Off-Farm Income

The Vega FFA Chapter has amassed over $1.1 million in scholarships and prizes through Ag Mechanics competitions in the State of Texas over the past 20 years. Jay Newton is the FFA Advisor and Emily Carlson is the Chapter President of the Vega FFA Chapter, and they join me on today's episode to discuss this incredible accomplishment and journey. Starting in 2001, Jay Newton began to look at the FFA Experience a different way. Clearly, livestock projects dominated what students did for SAE projects, but he saw holes in those projects and opportunities for skill development that were being missed. So, he got the idea to try something radical. So, the next time he took his chapter to Houston, after the livestock shows were over they stayed an extra day and watched the Ag Mechanics competitions. Then, on the way back to Vega they discussed putting the chapter's efforts towards ag mechanics rather than livestock. The students were on board, so Jay took the idea to the school board. This was the tough sell, but he was ready with a partnership that he had formed that would allow any FFA student to have a livestock project if that was what they wanted to do. Permission was granted, and the journey began. 20 years later, the small Vega FFA Chapter, has a story to tell and an example to share of achieving great success through Ag Mechanics.

Obviously we've had some unexpected setbacks on our farm recently. In today's episode I want to address those a bit more, how we handled the emotion of it and why a transition is being made. Also, I'll give you my review of the Hells Canyon Days Festival in Cambridge, Idaho: Hint - It was awesome... More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Sydni Wilson has just finished her junior year of high school and has already become a freelance, agricultural writer. She has a house full of house plants, and she raises meat chickens and does all the of butchering herself, with the help of her father. Talking with Sydni in today's interview there was a recurring theme - when she finds and interest, she goes "all in". A fascinating part of this interview with Sydni was her love of writing. She has started many fiction, writing projects and written the first chapter of a novel. Then she puts it away and revisits it weeks to months later. In most of the cases she realizes that, that initial idea was not the one that is going to drive her to write a whole novel. It is a process, and it is an interesting way to determine which idea will give you enough motivation to carry it all the way through to a completed book. Sydni's hobby of writing led her to an opportunity to become a freelance writer for an agricultural newspaper, while still in high school. Today she is using those writing skills to deliver agricultural information to people who need it. Sydni is very happy with the discovery of a practical application for her love of writing. She has done the same with plants, and says that her love of plants and horticulture may have actually eclipsed her love of writing!

For Information Like Degrees Offered, Annual Costs, Etc., Please Click The Banner Below: [caption id="attachment_386296" align="alignright" width="106"] Hannah-Rose Foote: Student Ambassador and 2022 National FFA Officer Candidate[/caption] 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 State University Of New York at Cobleskill offers as wide of a variety of options for learning in agriculture as I have run across, particularly in animal agriculture. In today's episode we will be profiling degrees from Animal Science to Dog Training and from Dairy Science to Fermentation. It is fascinating all the different directions you can go at this "magical" agricultural university in Upstate New York. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Do you insure your hay and other feed? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2023/may/30/deputies-arrest-man-in-horse-pasture-after/ https://www.fox19.com/2023/05/31/stolen-cincinnati-school-bus-chased-into-indiana-cornfield-suspect-custody/ https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/cobblestone-farms-dealing-with-string-of-thefts/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23547232.animal-activists-hand-sandringham-theft/ https://www.wisbechstandard.co.uk/news/23555533.huntingdonshire-four-agricultural-gps-system-thefts-month-may/ https://nation.cymru/news/rural-communities-in-wales-targeted-by-cross-border-criminals/ Africa https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/fight-back-and-well-kill-your-children-former-springbok-hooker-lukas-van-biljon-stabbed-in-farm-robbery-2a42e37c-b5f6-455f-aad1-726fad841494 http://www.times.co.sz/news/140379-mum-son-shot-dead-at-lundzi.html Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.ketk.com/news/crime-public-safety/32k-worth-of-stolen-hay-livestock-feed-recovered-in-east-texas/ https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2023/05/martinsburg-cattle-theft-resolved-with-guilty-plea/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Sheldon McKinney is the Executive Director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation. She is also the president of a group of foundation directors who have come together to collaborate on how to best support the FFA in their individual states. On today's episode Sheldon is joining us to discuss how fundraising works, where the money goes and what it means to be a 501(c)3 organization and why that is necessary. The business of fundraising at the national, state or local level is a big business. As Sheldon says, money should never be an obstacle that stops an FFA student from taking advantage of the myriad opportunities available to them through the organization. State FFA Foundations exist to connect chapters and students to donors who want to support youth, agriculture and agricultural education.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am speaking with the executive director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation. We are going to be speaking about supporting state FFA Foundations as well as a new group of FFA Foundation Directors that has been formed called LEADS. Anytime I think of Kentucky FFA, I think of this interview with Kaitlyn Elliot. I was so impressed by the old school manner in which she and her grandfather were growing, harvesting and processing sorghum. And, she sent me some delicious syrup which we thoroughly enjoyed. So, in honor of our Kentucky guest tomorrow, I am bringing this interview with Kaitlyn back.

