilage of Marie Carity, she was encouraged to pursue an interesting entrepeneurship SAE, and she did! Emily was making quite a name for herself growing and selling herbs when I interviewed her. On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode, I am profiling a married couple that comes from production agriculture and has now created a niche growing and selling garlic on a small episode. From one herb to another, I thought this was a great tie in to tomorrow's show.

Lacie Weber is in her first year as an official high school student but her third year in the Rutland FFA Chapter. Rutland is a very, very small town and all students attend school in the same building together. So, as a 9th grader Lacie has already served in two chapter officer position. And, she is coaching younger FFA members as well as 4H members in everything that she has been exposed to between both groups. Lacie is very interested in shooting sports and excels in shooting a bow and arrow. During the interview I jokingly asked her if she had ever shot a bullseye and then split the arrow in two by shooting another bullseye right after it. Her answer was "yes"! It is early for Lacie to know what the future looks like once high school is done. However, she and I both seem to think she will wind up serving others and teaching or coaching in some capacity.

Hi everyone. As I promised myself last winter, I am not taking one day of summer for granted this year. That does not mean that it is not full of challenges on the farm such as slow pasture growth, parasites in the goats and pink eye in the cattle. On today's farm update we will talk about it all. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Sophia Sisil is a natural born entrepreneur and the owner of Sophia's Succulents, selling plants and arrangements in farmers markets around the Madera, California area. Sophia is also just getting ready to begin her 10th grad year of high school, but her 4th year of FFA. Starting in middle school, Sophia joined the FFA kind of because that was the thing to do in her family. However, by the end of her 8th grade year she was hooked and knew that she would wear the blue jacket for as long as she was able. In today's interview Sophia talks about her succulent business and how she got started. Something stood out to me as she told the story. She said that she was at a Home Depot with a friend, and she saw pieces of a succulent plant on the floor, waiting to be swept up and thrown in the trash. However, her curiosity was piqued, and she took the pieces home and tried to propagate her own plants with the pieces. When she told me that part, I knew that something was different. As I inquired further, Sophia told me that she had been trying to start businesses since about 6th Grade. She said that she has even tried selling her own clothes. She also said at one point she was drawing pictures and selling them on Instagram. She did this, even when her parents told her they didn't think it would work. That is a natural born entrepreneur!

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. On today's episode I am joined by Dr. Aslihan Spaulding, a professor of Agribusiness and Food Industry Management as well as Cori Malone, and instructor and academic advisor - both from Illinois State University. This is my first exposure to this agricultural college, and I have to say that I am impressed. Illinois State University offers a performance based, non-resident tuition waiver, to students has a large college farm and a small agricultural college housed within a good sized university. This position agriculture students for unique opportunities and exposure while having class sizes in the single digits! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Don't rely on others to follow through when it comes to rural crime Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/fulton-county-flying-change-equine-therapy-horse-trailer-stolen https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/deputies-are-asking-for-help-to-find-owner-of-stolen-tractor/502-eb22abb9-95aa-4751-97cf-f7629c83e3ef https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/644122520/shaftsbury-barracks-theft-of-tractor Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farminguk.com/news/uk-wide-crackdown-on-tractor-gps-thefts-to-commence-as-crime-rises_62955.html https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/alberta-rcmp-seek-suspect-in-rural-home-arson-in-strathcona-county https://www.farmersjournal.ie/gardai-warn-farmers-following-monaghan-theft-spree-774131 Africa https://www.dfa.co.za/news/de-aar-stock-theft-cops-nab-wanted-suspect-in-eastern-cape-1405c21b-426c-4bfc-b1b2-b8a20e7e5a58/ https://leadership.ng/police-arrest-4-for-cattle-rustling-kidnapping-in-adamawa/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://vicksburgnews.com/mississippi-department-of-agriculture-and-commerce-recovers-stolen-farm-equipment-valued-at-over-198000/ https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/deputies-are-asking-for-help-to-find-owner-of-stolen-tractor/502-eb22abb9-95aa-4751-97cf-f7629c83e3ef More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Forrest Durham was first a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast back in 2015 when he was an FFA student and running a roasted corn business. As a high school student Forrest was attending an average of 14 fairs or festivals per year for a total of 28 days. He was selling around 500 ears of corn per day at an average profit of $2 per ear. That's around $30,000 in profit. Not bad for a high school student working 28 days per year, right? The roasted corn business was inspired by his father, who sold fudge and ice cream out of a mobile car and later a brick and mortar location. When Forrest finished high school he went to the University Of Kentucky and got a degree in agriculture, but then he was right back at it, taking over his father's business "The Sweet Shoppe". Forrest is currently expanding "The Sweet Shoppe". They do mail orders and are starting to distribute fudge to local grocery stores. He is also building his cattle herd and has plans for a direct to consumer beef business. And, he already has a brick and mortar store front and large scale social media following for The Sweet Shoppe. So, selling cuts of meat produced on his very own farm is just a step away.

Forrest Durham is one of the most memorable FFA entrepreneurs that I ever profiled on this show. In just 12-16 weekends per year, during high school, he was making an very impressive income selling roasted corn at fairs and festivals. Forrest has continued his entrepreneurial ways and now taken over his father's fudge business and his running both a mobile stand, brick and mortar location and mail order business. I am having Forrest back on the show tomorrow to catch up with him and profile his continued entrepreneurial pursuits. I thought playing his interview from back in 2016 would be a great tie in for tomorrow's show.

Baylor Bloom is the owner of "Full Bloom Harvesting", a tree shaking business located in the Central Valley of California serving almond farmers in and around Gustine. At the time of this interview Baylor was almost 1/2 through his final semester of his 9th grade year of high school. However, his expertise on the permanent crop farming industry of California was like somebody who had been farming for decades. Baylor has a passion for farming, and for his families 8 generation farm. As a matter of fact, he has immense knowledge of the history of the farm and how it changed due to the Great Depression almost 80 years ago. Baylor took over his fathers tree shaking business, and as a freshman in high school he leases the equipment on an annual basis and is responsible for every aspect of the business. This includes hiring people to transport his equipment since he does not have a driver's license yet and hiring labor to shake the trees during the time that he is in class at high school! In this interview Baylor does a fantastic job of explaining to the audience how almonds are harvested, and it will of interest to anyone that has natural curiosity about farming.

My mom was a painter, and she used to watch Bob Ross on PBS religiously. Bob had a saying that has become very popular. When a brush stroke that he didn't intend happened, he called it a "happy little accident". I have stolen that phrase, but I use it when I talk about why I raise goats. Me becoming a goat farmer is definitely a "happy little accident". On today's farm update episode, goats is what it seems like I have to talk about. I'll be discussing using them in our driveway to control weeds and growth as well as in a new area of pasture that I have planted. What amazing little creatures.

Levi Knopp is just finishing up his first year of high school, but he is fortunate to be finishing his 3rd year of FFA already. Coming from one of the school districts that allows middle school FFA, Levi got an early start. Levi was preceded in the FFA by his sister, and she has been a significant role model for him. Levi has a lot of high school and FFA ahead of him, but he already has very clear goals and objectives. Among them are winning the state fair with a lamb that was born on his farm, becoming a state officer and ultimately becoming an agriculture teacher. It is rare, even for FFA students, have such clear, long term goals identified this early. However, it was apparent in the interview with Levi that he is a forward thinker. Part of our discuss steered towards alternative farming methods and the world's growing population. Levi is an optimist, and he sees the glass as half full when it comes to future population. He is already looking into innovation and believes that new methods or farming, including urban farms and vertical farming, will be the answers that are needed to get the world through the exponential growth.

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 University Of Tennessee Martin is one of the universities that inspired this episode. Hattie and I were made aware of UTM at the National FFA Convention, and after that conversation and hearing how affordable an agricultural education could be there, it got me started thinking about making this episode. Today, I am speaking with the Agriculture Department Chair, Dr. West Totten. There is a wealth of information in this interview about another agricultural college that will make it possible for you to create your future in Ag. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Rural crime is more prevalent in the U.S. than reported Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/california-green-energy-investment-scheme/103-c2bf5a3b-e1c1-4931-8aa9-df785effb274 https://www.agweb.com/news/machinery/used-machinery/crime-sprees-target-precision-ag-technology-farms-and-dealerships Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/23634530.warning-rural-thefts-west-dorset-villages/ https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/nearly-a-fifth-of-waste-in-england-falls-into-criminal-hands-survey-finds/ Africa https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/opinion/it-s-in-the-country-s-interest-to-protect-avocado-growers-from-ruthless-cartels-4296510 https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/icymi-shock-as-fruit-thieves-attack-female-farmer/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://tscra.org/former-ranch-hand-indicted-in-smith-county-cattle-theft-case/?fbclid=IwAR2HA5ULV31qD1QacH8RmBoPkAtxPIeVR4ben0wwkN_Xou0k1ULBPMJg_xw_aem_AX04O7PxoezRe_5wetIMFJQy_mkKuNEAXa4dtPl5RmjnUl-PnSET0loniZFyaLm4eCE&mibextid=Zxz2cZ https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/wasco-man-arrested-for-burglary-grand-theft-of-copper-wire-kcso/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

I have been fascinated with the idea of growing fodder as a livestock feed since I first learned about it in 2015. Recently I began searching for a guest to come on the show who was using this model, and I found Al Noorda just one state away in Utah. Al is the owner of Spring Creek Livestock & Feed in Cedar Foot, Utah. He has been growing and feeding fodder for about ten years to his cattle and finishing them on nothing other than grass, hay and fodder. Al also sells fodder production systems and sources barley seed for customers. According to Al, fodder can replace 70% of your feed ration and allow you to feed lower quality hay to your ruminants. Also, the fodder keeps your cattle or other ruminants gaining weight through the winter when ranchers traditionally only feed for weight maintenance. I have a natural interest in this system, so in today's interview you get to hear me ask questions that comes straight from the perspective of somebody who is interested in producing their own feed in this manner. I hope you learn as much as I did!

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode we are profiling a farmer who is feeing everything with fodder. This individual has really revolutionized fodder production as a feed source for his livestock. This made me think of the very first time I heard of fodder, and that was during an interview with Nancy Schiffer of the Kuna FFA Chapter in 2015. So, we are brining it back for you today as a lead in to tomorrow's episode.

Peyton Zinner is a former Middle School FFA President, and now she is a freshman FFA member at Western Hills High School in Frankfort, Kentucky. Peyton has grown up in an agricultural and FFA family. Actually, her uncle is one of her FFA advisors, and she keeps her sheep at his home. Peyton is already making very mature decisions for her age. She has two major focus areas. First, is the FFA. She is improving the genetics in her growing flock of sheep and has objectives for breeding her own sheep that will go on to win at her county and state fair. Her other focus area is swimming, and she has already identified the two colleges that she wants to swim at in the NCAA. Peyton is working towards both of these goals and knows that if she takes anything else on, it will diminish her ability to succeed at these two goals. This is a lesson that a lot of adults, especially entrepreneurs, cannot learn. My hat is off for Peyton thinking so far ahead, and I have all the confidence in the world that she will achieve both of these goals.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Today is a great day for Americans, farmers, and non-farmers alike. As we celebrate the anniversary of American Independence we should think about the men and women who lived through this time. With this in mind, let's look at how it impacted farmers in the colonies during the 18th Century. Here are a few of the things that farmers went through during the Revolutionary War: Trade routes to the market were cut off by war, either waterways or roads. Farmers could not plant surpluses because they might not be able to sell the excess and it would just rot on their fields. Herds of cattle and horses were depleted either by the plundering of the British or as provisions for the Continental Army. Farmers were away from their farms for long periods of time and had to start over when they finally returned. At this time, 90% of the population were engaged in farming so this really was a war fought by farmers. I wanted to mention something that I read in Stephen Ambrose's book "Citizen Soldiers" about farm kids in World War II. He said that the commanders loved the soldiers that grew up on farms because they had been hunting for their whole lives, knew how to handle a rifle, and could shoot straight. I wanted to pay tribute to four of my ancestors that fought in the Revolutionary War in this episode as well: Samuel Hubbard James Wilcox Jesse Richardson Jesse Rowley

