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.

Modesto Junior College is located in the heart of the Central Valley of California.  The abundance of different agricultural enterprises in this area of California make the learning opportunities at MJC vast.  From permanent crops like almonds and fruit orchards to large scale agribusiness dairies to beef production and fresh vegetables there are farmers in this area doing everything an aspiring ag student might be looking for.  And if ag industry is what you are looking for it can be found in the Central Valley and Modesto area, such as Gallo Wines, Del Monte, Foster Farms and many more.

Nicole Morris is a fourth generation dairy farmer and Animal/Dairy Science Instructor at Modesto Junior College.  Today she joins me to talk about the multitude of agricultural opportunities at MJC.

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Tip Of The Week

Cameras, Cameras, Cameras

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.krsl.com/local/150-large-bales-stolen-near-olmitz

https://www.wilsoncountynews.com/articles/reward-find-stolen-tractor-get-10k/

https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2023/02/3-goats-fatally-shot-at-butler-county-farm-suspect-sought.html

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/courts/gang-stole-six-tractors-and-wrecked-donegal-village-which-was-irelands-tidiest-town/190732724.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-09/farm-theft-a-growing-issue-in-tasmania/101947714

Africa

https://www.the-star.co.ke/counties/western/2023-02-08-police-thwart-mob-attempt-to-burn-chiefs-office-in-busia/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.thejoltnews.com/stories/fleeing-fugitive-falls-in-fertilizer-field,9213?

https://www.sltrib.com/news/business/2023/02/06/bill-would-narrow-animal/

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Jessica Hart is the owner of Deschutes Farm Services in Bend, Oregon.  She is also a certified veterinary technician and former rancher.  Jessica moved to Bend about four years ago and found herself starting a new chapter of her life in a town that was starting a new chapter of its own.  As many native citizens of Bend were moving out and making room for people emigrating from places like California, Jessica saw an opportunity. 

Many of the California transplants had the money to purchase homes with acreage and had very options to purchase homes without acreage.  So, there wound up being a lot of people with no experience, who never planned on raising livestock or farming, trying to manage small acreages.  This is where Jessica came in with the skill set that she already had.  Deschutes Farm Services was born.  

Today Jessica specializes in hoof trimming for goats, farm and ranch sitting and consulting with new land owners on what type of operation to start and how to get it going.  She is a full-time entrepreneur, working with new landowners.  

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am featuring a guest who learned a lot of different livestock management practices over the years, and then found herself living in an area with a lot of small farms.  She took all of these skills and turned them into a small business helping these new livestock owners.

One of those skills is hoof trimming, and that reminded me of early interview with Randy Hettinga who has a hoof trimming business in my hometown of Kuna, Idaho.  He serves the dairy industry and took some time to speak with me about how this business works.  I thought it fit great to bring this interview back to you today.

Abby VanPelt is the President of the Austin High School FFA Chapter in Austin, Minnesota.  She is a triplet, all of which are in the FFA, and she has an older brother who also was in the FFA.  Her family raises sheep on their farm in Southeast Minnesota, and she has developed her own flock.

I often say that luck is the result of being prepared when opportunity strikes.  I don't know that I would describe Abby being president of her chapter as luck, but the way that this came about illustrates the point.  During her sophomore year Abby decided to attempt to become an officer and spend the year observing and learning from her older colleagues.  She was put in the position of "at-large officer" and was content to be mentored and learn.

During this time the president of Abby's chapter moved away, and it caused a shift in the ranks.  The serving vice president was moved into the president position, and Abby was selected to fill the vacant vice president position.  Abby was in the position for this to happen because she was preparing.  She had placed herself into a position that made this possible because she was forward thinking and planning for a future goal.  It just happened a bit sooner than she was expecting.  This propelled Abby forward as an officer, and today she is serving as her chapter's president.