Mylie Rexing is a district and chapter FFA officer and soon to be agriculture student at Purdue University. She has been working her father's butcher shop for several years, throughout high school. During that time an idea occurred to her to make ready to cook meals for people to purchase from the shop that would simplify meal prep for them at home. Mylie's Meals To Go was born. Mylie has come up with a number of iterations of ready to go meals during this time, and that took her all the way to being an Indiana State Finalist in Ag Sales. During that time Mylie wanted to give back to her community, and she came up with a program of donating milk to families who needed with every sale of a ready to prepare meal. Mylie stated that her family has always been one that gives back, and she had watched that example while growing up. So, it felt like a natural fit for her to incorporate giving into her own business as well.

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend and took some time to remember those who have made the ultimately sacrifice so we could do exactly that. I have a couple of thoughts that I have been wanting to share with you, and today I will finally get to do it: Hard Work As a value - teaching non-traditional ag students about the world of work they are entering Having a job or business that is not automatable and cannot be replaced by AI More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Olivia Black is a senior in high school, a second year FFA student and the Michigan Star Award Winner in Agribusiness. In Olivia's school district the FFA Chapter is run by the Ionia County Career Center, and high school students are only eligible to attend there starting in the 11th Grade. Olivia has grown up showing cattle and pigs and with a significant family history in the Dairy Industry, so she knew that she wanted to be in the FFA. When she started her junior year, she enrolled in an agricultural course at the career center, making her eligible for the FFA, and she joined. Two years prior to this is when Olivia's journey as an entrepreneur began however. Olivia has a rare gift that only a small percentage of entrepreneurs have. She was dissatisfied with a product that she was using on her show pigs, and rather than keep looking for something that worked better or settling for what she had, she decided to make her own. Absolute Products was born at that moment, and she has been developing this business ever since then. Now, at age 17, Olivia has stood out among all the other FFA students in Michigan, even though she has less than two years of records. She is selling her product all over the Upper Midwest, and she plans on expanding even further. In addition, she is finding that while her product was developed for use on pigs, it works well on both dairy and beef cattle. Olivia loves the livestock exhibition world, but she realized that in the not too distant future she was going to age out eligibility to show livestock. So, she has created a business that will keep her connected to this world and will help exhibitors everywhere solve some of their most frustrating issues. Olivia is off to college soon to get a degree in Ag Business, and it is all directed at growing this business.

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. Angelo State University is located in San Angelo, Texas and sits in the number one goat marketing spot in the number one goat producing state in the entire nation. Corey Owens, our interview guest today, grew up on a ranch 70 miles west of San Angelo where they raised 1,100 meat goats. As a goat raiser myself, I could barely get off the topic of Angelo State University being the perfect place for a student who wants to specialize in goat production. Of course, on Angelo State's 6,000 acre research ranch there is much more to study than just goats. In today's interview we will learn all about it. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Are your local legislators addressing the rising issue of livestock theft by activists? Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.fox61.com/article/news/crime/wallingford-farm-life-size-mm-stolen-display/520-b63b9869-2f4c-4b54-aa82-dc623daa9b45 https://www.globalvillagespace.com/GVS-US/report-60k-tons-of-ammonium-nitrate-lost-in-shipping-as-explosive-chemical/ https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/cleveland/news/fbi-cleveland-seeking-public-information-surrounding-mink-farm-crimes Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farminguk.com/news/nine-people-charged-after-spate-of-burglaries-from-north-wales-farms_62638.html https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/crime/video-thieves-caught-on-cctv-stealing-gps-kit https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/home/1175072/gardai-investigating-after-tractor-stolen-and-driven-around-before-being-abandoned-in-tullamore.html Africa https://ntvkenya.co.ke/news/cattle-raids-resurface-along-the-kenya-uganda-border-threatening-a-15-year-old-peace-accord/ https://www.pd.co.ke/news/pokot-tugen-communities-bury-the-hatchet-vow-to-end-livestock-theft-181565/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/idaho/woman-arrested-after-allegedly-stealing-horse-and-then-car-in-asotin-county/article_17dbbee4-f674-11ed-977a-b38b6916bbb3.html https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article275579721.html https://www.thedailynewsonline.com/top_story/ortt-proposes-livestock-theft-law/article_3de7a0a9-d0bf-59d8-bee0-204210a522cc.html More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Colleen Cummings is the owner of 2 Farm Boys Soap, a goat farmer and a mother who was looking for a way to engage her two sons in agriculture on her small farm in Heber City, Utah. There is a lot of family history on that small farm. Colleen's husband's family started farming that ground in the early 1900's. Since then, the land has been split up, and today they raise goats and grow hay on 15 acres of what was once a much larger, family farm. Like so many people with goats, one thing led to another, and Colleen and her family ended up raising goats on their small acreage. However, her husband had been raised on a farm, so keeping and feeding livestock just for fun was not an option. The goats had to have a purpose. Ultimately, with this in mind, Colleen was exposed to the idea of making goat milk soap and tried it out. It took a bit to get the recipe correct, but once she figured it out product ideas and designs started coming out. Today Colleen has a nice system in place. She only milks goats part of the year, but is able to freeze enough milk to keep her making soap all year round. Also, she sells at one farmers market only, every other week, for part of the year. And, the big event is the National Finals Rodeo. Colleen and the family have haded to Las Vegas two years in a row now, selling soap at one of the largest venues in Las Vegas - Country Christmas - which is held at the Rio.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am interviewing an entrepreneur with a goat milk soap business. As you know, the goat milk soap business is one of my favorites to profile. Well, tomorrow's guest discloses that her family got goats first, and then her pragmatic husband said that these goats need to pull their own weight if they are going to stay. And that is what led to their goat milk soap business. This reminded me of the interview I did with Sydney Gordon way back in 2016. She loved goats and talked her father into getting some for their farm. However, he said the same thing - "these goats need to pay for themselves". And that is what led her goat milk soap business. I thought this tied in perfectly with tomorrow's show, and I am happy to bring it back for you today.

