Off-farm Income

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING JAKE BAGBY! I rarely interview FFA students with agriscience research projects for the supervised agricultural experiences, but when I do it always fascinating.  Today's episode is no different. As I continue on with my interviews of American Star Finalists I get to speak with Jake Bagby.  Jake is from Stephenville, Texas and he is now studying animal science at Texas Tech University.  Jake did not start out his FFA career thinking he would be involved in research, but he gave it a try and ended up really enjoying it.  This led him to larger and larger research projects and ultimately to testing rumen fluid to determine how different feeds were being digested and impacting the ph in ruminant systems. Jake's enjoyment of research ultimately culminated with him being the national agriscience winner in 2018 and of course becoming and American Star Finalist.  There were some other, unintended impacts as well.  He spent so much time tubing lambs to withdraw rumen fluid, that he became an e

SHOW NOTES Here are the links to the stories that we covered this week.  I hope the tips and advice in this episode can help you prevent crime on your farms! Tip Of The Week Learn how to mentally rehearse crisis scenarios Rural Crime In The U.S. https://cdllife.com/2020/lawmaker-says-charges-against-trucker-swarmed-by-protesters-are-disgusting/ https://kearneyhub.com/news/local/suspect-still-at-large-after-leading-police-on-crime-spree-through-gibbon-tuesday-night/article_0ff23e86-1951-11eb-a0ac-77be439e8041.html Where The 2nd Amendment Does Not Exist https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2020/30-october/news/uk/criminals-target-places-of-worship-during-pandemic https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/man-found-dead-farm-burglary-19187988 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://bluebonnetnews.com/2020/10/28/daisetta-pd-arrests-suspected-horse-thieves/ https://www.wnct.com/local-news/suspect-charged-with-stolen-tractor-and-utility-trailer-in-nash-county/     Where Off-

SHOW NOTES I have been very excited to release this episode.  In our interview with Aaron Tiemeyer, talking about his mobile seed cleaning business, we uncover a trend that is happening in farming.  In a previous episode we did about mobile grain roasting our guest notified us that he believed his business would work because smaller farmers were being forced to drive further and possibly not get their grain roasted because consolidated businesses only had time for people with larger amounts of grain.  That interview was out of Virginia. In this episode Aaron Tiemeyer cites the very same reason that he has been able to succeed with his mobile seed cleaning business.  The difference is that he is in Kansas.  From Virginia to Kansas, smaller farmers are experiencing the same thing.  As rural communities shrink and farms become bigger, the service providers for those farmers consolidate and only offer services in more centrally located urban areas.  For smaller farmers they often can't get their seed cleaned

SHOW NOTES Here are the show notes from my first interview with Adam Kline.  I wanted to go back to these great interviews on farm succession over the past two bonus episodes.  Let me know if you have any questions: I would like to introduce you to Adam Kline this week.  Adam is a business succession attorney with Bose McKinney & Evans LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana.  He is from a farming family and is significantly invested in agriculture. In this episode Adam helps us continue learning about obtaining our farms.  There are many obstacles to entry for new farmers.  Land, equipment and "know how" are just three of the potential obstacles.  Farm succession planning helps both the transitioning farmer and the new farmer overcome all of these obstacles. Adam has significant expertise in this area and lays out many great points and facts that one needs to know prior to transitioning a farm. Adam's interview is the next step in understanding how to obtain our farms.  In episode #20 we talked about the International

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING MADDIE FUGATE! The level of maturity that I see in FFA students is like no other population of youth that I have ever seen.  Today's guest, Maddie Fugate, demonstrates this unbelievably well. Early on in Maddie's FFA career she knew that she wanted to achieve at a high level.  As a freshman in high school she was thinking that becoming a national officer was where she should land.  Maddie did something at that point that many more of us should do.  She gave some serious thought to her own strengths and weaknesses and assessed whether or not they matched up with becoming a national officer.  Her conclusion was that they did not. That realization took Maddie back to the drawing board to figure out what high level of achievement in the FFA matched up with her natural abilities.  It dawned on her that winning an American Star Award was the achievement to shoot for.  With that in mind, Maddie started figuring out which American Star to go after. Maddie was naturally curious and wanted dee

SHOW NOTES Sign Up To Receive Our FFA Stories Newsletter! Email address: There is an exciting new opportunity emerging for small businesses in rural areas across America.  We talk about this in today's episode as well as the significance of a short pitchfork.  We hope you enjoy this show! Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard: t.     Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING BLAKE KIRCHHOFF! Blake Kirchhoff was on the Off-Farm Income Podcast not too long ago in episode #380.  At that time I was speaking with him about his 2017 National Proficiency Award in forage production.  Now he is back on the show as an American Star Winner!  He was named the 2020 American Star in Agribusiness due to his incredible success with this hay business.  I am very excited for Blake and always excited when a previous guest reaches these heights! Below are the show notes from his first appearance on the show: PREVIOUS EPISODE SHOW NOTES: The FFA is unbelievable, and this week just proves that.  My two FFA guests this week have to be two of the most incredible students in the country.  Both are in their first year of college now, and I cannot think of another organization in the country that kind attract raw talent like this, develop it and put it on display. Blake Kirchhoff is the second guest of this week to blow me away.  Following Eric Porter in episode #379 is not easy to

