Off-farm Income

SHOW NOTES Today's episode is very exciting.  I caught up with Robyn & Ally Spears as they were getting ready to display at the NFR Cowboy Christmas. We talk about their growing antiquities business, Junk'n Disorderly, and how they developed a safari-like experience for antiquers called "Junk Journeys".       HOW TO CONTACT JUNK'N DISORDERLY: Website: LINK Blog: LINK Facebook: LINK Twitter: LINK Pinterest: LINK Email: elaine@elainefroese.com   Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard: t.     Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  Do you dream of farming and being able to stay on your farm full time?  Do you love to share agriculture and what you love about it with other people?  Do you enjoy livestock and love to brag about the meat you produce on your own place? If the answer to these questions is yes, then selling retail cuts of your own meat at a farmer's market or on your own place might just be the answer you are looking for. Let's face it, my show is all about using entrepreneurship to support your farming endeavors.  Even though this is what I do and what I teach, it does not mean that it is the ultimate goal.  Ultimately, all of us would like to do nothing but farm.  We would like to be that person who wakes up with the chickens, beds down the cows and only leaves the farm because we want to in between. Our guest today, David Hancock, has a recipe for doing just that.  No two farms or farmers are alike, and you may have more or less challenges than David has had to overcome.  But one thing is for cert

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING ISAAC NORRIS!     SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Forest Management Placement HIGH SCHOOL: Laclede County High School; Conway, Missouri MASCOT: Bears FFA ADVISOR: Mary Ann Keck and Joseph Stratton CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ISAAC NORRIS: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Laclede County High School Ag. Department's website: Isaac's FFA Advisor's Email Address: mkeck@lcr1.org  Laclede High School's Telephone Number: (417) 589-2171 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA  Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000.  In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants.  With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world.  FFA is providing the needed education, training a

If you are reading this you probably already know that our farm is in the Treasure Valley of Idaho, very near the capital city of Boise.  Our area is one of the areas in the United States that is experiencing rapid growth due to mass exodus from California and states with similar political climates and circumstances.  I believe that what I am seeing locally gives me a unique insight into how things are changing nationally, particularly from the standpoint of buying farm ground and making a living in rural areas.  The following is my insight on this. I first came to the Boise, Idaho area in 1994 when I got an internship selling Ag chemicals for Zeneca Ag Products.  The Treasure Valley of Idaho was booming back then and I can still remember my boss telling me that the rise in housing prices was unsustainable because we didn’t have the jobs here to support those prices.  He believed that a lot of the homes that were being purchased were being bought by people who had come for construction jobs.  And, he belie

SHOW NOTES Today's episode is very exciting.  I am interviewing Michael Bair, the 2020 National Proficiency Winner in poultry production.  Michael is also the 2020 state proficiency winner from Ohio in this very same category. Michael's awards and recognition are exciting enough, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.  Michael lives and works on his family's organic dairy that has been in existence for generations.  They switched to organic production for better prices some years ago, but that has not made them immune from the ups and downs of milk and input prices. When Michael began in the FFA and needed a project for his supervised agricultural experience he decided to try something that was unique to him.  So, he started raising and marketing pastured poultry.  Over the years this business has really grown into a substantial revenue source for him and his family's farm. Michael plans on returning to and taking over the family farm in the future, and like any wise business person, he is looking for a

Tip Of The Week Inscribe some form of ID on portable, metal items.  Especially those that are going to be left in the middle of nowhere. Rural Crime In The U.S. An Interview With South Dakota Rancher, Kathy Fortune - Kathy's contact information is below: Website - LINK Facebook - LINK Twitter - LINK https://www.wesh.com/article/tractor-stolen-in-sumter-county-investigators-seek-information-from-public/34929043 Where The 2nd Amendment Does Not Exist https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2020/12/11/more-than-1000-tyres-illegally-dumped-at-shropshire-estates/ https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/farmers-can-shoot-your-dog-warn-police-after-more-sheep-attacks/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2020/12/10/police-give-update-memorial-horse-theft/3878735001/ https://mcdowellnews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/report-old-fort-theft-suspects-dna-found-at-scene-of-crime/article_0f7282ec-3a33-11eb-b1f7-37ef33f2b245.html Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald

SHOW NOTES As you all know from listening to the show, I have a very positive outlook on the world of farming and rural living.  I believe that those of us who value this way of life has a lot going for us, and we are very fortunate that our values lie in living this way.  With this in mind, I tend to look at this lifestyle through rose-colored glasses. Alas, the episodes I produce about rural crime definitely demonstrate to me that not all farmers are looking out for other farmers. Interviews with folks like Jason Medows of the Ag State Of Mind Podcast show me that not everyone on farming operations is living in a state of bliss, overwhelmed by the grandeur of this lifestyle. Since I have to admit that there are challenges in this lifestyle, the next logical question is what do we do when we need help with these unique questions?  Who out there has the knowledge and understanding to address the specific life and family challenges of farmers and people living in rural communities? That question led me to

