Hayden Mueller is just finishing his sophomore year of high school and second year of the FFA, and he already has a lot going on.  In addition to farming corn & soybeans with his dad, uncle and brother, he is now leasing his own land to do the same.  In the 8th grade he started his own business in order to make some money, and that has grown into Hayden's Landscaping in which he is providing an array of lawn services to his customers.  

It may sound like Hayden is working all the time, but there is another side to his high school experience - music.  Hayden first got introduced to music playing the recorder in elementary school.  Since then, that has grown to him playing guitar, bass guitar and saxophone.  Currently he plays the baritone saxophone in the marching band and pep band at his high school.  

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.

On today's episode we are profiling Oklahoma Panhandle State University.  This institution is getting a lot of agriculture started in the right way and onto their future agricultural careers.  OPSU prides itself on being affordable and offering very practical, personalized instruction.  With a student body of just 250, and the team that was assembled for this interview, it is easy to see that they are serious about this commitment.

Tip Of The Week

Support your local Sheriff

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.ktsm.com/news/100000-in-cattle-stolen-from-clay-county-ranch-clay-county-sheriffs-office-crime-stoppers/

https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/broome-county/sheriffs-office-needs-your-help-in-a-sanford-burglary-investigation/

https://www.whas11.com/article/news/investigations/focus/copper-wire-lights-out-louisville-kentucky-focus-kentucky-transportation-cabinet-lmpd/417-a05cb9bc-241b-431a-939f-e14584ab762a

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/24261633.powys-livestock-worrying-incident-saw-dog-shot/

https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/rural/rural-crime/two-darlington-men-linked-to-1m-farm-machinery-theft-arrested/

Africa

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/man-found-hanging-dead-after-village-court-convicted-him-of-goat-theft-4595700

https://nairobiwire.com/2024/04/dci-detectives-recover-kes-1-8m-worth-of-stolen-govt-fertiliser-in-kitale.html

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.yahoo.com/news/shelby-county-man-charged-livestock-195952643.html

https://www.chronline.com/stories/eastern-washington-man-charged-with-stealing-cattle-in-borrowed-honda-to-be-arraigned,336804

Rick Savoia is the Product Manager for BuyTwoWayRadios.com and the host of The Two Way Radio Show, and he is back for part II of our exploration into GMRS Radio.

A few weeks back I did a Tuesday episode about GMRS Radio, why I was using it and my limited knowledge.  Well today, we get to hear from an actual expert, and hopefully correct any mistakes I made in the Tuesday Episode.

There is so much information here that I broke this interview into two episodes.  So, today Rick joins me for part 1 of this 2 part series, and we will talk about GMRS and how you can use it for your farming operation as well as for dealing with rural and agricultural crime.

The technology that is emerging in agriculture is really amazing, and it all points to a future with less rural crime and easier management.  It also brings people into agriculture that may have never believed they would wind up there.  Enter today's guest, David Philpot.

You may remember in episode #988 that I interviewed David Smith of Ceres Tag about the rural crime prevention and detection capabilities of this smart ear tag.  As David has been growing his company, he has been speaking to groups about investing with him.  Both David and, well, David, are from Australia, and this is what brought them together.  David Philpot belongs to an investor's group, and during one of their meetings David Smith came to speak with them about investing in Ceres Tag.

Not only did David Philpot become an investor, but he realized that a website called Mapipedia, which had been a hobby of his for some time, would be highly useful when paired with Ceres Tag.  So, the two David's began working together and have just completed a mock sheep theft in Australia in which Ceres Tag, coupled with Mapipedia, was able to detect the theft and help law enforcement track down and recover the stolen sheep.

On today's episode David Philpot will explain all of the possible uses of Mapipedia in the livestock industry, including better management, bio-security and theft prevention.

Noah Richards is 11 days away from graduating high school and pursing the life he loves, farming.  Noah's parents purchased their own land and had their own dairy infrastructure built after they were married.  They have been dairy farming ever since, and this is how Noah and his sister grew up.  Noah has his sights set on this life as well.

After high school graduation he will head to Hawkeye Community College for two years to study agricultural business with the hopes of returning to the farm.  During that two year period, he and his parents will have to assess how this is financially possible.  Is there a way that having Noah on the farm as a full-time employee will increase revenue enough to pay his salary?  This is a problem that many farms and ranches must solve when a child wants to come back.

There are no employees on Noah's family dairy.  His sister is now an FFA Advisor, so it is just Noah and his parents taking care of things.  Therefore, there is not an employee position that could be eliminated to make room for Noah.  Expansion?  A new enterprise?  A service business?  What are the options to make this happen?

Today is another farm update episode, and I will be covering:

• Starting Irrigation
• Bottle Feeding
• Lack Of Sleep
• Grazing
• Hattie Getting Ready To Graduate

Wyatt DeAth is his chapter's president as was a district reporter, district star winner and state proficiency winner.  All this before he reached his senior year of high school.  This young man can talk farming, and I had a great time talking about it with him in his episode.

Wyatt has grown up on his families farm in Eastern Illinois.  He started out driving the grain cart on the farm at a very young age, and when he was home full-time during Covid his dad graduated him to the tractor and the planter.  That was just the beginning.  Soon, he was farming for other operations in the area and using their equipment.  Today, he is leasing 30 acres of his own and growing and selling alfalfa hay.

As of right now, farming is what Wyatt is looking forward to in the future.  However, he knows that he is going to get off of the farm for some time first to experience something different, and he realizes that there is a chance that something else might pique his interest.

As things stand right now, he will either head to college for a two year degree or hit the road with a harvesting crew when he finishes up in high school.  Either way, and no matter what, he is going to be an asset to agriculture for decades to come.

For Information Like Degrees Offered, Annual Costs, Etc., Please Click The Banner Below:

[caption id="attachment_422192" align="alignleft" width="112"] Jolene Hammock: Outreach & Engagement Coordinator[/caption]

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

[caption id="attachment_422194" align="alignright" width="140"] Grant Dutton: Student Ambassador[/caption]

might have with agricultural schools at trade show like the National FFA Convention.

Today we profile an agricultural college located in a very interesting area of agriculture and American History.  The University of Arkansas at Monticello is right on the crossroads of two different types of agricultural practices as well as two different types of forestry production.  This enables the College Of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources to offer a very wide suite of agricultural experiences and career opportunities to its students.

More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week

Practice self-sufficiency

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.wbrc.com/2024/04/18/conference-rural-violence-university-alabama-wrapping-up-thursday/

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/04/18/rural-texas-towns-report-cyberattacks-that-caused-one-water-system-to-overflow/

https://abc7.com/stolen-goats-livestock-ontario-inland-empire-farm/14683692/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.bordermail.com.au/story/8586543/wodonga-man-charged-over-false-hay-baler-theft-report-to-police/

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/farming/2024/04/19/shropshire-farming-talk-rural-crime-wreaking-havoc-in-community/

Africa

https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/farm-residents-severely-assaulted-in-limpopo-during-robbery-incident-where-money-and-their-property-was-stolen-18621e3b-6ced-4041-81bf-d78be0d35a7b

https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2024/04/17/large-scale-maize-theft-is-on-the-rise-in-the-free-state/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/piedmont-triad/lexington-man-accused-of-stealing-cow-warrants-say/

https://www.wbrz.com/news/west-feliciana-parish-man-arrested-for-theft-of-over-1500-worth-of-livestock/

Rick Savoia is the Product Manager for BuyTwoWayRadios.com and the host of The Two Way Radio Show.

A few weeks back I did a Tuesday episode about GMRS Radio, why I was using it and my limited knowledge.  Well today, we get to hear from an actual expert, and hopefully correct any mistakes I made in the Tuesday Episode.

There is so much information here that I broke this interview into two episodes.  So, today Rick joins me for part 1 of this 2 part series, and we will talk about GMRS and how you can use it for your farming operation as well as for dealing with rural and agricultural crime.

A few weeks ago my tip of the week was to use a forensic marking technology, such as Smart Water, to identify your property and to prevent the thefts in the first place.  However, this wasn't actually my tip.  This was a recommendation that a constable in the U.K. had made when he was interviewed about preventing sheep thefts in that country.

As I looked into what this technology was, I became very intrigued.  Going down this rabbit hole ultimately led me to Randy Butschillinger, who is our expert guest on today's show.  As you will find out in today's interview, this technology is actually very old and trusted, and it is being used in more places than you might think already.  The applications for this seem endless, and the crime prevention possibilities make me very optimistic!

Abby Neft is the President of a brand new FFA chapter located in Kelliher, Minnesota.  Just 57 miles from the Canadian border, her family has been farming in this very cold area of Minnesota since the 1980's.

