Off-Farm Income

Lila Wantland is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist, a former chapter and area officer and a second time guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast.  Lisa first appeared on the show in episode #1393 in May of 2022, and little did either of us know at that point that she would become a National Proficiency Finalist this year.  On today's show Lila joins us from her dorm room at Oklahoma State University, where she is studying animal science.  I wanted to have her back on the show to congratulate her on the incredible accomplishment.

Direct download: Lila_Wantland_Episode_1555_-_111022_3.18_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

We did something very different for Thanksgiving this year.  We took a trip to Moab, Utah and spent the holiday with friends, rather than family. We then returned to a snowy farm to kick off the Christmas season!

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Direct download: OFI_1554_Tuesday_Episode_-_112822_12.49_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Will Harman is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Beef Production.  Will farms with his family in Northwest Indiana where they grow corn and soybeans as well as raise cattle.  The families cattle herd began with show animals for 4H, but as time went on and Will and his brother Ben were showing less, it turned into a direct marketing beef business.  

Will's older brother Ben was a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2018 in episode #518.  Today he is a senior in college, and Will is in his first semester of college.  Will is studying agricultural business with a minor in animal science at Purdue.  He is looking forward to a future of returning to the family farm, if that is possible.  He joked in the interview that if he does that he will have to learn to drive a semi and become a "super trucker".  Ben is also interested in becoming a butcher, and he is currently doing everything he can to get exposure to that profession.  

 

Direct download: Will_Harman_Episode_1553_-_11922_1.44_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Tip Of The Week

Horrifically evil and violent crimes exist today, and they have always been with us.

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.nydailynews.com/true-crime-justice-story/ny-thanksgiving-eve-murders-20221119-skj6nxxqvndlddaeosnhc2isca-story.html

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/vandals-destroy-irrigation-system-at-jacksonville-farm/77-5d3e0134-60d5-4b83-837f-67d78158702f

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/farm-thefts-what-you-can-do-to-protect-yourself/

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsbirmingham/poachers-armed-with-air-rifles-arrested-in-village-during-police-sting/ar-AA14k0ku

https://www.farminguk.com/news/dog-kills-seven-sheep-and-injures-dozens-in-north-wales-attack_61571.html

Africa

https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/cattle-farmers-in-nkomazi-fearful-after-30-cattle-are-stolen/

https://newsghana.com.gh/cameroon-deploys-troops-to-secure-border-with-chad-and-car/

https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/82083-mob-lynches-suspected-thieves-burn-vehicle

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.kltv.com/video/2022/11/19/man-survives-being-trapped-grain-bin/

https://www.farminguk.com/news/men-who-raided-13-farms-for-tractor-gps-kits-given-prison-sentence_61552.html

 

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Direct download: OFI_1552_Rural_Crime_-_112222_10.31_AM.mp3
Category:rural crime -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Pete Curran began his career in agriculture at age 55 after a job loss.  He began working in seed sales and started meeting farmers.  This lit him on fire about agriculture, farming operations and farmers.  Soon, he was doing something unconventional, asking farmers if he could take photographs of them.  This led to a collection of photos and ultimately his book, "When I Listened To A Farmer".

I discovered Pete through social media, and he sent me a copy of his book.  The photographs that he has been able to capture with just an iPhone are fantastic, and he clearly has an eye for telling a story through a lens.  The writing style in the book is unique and makes you think.  As Pete explains it, this is exactly how he communicates, and it works.

Direct download: Pete_Curran_Episode_1551_-_11222_6.18_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

I have a ton of gratitude for all of you, and thank you so much for being in this audience.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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Direct download: OFI_1550_Thanksgiving_-_112222_2.57_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Justin Duenke is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Diversified Agriculture.  Growing up farming on a row crop operation, his family decided to add cattle to the farm when he was 9 years old.  During a bad drought and seeing very poor corn out in the field, Justin's father made the decision to chop the corn for silage rather than try to sell it, and to feed it to their cattle.  The only problem was that they did not have cattle, but they remedied that by purchase approximately 100 bred heifers.

Since that time they have stuck with the cattle, partially as a continuing hedge against a situation like this in the future and partially because Justin and his brother found their farming passion came from working with the livestock.  Today they raise horses and cattle, grow soybeans and corn and are now experimenting with forage sorghum and rye as cover crops.