On today's episode I get to do something that I love, and something new that is a lot of fun. I will be profiling a great, Idaho FFA Student named Zane Nichols, and I will be promoting a summer kickoff festival in Cambridge, Idaho called Hells Canyon Days. So, this episode will be a bit different than normal. In the first half of the episode I am speaking with Zane, who will be working in the concession booth on behalf of the Cambridge FFA on Friday night of the festival at an event called "Bulls & Broncs". I will also be speaking with the president of the Cambridge Commercial Club, Blake Loveland, and we will be talking all about the festival. After I finish that part of the episode it is back to Zane to talk about beef cattle and working on a grain and hay operation as well as which sport he hopes to play at the next level. Enjoy the episode!

Our woes on the farm this year continue. I've known this was coming, but I confirmed it Friday at our veterinarian's office. All of my cows are open. We will be having no calves this year as our bull quit producing viable sperm sometime over a year ago, and I did not catch it because I did not have him semen tested, and I did not have our cows preg tested. This is a hard lesson for me, and it is embarrassing....and I am telling all of you all about it on this episode.

Dori Stuever is a driven FFA student, a regional officer, a business owner and the feature of a newspaper article about her maple syrup business, County Line Kinds Pure Maple Syrup. Concentrating on marketing through social media, Dori is selling maple syrup throughout the United States, and she is the 6th generation in her family to be in this business. Dori is also partnered with two neighbors, either tapping their trees or using their sugar shack for refining her maple sap into maple syrup. Being from the wide open, treeless spaces of Southwest Idaho, it is difficult for me to imagine, but Dori spends a lot of time in the woods of Michigan. She is either locating trees to tap, tending to her current taps or make sure that her prospective trees are healthy. Dori is primarily home schooled, but she signed up for agriculture classes when she was in the 7th grade so that she would be able to be a part of the FFA. The FFA is another family tradition for her, going back to the days when her female relatives were not allowed to participate. When Dori is not at Capac High School for her agriculture classes, she is at home tending to her taps and frequently doing school work out in the woods because that is where she spends her time.

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. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Take the time to verify checks, request a cashier's check or do the transaction at the bank Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.unioncountydailydigital.com/articles/farm-watch-crime-prevention-program-comes-to-union-county/ https://www.wcjb.com/2023/05/13/lcso-deputies-are-searching-portable-sawmill-stolen-work-site/ http://www.columbiamagazine.com/index.php?sid=127344 Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.kent.police.uk/news/kent/latest/policing-news/stolen-items-recovered-in-rural-burglary-arrest-near-paddock-wood/ https://www.miragenews.com/agforce-urges-members-to-beef-up-farm-security-1006065/ https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2023/05/14/thieve-steal-community-fruit-trees-only-planted-in-telford-recently/ Africa https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2023-05-15-farm-manager-attacked-by-illegal-fishermen-in-crime-wave/ https://ng.opera.news/ng/en/society/f8ab91b7629623dbb48c149a0f86c876 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.fox43.com/article/news/crime/organic-crops-fraud-scheme-minnesota-pennsylvania/521-63f1592c-d6d1-4257-b2f8-f3635b4ee5a1 https://www.magnoliastatelive.com/2023/05/14/cows-and-calves-stolen-from-mississippi-farmer-located-and-returned-suspect-identified/ https://www.agdaily.com/livestock/oklahoma-man-arrested-hot-checks-cattle/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tom Henson is the owner of T&T Services in Lapeer, Michigan along with his business partner and bowling partner, Tonya. I found Tom and Tonya's ad on Craigslist and was immediately drawn to it because of the ad for wasp removal. It was apparent that Tom was offering a suite of services that anyone in the world of farming would already have much of the equipment for, and I wanted to interview him to show other people what was possible. It turns out that Tom has a very interesting story beyond his business. He retired from Ford Motor Company where he spent a large part of his career hand building engines for Shelby Cobra's. He is also a professional bowler with an average of 232! Tom has bowled in professional tournaments, is in four leagues and averages 50 games per week! I had a fascinating time learning about the Ford engines and the bowling. Eventually we got into the business....