Abby loves the cattle industry, and she has been building her own herd since she was six years old when her father gave her, her first show heifer.  Since then, she has been retaining her show heifers, having calves and trying to develop genetics that will allow her to produce top notch cattle.  She uses artificial insemination and embryo transfer to do this.

With just one year of high school left, Abby's goal is to raise cattle for a living.  If she can do it on the family farm, that is her preference.  However, her sights are set on this happening, either way.

Today is another farm update episode, and I will be covering:

• The Farmer's Tax Guide
• Kidding Update
• Very Good Farm Help
• Night Checks
• The Creek Filling Up

More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald:

Tip Of The Week

Do You Check The Sex Offender Registry For Your area?

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://weartv.com/news/local/taken-for-a-ride-santa-rosa-county-deputies-investigating-high-dollar-tractor-thefts

https://wellsvillesun.com/blog/2024/04/11/nys-department-of-environmental-conservation-investigating-timber-theft-in-andover-ny/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.ckom.com/2024/04/11/veterinary-drugs-stolen-from-trailer-parked-near-saskatoon-airport/

https://www.walesfarmer.co.uk/news/24245763.police-use-stinger-take-powys-farm-theft-getaway-car/

Africa

https://www.chronicle.co.zw/comment-communities-should-unite-against-crime/

https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/ethi-residents-appeal-for-npr-deployment-to-tame-banditry/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://dailyridge.com/2024/04/10/check-up-on-non-reporting-registered-sex-offender-in-lakeland-leads-to-burglary-arrest/

https://www.wishtv.com/lifestyle/offbeat/mountain-goat-stuck-under-kansas-city-bridge-survives-rocky-rescue/

Zack Parisa is a co-founder of NCX (Natural Capital Exchange), as well as the CEO.  NCX is also a sponsor of the show and has been for several months.

On today's episode I get to sit down with Zack and talk with him about the reasons I partnered with NCX to share their message on the show.  We will discuss the different revenue streams that might be present on your land, and how you might take advantage of the to sustain your farming lifestyle.  We will also discuss some of the things to look out for, and how the different markets for things like solar, carbon and environmental improvement are emerging and developing all the time.

My partnership with NCX has been something that I am proud to promote, and on today's episode you will learn why!

Our guest today has a passion for farming, a path to farming full-time and a job that he likes that might keep him from doing just that!

Chris Benton and his wife Leann are the owners and founders of C&L Farms Grows.  They have an 8 acre farm about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta, Georgia and they are focused on growing microgreens.  Chris told me that he chose microgreens for a number of reasons.  The fact that there is an almost immediate harvest and return, nobody in his area was doing it and they are so nutritious were among his top reasons for this decision.

The way that Chris and Leann developed their business is interesting as well.  Chris grew up around agriculture and wanted to be involved with that.  Leann did not necessarily have the same desire to farm, but she wanted to find a niche business that would allow her to work from home for a number of reasons.  Thus the business was developed.  It allows Chris to be involved in agriculture, and it allows Leann to stay at home.

It is kidding season for us, and I am up late checking goats.  So, why not record a podcast?  Lots to talk about tonight:

• Dog Behavior
• Circadian Rhythms
• End Of Watch
• Coast To Coast
• Rain

Mikayla (Kayla) Kraft is the current Chapter President for the Broadwater High School FFA Chapter in Townsend, Montana.  She is also a journalist for MT43, a newspaper located in Townsend.

Kayla first started writing for MT43 when she was the chapter reporter, but she had to let that go when another student became reporter.  However, Kayla enjoyed what she was doing and wanted to stay on, so she approached the paper and struck a deal to continue writing for them, freelance.  There was a conundrum however.  In order to not steal any thunder from the current chapter reporter, Kayla had find other topics to cover.  And, man did she!  Her interests in agriculture have now taken her as far away as Washington D.C. to cover stories!

Kayla is heading to North Dakota State University next fall to study animal science.  She discovered NDSU while she was there covering a story and found it to be the perfect fit for her to pursue her degree.  She is planning on veterinary school as the step following NDSU, and currently she is considering Wisconsin and Kansas.  She loves her Montana Mountains, but her career pursuits seem to be taking her east!