Justin is currently a sophomore at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Missouri.  He is studying agricultural science but which eventually focus on nutrition.  Justin wants to have the knowledge that will allow him to bring nutritional expertise back to the farm and to develop rations and methods to better feed their cattle.

 

Direct download: Justin_Duenke_Episode_1549_-_11822_6.37_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Happy Thanksgiving Week to all of you!  On today's solo episode, I want to take some time to thank our great sponsors!

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Direct download: OFI_1548_Tuesday_Episode_-_112122_6.39_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Annamarie Stone is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of diversified livestock production.  She is also a Missouri State Officer and three time guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast.  On today's episode Annamarie comes back on the show so I can property congratulate her on being a national proficiency finalist and being a state officer.  All of us here at the Off-Farm Income Podcast are very proud of what Annamarie has been doing.

Direct download: Annamarie_Stone_Episode_1547_-_11322_2.36_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Tip Of The Week

The more exotic the animal, the higher the risk?

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.ksal.com/flatbed-stolen-with-1-2-of-a-hay-bale/

https://www.webstercountycitizen.com/opinion/article_fb4be72a-653e-11ed-a71f-0ba7e2e22c77.html

https://www.fox5vegas.com/2022/11/16/some-10000-mink-loose-missing-after-vandalism-rural-farm/

https://www.nola.com/news/northshore/two-accused-of-killing-stealing-deer-in-washington-parish/article_f30ee776-0677-50e4-8820-02f23b7267f4.html

https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/have-ewe-seen-this-sheep-illinois-boys-1st-4-h-project-stolen/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-63649938

https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/maidenhead/181734/police-recover-more-than-1-million-worth-of-tools-stolen-during-rural-crime.html

Africa

https://allafrica.com/stories/202211160392.html

https://issafrica.org/iss-today/no-silver-bullet-to-stop-cattle-rustling-in-east-africa

https://solacebase.com/troops-kill-dreaded-bandit-leader-kachalla-gudau/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.sequimgazette.com/news/coastal-farm-store-burglars-receive-6-and-10-year-sentences/

https://www.sctonline.net/state-slideshows-press-releases/mdac-ag-theft-investigation-stolen-airplane-engine-leads-recovery-6373be1461843

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/delays-continue-in-case-of-activists-who-removed-chickens-from-local-poultr/?ref=recent

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Direct download: OFI_1546_Rural_Crime_-_111822_1.13_PM.mp3
Category:rural crime -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Ross Cady is a territory manager for Corteva Agriscience in South Central Minnesota.  Ross first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast 7.5 years ago in 2015 on episode #27.  He was one of the first ever FFA students featured on the show.  Since then he completed high school, was an Illinois State Star Finalist, graduated from Iowa State University and found the job that he had always been imagining with Corteva Agriscience.

In today's episode Ross and I catch up on 7.5 years of life, we discuss the four internships he did during college and how they helped shape him, and we discuss how he identified the career position he wanted and then reverse engineered the pathway to obtaining that job - which he did!

Direct download: Ross_Cady_Episode_1545_-_11122_4.11_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Ross Cady was first a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2017 on Episode #027.  He is appearing on the show again on tomorrow's Ag Business Episode, seven years later.  He is now a college graduate and has just started his career as a territory sales manager for Pioneer in Southern Minnesota.  I could not be more excited for him or proud to feature him on the show again.  To give you an accurate before and after picture, we will replay his original episode today.

 

Direct download: OFI_1544_Re-Cap_Episode_-_111622_3.57_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Evan Mogler is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Diversified Agricultural Production.  He is also a senior in high school and a fantastic mechanic with plans to develop a myriad of mechanical skills from service to software, exclusively on John Deere Tractors.  Currently Evan farms with his family on their 3rd generation farm in Inwood, Iowa.  Evan assists the family and 40-50 farm employees with their 4,800 sows and 100,000 annual market hogs, the 6,000 head of cattle they run through their feedlot and the row crop operation that fills the 2.5 million bushels of grain storage they have on the farm.

Evan's plan after high school is study for two years, to develop his expertise on John Deere Equipment, which is exclusively what is used on the family farm.  He then hopes to go to work for the John Deere Dealership his family does business with as a mechanic until the time is right for him to take over the mechanic role on the farm.

