Off-farm Income

I had an interesting opportunity pop up this weekend regarding consulting in my old field of law enforcement.  It is not something that I am pursuing, but it is something that could be lucrative and really rewarding.  Even though I was not interested, I have a friend who would be, and she is extremely qualified. Today I spoke with her on the telephone about this, and I couldn't help but laugh at my commitment to my agricultural lifestyle.  As I was preparing three bottles of milk replacer for some bottle baby goats we have, I was talking with her about a possible six figure consulting gig that could take her all over the country and possibly the world.  I felt like that stereotypical actor in a movie who gave it all up and now feels jealous about his previous colleagues who are making it big. I will talk all about that and a bit of farm update on today's show. More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:  

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING ANNA RIDENOUR: I'll start this post by saying happy birthday to today's guest, Anna Ridenour, as her episode release date is on her 18th birthday!  And, that does not happen that often. Anna is the epitome of what can happen to a student when they get involved in the FFA.  I have seen more than once that a student who joins the FFA has a passion develop, they develop skills to serve that passion and they find themselves at a very advanced stage of life development by the time that they graduate from high school. In Anna's case, I have a hard time believing that there was ever a time that she did not have all the passion and enthusiasm that she currently has for agriculture, but those things grow over time.  Today, Anna is serving in multiple officer positions both at her chapter and regional levels, and she is pursuing a spot on the Minnesota State Officer Team.  She and her sister have been developing a sheep and goat business since they were seven years ol

Tip Of The Week Familiarize yourself with your local crime stoppers page. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://sanduskyregister.com/news/313827/reward-goes-up-for-farm-crime-info/ https://www.katc.com/news/vermilion-parish/sheriff-warning-residents-of-recent-atv-four-wheeler-thefts Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.graincentral.com/news/crime-is-rife-on-farms-yet-reporting-remains-stubbornly-low/ https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/farmer/19218230.police-operation-easter-targets-wild-bird-egg-thieves/ Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://news.yahoo.com/ec-man-gets-probation-large-015000192.html https://rivercountry.newschannelnebraska.com/story/43632945/airboats-drones-help-stop-thieves-in-floodstricken-nemaha-county More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:    

SHOW NOTES I know that the title of this episode might be a little bit misleading.  I mean, does anyone really get a full night's sleep during calving season?  However, we here at Off-Farm Income have uncovered an innovation that we would like to share with you.  And, if the innovation works as advertised, and you grow to trust it, I believe you will get a lot of sleep during calving season. I want to give my disclaimer, the same way I always do when we profile a companies product or service.  These folks are not sponsors of our show, they have not paid us any money and we are not seeking them as a sponsor.  At the end of this interview, they did offer to send us some products to test, which we are going to do, but we reached out to them to profile this innovation because it sounds like it could be a game-changer for cattle farmers. Today I am interviewing Stephen Fagan.  He is the head of operations and design for Moocall.  Moocall is a company based in Dublin, Ireland that was founded by cattle farmers.

Advice For The Beginning Cattle Farmer I have had two situations/conversations recently that have really made me want to ask everyone to hit the pause button for just a second before putting cattle on their places.  And this has really made me think about this a little bit deeper. Let me first start by saying that as a person who loves agriculture, wants to see agricultural land preserved, likes the diversity of people farming, and really enjoys cattle - I am all for people discovering this great animal and engaging in this industry. However, cattle are not a species of livestock that you can just decide you want to raise and then begin.  You really need to know what you are doing here, both for reasons of being humane and because of the impact on your financials. Small livestock like goats, sheep, and even pigs can be easy to start out with.  But cattle are just too big for you to start off with if you have no experience and you don't have the correct equipment.  The larger the animal, the less margin for

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING ISAIAH HOPKINS: I have a lot of favorite businesses that I profile on the Off-Farm Income Podcast, and the business we will profile today is quickly becoming my favorite for FFA students. I have talked many times over the years about how I think the development of a lawn care business in the FFA can lead a student to unbelievable entrepreneurial success.  I have gone as far as to say that in the same way that the dry cleaning business was called the "future millionaire-maker" back in the 1980s and 1990s, I think the lawn care business takes its place as the "future millionaire-maker" of today.  Well, over time I have come to learn that there is an even more basic first step to this business, but it is a very important one.  That is the repair and maintenance of small engines. In today's episode, I am interviewing Isaiah Hopkins.  Isaiah has a vision for a future of business endeavors.  He is a junior in high school, and he is just getting started recognizin

Welcome to our Tuesday episode at the finale of March Madness everyone.  On today's show I am covering various topics: Trying out some new audio technology Easter, 2021 March Madness and the incredible Gonzaga/UCLA game on Saturday night Pulling goats in the middle of the night and bottle feeding. Pulling calves, thankfully during the day time. What a "city surrogate" is in my vernacular I hope you enjoy the show! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:  

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING MATTHEW GRAB: You may wonder how we can produce so much food in the United States on an ever-shrinking footprint of ground with fewer and fewer people being involved in production agriculture.  The answer is the natural curiosity of the American Farmer coupled with a passion for agriculture and an innovative mind. These characteristics that have made the American Farmer great are evident throughout the spectrum, from the 80-year-old farmer who is trying hard not to retire to the 16-year-old who is dreaming of how they can become a farmer. In today's interview, I am lucky enough to interview one of these farmers.  At age 18, Matthew Grab is already accomplishing amazing things in the FFA and in agriculture.  He lives on his family's grain farm in Freeburg, Illinois and one of the crops they grow is soybeans.  As part of Matthew's supervised agricultural experience, he and a friend decided to see how hail damage would impact the yield on soybeans. The two of

Tip Of The Week Consider a gravel driveway so anyone coming in makes more noise. Rural Crime In The U.S. https://www.q13fox.com/news/atf-and-crime-stoppers-offering-cash-reward-up-to-6000-for-id-of-burglar-who-stole-15-pistols-in-auburnv https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/tri-state/article_5da0dc01-3614-59a6-815a-0b7ba08ae583.html Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/police-investigating-after-familys-horse-5255796 https://www.scotsman.com/country-and-farming/thieves-target-farmers-costly-all-terrain-vehicles-3185476 Chalk One Up For The Good Guys https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/stolen-dog-reunited-owners-eight-20260342 https://local12.com/news/local/pair-charged-after-20-mile-police-chase-in-stolen-pickup-pulling-a-trailer-with-an-atv-cincinnati https://www.chattanoogan.com/2021/3/25/425577/Man-Who-Stole-Vehicles-And-Equipment.aspx More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:  

SHOW NOTES Everybody knows that obtaining land is the single biggest obstacle to overcome for a new or beginning farmer.  And the current state of real estate all over the U.S. is pushing us towards the point that it seems almost impossible.  So, if a person wants to farm on a commercial scale, what are they to do. In our society, innovation always seems to answer these difficult questions, and it may very well be true this time as well.  On today's show, I get to speak with Alex Albu of FarmBox Foods.  Alex and his colleagues have developed a system of vertical farming in storage containers that can be placed anywhere, in any climatic conditions, and get somebody farming. It is really a very interesting concept.  A person on a small, residential lot could start farming in one of these containers and be producing the same farm revenue that could only be replicated on 30+ acres of ground.  And of course, the investment in this equipment, while significant, pales in comparison to the ground and is not subje

 SHOW NOTES Our guest today has a very interesting story.  Shelby Smith grew up on her family's farm just outside Ames, Iowa but her passion never seemed to lie with farming.  Shelby is an exceptional athlete, and this is where she concentrated her time during high school, college, and later in graduate school. As a standout point guard on her high school basketball team, Shelby was able to pay for her undergraduate degree on an athletic scholarship doing the same thing.  Then she was offered an opportunity to do it again for her master's degree at a college in Ireland.  One thing led to another, and Shelby found herself with a master's degree, no college debt, and a prestigious position as a commodity trader. A whirlwind of sports, collegiate, and career success had taken place and now Shelby was settling into her career as a trader.  Only one problem, as the dust settled and she was working full-time she found out that somehow she had unwittingly found herself in somebody else's dream position.  Shelby s

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING MISSY HAMILTON: For years now the percentage of Americans working in agriculture has been shrinking.  As farms become more efficient and jobs in rural communities go away, more and more youth, move into urban areas for work.  But, could we be seeing a change in this trend? In today's interview, we feature a guest who tells her story of coming into agriculture through the FFA.  This is a story that I am hearing more and more often. Missy Hamilton grew up in a subdivision of Bardstown, Kentucky with no exposure to agriculture.  Her older brother found his way into the FFA when he was in high school and encouraged her to try out the group as well.  Missy gave it a try, and it has turned out to be an unbelievable success, with her now serving as her chapter's president. In four short years, Missy has gone from no knowledge about agriculture to leading her chapter and pursuing a career teaching ag as an FFA advisor.  The FFA has given her the exposure and motiva

Today, I've got a farm update for you, and I want to talk about the most fascinating story of recent memory - The story of the Suez Canal being blocked by one of the largest container ships in the world. Somehow, talking about what happened in Egypt spun into a mini-rant about not judging those who are willing to take risks until you have taken some yourself. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56559073 Happy Tuesday everybody! More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:  

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING SHAWN JAMISON: What is a "traditional FFA student"?  I ask that question because I think the definition of a "traditional" FFA student is changing.  In decades past of course it was a student who grew up on a farm and was furthering the farm education and future career in farming through this program.  More recently it has been a student with exposure to farming who is very involved in aspects of what it takes to farm - soils, welding, mechanics, livestock production, etc. In the not too distant future, I expect this definition to shift again.  Through my work conducting interviews with FFA students, and in my own exposure to our local FFA chapter through my daughter being a member and sitting on the advisory committee I see more and more students who are growing up without farming exposure that is joining the FFA. There are a number of reasons for this.  The more students that I interview, the more I believe it is due to the developing knowledge that the F