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am interviewing an entrepreneur who drew my attention with an ad about wasp removal. This made me think about the two hives of bees that I lost to wasps several years ago, and of course bee and honey production. So today I am revisiting an interview I did with Alan Mikolich about this very business.

Taylor Crouch is a sophomore in high school and her FFA chapter's reporter. She is also a three sport athlete and a serial entrepreneur at the age of 15. There is a lot to talk about from this interview with Taylor, but throughout all of the different sports, livestock shows, businesses and ways of connecting with people throughout the U.S. one theme stood out. The more active you are in high school, the more opportunities that you will be exposed to. In this way, students who are very involved really do have an advantage. Based on Taylor's description of herself, I would call her an extrovert. However, not everyone is an extrovert, and that is fine. I think what is proven in this interview that is introverted students need to find a way to get outside of their comfort zone and become active. The reason is that the activity will lead you to meet new people, be exposed to different circumstances and experience new things. Somewhere inside of all of that activity there is something that will resonate with you, and will help to shape your future. I consider myself an introvert, and I think my daughter is one also. I don't think that a person needs to be as social as Taylor to be exposed to many opportunities. But, and introverted person still needs to follow their interests and get involved in those interests. The biggest challenge for them may be not allowing their natural introversion to keep them from pursuing those interests. And, as Taylor points out in the interview, the FFA is an excellent place to learn to push those comfort zones and to start getting exposed to situations that will eventually spark and interest.

Well, I've definitely had better years on our small farm here in Kuna. At this point in the year, this has definitely been the worst year we have ever experienced. Last week, on two consecutive mornings, I found kid goats that had been killed by coyotes. On top of that, we have other issues going on that are going to harm our bottom line on the farm in the future. On the other hand, some ideas I have put into place on the farm are working great, and I have a new friend in agriculture and podcasting that we get to celebrate on today's episode. I've got all of that, and a bit of discussion about people with no boundaries on today's show. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Agustin Luna is a sophomore at J.W. Nixon High School in Laredo, Texas, he is the chapter's reporter and he is responsible for cooking the pork ribs on the barbecue team. That's right, the barbecue team. Until an article popped up on my news feed the other day, I was unaware that there was such a think as a high school barbecue competition. However, Agustin goes to school in Texas, so I shouldn't have been surprised. Agustin and his team have qualified to be in the state championship in may, just a few days before this episode is aired. The championship is held in Round Rock, at the baseball field that was built there to honor Nolan Ryan. How can you get more Texas than barbecue and Nolan Ryan. Agustin and each of his teammates are assigned an item to cook for the competition. Each dish is scored individually by judges, the scores are compiled and a gross score is given to each team. The top teams from each regional competition get to advance, and J.W. Nixon is one of those teams this year. This is not an FFA competition, but at J.W. Nixon High School the team is from the FFA chapter.

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. Wake Tech. is a community college in North Carolina that offers an Associates of Applied Science Degree in John Deere Ag Systems. Our guest today is Professor Joh Paige Kearns, and we are going to be speaking with him about the trade school route, and how this program works. This is a very interesting interview as we explore how students can go to school for free, find a very rewarding career and learn to be experts on some of the most complex machinery ever invented. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Think before you click Rural Crime In The U.S. https://whnt.com/taking-action/bbb-consumer-alerts/bbb-scam-alert-young-farm-equipment-falls-victim-to-corporate-identity-theft/ https://tscra.org/crime-watch-equipment-stolen-in-garfield-county-oklahoma/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/crime/senior-civil-servant-identified-as-suspect-in-attack-on-farmer-in-hillwalking-assault-case/a488592600.html https://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/23504743.investigation-underway-third-sheep-attack-weeks/ https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/23505803.farmers-warned-vigilant-thefts-agricultural-vehicles/ https://www.psni.police.uk/latest-news/man-his-seventies-left-very-shaken-when-masked-men-enter-his-property-east-belfast Africa https://punchng.com/court-jails-25-year-old-for-sheep-theft/ https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/police-officer-arrested-for-allegedly-stealing-cattle-from-farm-in-the-north-west-20230507 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://ktvl.com/news/local/parolee-arrested-after-burglary-crime-spree-in-rural-medford-jackson-county-sheriff-office-police-criminal-trespass-stolen-property-evidence-arrest-jail https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/arrest-made-in-rural-reno-county-burglary/ More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Stacy Carr is an Agricultural Consultant and Coach from Johnson City, Tennessee. Hearing her story, it is obvious what it takes to be able to consult young and beginning farmers with no experience in the way that can - decades of work and experience in agriculture. Stacy has a fantastic, exciting and rewarding business, but it is not the type of business that you just choose and start. This business takes a passion for all aspects of agriculture that has driven you to take your own risks, do your own work and spend your own money over a lifetime pursuing farming. Stacy has done that, in multiple different states and in multiple different ways. And today, she is reaping the rewards of all of that knowledge and experience by being able to share it with people from all walks of life, including young families who want a rural lifestyle, and help them to succeed in farming. In today's episode Stacy and I discuss all of that experience, and how her business works. We will also talk about who the people are that want an agricultural lifestyle so much that they are willing to pay for somebody to guide them to that destination.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am interviewing a woman with an incredible breadth of knowledge and passion for farming, livestock, gardening and the soil. She has a very unique and successful model of consultation for small farmers and left me realizing how little I actually know. So, for today's re-cap episode I am going back to a 2016 interview I did with David Ridle of Skagit Farmers Supply where he was consulting with people on small acreages, as an employee of the co-op.

