Wyatt Black is a sophomore in high school and is already mastering the art of adding value and finding profit.  Wyatt has grown up with and around agriculture on his families small farm near Casstown, Ohio.  As a member of the Miami East FFA Chapter, he needed to develop an SAE.  That was no problem because he and his father had already been finding, repairing and re-selling used equipment for years.  It was a natural fit, and Wyatt turned this into his project.  Wyatt tends to specialize in fixing up trailers if he can.  He says that he sees the highest demand for them, and they are generally the easiest to repair.

I saw an article pop up on Bloomberg today with the title, “Farmers Can’t Keep Hogging the Water in Parched Southwest”.  I was unable to read it because it is behind the paywall, and I do not have a subscription.  However, this is a topic that I have thought a lot about.  

Allie Koss is the owner and creator of Happy's Horse Treats.  She is also a sophomore in high school and the FFA Chapter Sentinel at the Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center of Paradise Valley, Arizona, which is a charter school specializing in agriculture.  All students at the AAEC are FFA members, but there are different levels of activity for each of them.

Allie has grown up in the city, and her parents are not experienced in agriculture.  However, at age 4 Allie said she wanted to take horseback riding lessons.  Being wise parents, they did not just let Allie jump right into full blown lessons.  For one year they took her to the Phoenix Zoo where she could get exposure to horses and some experience riding to gauge if her level of enthusiasm was genuine.  It turned out that it was, and Allie has been riding horses ever since.

One day, at the barn that she rides at, a veterinarian was floating the teeth of a horse and showed Allie how to do it.  From this point she was hooked and knew she wanted to be a veterinarian.  This led to conversations with older people at the barn and the discover of the AAEC.  Ultimately, this led her to the agricultural charter school and the FFA.  It also led to her experimenting with making horse treats, her friends telling her that she should start a business and eventually, the birth of Happy's Horse Treats.  Today, Allie sells horse treats from coast to coast and plans on growing her business through the end of high school, but possibly until she begins veterinary school in several years.

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.

Texas A&M Commerce is located in the small, Northeastern Texas town of Commerce, Texas and provides abundant opportunity for developing your future in agriculture.  On today's episode, Dr. Randy Harp, the Dean of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, joins the show to talk all about Texas A&M Commerce.  We hear a lot about the family feel of smaller enrollment colleges on the show.  Dr. Harp does a great job of illustrating the benefits of this.

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Tip Of The Week

Consider smart combination locks

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.kwtx.com/2023/03/14/dallas-teens-riding-stolen-horses-struck-by-vehicle-one-killed-two-injured/

https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/crime/chambers-county-sheriffs-office-investigating-after-horse-stolen-from-winnie-ranch/502-6d01bbcc-b747-43c1-b854-78d5dc349829

https://krdo.com/lifestyle/animals/2023/03/16/__trashed-4/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23385776.sentencing-delayed-man-admitted-stealing-cadbury-creme-egg-cargo/

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/farmer-sick-tired-lack-police-26452948

Africa

https://www.independent.co.ug/nakasongola-235-cattle-stolen-in-10-months/

https://www.news18.com/buzz/when-200-inmates-escaped-from-uganda-prison-after-removing-their-uniforms-7304869.html

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.kimt.com/news/minnesota-woman-pleads-guilty-to-burglarizing-a-north-iowa-farm/article_f8b71386-c394-11ed-bffe-c7e9f2222ee7.html

https://www.twincities.com/2023/03/15/southern-minnesota-farmhand-charged-with-fatally-shooting-his-employer-last-fall/

Kacee Bohle is a fourth generation farmer from Illinois, a career agriculturist and an Ag Coach.  On today's episode we are going to focus in on her business of career coaching in agriculture.  Kacee has two main customer bases - agriculture students and professionals moving into or out of agriculture.  She deals with a lot of diverse situations in this business, but being an entrepreneur gives her the flexibility to do so and to adapt to each unique situation.

Kacee's coaching is reflection of her own experiences.  When she was graduating high school she did not really know where her future in agriculture resided, but she knew that it was in agriculture.  She is the only one of her siblings interested in taking over the family farm, and she feels pressure to do so to keep the legacy alive.  And, she has had multiple experiences in agricultural industry that make her uniquely qualified to help other people find their paths.

On tomorrow's ag business episode I talking with an agricultural career coach.  This got me thinking of what episode to replay for you on today's episode, and it became clear.  Our guest tomorrow specializes in helping people find their careers in agriculture.  The other side to that same coin is how can you develop your farming and agricultural lifestyle at home.  So, in today's re-cap episode I am going back to a special coaching session I did with Wendy from Ontario, Oregon about this very thing.

Preston Sechrest is a 2022 SAE Grant Recipient.  He is also the treasurer of the East Davidson FFA Chapter in Thomasville, North Carolina, and he is going to use his grant money as well as money that he saved from working at a grocery store to purchase his first dairy heifer for showing.

This all began for Preston during his 9th Grade year of high school.  He was considering becoming a game warden in the future, he still is actually, so he took an animal science class as an elective.  When his teacher, Mrs. Leonard, did a unit on introduction to the FFA, he thought he had been tricked.  However, by the end of school year he had been hooked, and he was a full-fledged FFA member.

His advisor encouraged Preston to go to a dairy cattle showing clinic to get introduced to this event.  He went, and he took to it.  People could not believe that he had never showed cattle before, and he got several offers to show for other people.  He has done ten heifer shows for a neighboring farm since then, and this has sparked an interest that Preston believes he will have for the rest of his life!

Today I am breaking down an article that is talking about the new phenomena of "Bare Minimum Mondays".  Here is the link if you'd like to read it yourself: https://www.kmaland.com/news/business/bare-minimum-monday-marks-latest-quiet-quitting-trend/article_38ef856d-0a0c-5016-9a2d-6e5e11a176d6.html

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Taylor Lacek is the 2o22 Minnesota State Star Farmer and a second semester student at South Dakota State University studying Agriculture Business & Communications with a newly added minor in journalism.  She has a passion for telling agriculture's story, and has her sights set on being a column writer in agriculture.

Taylor's grandfather got the family involved in raising show cattle generations ago, and Taylor has continued that onward.  Today, Taylor keeps abreast of the latest technology and methods in cattle breeding, employing embryo transfer and even looking into cloning to develop the genetics in her herd.  Taylor taught me about a method of dealing with calves that are not getting going after birth during the interview called the "Madigan Squeeze".  It was clear that she is constantly consuming information on the industry that she is passionate for, and it is this consumption that will turn her into a great purveyor of agricultural information.

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.

The Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is located in Tifton, Georgia.  Andrew Thoron is a professor and the Department Head o the Agricultural Education and Communications Department.  Today Andrew joins us to talk all about ABAC At Tifton.

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Tip Of The Week

Pay yourself first?  What about the government?  (equity theft)

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02QsndY18RDrxQw6QgYU38Nad9jEfworsfAfdWsXoA7hfxz979JqsjFmBiUMGtUGezl&id=100071992819041&mibextid=qC1gEa

https://mcdowellnews.com/news/local/mcdowell-sheriff-s-seeking-suspects-in-farm-equipment-theft/article_5cd5467e-bdfc-11ed-8d58-dfb8d594d8f2.html

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-farm-sanctuary-owners-say-someone-tried-to-break-into-barn-on-property/article_71c20248-b91f-11ed-8b7a-e7a140c74cb0.html

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/23371241.mps-back-laws-making-harder-steal-equipment-farmers/

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ruthless-raiders-jailed-ramming-police-133300075.html

https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/23372260.theft-25-sheep-appleby-maulds-meaburn/

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41087269.html

Africa

https://briefly.co.za/south-africa/154764-old-mans-14-cattle-stolen-mpumalanga-heartbroken-police-continue-investigate/

https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2023/03/pastoralists-mps-want-president-ruto-to-personally-take-charge-of-north-rift-operation/

https://theeagleonline.com.ng/police-arraign-man-35-over-alleged-goat-theft-2/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://abc30.com/foster-farms-stolen-chickens-activist-group-jury-selection-begins/12927353/

https://www.weeklycitizen.com/story/news/local/2023/03/07/geismar-suspect-arrested-in-prairieville-horse-theft-investigation-ascension-parish-deputies-report/69983476007/

https://www.kmjnow.com/2023/03/06/man-arrested-after-stealing-tractor-worth-100000-in-tulare-county/

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Caite Palmer and Arlene Hunter are the hosts of "The Barnyard Language Podcast - "Real Talk About Running Farms and Raising Families".  They are both farmers in different situations.  Arlene and her husband are full-time dairy farmers in Canada with no off-farm jobs. Caite and her husband farm
about 200 acres of row crops and raise livestock in Northeast Iowa and both of them work off of the farm.  Caite and Arlene were brought together by a podcast, met on a Facebook group corresponding to that show and have only met in person one time.  However, they have been hosting a weekly show together for almost two years!

I was recently a guest on the Barnyard Language Podcast.  I enjoyed the conversation so much and was so impressed with how these ladies went about their business, I invited them to be guests on Off-Farm Income as well.  They tackle some tough issues on their show - everything from parenting to domestic violence in rural communities.  They have a mission and a big vision of how they can inspire more farming podcasts that will help farmers.  I love it, and am thrilled to have interviewed them and to feature them on the show today!

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are featuring a team of agricultural podcast hosts who deal with real world issues and the challenges of parenting on a farm.  These two ladies found each other through a shared passion to help folks with these challenges.  One of them lives north of the border in Canada.

Their interview reminded me of the fantastic appearance that Elaine Froese had on the show discussing how to keep the family from splintering when farm transition and farm sale towards the end of a parent's career or life occurs.  This is a great tie in with tomorrow's show as we feature two guests who deal with the challenge of family on the other end of the spectrum, when children are at their youngest.

Dane Haverkamp is the owner of Triple H Custom Hay. He is also a junior in high school, his FFA chapter's vice-president and a family farmer with his parents on their ranch in Kansas.  Dane likes all aspects of agriculture, but his families operation is almost exclusively raising registered Black Angus Cattle.  Around Dane's 8th Grade year he told his folks he would like to get his own equipment for cutting, raking and baling hay on their farm rather than having it done by a custom business.  However, his parents told him that the amount of work needed on their farm would not justify the purchase.  So, Dane came up with the idea of starting a custom hay business of his own to justify the purchase, and made sense.  Dane purchased his own baler, swather and later a rake to start the business.  In exchange for the work he does on the farm, he uses his parent's tractors to operate the implements.  Today, Dane operates Triple H Custom Hay and has a growing business that he plans to operate for years to come.

I think our farm is at a point where I could just cruise if I wanted to.  However, I keep looking at ways to improve, become more efficient and to become more profitable.  What is that in me, and in all entrepreneurs?  Does it ever go away?

Sydney Bruchhaus is the Louisiana State FFA Secretary, the Louisiana State Star Farmer and a senior in high school.  To hear that an FFA student has achieved both state office and won a state star award is incredible enough, but to hear that they did this while still in high school is extremely rare or maybe never heard of.  However, that is not the last or maybe even the most amazing part of Sydney's story.  

Sydney spend the first two years of her FFA experience being quiet and shy.  She took leadership roles and was a chapter officer, but she preferred to be the person who got things done in the background.  However, at the beginning of her junior year of high school Sydney's FFA Advisor pushed her to participate in a public speaking contest.  Sydney was nervous, which pushed her to practice, and she wound up taking second place in the entire state.  

That second place price lit a fire in Sydney, and from that point on she was doing whatever public speaking that she could.  She developed her skills very rapidly and devoted all of her time to practicing.  Within 9 months of that first contest it was time for the Louisiana State FFA Convention, and she had decided to pursue becoming a state officer, even though she had only served as a chapter officer and not an area or district officer.  And then, she was selected at the same convention that she won star farmer.  

Sydney is living proof that it is never too late to do something great, and that you can accomplish things that other people think are impossible.  

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.

The University Of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and is the home of the Dale Bumpers College Of Agriculture, Food And Life Sciences.  Madison Estepp is the lead ambassador for Bumpers College, and she joins us on this episode to talk all about studying agriculture at the University Of Arkansas.

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

Tip Of The Week

Understand your state laws and your rights

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.ksat.com/news/ksat-investigates/2023/03/02/arbitrator-says-sapd-detective-falsely-claimed-he-was-nearly-hit-by-truck-prior-to-chase-upholds-his-termination/

https://ktxs.com/news/crime-watch/multiple-suspects-arrested-during-organized-crime-investigation-in-sweetwater

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2023/02/23/thieves-steal-items-after-break-in-at-farm-outbuildings/

https://www.aberdeenlive.news/news/aberdeen-news/aberdeenshire-becomes-second-most-targeted-8205693

https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/23351579.burglars-take-safe-cash-ingleton-farm-shop/

https://newportdispatch.com/2023/02/28/theft-of-tractor-in-coventry/

Africa

https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/news/super-zuma-to-address-stock-theft-in-kwazulu-natal/

https://sokodirectory.com/2023/03/state-warns-buyers-against-transporting-avocadoes-in-open-pick-ups/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/man-charged-with-animal-abuse-in-stabbing-of-high-school-farm-animals/

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://tscra.org/arizona-man-pleads-guilty-to-four-felony-charges-in-50000-el-paso-cattle-theft-case/?fbclid=IwAR1TtctGK_TQ1yqdmKFSNNq-5p3vC27IM0DUkXpd-Dw9Pe_oZ1_iCpRY6dU&h=AT0I3r6hpj8sN3DZsuSUlFc9mP9e5W1Zd3xejtscbagathGmUj5u3orOXHPBXDBriSCDCgi9BqoHSjv1Xcaf7UwOWv0gYMbZvLIWRAJ1nNv_rHoicAN_98HhJrRxhGk&s=1&mibextid=ncKXMA

https://www.wbrz.com/news/ascension-deputies-track-stolen-horses-and-trailer-to-baton-rouge-one-horse-badly-hurt/

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Aaron Juergens is a very busy, very energetic, serial agricultural entrepreneur.  He first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2015 when we discussed his business spreading hog manure in Iowa.  He was busy then, but the scope of businesses he had was nothing compared to today!  Since our first interview Aaron has sold the manure spreading businesses and become involved in multiple other enterprises.  Looking at his Linkedin Page I count 7 other enterprises, six of which are still running today.

On today's episode with Aaron we catch up on what has been going on in his life for the past 8 years, including getting married and having two kids.  And we talk about partnerships, how to manage them and how he keeps all these different balls in the air!

Aaron Juergens was one of my first ever agricultural entrepreneur guests on the show.  Since we first met in 2015 he has continued to expand and grow in his entrepreneurial pursuits.  Tomorrow he is coming back on the show to update us all.  For this week's re-cap episode I am revisiting our first interview from 2015 so you will have the perfect before and after picture.

Courtney Baker is a Pennsylvania State Proficiency Winner, a five sport athlete, a chapter officer and an FFA standout from Ulysses, Pennsylvania.  Courtney graduated from Northern Potter High School in May of 2022, got married and moved to Alaska, all in a period of a few months.  Now she is busy living on an Air Force base where her husband is serving and she is studying to become an elementary school teacher through Liberty University.  

Courtney is used to working on the family dairy, competing in one to two sports per semester, serving as an officer and becoming a state proficiency winner.  Now, she is pouring that energy and drive into her future career, her marriage and activities on base when there is only 3 hours of partial daylight outside during the Fairbanks, Alaska winter.  

When Courtney finishes college and student teaching she plans to enter the elementary classroom with the goal of motivating and inspiring students the way her teacher did for her.  She also wants to coach basketball.  I can tell from her work ethic that she will do both to great effect.  

Today is a farm update episode, and we will be discussing:

Mother Nature is so deceptive - looking outside at snow and frozen ground knowing that sometime in the next couple of weeks it is all going to change and I will go from feeling like I am in winter to feeling like I am behind.

Winter is definitely my most relaxed time of the year when it comes to the farm.  This is the last week of that….everything starts to ramp up next week….

I bought an Indian motorcycle, and I wanted to get it done before the weather got good. I test rode it on the one 50 degree day we have had in the last 10 days and will have in the next 2 weeks…

I am very excited about it, but also a little sad to give up my Honda.

I start calving next week and calving season will be followed by kidding…so my chances to ride it very much is probably going to be delayed by more than just weather

Watched Borrowed Future with Autumm & Hattie as we start preparing for Hattie to go to college.  Watching this and hearing the realities of higher education in the U.S. made me so proud of what agricultural colleges throughout the U.S. are doing.  Just in the 20 or so that I have interviewed so far, I have found a multitude of very affordable options for ag students to get a four year degree if they want to.  In my interview with Kansas State I found out that Mid-Western States are losing population and thus, future students, so there are many affordable options for agricultural education in the Mid-West.  They need the students and they want to bring people to their states and try to keep them as permanent residents.

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Whitley Anderson is a District Officer in the Lonewolf FFA District in West Texas.  She is also the chapter Vice-President at Snyder High School and immediate past-chapter president.  She raises pigs and chickens and definitely has a passion for agriculture.  As strong as Whitley's love to agriculture is, her love for sharing it with other people is stronger.

Whitely is currently a junior in high school, and she has her sights set on becoming an agricultural lobbyist after she completes high school.  She wants to advocate for agriculture at the highest levels and be part of what keeps agriculture seen as the "backbone of America".  She is not waiting for that first lobbyist position to start advocating however.  Right now, in Snyder, Texas she is taking the opportunity to share agriculture with everyone.

Just one week before Whitley and I did this interview she facilitated the "Scurry Stars Livestock Show".  Snyder High School is in Scurry County.  Whitley had seen that some of her peers in other parts of Texas were parts of livestock shows for students with special needs, so she came back to Scurry County and proposed this to all the relevant decision makers.  Everyone decided to move forward, and the second livestock show for students with special needs was completed, this time including goats and pigs rather than just chickens.  Whitley said she was nervous, but everything went very well and she is excited to do it again next year and watch it grow!

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.

Howard College - Big Spring is located in Big Spring, Texas.  Located at the southern end of the Texas Panhandle, in the middle of some of the most complex agriculture that the State Of Texas has to offer, Howard College - Big Spring offers its students real life, hands on agricultural learning in a tight knit community. On today's episode Kelby Vise, the Agricultural Sciences Chair Program and Campus Dean of Arts and Sciences joins me to talk agriculture, learning and college life in Big Spring.

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

Tip Of The Week

Write down serial numbers and recover stolen property

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://kdvr.com/news/local/50000-in-equipment-stolen-from-stables-owner-worries-stables-are-a-new-target-to-thieves/

https://www.14news.com/2023/02/23/perry-co-sheriffs-office-seeking-help-identify-truck-involved-theft/

https://www.wjhl.com/news/regional/tennessee/cow-heads-found-illegally-dumped-in-west-tennessee/

https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2023/02/21/solutions-sought-as-the-federal-shooting-of-feral-cattle-in-the-gila-wilderness-approaches/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2023/02/19/sheep-stolen-from-field-in-south-staffordshire/

https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/23325589.police-reports-three-bull-calves-stolen-farm-near-aboyne/

https://www.donegaldaily.com/2023/02/21/gardai-probe-theft-of-24-sheep-from-east-donegal-farm/

Africa

https://briefly.co.za/south-africa/153626-sheep-truck-overturned-western-cape-sparking-looting-online-debate-lots-hungry/

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-02-20-suspects-arrested-in-possession-of-stolen-goats-and-sheep-in-limpopo/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/crime/burglar-sentenced-to-15-years/

https://www.kentreporter.com/northwest/robbery-suspects-nearly-collide-with-train-while-fleeing-auburn-police-video/

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Arin Whitemountain and Tom Masterson are partnering together in Southeast Missouri to bring a niche haying service to very small acreages.  Arin has invested in the necessary equipment to bale very small, round bales on small acreages with low horsepower tractors.  He did it for himself last summer, and has developed a passion for these small and easy to use bales.

Arin recently retired from the Coast Guard and moved to a piece of property he had previously purchased in the area.  Tom has become an agricultural mentor to Arin and has been helping to get him started in the world of farming.  At the same time, Tom knows many people with small acreages in the area and helps them as well.  This has made for a great partnership in growing this service, and they are both very excited about the production of small round bales and how it will help those folks with very small acreages to produce something off of their grass rather than just brush hogging it down.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am featuring two gentlemen with a very unique hay baling business.  This made me think of the episode I did with Saydee Longhurst several years ago, and how she discovered a niche in how she was selling small bales.  On today's re-cap episode I want to bring back that interview as the perfect tie in for tomorrow's show.

Noah McMeeken is a sophomore at Slinger High School in Slinger, Wisconsin and he is a recent recipient of a $1,000 SAE grant.  Noah has interests in things that fly.  He and his brother have been raising and showing ducks and chickens for the past several years, Noah loves to fly in aircraft, he is a competitive alpine skier and flies down the mountain and he has developed a deep interest in drone technology.  So much so, that he was teaching me a thing or two about drones during the interview.  

Noah is just picking up speed in his FFA career, and he has a vision of a business involving him flying FPV Drones and taking aerial photographs for farmers for crop scouting as well a multitude of other reasons.  Noah is pursuing this with a lot of wisdom too.  In addition to being proactive and seeking (and winning) the grant money to fund the project, he has chosen to purchase a kit and assemble the drone himself.  Obviously, he could save himself time and headache by purchasing a fully assembled and ready to fly drone.  However, he knows he will eventually break something on the drone.  So, he looks at the assembly as preparation for that day.  This way he will know how to fix the drone, rather than having to purchase a whole new unit.  And this knowledge will come from the assembly.  

Today is a farm update episode, and we will be discussing:

1. Urban Sprawl and disappearing farms
2. The period between the Super Bowl and March Madness
3. When is it a good idea to get a Harley Davidson
4. A better mouse trap
5. Our new Ag College Episode

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Mackenzie Serrano is a Montana State FFA Officer and the winner of the Montana Star in Agricultural Placement from 2022.  She has a great story of building FFA career in spite of circumstances that would conspire against her.  She started her cow herd in Wilsall, Montana, which happens to be 172 miles from her home in Musselshell, Montana.  She persevered through Covid, working a job at a "blood lab" to pay for more cattle.  At the end of her junior year her FFA Advisor moved to a different high school and the vacancy was not filled.  A recent college graduate was hired to fill the vacancy on a temporary basis, but he was not an ag teacher.  So, Mackenzie took it upon herself to assist with developing lesson plans and keeping the chapter going, even when the school district was considering pulling the plug.

It was the final challenge that inspired Mackenzie to throw her hat in the ring as a state officer.  She served as her chapter's president for three years of high school, and it was the challenge of continuing her FFA chapter's legacy against resistance that inspired her to become a state officer.  That happened last spring, and she is just getting ready to end her term.  What's next?  Mackenzie is going to pursue a national officer position.  First, she must be selected to represent the State Of Montana, and then it is on to sifting in Indianapolis next October.  She has a very unique story, and I think she has a great shot.

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.

The University Of Idaho is located in Moscow, Idaho.  Matt Doumit is the Associate Dean Of Academic Programs and a professor in the College Of Agriculture And Life Sciences.  Kacie Hoffman is the Director Of Recruitment & Student Engagement in the College Of Agriculture And Life Science.  Both join us today to discuss the University Of Idaho CALS.

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

Tip Of The Week

Who is coming to your farm to purchase your products?

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/opinion/foster-farms-chicken-slaughterhouse-animal-cruelty.html

https://www.kake.com/story/48344689/palm-beach-gardens-rescue-wants-answers-after-2-horses-stolen-slaughtered-in-miami

https://www.wgal.com/article/man-charged-with-horse-theft-and-credit-card-fraud-in-york-county/42924278

https://www.yahoo.com/now/frederick-sheriff-warns-crime-ring-042159208.html

https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/farmers-raise-awareness-about-crime-in-rural-parts-of-central-virginia/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.miragenews.com/police-seek-information-after-logan-sheep-theft-948334/

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/gardai-investigate-theft-of-six-cattle-in-kerry/

https://www.steinbachonline.com/articles/thieves-steal-grain-truck-from-local-farm

Africa

https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2023/02/kenyas-military-offensive-against-bandits-starts-today/

https://neweralive.na/posts/teens-nabbed-for-stock-theft

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/waterford-man-drove-across-a-farm-to-flee-from-police-was-charged-with-6th-owi/article_23c3af32-ad7c-11ed-9674-9b2eb7f20b6b.html

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2023/02/14/man-charged-with-theft-after-trailer-load-of-200000-creme-eggs-stolen/

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A.W. Erwin is a syndicated "cowboy cartoonist" with a quick wit and funny personality.  He has been drawing cartoons of cowboys and cowgirls in funny situations for decades now, and this is his form of "off-farm income".

Making his home in north central Texas, he is immersed in the cowboy lifestyle knowing people far and wide who are preserving the old ways and arts of cowboying.  To keep his commute as a short walk from his house to his studio, A.W. has developed a line of products he sells as well as services.  He has mastered "re-purposing".  A drawing he made yesterday might become a coffee mug tomorrow and a calendar next year.

A.W. made his first appearance on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2015, and he is back today with more inspiration and advice for artists who don't know how to turn their passion into a full-time business.

On tomorrow's episode I get to catch up with A.W. Erwin, who first appeared on our show in 2015 on episode #15!  A.W. has a very quick wit, an incredible artistic ability and he has turned this into a successful business that has supported his family and his ranching endeavors for decades.

On today's re-cap episode I am going to bring the very first interview I did with A.W. back.  You can get the before and after picture on A.W., and you will definitely get a before and after picture of me as an interviewer and podcaster....

Grace DiGiovanni is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Service Learning.  With a title like that, you know that she had done something significant to help out her community, but after doing a complete interview with her it was obvious that she is wired to help her fellow human.

Grace is currently attending college at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.  She has her eyes set on medical school and oncology. She has a scientific and inquisitive brain, and all of us are blessed that people like Grace exist.  She has a desire to work on the macro and micro in oncology in her career.  On the micro level she sees herself helping individual patients through oncological surgery to address their specific needs.  On the macro she sees herself studying the tumors that she has just removed for the betterment of all of society!

Of course, this is no surprise when you learn what Grace's SAE was.  She saw that the food that was being included in a local backpack food program was not very nutrient dense or healthy.  So, she obtained a grant, community volunteers and donations from the community to change this.  Ultimately she wound up taking over the entire program and leaving a legacy in her community.  And, during all of this she obtained over 80 college credits through dual credit courses.  That number is a new record of college credits obtained in high school on the Off-Farm Income Podcast!

I have been on a twelve day quest to find the sun, feel it's warmth and find my people.....I succeeded and today I'll tell you all about it...

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Andrew Snook is the owner of Snook's Lawncare & Landscaping in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania.  He is also the 2022 Pennsylvania State Star Award Winner in agribusiness.  This all started when Andrew was very young and wanted very badly to push a lawn mover.  Over time that developed to him requesting to go with his grandfather when he was out mowing other people's lawns.  Finally, when Andrew was 11 years old he asked for a push mower for his birthday and was gifted one.  This launched his entrepreneurial endeavor. 

Andrew has also been exposed to agriculture and farming on his uncle and cousin's farm nearby his whole life.  So, when he was first exposed to the FFA it felt like a natural fit for him and something that he wanted to pursue.  Little did he know how well his love for lawn mowing and landscaping would fit with the required supervised agricultural experience.  

Today, Andrew and his father co-own Snook's Lawncare & Landscaping, and they just converted it to an S-Corp.  Andrew now has 2-3 crews working for him, he has added snow removal to the list of things that they do, and he sees the sky as the limit on where he can take this business!

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.

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are speaking with a very enterprising agricultural entrepreneur from New York State.  The crux of her story is that through entrepreneurship and a set of skills that she already had, she found her place in agriculture.  Today, she is making major contributions to our industry and keeping us all informed.

This made me think of my interview with Wil Crombie.  Wil definitely had a winding path that took him out of and then back to agriculture, and finally into a new way of participating in farming.  While Wil was away he was developing a skill set that would allow him to create the off-farm income that he would need and share the world of agriculture that he was passionate about.  This was the perfect prelude to tomorrow's ag business episode, and I am happy to bring Wil's episode back for you today.

Dallas Sills is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Swine Production.  Dallas farms in Northeast Georgia with his father, uncle, sister and cousins on a farm that was started in the 1950's by his grandparents.  About four years ago Dallas was starting his supervised agricultural experience and also looking for what he could do on the farm that would be unique to him.  He noticed that nobody in their area were raising and direct marketing pigs, so he decided to give it a shot.

Dallas ended up driving to Athens, Georgia and purchase seven pigs from the University Of Georgia Farm that he finished and direct marketed.  Much of the feed for the pigs was grown on his farm, and he imported soybean meal and mixed his own feed rations.  Soon after, Dallas decided to start having the pigs butchered and market cuts of meat rather than whole pigs.

As Dallas got this aspect of his business going, word of mouth started to spread, and his business expanded very quickly.  One of the interesting ways in which Dallas' business grew was through selling sausage in a local grocery store.  His name and telephone number was on the packaging, and pretty soon people who bought his sausage at the store were calling him and wanting to purchase multiple pounds of it directly from him.  At the same time that Dallas was making money selling sausage, he was marketing and growing his business.  It is a brilliant and symbiotic relationship.

Today is a farm update episode everyone.  We will cover:

• Changing my security plans about goat theft
• The tractor that ended horsepower
• The lost art of manure pick up
• How to irritate staff at the livestock auction
• Why you should never put scrapies tags in your goats early

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Jackson Lohr is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Poultry Production and a former state officer for the Virginia State FFA.  Jackson has known that he wanted to be a state officer since the 6th Grade when a Virginia State Officer took the time to speak with him at the state convention.  Only one problem, Jackson considered himself to be introverted, so how would he get out of his comfort zone?  Ultimately, Jackson found that focusing on the priorities of the FFA allowed him to ignore his fears and get the job done.  And the payoff has been huge.