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  Roy Jackson has the title "Master Hatter", but I would call him an artist.  About three years ago my brother-in-law returned from a work trip to Salmon, Idaho.  He told me that I needed to look into "this guy up there that makes hats".  That is how I got introduced to Roy Jackson. About a year after that I was watching "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance".  At the very beginning of the show Jimmy Stewart gets off of the train in Shinbone wearing a large brimmed, straw hat.  I wanted that hat and called Roy.  He did not know the hat, and without seeing it he could not make it.  He did not own a copy of the movie either. I searched the internet and found plenty of photos from that movie, but I could not find a photo of Jimmy Stewart wearing that hat.  I decided to go low-tech.  I sat down to watch the movie and paused it on the opening scene.  Then I took a photo of the hat from the screen of my television and emailed it to Roy. About one week later a perfect replica of that hat showed

SHOW NOTES Today's episode features one of the most unique and interesting, and possibly most dangerous, supervised agricultural experiences we have ever profiled on the Off-Farm Income Podcast. Andrew Mehus is the former chapter president of the Cochrane-Fountain City FFA Chapter.  He is now studying wildlife ecology at the University Of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.  He is also the 2020 National Proficiency Winner in specialty animal production.  All of this stems from his SAE. Andrew works at Neitzel's Village Elk Farm near his home in Fountain City, Wisconsin.  He started working there early in high school and has steadily gained more and more responsibility over time.  On the farm, they raise elk for the harvesting of antlers.  I learned something very interesting in my interview with Andrew.  Elk does not have nerve endings in their antlers.  Andrew stated that sometimes when they are sawing them off the bull will just stand there as if nothing is happening. They will leave the antlers on a few of their

SHOW NOTES Sign Up To Receive Our FFA Stories Newsletter! Email address: It starts with just a thought, maybe a small fantasy.  What if I could just head off to a cabin for 10 days and live like Ernest Hemingway?  Then another small step is taken.  You apply for an elk tag in that area to give yourself a pre-text to go.  Then you draw the tag, and now you are committed.  As the trip is getting nearer, you start searching online for cabins to rent, and you find one!  You talk to your wife, get the thumbs up and put down the deposit.  It is really going to happen. Then some months go by, and you don’t give the trip that much thought.  You are engrossed in your day to day activities, and because of your busy schedule you don’t dwell on the trip that much.  It seems like once you booked the cabin and bought the hunting tag that it went completely out of your mind.  That is the way your mind works after all.  You get an idea, decide to commit and then take action.  Once it is on the calendar and set, you mo

SHOW NOTES One of things I love about hosting the Off-Farm Income Podcast is being up to date on the latest in technology and what people are doing to advance their businesses.  Never has that been more true than today’s Episode. My guest today, Luke Falkenstien, just won the National Proficiency Award for Goat Production.  It is easy to see what made his application and interview stand out.  He and his family are breeding goats for the show world, and they are using embryo transfer technology to do this.  I have profiled many students and farmers who are using embryo transfer technology with cattle, and I have even done it myself.  However, I never spoke with anyone who is using it for goat production.  As Luke will talk about in the episode, there is still a lot to learn using this technology with goats.  And, this leads to a boom and bust cycle with some years working out great and others not working out at all.  Luke is now studying Animal Science at Texas Tech. University, which is quite a way from his

Tip Of The Week Go High Tech On Light Timers And Break Up Any Patterns Burglars Might Notice! Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/crime/article247563630.html https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/crime/essential-oils-farm-equipment-taken-from-martha-lane-lavender/ Where The 2nd Amendment Does Not Exist https://www.miragenews.com/police-charge-man-after-theft-of-40-tonne-of-grain-near-parkes/ https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/crime/police-appeal-as-rustlers-raid-dorset-farm-and-steal-44-lambs Why Black Markets Exist Black markets, also called shadow markets, come about when people want to exchange goods or services that are prohibited by governments. Black markets skew economic data, as transactions are unrecorded. Black markets also arise when people don't want to pay taxes on the transaction for legal or illegal goods or services. Some black markets exist simply because people don't realize there are laws they aren't following, such as bartering and not reporting the taxable va

SHOW NOTES   Throughout the course of creating the Off-Farm Income Podcast I have interviewed a handful of photographers that specialize in agricultural and rural themes.  I started this back in 2015 and have enjoyed these interviews more and more, each time that I do them.  Each of these photographers have fundamentally similar businesses but they all go about it in their own, unique ways. Today's guest, Erin Brown, has her own story of growing up around agriculture, leaving it and then coming back.  She also talks about how she discovered photography and developed her skills.  And like every photographer that I am honored to interview, she has her own unique business model for producing her income. Erin does custom photo shoots for agricultural companies, and she also shoots stock photography.  She is the second photographer in a row that I have interviewed that talks about controlling your market on your stock images.  Selling stock images through an online service greatly reduces what you can make for