Landon Berg is our first "Featured Freshman" guest of 2023. At the time of the recording he was right in the middle of the second half of his first year of high school. Landon lives on his fourth generation family farm, and with his father and brother they raise cattle, sheep and grow corn and soybeans. Landon has a passion for livestock evaluation, and that led him to be on the high school livestock evaluation team as an 8th Grader. That team went to the National FFA Convention in 2022 and won a silver award. Landon told me that going to the National Convention to evaluate livestock was one of his biggest goals, and here he is already having accomplished that! So, the natural question for Landon is what is his new goal going to be. He is very interested in the flock of sheep that he and his brother have started. Landon is hoping to begin improving flock genetics through artificial insemination within the next couple of years. And, he is hoping to return to the National Convention in the future as a National Proficiency Finalist.

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. On today's episode I speak with Dr. Antoine Alston, an Associate Dean in the Department Of Agriculture. In this discussion we talk about the historical significance of NCAT being a Historically Black University And College as well as a Land Grant University. We will discuss scholarships and real world learning opportunities. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Do you sell your roosters? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wjhg.com/2023/06/19/man-arrested-attempted-burglary/ http://newslj.com/content/lincoln-county-sheriff's-office-says-don't-take-sheep-dogs https://www.1600kush.com/news/cushing-horse-trainer-accused-of-embezzlement https://katv.com/news/nation-world/100-worth-of-farm-fresh-eggs-stolen-from-honor-box-in-rhode-island-outdoor-cooler-keeeps-backyard-community-theft-thieves-stealing-surveillance-footage-small-business Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farmersjournal.ie/minister-must-act-now-on-dog-control-following-kerry-sheep-kill-ifa-771070 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rural-crime-canterbury-lifestyle-block-owner-shoots-down-drone-over-burglary-fear/JBLBW6DC5NHXTL2TGBMVYCFIOY/ https://www.yourharlow.com/2023/06/21/farm-crime-and-surging-cost-of-living-pose-threat-to-livelihoods/ Africa https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2023/06/21/u-s---u-n--pause-food-aid-delivery-to-ethiopia-after-theft https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/have-you-seen-these-bulls-free-state-police-on-lookout-for-missing-brahmans-20230621 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://jcpost.com/posts/036b9760-c2da-46d6-8037-372a12049880 https://sanangelolive.com/news/crime/2023-06-21/wanted-serial-cattle-thief-corralled-tom-green-county-sheriffs-deputies https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://allongeorgia.com/georgia-public-safety/twelve-arrested-in-jeff-davis-co-in-relation-to-cockfighting-operation-more-expected/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYByoTNDAxMzI1MDgzMTk3MzAzMzUxMzIaYTZmNDE3MjRkMjY1ODg5ODpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AOvVaw23AwyMkg6AL1YuqGB7VgDk&source=gmail&ust=1687559438612000&usg=AOvVaw38AvUyEsOAyAJjIhqpNVUo More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Karsten Frecker is the owner of Frecker's Saddlery, a lifelong horseman and a lifelong craftsman. Along with several members of his family, including his wife, brother and sister, Karsten runs their saddle business from Dillon, Montana. The business was first started by Karsten's father, Kent, several decades ago, and Karsten just recently purchased it from him. Like any business that looks straight forward on the surface, there are nuances and complexities to it that the owners make look non-existent. In today's interview with Karsten I spend a lot of time asking about how a person becomes a saddle maker, what Karsten is looking for in an apprentice and how the business works, i.e. producing saddles for sale vs. doing custom orders. A very interesting part of this discussion is the manner in which people go about learning this trade. When Karsten brings on an apprentice, he hopes they will be with the company for the long haul so that they can recoup their investment in the apprentice and grow the business. However, this does not always happen, and some lessons that were learned the hard way have taught Karsten that only he and his brother will commit to doing custom work for customers with special orders. Therefore, they have over a 3 year waiting list for custom saddles, and they are constantly striking a balance between producing products and fulfilling orders. Karsten states that the best way to learn to be a saddle maker is work alongside somebody with experience. However, if somebody wants to learn the trade in order to start their own shop this has to be done in an ethical manner. Karsten and I talk about this in the interview.

