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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.

The University Of Tennessee Martin is one of the universities that inspired this episode.  Hattie and I were made aware of UTM at the National FFA Convention, and after that conversation and hearing how affordable an agricultural education could be there, it got me started thinking about making this episode.  Today, I am speaking with the Agriculture Department Chair, Dr. West Totten.  There is a wealth of information in this interview about another agricultural college that will make it possible for you to create your future in Ag.

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Tip Of The Week

Rural crime is more prevalent in the U.S. than reported

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/california-green-energy-investment-scheme/103-c2bf5a3b-e1c1-4931-8aa9-df785effb274

https://www.agweb.com/news/machinery/used-machinery/crime-sprees-target-precision-ag-technology-farms-and-dealerships

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/23634530.warning-rural-thefts-west-dorset-villages/

https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/nearly-a-fifth-of-waste-in-england-falls-into-criminal-hands-survey-finds/

Africa

https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/opinion/it-s-in-the-country-s-interest-to-protect-avocado-growers-from-ruthless-cartels-4296510

https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/icymi-shock-as-fruit-thieves-attack-female-farmer/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://tscra.org/former-ranch-hand-indicted-in-smith-county-cattle-theft-case/?fbclid=IwAR2HA5ULV31qD1QacH8RmBoPkAtxPIeVR4ben0wwkN_Xou0k1ULBPMJg_xw_aem_AX04O7PxoezRe_5wetIMFJQy_mkKuNEAXa4dtPl5RmjnUl-PnSET0loniZFyaLm4eCE&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/wasco-man-arrested-for-burglary-grand-theft-of-copper-wire-kcso/

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I have been fascinated with the idea of growing fodder as a livestock feed since I first learned about it in 2015.  Recently I began searching for a guest to come on the show who was using this model, and I found Al Noorda just one state away in Utah.

Al is the owner of Spring Creek Livestock & Feed in Cedar Foot, Utah.  He has been growing and feeding fodder for about ten years to his cattle and finishing them on nothing other than grass, hay and fodder.  Al also sells fodder production systems and sources barley seed for customers.  According to Al, fodder can replace 70% of your feed ration and allow you to feed lower quality hay to your ruminants.  Also, the fodder keeps your cattle or other ruminants gaining weight through the winter when ranchers traditionally only feed for weight maintenance.

I have a natural interest in this system, so in today's interview you get to hear me ask questions that comes straight from the perspective of somebody who is interested in producing their own feed in this manner.  I hope you learn as much as I did!

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode we are profiling a farmer who is feeing everything with fodder.  This individual has really revolutionized fodder production as a feed source for his livestock.  This made me think of the very first time I heard of fodder, and that was during an interview with Nancy Schiffer of the Kuna FFA Chapter in 2015.  So, we are brining it back for you today as a lead in to tomorrow's episode.

Peyton Zinner is a former Middle School FFA President, and now she is a freshman FFA member at Western Hills High School in Frankfort, Kentucky.  Peyton has grown up in an agricultural and FFA family.  Actually, her uncle is one of her FFA advisors, and she keeps her sheep at his home.

Peyton is already making very mature decisions for her age.  She has two major focus areas.  First, is the FFA.  She is improving the genetics in her growing flock of sheep and has objectives for breeding her own sheep that will go on to win at her county and state fair.  Her other focus area is swimming, and she has already identified the two colleges that she wants to swim at in the NCAA.

Peyton is working towards both of these goals and knows that if she takes anything else on, it will diminish her ability to succeed at these two goals.  This is a lesson that a lot of adults, especially entrepreneurs, cannot learn.  My hat is off for Peyton thinking so far ahead, and I have all the confidence in the world that she will achieve both of these goals.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Today is a great day for Americans, farmers, and non-farmers alike.  As we celebrate the anniversary of American Independence we should think about the men and women who lived through this time.  With this in mind, let's look at how it impacted farmers in the colonies during the 18th Century.

Here are a few of the things that farmers went through during the Revolutionary War:

• Trade routes to the market were cut off by war, either waterways or roads.
• Farmers could not plant surpluses because they might not be able to sell the excess and it would just rot on their fields.
• Herds of cattle and horses were depleted either by the plundering of the British or as provisions for the Continental Army.
• Farmers were away from their farms for long periods of time and had to start over when they finally returned.
• At this time, 90% of the population were engaged in farming so this really was a war fought by farmers.

I wanted to mention something that I read in Stephen Ambrose's book "Citizen Soldiers" about farm kids in World War II.  He said that the commanders loved the soldiers that grew up on farms because they had been hunting for their whole lives, knew how to handle a rifle, and could shoot straight.