I have failed a lot on my farm and as an entrepreneur.  It is all part of the journey, and if you frame your perspective correctly it is part of the fun.  In today's episode I am discussing some of these failures, including:

• Cover Crop fail - only just a few days of feed on that
• Holding goats until January 
• Having listeners find Friday guests
• Finding a producer

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Amber Leabo is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Specialty Crop Production.  This comes from years of experimentation on her families farm with her father, trying corn, permanent crops and more, finally ending with lavender.  Amber has definitely found her niche growing, marketing and value adding to lavender.  She and her family have set the market in Florida with lavender, defying the expertise of officials from the Department of Agriculture who said that lavender couldn't be grown there.  

Today, Amber and her family make a myriad of value added lavender products at their home, and Amber sells them each weekend at different farmer's markets.  Amber first began with a variety of Lavender called "Phenomenal" but soon discovered that because of all the moisture in Florida the variety was suffering from root rot.  She went about trying to fix this problem mechanically by creating a specific potting soil mix that would drain moisture better.  Just as she got that to work she discovered the lavender variety, "Sensational" and found out that it was not susceptible to root rot in her climate.  

Amber knows everything about lavender, all the way to the name of the person who invented the varieties that she has used.  But this is no surprise when you find out that as a junior in high school she has already won a national proficiency.  And, she has taken extra classes so that she is actually graduating high school this May, one year early.  No wonder she won such a prestigious award!

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

Today's episode is the very first of a series of episodes we will be producing 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.

Montana State University is located in Bozeman, Montana and offers 14 undergraduate agricultural degrees through the College Of Agriculture.  Joining me today to speak about the College Of Ag are Associate Dean For Academic Programs - Tracy Dougher & Assistant Dean Of Student Success And Outreach - Elizabeth Greenfield.

Tip Of The Week

Consider new signage to deter theft

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.wcia.com/news/teen-arrested-after-driving-stolen-tractor-through-champaign/

https://www.myplainview.com/news/article/chickens-killed-in-fire-at-connecticut-egg-farm-17749860.php

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/crime/trial-finds-dna-marking-helps-slash-farm-machinery-thefts

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/gardai-investigate-theft-of-31-sheep-in-co-kerry/

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/23286704.county-sheep-killed-police-warn-sheep-worrying-incidents/

https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/alleged-farm-stand-thief-turns-himself-over-to-central-saanich-police-1.6252783

Africa

https://news.pindula.co.zw/2023/01/30/cottco-employee-gets-wholly-suspended-jail-term-for-stealing-herbicides/

http://www.times.co.sz/news/138529-cops-turn-back-as-mob-batters-kills-suspect-cattle-rustler.html

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.meridianstar.com/news/local_news/multi-state-investigation-leads-to-recovery-of-multiple-trucks-in-claiborne-county/article_d534add0-58ad-5e41-b4e6-bd8647061f65.html

https://www.capitalpress.com/state/oregon/feds-drop-criminal-charge-against-oregon-farmer-reach-plea-deal-with-his-company/article_b34c51ba-a0f0-11ed-bb07-47b1a7b62fd3.html

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Kate Ziehm is the president and owner of Morning Ag Clips and has an incredible story of agricultural entrepreneurship.  There are many ways and motivations that form people into entrepreneurs, Kate's was lifestyle.  Many times people choose entrepreneurship for lifestyle purposes thinking it is going to bring them passive income and the famous "four hour workweek".  Kate's lifestyle was a bit different than that.  She was adjusting to being a single mother of three sons, and being there to raise them was her #1 priority.  Entrepreneurship was what was going to allow her to fulfill that vision.

When Kate took over Morning Ag Clips it was simply an email sent to a list about agricultural issues in the State Of New York.  Kate's vision, passion for agriculture and love of this business led to massive growth under her ownership.  Today Morning Ag Clips publishes 28 versions, covering 35 states, with employees spread all over the country.  It has evolved from the email list to a website and most recently, a mobile app!

Kate is truly an inspiration in agriculture, and in today's episode we get to share her story.