Off-farm Income

Tip Of The Week Trim trees up to 10’ around your home place and shrubs down to 18” to create natural surveillance. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wkrn.com/news/crime-tracker/cattle-found-dead-of-apparent-starvation-near-monterey-farm/  Please be on the lookout for cows with this brand (left upper hip)! Some friends from Mackay, Idaho had 17 cows stolen 2 nights ago. All were cows, close to calving. **Update- Farm Bureau is offering a $1,000 reward for any information relating to the theft or vandalism. You don’t have to be a farm bureau member. This is their livelihood, so please if you have any info on where they could be, contact the Custer County Sheriff’s Department 208-879-2232 Please share! Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.farminguk.com/news/first-dedicated-dog-theft-officer-appointed-amid-rising-cases_57799.html https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/19162560.mounted-officers-deployed-combat-rural-crime/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://panow.com/2021/03/16/sleepy-

SHOW NOTES All of us in agriculture, whether you are a full-time farmer, you have a job in town or you run an agricultural business have at least one additional job, and that is advocating for agriculture.  Perhaps when your industry becomes so efficient that it is only comprised of 1% of the population it is just easier to pick on, but agriculture definitely has a target on its back.  I have seen agriculture blamed for air pollution, global warming, animal cruelty, water pollution, high gas prices, you name it.  So, agriculture needs advocates. Ag is not perfect, but it is also not the cause of all the woes in society.  By and large people in agriculture a hard-working, have strong values, and are content with the little things in life that are free.  We need to be telling our story constantly so somebody else does not tell it for us.  We also need to spread our values and our contentedness to other people.  I believe that it is contagious, and that is why we see so many people seeking this way of life. E

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  Today's episode is a profile of a 6th generation farmer.  Mark Kannmacher's farming roots go all the way back to a farm located on the French and German border.  After immigration to the United States, the tradition transferred to Illinois.  Today, Mark is keeping the legacy alive, and he has found a way to farm full-time and hopes to have his wife join him soon! Mark, like so many farmers, has stories of long hours and little sleep.  His are quite incredible though.  When he was trying to transition to farming full-time but still working off the farm as a teacher he found himself getting 1-2 hours of sleep per day during certain times of the year.  And, he was getting this sleep on his lunch break or during his prep period at school! In this episode Mark will discuss how he made the transition, and how he used a specialty form of livestock for his area, turkeys, to help him generate additional revenue on his farm.  Also, he discusses how he uses niches and diversification to be sus

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING BROOKLIN DRAKE: Today's guest has so much passion, enthusiasm, and fire for the FFA that you would never guess that her first two years in the organization were spent being basically inactive.  Brooklin Drake came into the FFA simply by taking agriculture classes in high school in her small agricultural community in central New York State.  She was kind of a member by default, and she never really pursued anything.  But, her first trip to the New York State FFA Convention changed all of that. Brooklin cannot really put the finger on what it was about the convention that motivated her so much.  What is clear is that she caught fire once the convention took place.  From that point, at the end of her sophomore year, she has been on a very rapid, upward trajectory. As a senior in high school, Brooklin is now her district's president, and she is strongly considering a run for a state officer position.  She has started a supervised agricultural experience called

KEY IDEAS: We are going to re-define "retirement" this week and show you how to get there immediately! "RETIREMENT" Our new definition of retirement is not the absence of work.  It is the thrill of waking up in the morning and doing what you want to do.  When we are in a job that is not the correct fit, we wake up and do what we have to do.  Or, we do what someone else wants us to do. According to the United States' Census, farmers comprise the second oldest average age of any career type in the U.S.  One of the reasons this is, is that so many people dream of farming.  So, they "retire to farming."  When they are finally free of the shackles of their day job, they get their pension, buy a farm and start living their dream. These people have re-defined retirement.  They are not ceasing to work.  They are doing extremely challenging work, but it is work that they want to do.  They are waking up and doing what they want. My question for you is, why wait until you are 60 or 65 years old to start retirement?  Why