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are profiling a family business with a long legacy of building saddles for the regular market and for custom customers. This is a business that is so interesting for the folks who want to live in the world of horses. Of course with saddle ownership comes saddle maintenance, and sometimes it is easier to outsource that work. So, I thought for today's re-cap episode it would make sense to go back to this interview that I did with Sarah Banowetz talking about her small business bringing old saddles back to life.

Andrea Buhrow is the owner of The Flower Patch, a multi-faceted flower business located in Ashton, Illinois. Andrea first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2020, right in the middle of lockdowns and quarantines from Covid. She was just beginning her FFA career and wanted to start her own enterprise, even though she had grown up on her family farm. She loved flowers, and people were looking for something to do locally because of limitations on travel. So, she started the Flower Patch as a "u-pick" flower farm where people could come have an experience, be outdoors and safe from transmission and leave with some beautiful flowers. Ironically, as covid let up, this caused Andrea to pivot in her business. Most business owners got back to normal when the pandemic waned, but for Andrea that was normal. So, Andrea started selling bouquet subscriptions, selling at the farmer's market and continued with the u-pick business. Today, Andrea has just graduated high school and her business is running at full capacity. So much so, that she has had to cut back on orders for this summer!

On today's farm update show I am going to tell you about getting pushed and pushed and pushed and finally responding......to an annoying goat. Also, a little message about not giving up and is it really worth it! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Kacie Wooten is the outgoing Kuna FFA Vice President, a 2023 Salutatorian, the squadron commander of her JROTC Chapter and her JROTC region's Outstanding Cadet of 2022. That is quite a resume and some very wonderful accomplishments. Our family has known Kacie since Hattie first joined the Kaveman Kritters 4H Club of which Kacie was also a member. So, Autumm and I have been able to observe her as she has grown up and have become well acquainted with her family. From this, there are two character traits that Kacie has that help to explain all of the accolades and accomplishments she already has as a recent high school graduate - service and planning. Throughout this interview you will hear Kacie talking about the common thread between all of her activities, and that is the ability to serve others. Surrounding that will be planning and goal setting. Kacie is a great example of what can be accomplished when these two characteristics are combined. And, she is not done. She is heading to Liberty University in just a couple of months with her eyes fixed on becoming a military chaplain, once again giving her the ability to serve others.