SHOW NOTES Here are the links to the stories that we covered this week.  I hope the tips and advice in this episode can help you prevent crime on your farms! Tip Of The Week Meet a deputy and go to a community meeting at your local Sheriff's Office. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wctv.tv/2020/10/23/shooter-confesses-to-nearby-farmer-after-double-murder-in-brooks-county/ Excited Utterance. A statement relating to a startling event or condition, made while the declarant was under the stress of excitement that it caused.\ https://www.abc12.com/2020/10/22/reward-offered-after-farmer-lost-500000-worth-of-silage-to-alleged-sabotage/ https://13wham.com/news/local/police-5000-worth-of-honeycrisp-apples-stolen-from-wny-farm Where The 2nd Amendment Does Not Exist https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/business/farming/2587147/farm-security-warnings-amid-rising-crime/ https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/crime/durham-farmer-gutted-after-187-silage-bales-slashed Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://nbc-2.com/new

SHOW NOTES The world of agricultural podcasting is a small one.  I have been saying for years that we need more agricultural people to jump into this space.  On today's show we are lucky enough to profile somebody who has! Jason Medows launched his agricultural podcast, Ag State Of Mind, just over a year ago, and he got off to a great start.  Based on his own personal experiences as well as a topic specific to agriculture that been brought into the light, Jason decided to focus his show on the mental health of farmers.  Over the past 14 months as Jason has been producing his weekly show, he has come to realize that while there was a dire need to discuss mental health, there is just as significant of a need to talk about all health issues for farmers. Today, Ag State Of Mind, is transitioning from focusing exclusively on mental health to all health topics for farmers.  Jason is doing all of this while farming with his wife and four sons.  Plus he is maintaining his town job as a pharmacist.  He has a gre

On our Tuesday episode this week I answered a listener's question about how to get started in farming.  I talked quite a bit about farm transition and actually messaged him privately suggesting that he listen to episodes 20 and 22 of the Off-Farm Income Podcast when I interviewed John Baker and Adam Kline about how to do this. Since those episodes are in the archives now, I thought I would replay them over the next two Thursdays to help people who still need this information, find it.  Today we will start with John Baker.  The show notes from the original episode are below. SHOW NOTES In 1996, when I was finishing college, I learned of a program that matched retiring farmers up with new and upcoming farmer.  At the time I did not pursue anything because I limited myself by my choice of where I wanted to farm.  However, I have never forgot about this program or opportunity.  It seemed like such a natural idea and made so much sense. So, 19 years later I finally purchased a farm, but in order to get one I had

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING MIKARA ANDERSON!  If you want to know who the elite, future agricultural leaders are you need not look any further than the American Star Finalists in the FFA.  In today's episode I am lucky enough to profile Mikara Anderson.  She is a finalist for the award of American Star Farmer in 2020. Mikara grew up on a small acreage in Pennsylvania.  Her ability to create a farming enterprise was much smaller in scope than some students who are from much larger farms.  Mikara knew this would be a challenge for her, and instead of looking around at what she did not have, she looked at what was available to her. When Mikara assessed her resources she found something that was right in front of her...community.  She started reaching out to people in her community and region in the industry that she was interested in, sheep production.  Through the leveraging of other people's knowledge and network she has been able to build a significant, multi-state sheep production business. Throughout Mikara'

SHOW NOTES Sign Up To Receive Our FFA Stories Newsletter! Email address: Today I give a brief update on a major accident I had on the farm as well as a nice story about helping a military veteran get their start farming in one of the most beautiful spots of California.  After that I spend a lot of time talking about a listener question and why the fact that he wants to farm and has no experience is so exciting to me. Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard: t.     Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING WILL SHELBY!  Will Shelby has grown up around the profession of veterinary sciences.  His father is a large animal vet in the Madill, Oklahoma area, and since the 8th grade Will has been riding and working with his father and other veterinarians in their area. Will is currently wrapping up his bachelor's degree in animal science at Oklahoma State University and is applying to vet schools.  He is hoping to also become a large animal veterinarian and work in the rural area of Oklahoma that he calls home.  Will knows the struggles that ranchers in rural parts of Oklahoma face and how difficult that it can be to get a veterinarian when they need one.  Will wants to be there for all the people and the communities that have been there for him while he has been growing up. Becoming a veterinarian is no easy task.  You need to take very difficult classes, and you have to do very well in them because the competition to get into vet school is so strong.  This has led Will to really push himsel