Seth Ariens is the Indiana State FFA President. Amazingly, he is also the Indiana State Star Farmer. In a great FFA state like Indiana, either one of those accomplishments puts you among the elite to ever have worn the blue jacket in the Hoosier State, but to be selected to both of those coveted positions, on the same night no less, puts you in rare air indeed! In today's episode Seth describes his pathway to becoming a state officer. In describing this his says something that is a real key to the success that he is currently experiencing. He never looked at any of the officer positions that he held as a stepping stone. He went into all of them determined to serve as best as possible in that position, and the rest kind of took care of itself. On the side of being the State Star Farmer, Seth has had some "happy accidents". I wouldn't call it luck however. We always say on this show that luck is preparation meets opportunity. Well, Seth looked at some things that happened as accidents and turned them into opportunities. For example, when his Australian Shepherd was unintentionally bred by another Australian Shepherd, Seth took advantage of the moment to sell the puppies and add this to his record book. His SAE was diversified agriculture, and her was another opportunity to diversify. It is this outlook on looking for opportunity that has helped to propel him to such great heights.

On today's farm update I'll be talking about how I think I am overstocked on the farm, and the recycled and new methods I am using to try and take advantage of all the forage on the whole property. Plus more.... More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Brook Cutchin is the secretary of the Deane Bozeman FFA Chapter in Southport, Florida. She is also just 16 years of age and slated to graduate high school one year early later this month. She is heading to college next fall and has been accepted to a programed called "3 & 3", which means in her fourth year of her bachelor's degree she simultaneously begins graduate school, which for her will be studying the law to become an attorney and advocate for agriculture. Brook first got introduced to the FFA her 9th grade year of high school when she took a required, introduction to agriculture class. At that point she realized that she wanted to raise livestock, and she has been engaged in the FFA ever since. She even raised and showed her own pig, showing and selling it at the Florida State Fair this past February. The FFA has exposed Brook to many experiences that she never expected, and it played a major role in accelerating her time high school and graduating early. One of the experiences that Brook had through the FFA, that drew my attention to her chapter, was facilitating a goat yoga class for people in her community. She, along with other chapter members and supporters of her FFA chapter, put on a goat yoga class, for free. Donations to help the chapter build a livestock barn were accepted, but there was no charge to attend. I've always wondered what the appeal of goat yoga is. Brook informed me that the point is to help people with anxiety about doing yoga in front of others, to let that go because everyone is watching the goats and not each other. I certainly believe that is what happens.