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. Lake Area Technical College is a 2 year, public college, located in Watertown, South Dakota. There is a strong emphasis on real world, practical application of education at Lake Area Tech. In this interview I encountered a term that was new to me - Supervised Occupational Experience - this is a program, similar to an internship, designed to get students into the field and working which often leads to their first job out of college. In today's episode Greg Miller, the Agriculture Department Supervisor, joins me to talk about this highly recommended program. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Be careful with antique farm equipment on display Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.agdaily.com/lifestyle/hay-bale-scams-we-played-along-with-frauds/ https://southsidemessenger.com/lunenburg-sheriffs-department-looking-for-stolen-equipment/ https://kymkemp.com/2023/06/10/antique-hayrake-stolen-from-rio-dell-home/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.kent.police.uk/news/kent/latest/policing-news/rural-task-force-officers-recover-stolen-goods/ https://www.sheppnews.com.au/news/stolen-tractor-involved-in-slow-speed-police-chase-before-crashing-into-army-base/ Africa https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/farm-business-torched-mob-justice-elandskraal-impopo-2-june-2023/ https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/move-to-stop-livestock-theft-cartels-gets-boost-4278280 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://tscra.org/uvalde-county-man-arrested-for-felony-theft-of-more-than-650-goats/?fbclid=IwAR0ePebBbto6zAHxhaq4LgLQ2lHM0aMekTo2_O2-gjwL5oUnTdfBS1dD_xk_aem_th_AeHSx0tIF0PqLgh0kFdzb1ROg6Df-Gpa-NnlGZVNtKXrCvVd9iJbL9sHP72c03b_bcE&mibextid=Zxz2cZ https://www.fox43.com/article/news/crime/mechanicsburg-woman-sentenced-up-12-years-prison-crime-spree/521-af0d18cf-c2f7-45d2-a499-9d926fac7f2a More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Alicia Tomlinson is the owner and creator of One Less Thing, a company that provides teaching materials and curriculum to agriculture teachers all around the U.S. Alicia and her husband, Brian, run this business full time and have been doing so since 2007. Both of them were agriculture teachers until they started their family and made this switch. Alicia was the first one to leave the workplace so that she could be home with their first born. Eventually, One Less Thing grew so much that Brian left the workplace to partner with Alicia in the business and take some of the workload from her. I first interviewed Alicia in 2005 after learning about her business online. Since then I have got to know both she and Brian personally, meeting up with them at the National FFA Convention each year. Their business continues to grow, and now the son that they started the business in order to be home with has entrepreneurial aspirations of his own and works in their business from time to time. There are many lessons about starting and succeeding in your own business wrapped into this episode. Alicia does a great job of illustrating those, and that is why I was excited to have her back on the show!

Alicia Tomlinson has become a friend and mentor over the years since I first interviewed her for the Off-Farm Income Podcast. On tomorrow's ag business episode she is coming back on the show to update us on her business and what has gone on, over the past 8 years. So, for today's re-cap episode I wanted to replay her first interview so you can have the complete before and after picture when you hear her tomorrow.

Sadie Rola has just graduated from Turlock Christian High School, just completed her term as her FFA Chapter's Reporter and just completed her term as a National FFA Style Squad Member. What is the National FFA Style Squad? Well, if you don't know, I didn't know either. However, I certainly do after conducting this interview with Sadie. Sadie and I have very similar pathways that led us into agriculture, and she is going down a very similar path in the exact same place, that I did at her age. It is always amazing to me how when a person who has no agricultural background gets introduced to agriculture and its positive aspects, how that can bring them right into the profession. That is one of the great things about how the FFA is reaching students from neighborhoods more and more. We are getting more and more young people interested in agriculture. In today's interview, Sadie will explain exactly how that worked for her.

Autumm, Hattie and I just got back from an epic 9 day camping/road trip to Northern Idaho and across Montana to Red Lodge. We concluded yesterday by going over the Beartooth Pass and driving all the way across Yellowstone Park. I've got a lot to talk about in today's farm update episode, including: Hattie's State FFA Competition The Hiawatha Bicycle Trail Priest Lake, Idaho Noxon, Montana A German Restaurant in Missoula Camping at the fairgrounds in Bozeman A great wedding in Red Lodge The status of the farm when we returned More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Bailey Little is the owner of Queen B Farm, a Keystone State FFA Degree recipient and a brand new high school graduate. In her business Bailey is raising livestock, moving towards selling freezer beef and making products such as jewelry and tumblers for sale online as well as at rodeos and other craft shows. Something really stood out in this interview with Bailey - she is not going to college. She has a good business up and running right now, no debt and a clear idea of what she wants to do with her life. At this point, except for a tweak here and there, she knows what she needs to know to continue to grow her business and have it be her sole form of income. Bailey realizes that a time may come where she needs business acumen or some sort of craft methodology that she does not currently possess. However, since she learned all the skills she needed to do what she is doing now through YouTube, she has all the confidence in the world that she can repeat that process if needed. If that wont work, she is not opposed to taking a class or two. But, she is opposed to devoting four years and a bunch of tuition to a degree that won't make one bit of difference in her business and will only hold her back for almost 1/2 a decade.