Not only did Jackson eventually become a state officer, but he also excelled in his supervised agriculture experience and won a National Proficiency Award.  Jackson has grown up on a chicken farm in Western Virginia, and he has been working in some capacity on the farm since he could walk.  He loves this lifestyle and this level of agricultural production.  He is currently completing a two year agricultural management program at Virginia Tech., and then he will be right back to the farm to carry on this legacy!

Tip Of The Week

Know what services are available to you, and then learn how to fill the gaps

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://news.yahoo.com/livestock-rustling-no-bull-legislators-043200037.html

https://www.kmvt.com/2023/01/26/reports-livestock-theft-area-how-you-can-work-protect-your-animals/

https://magicvalley.com/news/local/to-catch-a-goat-thief-another-theft-reported-near-buhl/article_698d9a38-9b51-11ed-a5f9-4fffbb2023c7.html

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-new-holland-tractor-theft/

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/gardai-investigate-rural-robbery-in-co-kilkenny/

https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/latest-news/appeal-after-content-horse-box-stolen-thurning

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/suspected-coventry-fly-tipper-shopped-26081229

Africa

https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2023/01/two-cattle-thieves-in-remand-escape-from-police-cell-through-ceiling-steal-ak47-rifle/

https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/26/adamawa-police-command-arrests-208-suspects-in-26-days/

https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/84712-explained-inside-administration-police-units-their-ranks-police-roles

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://tscra.org/grimes-county-woman-arrested-on-felony-charges-in-ongoing-criminal-mischief-case/?fbclid=IwAR1w4dKHMTh2bP3JsXLQ63BJy646ZdpD41ZnClZApHpIBgoG0SUDk8azxds

https://www.denver7.com/news/national/first-responders-are-being-trained-on-obgyn-emergencies-to-help-fill-gaps-in-rural-america

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Andrew Swafford is a county commissioner in Bledsoe County, Tennessee and at the time of this writing he is 25 years old.  Andrew is also the owner of three chicken houses, a 749 acre plot of timber, a forestry business called Four Aims Forestry and a graduate student at the University Of Georgia.  He clearly is a high achiever, and this is something that we at the Off-Farm Income Podcast have known for almost a decade.  

Andy, as he likes to be called, first appeared on the show in 2015 as a recently graduated high school student with a bee business called Andy's Bee Keeping.  Back then he was collected, bottling and selling honey to customers all around his community in Tennessee.  He was just getting ready to begin college at the University Of Tennessee back then, and oh how far he has gone since then!  

I like to see the progress the guests on the Off-Farm Income Podcast have made from time to time, and I was blown away when I read Andy's resume on Linkedin.  I am happy to welcome him back onto the show today to give us the details on the journey that he has been on and what is next to come!

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode a previous FFA guest comes back on the show.  It has been 8 years since Andrew Swafford was first a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast, and I am amazed with what he is doing today!

On our Re-Cap Episode I'm bringing back his very first interview from 2015 so you can see the before and he after picture.

Connor Pence is a 2022 National Proficiency Award Winner in the category of Diversified Livestock Production.  In and of itself, this is a phenomenal accomplishment, but wait.....there's more.  Connor is also a 2021 National Proficiency Winner in the category of goat production.

Connor first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast one year ago exactly when I given the opportunity to interview him about his Goat Production Proficiency Award.  As a goat raiser myself, I found myself learning a lot from Connor.  I titled that episode "How To Win A National Proficiency Award" because as we did the interview, it became apparent to me that the benefit of the interview with Connor exceeded goat production.  He was giving students a template of what to do if they wanted to reach these prestigious heights.

Now, Connor has done this twice.  Naturally, the title of this episode is "How To Win Two National Proficiency Awards".  Connor is breathing "rare air" with this accomplishment, and it is to our benefit to have him back on the show to share how he did this.

Today is a farm update episode everyone.  We will cover:

• Beautiful night skies during calving/kidding season
• The lure of the predator
• The great relief of remembering that goats are just dumb
• The archeology of our local area of Idaho
• The worst roads in America

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Jared Weigandt is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Landscape Management.  He and his twin brother, Jordan, are poised to one day take over the family business, Sidney Landscape Services and become the 4th Generation of their family to own this business.  They are also the 6th generation in their family to work in the landscape business, and what was apparent from this interview was that their deep family roots in this business are not taken for granted.

Jared is currently attending college at the University Of Northwestern Ohio and studying diesel technology.  Jared works a lot on equipment repair and maintenance in his families business and is expanding his skills through this program.  He is already applying what he has learned on the job.

Tip Of The Week

If you have a pet sheep that you love, make sure to treat the “help” with respect

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.wyomingnews.com/today-tomorrow/article_0676edb8-9751-11ed-9355-2330ed569969.html

https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/teen-charged-with-stealing-a-tractor-tried-to-sell-it-on-facebook-edgecombe-sheriff-says/

https://www.kltv.com/2023/01/19/2-livingston-men-convicted-timber-theft-liberty-county/

https://www.wcax.com/2023/01/19/experts-share-tips-avoid-being-victim-logging-theft/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.miragenews.com/police-seek-public-assistance-after-theft-of-932286/

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/23258978.people-urged-police-eyes-ears-halt-rural-crime/

https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/man-convicted-after-skinning-sheep-and-feeding-it-to-hounds/

https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/23260704.two-men-arrested-connection-theft-14-cows-anglesey/

Africa

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/crime/stolen-goats-confiscated-mpumalanga-january-2023/

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/police-disrupt-farm-attack-recover-19-sheep-18-january-2023/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/18/abducted-burkina-women-flee-gunmen-through-bush

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://navasotanews.com/college-station-man-arrested-for-stealing-8-head-of-cattle-near-navasota-and-trying-to-sell-them/

https://www.foxnews.com/media/man-stolen-tractor-leads-police-hours-long-chase-hitting-dumpster-church-what-day

https://www.porkbusiness.com/news/industry/stolen-show-pigs-found-after-48-hour-search-denver?fbclid=IwAR3A0-kv1zKA6H_NibcvRk6_M_H336O3UJMbpf9xj52lL0uB5I_pFoEYkZk&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

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The Shepherdess At Harmony Farms is named Grace, and she has an unbelievable story.  Starting at the age of 11 she lived in the suburbs of Austin, Texas and was purchasing and re-marketing garage sale items online.  She developed an incredible talent for online marketing during her teen years to the point that she developed a 7 figure apparel company using the marketing skills she had developed.  Then, there was a drastic change.