Direct download: Evan_Mogler_Episode_1543_-_11222_7.11_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Today I was listening to a radio show, and they were commenting on a TikTok Video in which an individual stated that there is no way to live on less than $25/hour in the U.S. with current cost of living averages.  This got me thinking about another topic I have touched on in the past, and that is how lucky those of us with a rural mindset are because we can live so cheaply in so many rural areas.  It also got me thinking about the common refrain about college tuition being so high and outrageous student loan debt compared to the reality that I encountered at the National FFA Convention.

On today's show I want to cover these thoughts more in depth.

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Direct download: OFI_1542_Tuesday_Episode_-_111422_7.16_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Morayah Cupp is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of  e Services.  She is also an Agricultural Education student at Oklahoma State University and the owner of Mo's Mobile Coops, an innovative chicken rental business outside of Imperial, Nebraska.  Morayah first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2020 on episode #815.  Today she is back to discuss her selection as a National Proficiency Finalist and the experience she just completed at the 95th National FFA Convention.

Direct download: Morayah_Cupp_Episode_1541_-_11122_4.27_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

If you employ people, even seasonally, you should know something about domestic violence.

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Hay-I-91-exit-tractor-trailer-Hartford-17558670.php

https://www.taftmidwaydriller.com/news/catalytic-converter-theft-prevention-offered-in-taft-saturday/article_6950b198-5f99-11ed-9627-8fe95efb6659.html

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/news/farm-fencing-vandalised-as-trailers-stolen-9283200/

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/police-probe-launched-after-life-28441134

https://www.facebook.com/groups/756119108133221/permalink/1523888154689642/

Africa

https://www.kbc.co.ke/police-net-hundreds-of-stolen-livestock-as-crackdown-on-rustling-intensifies/

https://www.thebharatexpressnews.com/police-ambushed-gang-of-20-who-set-traps-for-officers/

https://mouthpiecengr.com/2022/11/unemployed-man-jailed-9-months-for-stealing-2-goats/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/bg-man-pleads-guilty-in-theft-fraud-case/article_09c240ea-8903-598e-aca5-a89a5fdd1b63.html

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/delphos-man-jailed-vehicular-assault-004500960.html

https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2022/11/domestic-dispute-led-to-shooting-rampage-that-left-4-dead-in-rural-pa-township-police.html

 

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Direct download: OFI_1540_Rural_Crime_Episode_-_111022_5.20_PM.mp3
Category:rural crime -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

James McMurtry is a songwriter, singer and musician who has been writing incredible lyrics since the 1980's and touring the country entertaining audiences ever since.  I have had tickets to see James for months with a show date of October 25th for several months.  I reached out to James' business manager and made the request for an interview, and James graciously said "yes".  So, during the afternoon prior to the show I sat down with James in his hotel room and learned a lot about music and song writing.

 

Direct download: James_McMurtry_Episode_1539_-_102522_5.32_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Erik Dylan is a singer and songwriter who has written some of my favorite songs such as "Baseball On The Moon", which he collaborated with Luke Combs on, and "Map Dot Town".  He first appeared on the show in episode #471 and was gracious enough to agree to an interview.

On tomorrow's show I am featuring another great songwriter and performer.  This episode with Erik flows into tomorrow's episode very well, and I am happy to bring some great music back to the Off-Farm Income Podcast.

 

Direct download: OFI_1538_Re-Cap_Of_471_-_11922_7.46_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Cydney Stables is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Agricultural Sales Entrepreneurship.  She achieved this by starting a floral business her junior year of high school that she calls "Flowers By Cydney".  Cydney states that this was during the Covid Pandemic, and 80% of the reason she started this business was that she wanted to make people feel a bit better during very tough times.  

Cydney is currently a sophomore at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa where she plays guard on the basketball team and is also a scholarship athlete on the golf team.  Cydney played basketball all through high school, which led to her being recruited by Graceland Univeristy, but she did not start golfing until her senior year of high school.  However, she picked up the sport so fast that she made it to state that year and Graceland also asked her to play golf for them.  