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  Those of us that work in agriculture, and especially those of us that are working towards a future in agriculture are very busy.  We are either totally devoted to the farm or business that we now have started, or we have pinpoint focus on how we are going to achieve that dream and are doing everything we can to reach it. Focus and passion are wonderful things, but they can pull you away from a balanced life.  In the end, it does not matter if you have accomplished a major dream, if the rest of your life is left neglected and in shambles. The first thing to usually get neglected when we find this focus is ourselves.  And the first part of ourselves to get neglected is usually our physical health.  There has to be somebody, somewhere who understands us and how difficult it can be to find time to pursue better physical health. Well, let me introduce you Dolly Denson - The Fit Stock Show Mom.  Here is someone who comes from our shared experiences and has figured out a system to help all

  SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING BECCA LEHMAN!  It is always very interesting to interview students in the early part of the FFA journey.  So many students start out small on their projects or in their competitions, and then they grow into more sophisticated projects and supervised agricultural experiences. Each of these students go through a transitional period as they progress in their FFA experience.  In today's episode I get to catch one of these students right in the midst of her transition.  Becca Lehman has started transitioning from simply showing market animals at her county's fair to breeding livestock and selling market animals to 4H and FFA students who want to show. It is a very interesting conversation about what motivated her to do this, and how she is approaching this change.  Becca has raised market steers, hogs and goats throughout her experience already.  Now, she is starting her own herd of goats to breed them for other exhibitors.  In addition to this, Becca works at her families two feed stor

SHOW NOTES Sign Up To Receive Our FFA Stories Newsletter! Email address: Is your cup half full or half empty?  Do you see the issue of feeding an ever growing population with a shrinking amount of land and available water as a sign of doom or just an obstacle to overcome? I am definitely a glass half full person, and I believe that as a people we can innovate ourselves through all of our problems.  Well, what if that problem is how to feed people and how to produce feed for our livestock? I ran across an article today about a vertical farming innovation that uses robots.  If this is commercially viable and really works, this could change the landscape of agriculture as we know it.  Quite frankly it is exciting to think about, and I wanted to share this article with you. I hope you enjoy the episode. Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard: t.     Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING ASHLYN MOHLING!  One of the key principles of the FFA is service, and observing students in their projects for the past six years I have definitely seen great examples of this.  One thing is for sure.  Once you get introduced to serving others and have that positive experience, it can be something that changes you.  And, you definitely finding yourself wanting more of that feeling. Our guest in today's episode, Ashlyn Mohling, exemplifies this.  Her parents have been involved with therapeutic riding for kids who need the extra help for some time, and as part of Ashlyn's supervised agricultural experience she took up the reigns on this project.  Ashlyn loves horses and has been raised around them.  Through her parent's efforts and the requirements of the FFA, she has found a way to combine what she loves with service to others. Ashlyn has definitely been bitten by the bug of service, and she sees herself helping people through the use of horses for years to come.  She has graduated h

Tip Of The Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/5-sneaky-holiday-scams-to-watch-out-for/ar-BB1bjRBN?li=BBnbfcN Rural Crime In The U.S. https://discoverestevan.com/local/hay-bale-anonymously-given-to-local-farm-with-unknown-intentions https://www.hpj.com/livestock/6-000-reward-in-case-of-missing-goats/article_51e4a0e4-2dcf-11eb-ae9a-9bffc0be7c9e.html Where The 2nd Amendment Does Not Exist https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/18897609.rural-community-ceredigion-pembrokeshire-carmarthenshire-targeted-fraudsters/ https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/30000-litres-of-fuel-stolen-from-welsh-farm/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.sussexcountian.com/story/news/crime/2020/11/23/police-man-arrested-after-driving-stolen-tractor-past-trooper/6389740002/ https://www.coastmountainnews.com/trending-now/meet-b-c-s-only-cowboy-cop-a-voice-for-the-livestock-industry/ Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard:   Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcaste

SHOW NOTES We all have a voice inside of us that is telling us what our vocation should be.  Sometimes it may not make sense, and sometimes it will.  And, this voice is free to change its mind over the course of your lifetime.  The hard part for us humans is listening to and trusting this voice. Today's interview features a gentleman who did just that, and now he has a business that fulfills him every day and allows him to work with his father ever day.  Kevin Pontel followed the normal course that so many of us, including me, have followed.  He worked during high school, continued his education after high school and then got a good job with good benefits. After working 8 years as a prison guard, Kevin realized that this career was not a match for him.  He also felt the tugs, or that inside voice, pulling him back to his rural upbringing and the agricultural area of his youth.  Kevin had always enjoyed painting and restoring tractors, even though he was not professionally trained to do this.  He heard that

SHOW NOTES Sign Up To Receive Our FFA Stories Newsletter! Email address: Happy Thanksgiving to all of you this year.  2020 has been unbelievable between the pandemic, the politics and the polarization of our society.  I thought that it might do us all a little good to hear the original proclamation of thanksgiving by President George Washington to remind us where our priorities should be.  I hope this strikes you the same way that it did me, and that you have peace at your table for this great, American, holiday. Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard: t.     Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters