Happy Halloween to all of you, if you celebrate this night of ghosts and goblins.  On today's farm update I touch on a Halloween memory as well as selling goats this weekend and the bad year of goat production that we have had.  Oh, and why I am sleep deprived!

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Kynlee Bright is a 2023 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Ag Communications, and she has a very interesting FFA origin story.  During her sophomore year of high school, she left her high school volleyball team, and the result was an open period that needed to be filled.  The only available class for her was an agriculture class.  Kynlee knew nothing about agriculture, had no aspirations in agriculture but she also had.....no choice.

Despite Kynlee's lack of background and unhappiness with her plight, her agriculture teacher saw something in her and encouraged her to participate in an LDE.  This competition sparked something in Kynlee, and she has been a motivated and energetic FFA student ever since.  She is currently a senior in high school, serving as the chapter reporter and has been selected as one of four national finalists in her category.

On today's show Kynlee will tell us all about his very non-traditional pathway, what in the world a "Shelbizlee Sustainability Blog" is and how becoming an FFA member is influencing her future.

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.

The College Of Western Idaho is a community college located in the Treasure Valley of Idaho, which happens to be where I live and farm. I taught criminal justice courses at CWI for several years, and was able to teach one agriculture class while I was there as well.  CWI first started offering courses in 2009, and first started offering agriculture courses in 2016.  They are a growing agriculture program that is sorely needed in the Treasure Valley of Idaho, and today we will learn about how they are filling that void.

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Tip Of The Week

Support your local sheriff’s office

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/10/26/shootings-spotlight-alarming-jump-in-violence-against-minnesota-rural-officers

https://www.kiiitv.com/article/news/jim-wells-county/jim-wells-countys-rural-property-and-livestock-theft-prevention-program-helps-track-stolen-lost-property/503-e8734d7e-3bdd-4546-880a-4b0be1aef9b8

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2023/10/27/wolverhampton-businessman-facing-jail-over-259000-payment-for-cut-price-stolen-chicken-meat/

https://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/news/north-yorkshire/news/appeals/2023/10-october/appeal-following-sheep-theft-near-harrogate/

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-67235631

Africa

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/11870/news/agriculture/eastern-province-police-foil-theft-of-over-1000-metric-tonnes-of-seeds-and-fertilisers

https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/police-recover-stolen-livestock-valued-at-r200000-in-limpopo-fe4ea69f-2b1e-4b8b-b1dd-e2e55749084e

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/man-arrested-in-connection-to-widespread-rural-fuel-and-copper-wire-thefts-crime-kern-county-bakersfield-drugs-chp

https://www.knoe.com/2023/10/25/man-arrested-livestock-theft-madison-richland-parish/

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Abigaile Wolfe is a current Senior at the Indiana Agriculture & Technology School. She is also the 2x current FFA President for the Indiana Ag & Tech chapter, as well as serving for the 2nd year as her local 4-H club President. She won the district and state level proficiencies as a Junior last year in Agricultural Services. Her entrepreneurship SAE is called The Barn Babysitter, and she started it when she was 12 years old. She has an LLC, a strong social media presence, and is working on trademarking her business name. She has increased her client base to over 40 clients and books out nearly a year in advance for her services.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode we are featuring a high school senior who has developed a very active farm sitting business and has actually trade marked her business name.  I love the idea of a farm sitting business for a person who does not have their own farm or livestock yet, but who wants to work in this field.  But, when are you ready to take care of other people's livestock, and how do you make the business successful?  Well, I previously interviewed a farm sitter who gave us the run down on this business, and I thought it would be perfect to bring this interview with Lauren Dixon back for you today.

George Frees is an American Star Finalist in the category of Agriscience Research.  He is currently a junior at the University Of Missouri, and he has a long educational road ahead of him.

George has had a passion for plants and for research since he was 5 years old when he asked his parents for an "elephant ear" plant for his birthday and began measuring its growth rates.  Over the past 16 years he has continued to develop this passion and to add to it.  He has traveled internationally due to these interests multiple times, which ultimately led him to his SAE studying growth rates of sugar cane and the practical applications for biofuel.

George has his sights set on receiving both a Phd and MD allowing him to go to places like the Amazon or jungles of Vietnam and see how plants are being used medicinally, both as cures and treatments for different ailments.  George has a wonderful mind for research, and he talks all about it in today's episode.

Back in March I did an episode about farmers being the scapegoats for water shortages in the Arid West, when municipalities were continuing to allow urban sprawl and new subdivision that required water that they did not have rights to.  In that episode I ended by asking the question of whether or not this should be topic of conversation at all, as I believed that this problem would eventually be solved through innovation with the introduction of water from other sources into these areas.

In today's episode I want to read an article to you that I came across discussing a city in Arizona that is looking at innovation to solve this water problem so that they can continue to sprawl.  I am not in favor of sprawl, but I am in favor of innovation to deal with water shortages, and it appears that some of these ideas may be gaining traction.

Jaxson Collier is an American Star Finalist in the category of Agricultural Placement.  He has been working on his families dairy farm in Snyder, Texas since he was 11 or 12 years old, and he is the third generation to do so.

Jax is one for setting specific and long term goals.  When he was a freshman in high school he set his sights on being a 1st Vice-President at the area level in Texas.  Three years later, he accomplished that.  He also knew that he wanted to keep pushing with his supervised agricultural experience, and today he finds himself poised to be named an American Star winner.

Jax will be graduating college in May, but he plans to stay and get his masters in business administration.  Then, he has his eyes set on becoming a land broker and selling ranches and dairies.  Something tells me that it is just a matter of 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.

Iowa State University sits in the heart of the Corn Belt and some of the most advanced production agriculture in the nation.  With that said, Ames is the epitome of a college town, with a community that leaves and breathes with the university.  To get a great start in agriculture, Iowa State University is there waiting for you.  On today's show we will talk all about it.

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Tip Of The Week

To be really secure, gates need to be chained on both sides

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/50603-madera-county-sheriff-s-office-partners-with-valley-crime-stoppers-to-crack-down-on-agricultural-theft-and-vandalism

https://starherald.com/news/state-regional/crime-courts/rural-north-platte-man-pleads-guilty-to-felony-neglect-of-livestock/article_b172b923-627f-5ea3-8985-7080414be446.html

https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/sioux-county-sheriff-seeking-information-after-john-deere-gator-stolen-from-farm/

https://www.theoakleafnews.com/news/srjc-district-police/2023/10/15/hemp-plants-stolen-from-shone-farm/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/23863762.police-appeal-horsebox-stolen-green-hammerton/

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2023/10/17/appeal-after-nine-pigs-stolen-from-farm-targeted-twice-in-seven-days/

https://farmersforum.com/opp-2-tractors-stolen-from-winchester-business/

Africa

https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/3-face-conspiracy-cattle-theft-case

https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/nc-farmers-say-stock-theft-is-on-the-rise/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://news.yahoo.com/sioux-falls-man-gets-probation-102010789.html

https://www.agdaily.com/ffa/washington-man-finally-sentenced-after-killing-three-ffa-pigs/

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Olivia Pflaumer is an Agriscience teacher, former American Star Finalist, former FFA member and three time guest of the Off-Farm Income Podcast.  On today's show she returns to give us an update on her career.  Olivia first appeared on the show in 2016 when she was a junior in high school.  Three years later she was back as an American Star Finalist in the category of Agriscience Research.  Today, Olivia has completed college and student teaching, and she is an Agriscience instructor at the Global Impact Stem Academy in Springfield, Ohio.  Today, we get to catch up on all she has done and is doing.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode we are catching up with Olivia Pflaumer who is now an agriscience teacher in a STEM Program in Ohio.  This will be Olivia's third appearance on the show as she has been a high achiever for years now.  Olivia's first appearance was back in 2016, and as a nice tie in for tomorrow I decided to replay that interview today.  This will make for a great before and after picture of Olivia.

Joseph Pulver is an American Star Finalist in the category of Agribusiness.  He and his brother are third generation working their families concrete business in the farming community of Randolph, Wisconsin.  As such, Joseph has been doing one aspect or another of the concrete business since he was 11 years old.

By the time Joseph has a couple of years invested in the FFA, his advisor approached him and made a life changing suggestion.  He suggested that Joseph form an LLC, and start his own business on the side of working for his father in the concrete business.  Joseph took the advice, and JP Slabs LLC was born.  At this point Joseph started working on the weekend in his own business.  However, he needed somebody to take a chance on him since he was only 16.  One farmer did and hired him to poor a pad for a grain bin to rest on.  That led to word of mouth and a growing business.

Today, Joseph is 22 years old, and he is working full time for his father and still growing his own business on the weekends.  He realized that while he knew concrete, he needed to learn more about business.  So, today he is a graduate of Fox Valley Technical College with a degree in business.  Joseph plans on operating his business on the weekends for the foreseeable future until he raises enough funds to buy into his father's business.

I had a list of farm update things to talk to you about today, but I didn't talk about almost any of that.  As so often happens when I start recording, my mind goes somewhere that is cathartic as it often does when speaking to this fantastic audience.  So, today there is a lot of reflection about how fortunate I am, the current events of today and a somber ending about those events.  I hope you will join me.

Lainey Hutchison is an American Star Finalist in the category of agribusiness.  Growing up on a cattle ranch in Tennessee, horses have always been a part of Lainey's life.  That bloomed over the years to where she started competing in rodeo on horseback.  Eventually, a parent approached her and asked if she would be willing to provide riding lessons to their daughter.  She said yes, and an equestrian entrepreneur was born.

Today, Lainey is competing on the college rodeo team at the University Of Tennessee, Martin.  Martin is close enough to her family ranch that she is able to continue providing riding lessons on the weekends.  In addition, she and her mother started providing farm camps to kids, agricultural and non-agricultural, when Lainey was back in high school.  She continues to do that during the summer, providing agricultural education to younger children.

We are 8 months into profiling agricultural colleges.  I believe that we are dispelling some myths and uncovering some opportunities for the student who wants to pursue a future in agriculture.  In today's I'll try to summarize what I have learned in the past 8 months.

Tip Of The Week

What does it mean to believe all victims?

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12619815/Washington-family-farm-theft-suspect-chicken-kids.html

https://www.aginfo.net/report/57718/Sportsman-s-Spotlight/Stolen-Guard-dogs

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://southburnett.com.au/news2/2023/10/11/hay-thats-our-truck/https://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/23847191.sheep-injured-dog-attack-borders-farm/

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23845748.police-investigation-wootton-bassett-farm-targeted-theft/

Africa

https://www.kbc.co.ke/trio-arrested-as-anti-stock-theft-unit-recovers-stolen-livestock/

https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/two-men-nabbed-for-suspected-stolen-cattle-in-limpopo-93a12917-ff95-43d5-9995-cf2e263e90b5

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.morningagclips.com/love-county-man-sentenced-for-horse-theft/

https://localnews8.com/news/crime-tracker/2023/10/10/1-arrested-after-pursuit-in-stolen-tractor/

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Today will our second installment talking about pricing and “is profit evil?”  I did that for a reason.  This is a question that has come up several times.  It came up for me in my business.  It has come up with guests that I have interviewed on the show.  And, it is has come up from people who are working in my industry who have since gone out of business.

The fact that they went out of business is a hint as to how important this issue is.  By being generous or being nice, rather than pricing their products or services correctly, they are now out of business and not sharing their gifts with the rest of the world.  This is not a sustainable way of doing business.

We need to be concerned with sustainability, business sustainability.  If we use entrepreneurship to support our farming or rural lifestyle and the business fails, then we lose the lifestyle.  So, it is important that we price our goods or services in a way that will sustain our business.  Otherwise, all of the positive impact we could have had with our agricultural enterprise will no longer exist.

Today we will be talking about pricing and “is profit evil?”  I did that for a reason.  This is a question that has come up several times.  It came up for me in my business.  It has come up with guests that I have interviewed on the show.  And, it is has come up from people who are working in my industry who have since gone out of business.

The fact that they went out of business is a hint as to how important this issue is.  By being generous or being nice, rather than pricing their products or services correctly, they are now out of business and not sharing their gifts with the rest of the world.  This is not a sustainable way of doing business.

We need to be concerned with sustainability, business sustainability.  If we use entrepreneurship to support our farming or rural lifestyle and the business fails, then we lose the lifestyle.  So, it is important that we price our goods or services in a way that will sustain our business.  Otherwise, all of the positive impact we could have had with our agricultural enterprise will no longer exist.

Whitney Glazier is an American Star Finalist in the category of Agricultural Placement.  She knew she wanted to be an FFA member early in life, when her father was still teaching agriculture.  As she and her sister got older and became more involved in showing pigs, he dad ended his 20 year career as an ag teacher and started farming full time and helping Whitney and her sister get to different pig shows.

Starting in her freshman year, Whitney knew she wanted to be an American Star Finalist.  However, she didn't think that a girl from a small town like her could achieve that dream.  However, she kept pursuing it, finding success but staying humble.  Today she finds herself on the precipice of becoming an American Star and already having been honored by being a finalist.

Hattie and I just returned from Yellowstone National Park.  On this previous weekend, every October since 2016, she and I have departed for Yellowstone and spent three days searching for wildlife and taking in incredible vistas.  She is a senior in high school this year, so this may be it!  I don't know what the future holds for this trip in October, but I do know that she will not be subject to the Kuna High School calendar next year and there will be a new set of scheduling obstacles to deal with when it comes to planning this trip.

On today's show I talk all about these past 8 years of Yellowstone with Hattie, and how this year we graduated to the level of guides!

Jasmyn Hoeger is a sophomore at the University Of Iowa and an American Star Finalist in the category of Agriscience Research.  Her passion and her research project have their roots all the way back to when Jasmyn was in the 3rd Grade and her father was almost fatally injured by their bull.  In subsequent discussions with doctors after the incident Jasmyn became aware that had the bull been horned the incident was almost certainly have been fatal.

Years later, now in the FFA, Jasmyn's teacher encouraged her to get into agriscience research through a science fair project that could also be used in the FFA.  Jasmyn participated, and a flame for research was lit.  This led to her beginning a journey that he is continuing today, into an economical and pain free method of dehorning cattle.  Jasmyn believes that cost and pain caused to cattle are the two biggest obstacles to people dehorning calves.  And, she believes that having cattle, particularly bulls, on farms that are horned causes a more unsafe working environment for farmers and ranchers.  So, her research is directed at eliminated those two obstacles and creating safer farms by having less horned cattle on those operations.

What Jasmyn has already done is really incredible, and it is really easy to see what the practical application will be.  It is amazing that she is only a sophomore in college, but obviously she will be continuing her education for some time and will be making a big difference in the world of agriculture!

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.

[caption id="attachment_421096" align="alignright" width="145"] Nick Dorroh - Ag Student Ambassador[/caption]

Thisepisode 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.

I began my college career at a community college and got off to a great start academically.  I have often stated, with all seriousness, that had I not had that beginning, I probably would not have graduated with a bachelor's degree.  So, I believe that a community college is an absolutely fantastic place to begin a college pursuit, and that is why I wanted to profile as many as possible on this episode.  

In today's episode I am proving Aims Community College from Fort Lupton, Colorado.  We are going to be talking about the re-emergence of their agricultural program, the emergence of new opportunities and why a 38 year old man, who is redefining his life chose Aims for his new beginning.

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Tip Of The Week

Outgoing mail and locking mail boxes

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/target-closing-stores-due-to-theft-concerns-of-violence-toward-workers

https://www.klkntv.com/man-accused-of-smashing-window-to-break-into-rural-southeast-nebraska-home/

https://www.kbzk.com/news/crime-courts/mail-carrier-sentenced-for-stealing-mail-on-rural-routes

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23819082.women-deny-stealing-kings-lambs-field-sandringham/

https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/psni-appeal-for-information-about-farm-theft-in-co-fermanagh/

Africa

https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/ff-shocked-over-the-increase-in-police-arrests-for-various-crimes-639204c3-ec3f-49f3-b285-5821f80ccffa

https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-235955.html

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://abc11.com/cumberland-county-fayettevillle-animal-cruelty-abuse/13839586/

https://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-pounds-medicinal-fruit-confiscated-183627317.html

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Cassidy Johnston and her husband are the creators and owners of JRC Ranch Management & Consulting.  This is a business that they are developing after years of working on different ranches throughout Colorado and having a myriad of different experiences.  They believe that there can be a disconnect between absentee ranch owners and the folks who are doing the day to day work on the ranches, and they would like to be part of the solution to solving that problem.

In the interview Cassidy talks about how sometimes employees on ranches are not treated as well as employees in other sectors of industry.  This leads to burnout, high turnover and poor performance of the ranch.  Basically, nobody wins in these situations.  In many cases, Cassidy believes that the problem lies in the disconnect and is not necessarily a character flaw of the ownership.  She will talk all about her observations and how she aims to be part of the solution in this episode.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am profiling a cattle rancher striving to make cattle ranching better for everyone.  In she and her husband's efforts, they are taking the perspective of ranch employers and trying to convey that ranch owners, particularly absentee ranch owners.

So, for today's re-cap episode I am going back to an episode I did that I titled "The Amazing Range Cow And the Amazing Rancher".  Hopefully there is enough in this episode to give you some perspective on ranchers out here in the West are doing before we roll into tomorrow's show.

Hadley Steifvater is an American Star Finalist in the category of Agriscience Research.  She has grow up around her father's veterinary practice, raising livestock of her own and also helping to solve problems in the production agriculture world in her region of South Dakota.

Hadley was homeschooled for the entirety of her primary school career, and her pathway into the FFA and agriscience research are a bit different than normal.  Hadley was actually recruited by the FFA Advisor for McCook Central High School, Terry Reickman, as her father had been the FFA and Terry had been his advisor too.  This recruitment took place her 7th Grade year, but it was not until 8th Grade that her parents allowed it.

In the first year, another of Hadley's FFA Advisors, Tracy Chase, encouraged her to do an agriscience research project.  Hadley went on to win both state and national awards with that project in just the 8th Grade!  This set her on a course of seeking research projects, and soon she was researching the best methods of farrowing pigs and caring for newly born pigs on behalf of her father and for one of his customers.

This led to Hadley researching block chains in the beef industry and assessing whether or not the origins of a steak could be traced back to the farm the calf was born on - a topic of particular interest to me.

Hadley is now at South Dakota State University, majoring in Animal Science, and she is looking at a future career in the veterinary field as either a veterinary nurse or veterinarian.

Today, I've got a lively farm update for you.  We will be discussing:

• very successful FFA scholarship auction
• .75 inches of rain and done irrigating
• grazing goats on canal for two weeks straight
• Oso working out great
• still on pasture with cattle and hope to be for a couple more weeks
• corn, kochia and cover crops for goats to green

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Audrey Pinger is a 2023 American Star Finalist in the category of Agriscience Research.  This all began in the 9th Grade with her adamantly refusing to the join the FFA as her friends tried to get her to sign up.  Finally, after a lot of peer pressure (the good kind), she relented and became a member to join what would later become a nationally competing parliamentary procedure team.

During this time Audrey was encouraged to do an agriscience research project by her FFA Advisor.  She ended going to and winning her state with the project, and this lit a fire.  Soon, she was running four separate agriscience research projects, and obviously those projects stood out as she has become one of only four finalists in the category out of over 800,000 FFA students in the nation!

Audrey is currently studying to become an agriculture teacher at The Ohio State University, and she will also be receiving her American Degree this year.

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.

Mid-State Technical College serves as a conduit between employers in their region of Wisconsin looking for talented and qualified recruits, and up and coming employees who need certifications and more to be qualified to work for those employers.  This pragmatic approach is very beneficial to agriculture students because that is how we in agriculture tend to operate.  And, because Mid-State Tech. has four locations, they can cater to all the different types of agriculture that are represented in each location.

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