One thing the FFA is great at is giving all students, regardless of the size or scope of their operation, an equal chance of recognition.  Today's Guest, Olivia Rossi, really demonstrates that.

Olivia has grown up on her families cattle ranch in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.  She exchanges labor for the feed and housing of her her beef SAE, which consists of two steers.  Even though Olivia lives on an expansive cow/calf operation and could put together a placement SAE with a large scope, she chooses to put together an entrepreneurship SAE consisting of just these two steers.  And, she has taken this project all the way.

Olivia won grand champion with one of her steers, and she won a state proficiency award with her project of raising and showing her two steers.  Two steers, that is all, and now she is entering her project for consideration at the national level!  Olivia never stressed over the size of her project, but she pays close attention to the quality.  And, in her application she focused on explaining how raising two steers could still give her insight into the beef industry and beef business, and she didn't allow anyone to look at the size of her operation as a limiting factor.

On tomorrow's episode I am featuring another student from Soroco FFA in Northwest Colorado.  The stories that come out of this mountainous cattle country are so interesting.  And our guest happens to be cousins with and have the same last name as previous OFI guest, Kayla Rossi.  So, it seemed like a natural fit for today's re-cap episode to replay the interview I did with Kayla, talking all about how predators were a challenge for her SAE project in this wild area.

Ty Oyen has already been on the big stage at the National FFA Convention for he and his partner, Gage's, Agrisicence Research Project regarding water quality on part of Ty's farm in South Dakota.  This happened in Ty and Gage's 9th Grade year of high school!  It is amazing to see photos of those two receiving their awards in Indianapolis and to know that they have just begun their high school and FFA journeys.

However, after speaking with Ty for a few minutes you realize that being surprised that he accomplished this already is just underestimating him.  Ty is devoted to farming, and his schedule reflects that.  He is having very much a normal high school experience for an athletic person.  He plays three sports - football, basketball and track - and of course, he is in the FFA.  But all of that is book ended by farming.

Ty gets up in the morning at about 6am, and before he heads to school he bottle feeds about 30 calves.  Then he has school all day, practice for whatever sport is in season after school and he finally heads home.  But, when he gets home he changes clothes, heads out to the shop and works on whatever project his father and grandfather have given he and his brother.

When school is out for the summer, Ty is working in the family business custom bailing hay for folks or custom chopping hay and corn for other people's livestock feed needs.  Looking into the future, Ty is focused on farming.  He and his older brother are going to study to become diesel technicians, specializing in John Deere Equipment.  They use a lot of John Deere equipment on the farm already, but it becomes increasingly more complex to work on.  However, by becoming experts they will be able to solve a lot of these problems themselves, without the need to pay expensive shop rates and taken equipment back to the dealership.

Well, since we last spoke I have been in a sniper's next every morning by o500 waiting for my chance to exterminate this coyote that has cost us 7 goats.  So far, no luck.  However, I did catch it on the game camera and confirm that it is a coyote.  This discussion will dominate today's farm update episode, but we will also talk about August weather, monsoonal moisture, the Canyon County Fair and corn, corn, corn.....

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Addison Gronley is just getting ready to start her sophomore year of high school and second year of FFA, and there are possibly some big changes coming her way.  I interviewed Addison right after she had attended the Idaho State FFA Convention.  Even before the convention she was very fired up about showing and judging livestock with some big goals on the horizon, namely proficiency awards.

The long drive back to Northern Idaho from the State Convention in the complete opposite end of the state did not reduce Addison's passion for the FFA.  She told me that she was strongly considering becoming a home school student in the 10th Grade so that she could show sheep even more and develop her skills even further.  A classic line from a very focused FFA student, "school gets in the way of shows".

I am fortunate to be able to interview a lot of National Proficiency and American Star winners on this show, and a frequent theme is setting the goal of achieving at that level early.  Addison has definitely done this, and she is doing whatever she can to remove any obstacles that might stand in her way.

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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.

Tuskegee is one of the most historical colleges in the United States, and it just keeps making history.  Located in Central Alabama, this historic campus and agriculture program is central to many activities in Alabama and the surrounding states.  It boasts a rich history of innovation in agriculture and it was teaching students about regenerative agriculture before it was cool.  Tuskegee has a special emphasis on small farms in addition to production agriculture, and might be the exact right fit for you.

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Tip Of The Week

Insurance and Natural Surveillance

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/no-horsing-around-orlando-police-search-suspect-bike-who-stole-horse/WO6ZFHGVGBE7FBHRGJYDOSIDLA/

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/sheepherder-severely-injured-black-bear-174608985.html

https://kimatv.com/news/local/surge-in-car-thefts-yakima-county-sheriffs-office-sees-20-increase-farms-and-rural-areas-targeted

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/crime/suspected-diesel-thieves-snared-in-rural-crime-crackdown-4220745

https://globalnews.ca/news/9840232/maple-ridge-charity-tractor-stolen/

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/reward-for-return-of-stolen-cattle-in-co-monaghan/

Africa

https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/northern-kzn-community-living-in-fear-after-two-lions-spotted-roaming-rural-emphendle-6f6b7b1d-0e45-43d0-ae6d-e6a4246c3da3

https://dailypost.ng/2023/07/16/woman-raped-to-death-on-her-farm/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.murrayledger.com/news/kirksey-man-charged-for-farm-fires/article_de39086a-242a-11ee-bb87-4b85ae1b1f8b.html

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/man-arrested-after-leading-officers-slow-speed-chase-stolen-tractor-police-say/HLG4QNOW7VEVTJIDW2IX3HDTIU/

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Kyle Stockdale is a dairyman and entrepreneur from Ontario, Canada.  He first appeared as a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2021 when he was about three years into the development of his company, KY Vision Sharpening & Clipper Repair.  Today, I am thrilled to have him back on the show for an update on his business as well as to learn about how he has advanced as an entrepreneur.

It is always very exciting for me to welcome a previous guest back to the show, and in Kyle's case I learned a lot and couldn't be more proud of what he is doing.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode Kyle Stockdale is coming back on the show with an update on his business as well as his development as an entrepreneur.  I am very proud of what he is doing and excited to share tomorrow's interview with you.

Kyle first appeared on Off-Farm Income in 2021, and so for today's re-cap episode I am replaying that original interview to give you the before and after picture.  You are going to be impressed!

Ava Genter is a swine producer, a Star Greenhand winner and a Star Record Keeper in her FFA Chapter.  Even at age 15 it feels like Ava has been waiting her whole life to be a member of the FFA.  Creating even more anticipation is the fact that in Pettisville, Ohio every grade is in the same building for the entire 13 years of public education, but FFA does not begin until the 9th Grade.

Ava showed her first pig, on her own, when she was 2 years old.  So, ever since Kindergarten she has been in the same building with those blue jackets and wanting to wear one.  Finally, this year, it happened for her.  And she is not waisting anytime getting used to the organization either.  She applied to go the National Convention her freshman year, and she was able to go.  She won a number of awards at her chapter's banquet in March and she has her sights set on being an officer.  

As you can tell from the title of this episode, there was a resonating point that stood out in the interview.  I hear it all the time from FFA students, and I always want to highlight this.  99% of the FFA students that I interview who are farming or raising livestock for their SAE are paying money for feed, facilities, inputs and equipment to a relative who wants, more than anything, to see them succeed.  If that is the case, why do they have them pay?  The reason is that agricultural people are wise and pragmatic, and they know that awards and record books are short term awards, but true success is learning how the real world works and getting the experiences that will lead to long term success. 

This is true in Ava's case, and I wanted to highlight it in the title of this episode.