SHOW NOTES On our rural crime episodes of the Off-Farm Income Podcast, we talk about livestock theft frequently.  It is significantly more pervasive than anyone would ever suspect.  And since the prices of puppies have skyrocketed during the pandemic we have covered a lot of stories about the theft of dogs and puppies. There is a real difference between the theft of livestock and dogs.  One is basically, purely monetary, and one is very emotional because a dog is a member of the family.  Well, there is one species of livestock that reaches both parts of this divide, and that is horses.  Horses have commercial value, they are used for working and they also become part of the family just like a pet.  So, when a horse is stolen it can be devastating and have long-term impacts both financially and emotionally. Two weeks ago I covered a story about the recovery of a mule in Texas.  In the story, I found out that a non-profit organization called Net Posse was responsible for the recovery.  I reached out to them,

SHOW NOTES The essence of what we are trying to do at the Off-Farm Income Podcast is to give you a way to be successful in creating and then sustaining your farming and agricultural lifestyle.  That really is a two-pronged attack.  We tend to focus on just one of those prongs, and that is how to produce your off-farm income. Over 90% of farmers in the United States require some form of off-farm income, and we believe that in order to solve the paradox of becoming a new farmer in the United States that entrepreneurship is the best way to produce that off-farm income. The other prong of the attack is forming a farming enterprise that makes you enough money that eventually if it is your desire, you can become a full-time farmer.  We love niches on Off-Farm Income, so anytime we see somebody who has found a niche and is really making a go of it, we like to profile them.  That is the case with today's guest, Jacob Ebbers. Jacob and his wife, Sara, grew up showing livestock.  Sheep for Jacob and cattle for Sara

SHOW NOTES KEY IDEAS:  I have had a lot of great business ideas (in my opinion).  So much so that one of the biggest challenges to being an entrepreneur for me is to not chase every "great" idea that comes into my head.  And thank goodness that I didn't because a great business idea is not necessarily a true business opportunity. For the bulk of us listening to this show and considering entrepreneurship we have a lot at risk.  We cannot afford to chase every single business idea that comes to mind because they are unproven.  When I started my first business I figured that I had one shot.  One-shot to make something that would prove I was capable of doing this.  In my own mind, I could not justify putting my family through the expense and time away from me a second time.  So, I was careful. Finding a true business opportunity is kind of like being careful.  Before we jump in with both feet we want to pay attention to some parameters.  We want to identify those ideas that give us the greatest chance for succ

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING MADISON NOLLEY: We all have something inside of us that drives us towards reaching our goals.  For some of us, it is a desire to complete worthy goals.  For others it the need to do everything correctly that gets us to the endpoint.  And for some of us, it is competitiveness.  Actually, there is probably a little bit of all of those in all of us, with one outshining the others.  Our guest today is definitely competitive.  Madison Nolley describes herself that way.  She has an older brother that she loves very much but definitely does not want to be outdone by.  This drives her.  It got her started in the FFA as soon as her school district would allow - 6th Grade, and it has pushed her into every possible competitive FFA event that she was allowed to do prior to beginning high school. As a freshman, Madison is already transitioning from a placement SAE to an entrepreneurship SAE, and she has already been able to obtain a $1,000 SAE grant from Farm Credit to

Mike Rowe says to "never follow your passion, but bring it with you".  He says a lot of other things on this topic as well, and he is correct.  In today's episode I want to take what he has said, what I have done and what I have learned and see if we can't help you to figure out how to put together the puzzle that is the life you are looking for. Have you ever gone "bumper bowling"?  These things didn't exist when I was a kid, and by the time I was in high school my pride would not allow me to bumper bow.  But years later, when I became a parent and we would go bowling with other parents and all of our kids I was cajoled into this activity because the bumpers were up on the lane for the kids. Of course the bumpers on a bowling lane are there so the kids can actually have fun by getting their bowling balls all the way to the end of the lane without going into the gutter.  That way they can actually reach the end and hit some pins.  A lot of people see this as nothing more than some Saturday evening fun, but

Subscribe To Our Weekly Email INTRODUCING DALTON DENNIS: There are many pathways to finding success in small businesses and entrepreneurship.  If you are fortunate enough to live in the United States there are myriads of people who will help you to succeed.  When it comes to being an entrepreneur there are really two extremes.  There are those who it just comes naturally to, and there are those who have to develop the skills for success.  I count myself among that second group. If you are interested in working for yourself, or if you need to work for yourself because of the situation that you find yourself in, it is incumbent upon you to find the tools and resources available to you to make it happen.  Our interview today features a young man who has done exactly that.  Dalton Dennis is joining us to talk about how he has been developing his own nursery business. Dalton's journey started out with the mentorship of his older brother who encouraged him to take agriculture classes when he got into hig