I wanted to pay tribute to four of my ancestors that fought in the Revolutionary War in this episode as well:

• Samuel Hubbard
• James Wilcox
• Jesse Richardson
• Jesse Rowley

Landon Berg is our first "Featured Freshman" guest of 2023.  At the time of the recording he was right in the middle of the second half of his first year of high school.  Landon lives on his fourth generation family farm, and with his father and brother they raise cattle, sheep and grow corn and soybeans.  

Landon has a passion for livestock evaluation, and that led him to be on the high school livestock evaluation team as an 8th Grader.  That team went to the National FFA Convention in 2022 and won a silver award.  Landon told me that going to the National Convention to evaluate livestock was one of his biggest goals, and here he is already having accomplished that!

So, the natural question for Landon is what is his new goal going to be.  He is very interested in the flock of sheep that he and his brother have started.  Landon is hoping to begin improving flock genetics through artificial insemination within the next couple of years.  And, he is hoping to return to the National Convention in the future as a National Proficiency Finalist.  

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 I speak with Dr. Antoine Alston, an Associate Dean in the Department Of Agriculture.  In this discussion we talk about the historical significance of NCAT being a Historically Black University And College as well as a Land Grant University.  We will discuss scholarships and real world learning opportunities.

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Tip Of The Week

Do you sell your roosters?

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.wjhg.com/2023/06/19/man-arrested-attempted-burglary/

http://newslj.com/content/lincoln-county-sheriff’s-office-says-don’t-take-sheep-dogs

https://www.1600kush.com/news/cushing-horse-trainer-accused-of-embezzlement

https://katv.com/news/nation-world/100-worth-of-farm-fresh-eggs-stolen-from-honor-box-in-rhode-island-outdoor-cooler-keeeps-backyard-community-theft-thieves-stealing-surveillance-footage-small-business

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.farmersjournal.ie/minister-must-act-now-on-dog-control-following-kerry-sheep-kill-ifa-771070

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rural-crime-canterbury-lifestyle-block-owner-shoots-down-drone-over-burglary-fear/JBLBW6DC5NHXTL2TGBMVYCFIOY/

https://www.yourharlow.com/2023/06/21/farm-crime-and-surging-cost-of-living-pose-threat-to-livelihoods/

Africa

https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2023/06/21/u-s---u-n--pause-food-aid-delivery-to-ethiopia-after-theft

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/have-you-seen-these-bulls-free-state-police-on-lookout-for-missing-brahmans-20230621

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://jcpost.com/posts/036b9760-c2da-46d6-8037-372a12049880

https://sanangelolive.com/news/crime/2023-06-21/wanted-serial-cattle-thief-corralled-tom-green-county-sheriffs-deputies

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://allongeorgia.com/georgia-public-safety/twelve-arrested-in-jeff-davis-co-in-relation-to-cockfighting-operation-more-expected/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYByoTNDAxMzI1MDgzMTk3MzAzMzUxMzIaYTZmNDE3MjRkMjY1ODg5ODpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AOvVaw23AwyMkg6AL1YuqGB7VgDk&source=gmail&ust=1687559438612000&usg=AOvVaw38AvUyEsOAyAJjIhqpNVUo

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Karsten Frecker is the owner of Frecker's Saddlery, a lifelong horseman and a lifelong craftsman.  Along with several members of his family, including his wife, brother and sister, Karsten runs their saddle business from Dillon, Montana.  The business was first started by Karsten's father, Kent, several decades ago, and Karsten just recently purchased it from him.

Like any business that looks straight forward on the surface, there are nuances and complexities to it that the owners make look non-existent.  In today's interview with Karsten I spend a lot of time asking about how a person becomes a saddle maker, what Karsten is looking for in an apprentice and how the business works, i.e. producing saddles for sale vs. doing custom orders.

A very interesting part of this discussion is the manner in which people go about learning this trade.  When Karsten brings on an apprentice, he hopes they will be with the company for the long haul so that they can recoup their investment in the apprentice and grow the business.  However, this does not always happen, and some lessons that were learned the hard way have taught Karsten that only he and his brother will commit to doing custom work for customers with special orders.  Therefore, they have over a 3 year waiting list for custom saddles, and they are constantly striking a balance between producing products and fulfilling orders.

Karsten states that the best way to learn to be a saddle maker is work alongside somebody with experience.  However, if somebody wants to learn the trade in order to start their own shop this has to be done in an ethical manner.  Karsten and I talk about this in the interview.