SHOW NOTES Links To This Week's Stories: Here are the links to the stories we covered in this week's rural crime episode.  If you want to hear the specific stories and my take on them, click on the play button above or check out the episode on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcast, Google Play or anywhere else you consume podcasts! Tip Of The Week When you are building livestock handling facilities, de-prioritize ease of access and build in a more difficult area of your farm to access. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.wspa.com/news/crime/police-seeking-info-after-calf-taken-from-clemson-university-dairy-farm/ https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-business-owners-pitch-in-to-raise-reward-money-for-stolen-horse-statue/ Where The 2nd Amendment Does Not Exist https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/driver-of-tractor-sought-after-crashing-into-300-year-old-castle-wall/ https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/579852/travelling-crime-gangs-targeting-communities-in-rural-limerick.html Chalk One Up For The

SHOW NOTES It is always exciting to interview a person who had a dream of working full-time, in agriculture, for themself who has made it come true.  We get to do that today when Jennifer Sharrock joins us on the show. Jennifer has a very interesting story.  She grew up in New Jersey, went into the insurance industry and lived all around the country through her career.  One of these stops was Alaska.  In Alaska, Jennifer found her people, met her husband and started her family.  She also discovered a passion for permaculture, regenerative agriculture and growing her own food during their tiny growing season. Jennifer really dove into this, starting around 2015.  Since that time things have snowballed with her teaching classes to other people about how to farm on a small scale, the way that she does.  For the past 2+ years, Jennifer has been a full-time farmer and entrepreneur.  She grew her farm business large enough to be able to quit her insurance job and be completely independent. This is a powerfu

SHOW NOTES Hello everyone. I am proud to feature Doug Armknecht on the show again today in our re-cap bonus episode.  Doug was originally on episode #150, and all of the show notes from that episode are listed below. KEY IDEAS: Doug Armknecht married into a farm family.  He has a passion for photography and filmography, and soon the combination of that and his new farm family met to create something wonderful! In addition to his full time job, Doug now creates agricultural videos about farming in his region of Kansas.  He started doing this just for fun and as a tribute to is family's agricultural traditions.  However, as his videos went up on YouTube and became more and more popular this led to business opportunities for Doug making videos. His videos have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, and this has led to multiple opportunities.  His combination of videography, music and agriculture really inspires anyone who loves Ag. VIDEOS: ADVICE FROM DOUG ARMKNECHT: PATIENCE: Doug talks about pati

SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING NICOLE STEVENS!  Since I left my public service career and ventured into entrepreneurship I have become an astute observer of things.  Now that I no longer have a public service type job with tons of security built into it, I live in the world of providing real value and performance in order to continue receiving a paycheck.  It is this new reality that has caused me to really start looking at people who succeed and take measure of what makes them stand apart. It is these observations that really make this time of year fun for me.  As you know, I am privileged to be able to interview all of the FFA's American Star Finalists every year.  I usually do pretty good and am able to interview almost all of them.  These students are the best of the best, and I always find myself surprised hearing their stories and realizing just how much they have done to reach this level. Our guest today is one of those students.  Nicole Stevens is one of the four finalists for the title of American Star i

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SHOW NOTES INTRODUCING WHITNEY YERINA! It's funny how warm a feeling so many people get when they think about farming and the lifestyle that goes along with that.  Most of the time when we get that warm feeling we are thinking back to a time when farms were smaller, they were producing food for the family first, producing commodities to sell second and were run exclusively by the family. For the most part, when we see that vision, we are looking back into the early 20th Century.  A lot has changed in agriculture and farming since the middle 1900's, and that vision that we like so much has been altered significantly right along with farming. In today's episode we get a chance to look back.  Our guest, Whitney Yerina, is going to tell us about her families dairy farm in Missouri.  Currently there are three generations of her family, including her, working on the dairy.  Her grandfather actually moved the dairy from Maryland to Missouri in 2001 for a number of reasons, but one of the things this moved allowed

SHOW NOTES Links To This Week's Stories: Here are the links to the stories we covered in this week's rural crime episode.  If you want to hear the specific stories and my take on them, click on the play button above or check out the episode on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcast, Google Play or anywhere else you consume podcasts! Tip Of The Week Invest in a couple of really good flashlights. Here is the link to the flashlight I recommended during the show.  One of these costs just under $130, and it is very much worth it!  Do yourself a favor.  Buy one of these, put it on the charger and have it ready for whenever you need it!  Oh, and buy it through my affiliate link by clicking below! Nite Ize Inova T4R Rechargeable Tactical LED Flashlight with Lithium Ion Battery Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.fortmorgantimes.com/2020/09/23/morgan-county-sheriffs-office-seeking-rustlers-related-to-cattle-theft/ https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/10/08/amador-farm-supply-store-manager-ties-mexican-drug-cartel/ Whe