Tip Of The Week

If it has an engine, it is a target…

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.wkrg.com/baldwin-county/2-utvs-atv-stolen-in-baldwin-county-sheriffs-office/

https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/theft-of-large-farming-equipment-in-haywood-county-leaves-officials-digging-for-answers/article_963869b6-f29c-11ee-a400-039c3c4f4cbb.html

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2024/04/05/police-warn-rural-residents-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-egg-thieves/

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trailer-stolen-five-years-ago-071614561.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-68726072

Africa

https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-241503.html

https://www.pd.co.ke/news/governors-want-cattle-branded-to-end-rustling-228727/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.pleasantonexpress.com/articles/one-arrested-and-charged-with-burglary/

https://cbs12.com/news/local/ysairis-gonzalez-50-arrested-for-alleged-animal-slaughter-miguel-cabrera-butcher-animal-recovery-mission-st-lucie-county-sheriffs-office-florida-march-5-2024

https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2024/03/08/riverside-man-facing-41-animal-abuse-charges-after-131-dogs-seized-from-property-breeding-facility/72880471007/

Taylor and Dylan Roberts are the owners of Roberts Five Farm in Sparta, Tennessee. They are a young couple, just starting their family, and they have a phenomenal story.  They are just at the tail end of their first season of growing and selling tulips, and the response from their community has been unbelievable.  

On today's episode I speak with Taylor, and she tells me the whole story.  Beginning with she and Dylan dating as sophomores in high school to today, farming one acre of tulips on their 12 acre farm and coming up with an excellent business plan.  Their trajectory is currently straight up!  They have had a first year that any farmer could only dream of, and I do not doubt that they will continue on this path!

Audrey Levatino is the author of Woman-Powered Farm: Manual for a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle from Homestead to Field.  This is a book that I was intrigued by when I first heard of it, and I knew that I would want to have Audrey on the show.  I initially got the book so that I could read it prior to interviewing Audrey.  However, it turned out to be much more than work.  I could not put the book down.

If you have an interest or passion for farming, this book is for you - man or woman.  Audrey's stories, writing style and coverage of a wide breadth of issues that come with running your own farm will inspire you to either get moving or keep moving.  Audrey covers a multitude of issues.  Everything from what tools to buy to how to protect your small livestock are covered.  She even breaks down income potential by the size of the ground you own or have access to, and the most profitable business possible on that size of ground.

Audrey was a great pleasure to speak with, and I continued to be inspired in our actual conversation, just as I was reading her writing.

Cole Abercrombie is the chapter president at Tunstall FFA in Dry Fork, Virginia.  He also operates his own "side hustle" mowing lawns and taking care of people's yards.  And, he has one of the purest views on community service that I have ever profiled on this show.

As if that were not enough, he has a passion for agriculture and farming that spans multiple states and multiple lines of his family.  Cole actually lives in a city and not a farm.  However, he has family that farms about 2.5 hours south of him in North Carolina and 25 hours west of him in Nebraska.  While he doesn't get as much time on those farms as he would like, he knows every detail about what they are doing, at both places.  This only happens if you are truly passionate about something.  Otherwise, you just don't retain all the knowledge that Cole has.

The area of Virginia that Cole comes from is largely agricultural and rural.  So, the needs and values of that region are not recognized as frequently in the state legislature because there aren't as many representatives from there.  Cole's future goals include being a voice for the folks of this region.  He is hoping to go to law school after obtaining and agricultural business degree.  Among his goals as a attorney are to advocate for agriculture and this region of Virginia, and to have an impact on policy that represents agriculture positively!

Where do tales of haunted forests in the days of Mid Evil Knights come from?  I may have solved that riddle on my own farm.  I'll talk about that and some actual farming on today's Farm Update Episode!

Izzy Mikkelsen is the owner of Turbo's Treats Bakery in Gettysburg, South Dakota.  She is also a 9th Grader and in just her first year of the FFA.  

During the lockdowns during Covid, Izzy's mom encouraged her to start baking to pass the time.  Something about that was a natural fit for Izzy, and she really took to it.  About a year and a half later she had progressed to the point that she started selling the baked goods that she makes, and she hasn't looked back.  Today, primarily through word of mouth, she bakes for events and does specialized cakes for people like the one you see on the post here today.  

The pinnacle so far has to be the 100 year anniversary of the founding of Gettysburg when she had a booth selling cupcakes.  She baked 1,000 cupcakes for the event, and she sold them all.  In 2 hours!  That is 500 cupcakes per hour.  Or, put another way, she sold more than 8 cupcakes per minute!