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING LUKE MILLAY: In spite of growing up on a farm, Luke Millay did not join his high school's FFA chapter until his sophomore year.  During Luke's freshman year he was sure that he was going to be an engineer in the future, and he didn't see a reason to join.  However, towards the end of the year, he was more exposed to the things going on in his chapter, and he decided to give it a try. That was all it took for Luke.  Today he is serving as his chapter's president as well as his region's.  He has his eyes on the next level as well.  And, during this time he took the cowherd that he had been growing on his family's farm and turned it into a great, direct marketed, livestock business. At the time that we recorded this interview, Luke had already established "Millay Meats".  He had done this by being gifted a cow/calf pair and a heifer when he was younger and always retaining heifers to grow his herd even more.  As he got involved in the FFA, needed supervised ag

Tip Of The Week Don’t make adjustments based on your perception. Make adjustments based on what the criminal would think. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/payette-county-cattle-rustling-9-calves-taken/277-f21a97ca-fb8c-478b-ba7d-fd7a40878a30 https://www.953mnc.com/2021/03/09/state-police-warn-of-theft-fraud-ring-targeting-off-road-vehicle-dealers-in-indiana/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/crime/fly-tipping/farmers-trail-camera-helps-to-fend-off-fly-tippers https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19149505.suspicious-bronze-range-rover-seen-rural-areas-dorset/ https://ca.news.yahoo.com/manitoba-government-eyes-rules-curb-223249396.html Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/g-news/article249753093.html TRACTOR THIEF WINS ‘DUMB CROOK’ AWARD A Kubota tractor stolen from near Taylor Bay was recovered after the suspected thief posted a picture of it on Facebook. The groundskeeper for

SHOW NOTES When Autumn and I first bought our farm, and well before I ever imagined having my own podcast, I was listening to whatever agricultural content I could get my hands on.  There were long days out on the tractor, disking and trying to get our land into some sort of shape that we could irrigate and grow pasture. Technology has advanced pretty rapidly since then.  So, back in those days, I had to download podcasts onto my phone prior to listening to them, and I needed wifi to do it.  There was no using cellular data, and there were no streaming podcasts like on Spotify.  So, you had to be really serious about wanting to listen to something because you had to go get it in advance. One of the shows that I listened to back then was the "Zimmcast", an agricultural show hosted and produced by Chuck and Cindy Zimmerman.  These folks were podcasting about agriculture way before it was cool, and they continue to do so today. After we announced that we had published our 1,000th episode of the Off-Farm Inco

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  There is a multitude of obstacles to entering farming, growing your farm, and becoming profitable.  And, there is an old model of making it work, that carries some pretty risks - debt.  Using debt to purchase your farm, purchase equipment, cover operating costs, or procure livestock is the norm in farming.  The problem with debt is that you have to service it, and it can control you as well as the decisions you make on your farm. So, what are the alternatives?  That is what we strive to offer on this show, week after week.  We choose to interview guests who have small businesses that we believe might work for you and become a key component of your overall strategy to make it as a farmer. Occasionally I run across an opportunity that is outside the parameters that we have defined on the Off-Farm Income Podcast.  When one of these opportunities looks like it could really help you to succeed in farming, we want to bring it to you, regardless of our focus on entrepreneurship.  Even grea

INTRODUCING KATHERINE WOODWARD:  They say that fortune favors the bold.  I believe that this is true, and this is one of the reasons that I love to profile the projects of FFA students.  As a group, I have not encountered one that is bolder.  These students are not just given permission to be creative through entrepreneurship, but they are encouraged to do so.  The ideas that come out of a group of students like this are really amazing. Our guest today, Katherine Woodward, is a perfect example of this.  Katherine is in her junior year of high school.  When it came time to choose a supervised agricultural experience she looked around her community to see what other people were not doing. She identified bee and honey production as something that much less common than other agricultural practices in her area.  The fact that nobody else was doing this convinced her that this was the right choice. There was a problem.  Katherine was extremely afraid of bees.  However, she was also bold.  So, which would win, f