Direct download: Cydney_Stables_Episode_1537_-_102022_3.21_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

There is a lot going on, on our farm, and here is a bullet list of today's topics:

  • Goats are eating our cover crops - and that is good thing.
  • The time has changed!
  • I'm seeing an increase in demand for beef and eggs all the sudden.
  • Bird shortages.
  • The 2022 World Series - 20 years later.

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Direct download: OFI_1536_Tuesday_Episode_-_11722_6.30_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Trentin Doss is the owner of Doss Repairs and a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Agricultural Mechanics Repair & Maintenance.  He is a senior at East Buchanan High School in Gower, Missouri.  Trentin will be heading to the National FFA Convention for the very first time this year to find out if he becomes the National Proficiency Winner.  Trentin has been repairing other people's engines since he was 11 years old, and over time he has progressed into larger equipment and more sophisticated repair techniques.  When Trentin finishes high school in 2023 he has his sights set on becoming an mechanical engineer and building large tractors for companies like John Deere or New Holland, etc.

 

Direct download: Trentin_Doss_Episode_1535_-_101922_6.16_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Tip Of The Week

Plan ahead for potentially contentious situations

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.myarklamiss.com/crime/man-accused-of-attacking-former-catfish-farm-employees-in-mississippi/

https://www.newschannelnebraska.com/story/47616568/columbus-man-and-woman-arrested-in-connection-to-farm-building-breakin-near-stanton

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.farminguk.com/news/livestock-rustlers-steal-18-cattle-from-farm-near-wrexham_61448.html

https://www.itv.com/news/border/2022-11-03/two-men-arrested-after-quad-bikes-stolen-from-keswick-farms

Africa

https://kesq.com/news/ap-national-news/2022/11/03/nigeria-police-search-for-farm-workers-abducted-over-levies-2/

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/toilets-have-been-stolen-and-sold-in-dunoon-breaking-31-october-2022/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.dailybulletin.com/2022/10/29/man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-stealing-1000-in-hay/

https://www.gwcommonwealth.com/state-press-releases/mdac-ag-theft-investigation-leads-recovery-stolen-property-yalobusha-and-6363f4166e62b#sthash.9j19A7mX.dpbs

https://www.norfolkneradio.com/townnews/crime/two-people-arrested-on-burglary-related-charges/article_a600bfcc-5b64-11ed-88c8-33e94e583789.html

 

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Direct download: OFI_1534_Rural_Crime_-_11422_7.16_PM.mp3
Category:rural crime -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Farmer Lee Jones is a lifelong farmer, regenerative farming expert and innovative entrepreneur.  Along with his brother, Bob, Lee owns and operates his families farm on land that has been his families farm twice.  Everything you need to know about how to succeed in your personal quest to farm, i.e. perseverance, entrepreneurship, vision, goal setting and valuing people is in this episode.  The Jones farm has existed for over 50 years, has been auctioned off and then risen again to grow to great levels of success.  The principles discussed in this interview are essential for any person who has farming as a goal in their life.

 
Direct download: Farmer_Lee_Jones_Episode_1533_-_101922_5.58_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

Hanna Laney sells beef direct to restaurants in the Portland, Oregon area and first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in episode #784.  Today I'm bringing this episode back to highlight this method of farm business sustainability and tie in with tomorrow's ag business episode.

 

Direct download: OFI_1532_Re-Cap_Of_784_-_11322_3.24_PM.mp3
Category:farming -- posted at: 3:44pm MDT

Gracie Minyard is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of agricultural sales & entrepreneurship, the 2022 Georgia State Star in Agribusiness, a national delegate to the National FFA Convention and she is on the livestock judging team at Blinn College in Denham, Texas.  Gracie is also an entrepreneur and the owner of Gracie's Market, which she started the summer between her 8th and 9th Grade years.  Today, Gracie has two produce stands, has just started selling her own value added products and has visions of more locations and a larger business after she finishes her Agriculture Business degree in college.

Direct download: Gracie_Minyard_Episode_1531_-_101822_4.21_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

We are back to the farm and the simplicity of the farm life, but for three days last week my world was a whirlwind!  A greater professional honor has never been bestowed upon me, and there are so many people to thank.  In today's episode I want to re-cap the experience for you.

 

Direct download: OFI_1530_Tuesday_Episode_-_103122_3.59_PM.mp3
Category:FFA -- posted at: 12:30am MDT

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