Grace was living with her parents at this time, and they decided that it was time to move to an area where they could purchase some land and get further away from encroaching urban sprawl.  This took the whole family to northeast Texas, where her folks bought 30 acres.  In an effort to keep their agricultural property tax exemption, they began raising sheep, and for the first two years, Grace wanted nothing to do with this.  However, in 202o that all changed.

Once Grace embraced taking care of the livestock and farming, she fell in love with the lifestyle and work.  This led her to develop a passion for findng a way to stay on the farm.  She took the online marketing skills that she already had and started applying them to the families farming enterprise and "The Shepherdess At Harmony Farms" was born.

Today Grace is selling premium Dorper Sheep, online courses, merchandise, sheep supplies and other SWAG.  She is fired up about telling young people how they will be able to get into farming and why that is a great choice.  And, she is putting outstanding content out on her blog and her YouTube Channel.  And, I am lucky enough to interview her today.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am speaking a marketing prodigy who has come into her own marketing Dorper Sheep as well as educational materials regarding how to farm and raise sheep.  This made me think of my interview with Jeremiah Geise who first appeared on the show in 2021 and talked about niche marketing for three different species of livestock.  So, I decided to bring this episode back for you to compliment tomorrow's show.

Lizzie Schafer is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Beef Placement.  Lizzie and her brother have been showing cattle nationally for their family farm for several years now, both from a competitive standpoint and in an effort to market their genetics.  Over the years, Lizzie has taken on more and more of the responsibility of the cattle side of their families farm, including become the herd manager and making many of the major decisions about their cattle business.

Lizzie was recruited by several colleges for livestock judging during high school.  Ultimately, she chose to being her college career at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kanas.  Lizzie told me that livestock judging is the #1 sport on that campus, and they take care of their livestock judging students very well.  She is studying agricultural communications and hopes to be standing outside of the show arena waiting to interview the winners and tell their stories at some point in the future.  

Hello everybody.  We have a farm update episode today, and I am excited about the developments at our place.  I hope you will join us to talk goats, a new market for goats, beef, word of mouth marketing and so much more!

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Carrie Rhoades is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Dairy Production.  Carrie grew up on a dairy farm in Ohio, and has been part of the FFA since her 8th Grade year.  During that time she has been trading labor with her family in exchange for feed, space, veterinary treatment and everything else that comes with raising a show string of dairy cattle.

Early on Carrie's parents let her know that she was welcome to pursue a college education wherever she wanted, but she was going to have to find a way to pay for it herself.  She decided that she did not want to go into debt to get her education, so she had to find a way to afford the costs.  Also, she decided that college was going to be her best opportunity to live somewhere else and have a different experience than what she had always known in Ohio.  It was not that she didn't like Ohio.  Actually, she knew that she was going to spend her life in Ohio, but she thought it would be good to have one different experience during her life, and the best opportunity would be during college.  However, this created the challenge of non-resident tuition.

Knowing this was coming, Carrie got busy during high school.  She took as many dual credit courses as she could, all for free. When she graduated she had 30 credits, or her entire freshman year, completed.  At the beginning of her senior year of high school she began looking for scholarships.  She did not allow herself to indulge in imposter syndrome.  She applied for everything, even the scholarships that she thought she might not be qualified for.....and she received several.

Mostly coming from her local community, Carrie set off to Oklahoma State University late in the summer of 2022 with one year of college already completed and scholarships that would pay for the next three semesters.  That left Carrie with only three semesters to pay for.  She is already on the hunt for more scholarships to get her the rest of the way, and she is going to live in school housing on the school farm for a very reasonable rate to take care of that expense.  It can be done everyone!

Tip Of The Week

Be skeptical of outrageous stories and do a little checking

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://original.newsbreak.com/@yanasa-tv-1592052/2888279621257-cattle-mysteriously-die-or-go-missing-stumping-investigators

https://ksltv.com/517786/owner-deputies-fear-7-young-horses-were-stolen-outside-of-elberta/

https://news.yahoo.com/sheriff-officials-conduct-livestock-road-194737726.html

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/opinion/contributors/2023/01/12/we-all-pay-for-grocery-theft.html

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/dudley/sedgley/2023/01/12/search-on-to-find-culprits-for-stolen-trailer/

https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/lincolnshire-police-appeal-for-information-on-farm-burglary/

https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/crime/nfu-warns-of-scammers-claiming-to-be-energy-company

Africa

http://www.times.co.sz/news/138392-theft-suspect-whipped-with-siswebhu-dies.html

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/police-arrest-six-for-limpopo-game-farm-robbery-confiscate-ammunition-guns-and-cash-20230112

https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/news/bishopstowe-farmer-shot/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/wisconsin-woman-accused-poisoning-vet-husband-with-euthanasia-drugs/2CLFM32TINDKXOIGVKF5PWTXRA/

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Oregon-OKs-killing-2-wolves-in-new-pack-after-17714419.php

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Darrell Anderson is a career, agricultural broadcaster.  He left his families farm after high school for college, and during college discovered his interest in broadcasting.  This led Darrell in several different directions.  Today, after a career's worth of the radio business Darrell is working as an independent agricultural broadcaster.  He hosts a syndicated, 90 second show, called Farm To Fork that is played on stations all around the country, five days per week.

In today's episode Darrell will retrace his journey to where he is at today.  And, we we will talk about how a young person who wants to be an agricultural broadcaster can start their own, independent show in the way that Darrell has, today.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am speaking with a gentleman who has a career's worth of experience in farm radio, radio in general and in creating a syndicated radio program.  This took me all the way back to episode #36 for our re-cap episode when I profiled John Harrer who was beginning The Whoa Podcast, and we talked about building this type of broadcasting business.