In today's Tuesday episode I want to give you some farm updates.  I have had a interesting week since we last spoke including finding our buck hanging from a tree, alive thankfully, helping some gentleman from Nepal butcher goats, changing irrigations systems....again and the first sure sign that spring is here. http://www.offincome.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/buck-in-tree.mp4 Join me for this update, and have a great week yourselves! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:  

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING MADI MCFARLAND: When I am interviewing a guest I am writing about them in my mind.  I am picking up on non-verbal cues about them, and eventually, the perfect adjective to describe them pops into my mind.  With today's guest, Madi Mcfarland, that adjective is "fearless". Madi is currently a junior at her high school, and she has already served as her chapter's president.  You might be wondering how that is possible.  Well, the area that she lives in is growing rapidly due to a Toyota factory being located there.  So, as the population booms so do the needs for public services such as high schools.  Two years ago a new high school called Great Crossing, closer to her farm, was opened. Madi was already enrolled in a different high school, was in their FFA chapter, and had just completed her freshman year.  But, she jumped at the chance to change schools and FFA chapters.  I asked her why, as a sophomore, she would want to do this.  She told me that she loved the idea of being the firs

Tip Of The Week: Use a ball hitch lock to secure trailers.  This is the one that I use: Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.fox19.com/2021/03/04/alabama-woman-charged-with-stealing-goat-dying-its-coat/ https://equusmagazine.com/news/missing-horses-texas Flyers For Missing Horses: Cruiz https://netposse.com/tag.asp?id=4038 Donk: http://netposse.com/tag.asp?id=4046 Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/politics/council/off-road-quads-and-bikers-terrorising-farmland-and-killing-animals-say-farmers-3155316 https://www.kentlive.news/news/uk-world-news/fly-tipping-farm-ageddon-one-5039464 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://timesuniononline.com/Content/Local-News/Local-News/Article/Swenson-Arrested-For-2019-ATV-Theft/2/453/131991 http://www.deeside.com/good-news-two-jack-russell-pups-reported-stolen-from-bretton-on-sunday-have-been-recovered/ Links For Missing Cocker Spaniels: https://www.northwales.police.uk/police-forces/north-wales-police/areas/live-cha

SHOW NOTES On the Off-Farm Income Podcast, I like to talk about how people in agriculture can use their problem-solving abilities, mechanical aptitude, and farm equipment to create a small business.  Ultimately, I think that too many farmers turn to the rigid, inflexible work schedule of an employer when they could be using everything they already have at their disposal to create a much more flexible and lucrative small business. But, this is just one side of the coin.  This philosophy only looks at people who are already farming, who have already purchased equipment, and who have already developed certain skills and aptitudes that go with farming that can be used to serve others.  What about the person who wants to transform their life to farming, who has got a degree and several years of work experience in a field that doesn't obviously translate to an agriculturally related business? Today's guest, Wil Crombie, answers that question.  Wil grew up around his family's farm in Minnesota, doing some farm wo

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  Today we get to profile a very innovative and hard-working farmer.  At the same time, we get to tell a story that we have told before, and we get to show you a great model for creating a sustainable farm as well as creating off-farm income. Allen Deutz is the owner of a farm purchased by his great-grandfather in 1920 in southwestern Minnesota. In just one more year this will be a century farm.  Like so many generational farmers Allen was faced with creating a business model that would allow him to continue to farm the property and have it available for the next generation. Allen first tried the dairy business, as his father had operated this farm as dairy.  However, even as he was excelling in his performance as a dairy farmer, the economics of the dairy industry pushed him right out at his small scale.  So, Allen transitioned to raising some commodities - corn and soybeans, raising grass-fed beef, raising all-natural pork, and raising free-range meat chickens.  It is in this diversi