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. Utah State University has as many options for agricultural study as I have come across in doing these interviews. On today's episode I speak with Makenna Osborne, a graduate of Utah State's College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, and now a Recruitment Specialist for "CAAS". Makenna lists the many opportunities through the Utah State University including becoming a pilot and even making chocolate! Here is the link for the aviation program fees at Utah State University: https://caas.usu.edu/avte/course-fees More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week Keep an eye on your decorative horses. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wkyt.com/2023/05/03/police-investigating-multiple-thefts-decorative-horses-ky-town/ https://www.agdaily.com/crops/16k-chemical-theft-might-not-pay-but-reporting-the-thieves-will/ https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/tractor-stolen-off-of-jobsite-in-calumet-county-sheriffs-office-asks-residents-to-keep-an-eye-out/ https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/st-landry-crime-stoppers-help-needed-solving-theft-of-farm-equipment Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farminguk.com/news/police-charge-six-men-after-suspected-agri-thefts-worth-nearly-1m_62545.html https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23499717.man-arrested-police-rural-burglary-near-faringdon/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoUMTY2NjE3NjQyNTM1NzIxNTAzNDgyGmVhNjgzN2MxNmMwNjhjOGQ6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw16CnIzFWoQm_Nz35Q-mMjr&source=gmail&ust=1683389109703000&usg=AOvVaw3o0ctoER2dOV3zX9pvv2uG Africa https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/four-alleged-robbers-arrested-for-terrorising-farming-community-in-limpopo-found-with-stolen-goods-9ad0fd00-aa41-461b-84ad-f69f65a7ee57 https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/angry-mob-burns-truck-lynch-two-suspected-cattle-thieves-4222842 https://newsroom.gy/2023/05/04/life-imprisonment-for-cattle-farmer-who-killed-burnt-workers-body-over-stolen-goat/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.wkow.com/news/deputy-chases-car-into-farm-fields-near-poynette/article_ef8eb950-eaf7-11ed-92fa-cfca46c2d15d.html More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Caleb Branson and Shelby Redcorn are the owners of a business that is essential to keep production agriculture going in the U.S. and to keep their small community functioning in the Panhandle of Oklahoma where they live. Caleb has been operating cranes since he was a child, and both he and Shelby have been self-employed for their entire lives. Neither of them know anything different than getting paid when there is work and tightening the belts when there is not. In 2017 they started C&S Crane And Steel, offering a myriad of services to farmers and other industries. From building grain storage facilities to replacing augers on bins, it is this, behind the scenes business, that is there to keep farmers going. During the interview I asked what motivates a farmer to build their own grain storage facility, and, as you would expect, it was all about giving the farmer the best chance of creating a sustainable business. But those facilities and other pieces of equipment like them could not be built if it weren't for entrepreneurs like Shelby and Caleb who have the expertise and took the risk to purchase the equipment that provides their community the ability to continually improve their operations. There is folklore surrounding the American Farmer that brings with it a certain prestige, and deservedly so. We are all standing on someone's shoulders, and without folks like Shelby and Caleb, American Agriculture just couldn't operate and feed the world the way that it does.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am profiling a husband/wife team that has a unique and fascinating business serving farmers in the panhandle of Oklahoma. That gave me the thought of replaying Jonathan Demcack's interview from 2015 again for you. He started a business called "Droplet Irrigation" here in the Treasure Valley of Idaho, providing service to farmers, and I thought it was a great tie in with tomorrow's show.

Brycen Cole is in the 8th Grade and is a Junior FFA Member at Roby High School in Roby, Texas. Ever since he discovered podcasts, he has wanted to be a guest on one. So, when he heard that I was going to be interviewing one of the high school FFA members at Roby, he proactively asked his advisor to ask me if he could come on the show. I like proactivity. I obliged. Brycen shows steers, plays three sports and is excited for the future. He told me that he is not sure what he will do, but he is certain that he will either be a basketball coach or an FFA advisor in the future. For now, he has his sights set on becoming an official FFA member next year and getting busy with everything that the FFA has to offer.

I have an exciting announcement in today's farm update. Hattie has been selected as her FFA Chapter's President. This comes on the heels of her being selected as her FFA District's President. So much of what she is accomplishing now has roots in the audience of this show supporting us and helping us grow, and we wanted to say thank you! And, for students that are considering becoming a technician for a tractor manufacturer I have a story to share with you today. Depending on why you have chosen this path, this announcement may make a difference as to whether or not you continue to pursue this. Here is the link to the article: https://coloradosun.com/2023/04/25/right-to-repair-farm-equiptment-colorado/

Matthew Ruff is a farmer from Ohio, a first year student at The Ohio State University and part of a family of agriculturists and innovators. Matthew's parents both grew up on farms and decided that they wanted to farm as well. So, after their marriage in 1997, they started pursuing enterprises that could lead to having their own farm. Ultimately, they purchased their own property and kept building it up. Today, Matt farms over 4,000 acres along side his parents, brother and sister. What initially drew my attention to Matt was an article I read indicating that he had an "ear corn" enterprise. However, the article did not describe the specifics of the operation. During the interview I found out that he has taken over responsibility for growing 25-40 acres of ear corn with the intention of picking it, shucking it, bagging it and selling it on Amazon! During the interview Matthew explains that there is strong demand for ear corn, still on the husk, by people who want to feed it to wildlife like squirrels and deer. He said that they have shipped bags of corn grown on their farm to every state in the lower 48! What an amazing niche....