Purdue University is currently ranked as the #3 agricultural college in the U.S. and the #5 in the entire world! And, did you know that Purdue University has had a freeze on tuition rates for twelve years? Factoring in inflation, it is cheaper to go to college at Purdue right now than it was 12 years ago. On today's show I am joined by Andrea Lutz, the Assistant Director for Undergraduate Recruitment as well as Courtney Rodkey, a recent graduate in Ag Economics who is just starting her agricultural career with Corteva. There is a lot to get to in this interview as there are a lot of opportunities in agriculture at Purdue University.

Tip Of The Week Would you consider penning up grazing livestock every night? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.oneidadispatch.com/2023/06/02/oneida-police-begin-more-foot-patrols-as-part-of-rural-violent-crime-reduction-initiative/ https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jun/03/former-pot-worker-jailed-in-seed-theft/ https://www.wcax.com/2023/06/01/police-search-person-responsible-atm-theft-truck-fire/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.politico.eu/article/farm-machinery-gps-theft-uk-rural-crime-ukraine-russia-war-sanctions/ https://uk.news.yahoo.com/drivers-caught-stolen-vehicles-drug-062852292.html https://www.farmersjournal.ie/call-out-service-open-to-farmers-to-combat-farm-theft-768002 Africa https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/27-farmers-groups-benefit-from-136-dairy-goats-in-marakwet/ https://dailynews.co.tz/tz-eyes-to-become-leading-meat-exporter/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.wjfw.com/news/purchaser-pleads-guilty-of-taking-trees-from-chequamegon-nicolet-forest/article_ac88c5f8-018e-11ee-abea-830fb5026fb7.html https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/05/31/man-convicted-sentenced-connection-with-theft-death-horse/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Agriculture is unique in that it creates a passion and devotion in people unrivaled by any other careers that come to mind. I often quip that only actors, artists and musicians will work a second job just so they can work the first, but farmers will do it too. So many of them will work a full time job in the city just so they have the opportunity to farm. That is what this show is all about. John Schomburg has this same devotion to farming, but he demonstrates it a little bit differently. John builds scale models of farm equipment and farming scenes, and he photographs farm equipment to capture its legacy before it is no longer seen on farms. And, this is just the tip of the iceberg. In today's interview John talks about how he got started building models of farming equipment, why he has file cabinets full of old farm equipment catalogs, why he takes photographs if farms and farm equipment all over Wisconsin and how this all came together for him to win the National Farm Toy Show in 2005, 2012 and 2015. He even takes us on a tour of his studio and expresses his deepest feelings over the realization that his families farming legacy ends with him.

On tomorrow's ag business episode I am profiling a gentleman who has an unbelievable passion for agriculture, but he is not a farmer. However, he displays this passion through creating replica farm equipment and even replica farms. So, for today's re-cap episode I thought this interview with Carol Herden, talking about how she got started sculpting farm animals, was a perfect tie in.

Sage Whetnall has just graduated high school and completed her FFA career in Cardington, Ohio. Now it is time for her get her education, and she knows where she is going to do that.......under the blue skies of Texas on the back of a horse! Sage and her family are very involved in the horse business from showing to rescuing to selling to rehabilitating. As a matter of fact, Sage already is a certified equine massage therapist and wants to start her own business massaging horses in the future. However, that future has to wait. It has to wait for Sage to go on an adventure and to learn the real ins and outs of working on horseback. Where better to learn that, than a cattle ranch in Texas. Texas Lore means a lot of things to a lot of people, but it is never without cattle. It is either cattleman who became oilman, or oilman who bought cattle ranches. Either way, cattle are always involved. From Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving to Woodrow Call and Augustus McRae, cattle are part of the story. Where else is there a ranch called "King" that started its very own breed of cattle? Sage really believes in hands on knowledge and has a passion for horses, Western riding and Western work. So, to get the experience and knowledge she needs to really understand how a performance or working horse is hurting and how to help it, she needs to see the work itself, up close and personal. Her plan to get this education is to go to work, and to work in exactly that field. It is more than an adventure, it is a great way to learn!