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING ABIGAIL MITCHELL: Have you ever heard the saying that you should have an "attitude of gratitude"?  Over the years I have come to value that small piece of advice more and more.  Our guest today is just a sophomore in high school and is already exuding this. It is my belief that this attitude is going to lead Abby Mitchell to a life that is happy and well-lived. Abby is in the beginning stage of starting her very first business.  It is a really fun stage of entrepreneurship to profile, but I rarely get to do this because it is usually only after the establishment of a business that a person receives the recognition that allows me to find them. In Abby's case, she and her FFA advisor, are very forward-thinking, and they applied for an SAE grant to help get Abby started in the business. She was awarded this grant, and a newspaper article was written about the winners.  That drew my attention to Abby and the business that she is started - goat milk soap. Any value-added business always

If you have been listening to the show, especially my Tuesday episodes, for some time than you have likely heard me talking about documenting the importance of the growth and progress on your farm or in your agricultural enterprise.  This is very important to both your success and to your marital health, if you happen to have found yourself partaking in that enterprise. The speed of progress in the world of farming can be very slow.  Think about it.  If you buy your first heifer tomorrow, even if she is already bred, you are not selling a calf for 17 months, if you sell it as a feeder.  If you are carrying it over that first winter and selling it directly to a customer as finished beef, you are 29 months away from your first revenue. It can take a lot of time to see results in this lifestyle, and that requires patience.  Patience is a virtue, and it is a particular virtue that many of us, including me, don't have a lot of laying around. Because things move so slow, and you are progressing towards your goal

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING TREVOR CAMPBELL: Our guest today, Trevor Campbell, has a talent for working with small engines.  He is a genuinely nice person and very easy to talk to, and he has a great work ethic.  So, when he tells the story of developing his small engine repair business it is easy to let his personal attributes hide what is really important in this story - the simple manner in which he started what could be a lifelong business. Prior to high school, Trevor enjoyed working on small engines with his father in their garage.  This free time activity was enjoyable enough that when Trevor was in his 8th-grade year of school he decided to take on his very own project.  Driving down the road one day Trevor saw an old, push lawnmower sitting on the side of the road adorned by a sign that simply said "Free".  Trevor saw a challenge and wanted to test himself.  He got permission, and help, and picked up the lawnmower, returning it to his house. Over the next month or so Trevor worked on this mower and en

Tip Of The Week Boot your own ATV’s and trailers (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Trimax-Auto-Trailer-ATV-UTV-Motorcycle-Clamp-Boot-Wheel-Tire-Chock-Lock-Small-/382282842288) Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/man-accused-stealing-livestock-guard-puppies-emmett-ranch/277-95e46bae-2c81-4c7c-960d-d359375e6ce0 https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2021/02/25/michigan-receives-grant-to-enhance-legal-services-for-victims-living-in-rural-tribal-communities/ Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.miragenews.com/cattle-520398/ https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farmer-responses-needed-for-sheep-worrying-survey Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2021/02/25/lincoln-horse-saddle-thieves-arrested/ https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/farmer/19097251.hare-coursing-suspects-five-dogs-catapult-dead-hare-near-marlborough/   More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:    

SHOW NOTES If you have been listening to the Off-Farm Income Podcast for a while then you have heard a lot of stories about agricultural entrepreneurship, you have heard a lot of stories about FFA students and you have heard a lot of stories about where those two paths intersect.  Today, we are very lucky to be able to give you the "after picture".  We are able to bring things full circle and show you how it all comes back around. Our guest today is Caleb Green, and he has a great story.  Caleb grew up in northern Wyoming around farmers and farming with his dad.  Caleb was also an FFA member, and when it came time to select a supervised agricultural experience he decided to start a custom hay business.  He named it "Evergreen Custom Haying". When Caleb chose to start this business he looked around at what was offered in his community, and he found a niche haying on smaller properties and putting up small, square bales for horse owners and people who needed them.  Soon, he was growing his business, expandin