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. Wilmington College is a private university located in the heart of Ohio Horse Country. It boats a significant agricultural program and two separate university farms, one devoted just to horses. On today's episode Professor Daren Wright, the Director of the Equine Program, joins me to talk all about the college as well as the equine program specifically. We will also discuss the way that the scholarships at Wilmington work, and how this private institution stays competitive with public universities on cost. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week It's not hard to get signage or a uniform Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.facebook.com/183151455376856/posts/pfbid02P2tzkAuJQDeJQoAGY6DSGoipdE1MRNegwPWe5bLpn1xEP7KX7AGfpB35ap3iXFihl/?mibextid=cr9u03 https://www.kxxv.com/news/law-enforcement-searches-for-answers-after-burglary-in-madison-county https://q1065.fm/tractor-stolen-from-greenway-equipment-in-hermon/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farminguk.com/news/police-find-lamb-in-back-of-a-car-alongside-10-000-worth-of-drugs_62483.html?fbclid=IwAR0zsrbUGgX9fRW4HFpysPF6AP-zgs3r5IH6I9CwBFO4v_y-z-k7YCF9nF0 https://www.armaghi.com/news/portadown-news/farmer-fears-cattle-stolen-from-field-in-portadown/208451 https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/man-broke-into-fruit-machine-after-spending-familys-holiday-money-at-the-bar/ar-AA1appt8 Africa https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/more-than-18-000-people-prosecuted-for-stock-theft-in-five-years-bheki-cele-6f25e696-a9bc-4988-a8d6-847a77efa427 https://www.kbc.co.ke/news/top-story/article/38259/bandits-have-no-place-in-kenya-kindiki-tells-senators Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.facebook.com/100076447704733/posts/pfbid0dK9aGtzSGRHXTeZLr9AXHwwY6punaWMkEo3fchTCWJ21xEzReVgKZWUVd77ndowBl/?mibextid=cr9u03 https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/rush-county/rush-county-man-arrested-after-stealing-more-than-47-000-in-soybeans-and-corn https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/48789656/corry-man-charged-for-selling-stolen-tractor More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tyler Schake is the owner of T&T Mobile Washing. Growing up farming, Tyler always took pride in, and got very good at washing the farm equipment. In his mid-20's he came to the realization that he wanted to go out on his own, and working on the family farm was no longer the right fit for him. At about the same time Tyler and his wife had their first son, and he knew that his responsibilities in life were increasing. It was at this point that Tyler took the thing that he had developed a passion for on the farm, washing equipment, and turned it into a business. Starting with just a pickup, box trailer and pressure washer Tyler is now running three trucks, 7 full time employees and serving an area with a radius of about 275 miles. He is cleaning combines and other farm equipment for dealerships and farmers, and he is doing fleet cleaning for trucking companies. In today's interview Tyler talks a lot about what he experienced when he decided to start his own business. Also, he educates me quite a bit on the reasons why a mobile washing business like his is so valuable to trucking companies. We talk a lot about entrepreneurship and a lot about this great business.

On tomorrow's ag business episode I am speaking with an agricultural entrepreneur who has taken "cleaning" to a whole new level. I thought this interview with Sean Westergaard from 2016 about his gutter cleaning business was the perfect lead in.

Adam Johnson is the chapter president of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. He is also the 2022 Minnesota State Proficiency winner in the category of poultry production and a 2022 National Silver Award winner. During his time in high school Adam has been raising meat chickens during the summer for his supervised agricultural experience. He has been using the pastured poultry model and chicken tractor model taught by Joel Salatin, with a twist. Adam and his family do all of the butchering of the birds, and they use a cylindrical chicken plucker to remove the feathers. However, they found that there were still small feathers to be pulled and pin feathers to be burnt off of the birds, even after doing that. That is a very time consuming process. To remedy this extra time that is needed, Adam and his family started skinning the birds to circumvent the need for this process. Of course, there will be customers who want the skin on the birds. So, they have shifted their business model to finding customers who want the birds skinned. This has worked, and now they have altered their operation so it serves everyone equally.

In today's episode I have a short farm update and some thoughts about why having a horrible job as a teenager is so valuable. I'll even tell you a story from a job I had when I was 14 years old. Plus, and update on the growth of my community. Here is the link to the article that I read: https://www.ktvb.com/mobile/article/news/local/growing-idaho/kuna-population-explosion-mayor-joe-stear-growth-schools-fire-services/277-096af5b1-6b53-4125-946d-d65a4027f071 More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Lillie Cagle is the newly elected Tennessee FFA State Sentinel, and former East Tennessee Regional FFA President. She is also the chapter president of the Bledsoe County FFA and a senior in high school. Lillie has a very unique story of how she came to be involved in the FFA. From the age of 12 -14 Lillie had some major responsibilities in her family, and even though her family raises cattle and she lives in an agricultural community she had not given any thought to the FFA or even knew what it stood for. However, around the beginning of her freshman year of high school those family responsibilities came to an end, and she was left kind of wondering what to do with her newly discovered free time. That is when the then president of the Bledsoe FFA Chapter invited her to an FFA meeting and told her that he thought it would be good for her. Nothing has been the same since. Lillie has started an agricultural education project called "Ag Across The Board" aimed at teaching elementary students across the State Of Tennessee about agriculture. She has even run a summer camp to teach about agriculture and received upwards of $15,000 in donations to purchase a trailer and be a mobile agricultural education resource. Lillie is making a huge difference in the world of agriculture, and after hearing this interview you will think so too!