Last week we worked all of our goats, and we had some volunteers helping us out who were there for no other reason than they love the idea of farming and want experience. It got me to thinking about the very first farm that I ever worked on, the one that belonged to my step-grandfather. That would have never happened on that farm, but I was happy to allow it on my own. He had a "closed" farm, and mine is "open". So, let's talk about the pros and cons of an "open" farm on today's show. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Reagan Winner is a top four finisher for Ohio State Star Farmer in 2023. She is also a 5th year FFA student, chapter secretary and recent high school graduate. And underneath all of the titles, awards and the blue jacket is a person with a fiercely independent spirit and a "can-do" attitude. Regan has been working on her own, on her families farm in Ohio, since she was 8 years old and started pulling the grain cart. In the 8th Grade she joined the FFA and realized that she would need a project for her supervised agricultural experience. So, she rented 12 acres from her father, exchanged her labor in the shop on the farm and at his trucking business, and began farming on her own. It didn't take long for her to realize that a nearby neighbor had a field that wasn't being used, and that could be productive. So, she approached him and rented his 34 acres. For several years now Reagan has been farming over 40 acres on her own, working in the farm shop and working in her father's trucking business. She services the fleet including oil changes, greasing the trailer and chassis and inspecting the entire rig to make sure it is road worthy. Now, Reagan will be taking all those skills and pursuing a degree in ag business and ultimately becoming a certified crop advisor with the goal of starting her own business as a seed consultant.

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. Abilene Christian University is in Abilene, Texas, and in my opinion it is in the perfect location for Texas adventure and Texas agriculture. I have been on campus myself and like the area very much. ACU has had an agriculture program for some time, but with fluctuations in faculty go fluctuations in programs. So, today they are highly specialized in animal science but have no agronomy. ACU is a private, Christ based university, and on today's show Dr. Jim Carpenter joins me to talk all about it. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week When is being neighborly not enough? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/06/04/thieves-steal-dump-calf-from-brookshires-dewberry-farm/ https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/56800/20230605/103-cattle-one-dog-dead-oklahoma-property-woman-arrested-surviving.htm Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://randfonteinherald.co.za/421458/mapogo-recover-sheep-stolen-in-dennydale-or-at-least-two-arrests-in-stock-theft-incident-in-dennydale/ https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/23568394.police-warning-powys-dog-owners-sheep-suffer-bites/ Africa https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/eastern-cape-prison-officer-and-companion-killed-over-alleged-stock-theft-state-bakkie-torched-20230605 https://ke.opera.news/ke/en/society/789529e825b9be331ad9326e0195a4be Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://holtvilletribune.com/2023/06/04/sheriffs-deputies-arrest-alleged-thief-recover-stolen-tractor/ https://krocnews.com/two-men-charged-in-20k-rochester-area-storage-burglary/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Natalie McFarland is a lifelong agriculturist turned agriculture entrepreneur. Officially launching McFarland Productions in 2014, she began telling the story of agricultural companies to help them serve others. Working primarily with business to business customers but frequently with business to consumer customers Natalie has grown her list of services from photography only all the way to being the marketing department for several of her clients. Natalie and her team a great knack for capturing agriculture and the Western Lifestyle, and every single team member has an agricultural background. On today's episode with Natalie I really tried to focus on what the keys to marketing to agricultural customers. If/when you start your small, agricultural business you will be getting involved in marketing, like it or not. What are some of the ways you can stand out to the customers that you want to serve? Today, Natalie and I try to answer that question.

On tomorrow's ag business episode I am speaking with a woman who discovered her niche in marketing to a specific agricultural audience. She and her husband, like so many of us, are trying to carve out their spot in the world of agriculture and are facing the pressures of high land prices and encroaching urban areas. I talk about this concept a lot on the show, and one of the premier themes I have dealt with over time has been that of existing in agriculture on the rural/urban interface. I thought this was a great tie in with our guest tomorrow, and wanted to bring back a solo episode that I made about this phenomenon today.