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. Caitlin Alba, Recruitment Specialist with the Univeristy Of Wisconsin Stevens Point, joins me on the show today. Stevens Point, Wisconsin is located right in the middle of the state, and I have interviewed multiple students from Wisconsin and surrounding states who have chose this university to study forestry, fisheries and natural resources. I have been excited to profile them since I started this episode, and today we finally get to do so. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week If You Are Armed, Be Responsible And Learn How To Handle Fear - a new tactic for animal right's activists is spreading, and this does not mean that you can just start shooting. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/crime/police-urge-local-farmers-to-be-alert-for-suspicious-activity-on-farms-animals/71-e3b58ab1-a6a7-425a-bb6d-9a348416a9ff https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/man-charged-with-assault-during-horses-medical-procedure-at-ohio-state/ https://www.facebook.com/100041702812369/posts/pfbid0EtTAimhczPhRaQKYpjq9iHDGZu8jQNKAxaTPYt7sfNf9gjynzZ9CNnvweE2V5AGZl/?mibextid=cr9u03 https://www.facebook.com/tscra/photos/a.10151880629109687/10160446777279687/ (prosecuted for cattle embezzlement in Oklahoma in 2018) Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2023/04/15/arrest-made-after-herd-of-cows-stolen-from-farm-found-120-miles-away/ https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-farm-man-jailed-trailer-26730849?int_source=nba https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/news/staffordshire/news/2023/april/appeal-after-more-than-400-tree-saplings-stolen/ https://www.farmersjournal.ie/over-20-sheep-stolen-in-donegal-761240 Africa https://www.blueprint.ng/man-jailed-for-stealing-one-yam-gets-niger-cjs-leniency/ https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/dallas-fort-worth/ap-top-news/2023/04/20/cattle-raiding-by-jihadis-soars-in-mali-fuels-conflict https://www.namibian.com.na/farmers-urged-to-stop-hiring-zambians-as-cattle-herders/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.kalb.com/2023/04/19/alexandria-man-arrested-theft-poland-community/ https://www.foxnews.com/us/utah-registered-sex-offender-arrested-after-dressing-up-elmo-around-kids-farmers-market-police This is BJS's first recidivism study on sex offenders with a 9-year follow-up period. Fewer than half of released sex offenders were arrested for any crime within the first 3 years of release, while more than two-thirds were arrested within 9 years. - https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/press/rsorsp9yfu0514pr.pdf https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/09/13/every-parents-nightmare-the-child-molester-has-found-a-home-in-the-world-of-youth-sports-where-as-a-coach-he-can-gain-the-trust-and-loyalty-of-kids-and-then-prey-on-them More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Jerry Stephens is the Northern Plains, Regional Sales Manager of Agoro Carbon, and in today's episode he will be talking to us about getting paid to sequester carbon on your farm. Today's episode is one of those in which I need to give a disclaimer before beginning. Agoro Carbon is not a sponsor of the Off-Farm Income Podcast, and they did not pay me to record this episode. Also, they are not a prospective advertiser. I agreed to have them on the show today because what they are offering might be a source of revenue for you that can help you to achieve and sustain the lifestyle in farming or ranching that you are seeking. Carbon offsets are a hot topic, and farmers hold some of the best possibilities of capturing carbon through the practices they use on their farms and ranches. Agoro Carbon works in the area of voluntary carbon sequestration, meaning that there is no government involvement, and none of their buyers are compelled by the government to participate. In today's episode I strive to have the conversation with Jerry that you would have, if you were considering working with Agoro Carbon to sequester carbon on your farm and to generate a new source of revenue.

Tomorrow's ag business episode is featuring a way of creating extra revenue on your farm. This may be a fit for some of you and not a fit for others, but I like to bring these ideas forward for you to do your own research and find out if they would be helpful to you. For our re-cap episode today I went back into the archives and found this interview with Ryan Conklin talking about another possible revenue source on your farm.

Casey DeVries is the "Test Plot Chairman" for the Forreston FFA Chapter in Forreston, Illinois. If that is a title you have never heard of before, it was also a new one for me. Casey's family has been farming in the Forreston area since 1948 when his great grandfather purchased farmland there. Today some of their land sits across the road from the high school. So, during Casey's freshman year he suggested doing test plots of corn in that field to compare varieties and provide the agriculture department a way to do hands on learning. The project stuck and is still doing four years later, and will continue after Casey leaves high school. Casey and his family have a large farm and a large shop. Working on machinery and engines in the shop is a significant part of keeping the farm going. So, Casey has been doing something mechanical since around age 5. When it came time for an SAE, he decided to challenge himself. He purchased an old tractor, brought home and tore it all apart. He restored the transmission, the rear end and even painted it himself. And then he marketed it on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Within one week it was sold to a gentleman in Wisconsin!