Ethan Meissner is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Agricultural Processing.  Since his 8th grade year Ethan has been working at a local meat locker near Marshfield, Wisconsin.  He started out doing carry outs, cleaning coolers and any other small jobs that needed to be done.  But over time the business and Ethan both evolved and changed.  Today, the locker specializes in making sausages and hot dogs, pretty much anything that is ground and then stuffed into a casing.  Ethan has become much more proficient and knowledgeable in running machinery and really the whole operation.  This ultimately led his boss to trust him enough to take a day off on the weekends and leave Ethan in charge.  

Today Ethan is studying agricultural engineering at the University Of Wisconsin at River Falls.  He actually started out at another university studying just mechanical engineering.  However, he missed agriculture and transferred so that Ag could be part of the emphasis of his major.  On the weekends and during breaks from school Ethan returns home and works at the meat locker.  For the summer he has his eye on some internships so that he can explore this career field even further.  

On today's farm update show I want to inspire you on your journey in pursuit of your new lifestyle!  

Trenton Jones is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Diversified Horticulture.  He is also a former chapter, regional and state officer in Missouri.  Trenton is currently in his junior year of college at Northwest Missouri State University where he is majoring in Agricultural Media, and he says that he finds himself leaning towards broadcast media at the moment.

Trenton's supervised agricultural experience and business began when he and a friend decided they would raise some plants and sell to friends and family.  Eventually, they went down divergent paths.  Trenton decided that he wanted to grow the business and get more serious about it, and the friend kind of faded out of it.  This led to Trenton taking a job in the industry so he could learn more about the business.  This eventually led to business opportunities for Trenton, filling opportunities that the business he was working for did not fill.  This led to Trenton's business, "Trent's Tropicals", which he closed down last January because of how busy he had become as a state officer.  However, Trenton says that "Trent's Tropicals" might make a comeback.  He is finishing college for now, but that idea is still within the realm of possibilities.  

Tip Of The Week

Brand your cattle, especially if they aren’t close to home

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.drovers.com/news/industry/top-10-scandals-seen-cattle-industry-2022

https://www.thefencepost.com/news/cattle-missing-from-baca-county-colo/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://globalnews.ca/news/9385037/rural-robbery-redwater-new-years-day/

https://www.rsnonline.org.uk/countryside-riders-targeted-by-bike-thieves-amid-record-lows-in-police-detection-rates

https://www.southernstar.ie/news/pedigree-angus-bull-and-four-in-calf-cows-stolen-4254875

Africa

https://www.chronicle.co.zw/five-men-nabbed-for-stealing-35-cattle/

https://www.mmegi.bw/news/jwaneng-police-concerned-by-rising-stock-theft-cases/news

https://www.the-star.co.ke/counties/rift-valley/2023-01-02-two-sisters-killed-by-bandits-amid-prayers-for-peace/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.thegeorgiavirtue.com/georgia-crime/owner-of-farm-labor-company-sentenced-to-prison-for-leading-multi-state-conspiracy-involving-forced-labor-of-farm-workers/

https://www.kwch.com/2022/12/08/kansas-cowboys-help-recover-cattle-after-semi-overturns-highway-50/

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Farm Link is a program in Nebraska that strives to match up retiring farmers and ranchers with new and beginning farmers and ranchers that are looking for an operation to take over.  The obstacles of entry into farming and ranching are very high, making it difficult for a newcomer to get started.  At the same time there are retiring farmers and ranchers that want to see their land support another family the way that it did theirs, and they are willing to work with a young person to make this happen.  

Allan Vyhnalek is an extension educator for the University Of Nebraska at Lincoln, and he started the Nebraska Farm Link Program in January of 2021.  In today's episode we will discuss how it works, options for transition plans and some of the things he sees that are holding new and beginning farmers back from taking full advantage of this resource.  

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

On tomorrow's ag business episode we are looking at the concept of farm transition again.  It has been several years since I have done this, but it is a topic that we should keep front of mind because it is a valid way to begin farming or ranching.  Back in 2017 I interviewed a young man who was a National Proficiency Finalist and a sophomore in college.  He was raising his own cattle and working for a neighbor on his ranch, and that neighbor was ready to retire.  The neighbor did not have a family member who wanted to farm the ground, and he was transitioning the operation to my guest, Stetson Dittmar.  On today's show we will revisit that conversation.  

Jay McClure is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Forage Production.  This is the result of Jay's efforts on his families farm taking over responsibility for hay production under several center pivots.  Jay is now a full-time farmer and has chosen this path as his career for the rest of his life.  

Jay is faced with a unique problem.  The family farm has been in the family for over 100 years, and during that time it has grown more and more reliant on irrigation.  Jay and his family pump water from the Ogallala Aquifer, which is running out of water.  Jay believes that the farm will not run out of water before his father retires, however he does believe that the aquifer will be exhausted before he is ready to retire.  So, in addition to the everyday challenges of production agriculture, Jay is faced with what to do when the time comes and how to continue an over 100 year tradition in face of losing a precious resource.  

On today's farm update show, let's talk about my goals for 2023, including:

• Be better at gopher control
• More frequent pasture rotations
• Sell sweet corn in a road side stand
• Start a working dog
• Become more of a vagabond on Idaho’s back roads
• Graze goats on our canal more
• Start a couple of pack goats

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Will Sherman is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Ag Processing.  He has been cutting meat at Mound City Butcher Block in LaCygne, Kansas since he was 14 years of age.  At age 18, just months after graduating high school he is already managing the shop.  Will takes a lot of satisfaction from cutting meat.  He sees it as a way to serve his community by preparing their meat for them, whether it be livestock or wild game.  

Will is still deciding whether or not college serves his purposes, but he is sure that butchering is part of his future.  He wants to eventually own his own shop, whether that means purchasing Mound City Butcher Block or starting from scratch.  If he does attend college, his education will be geared towards making him a better business manager and butcher in his chosen profession.  

Hattie Brechwald is a chapter sentinel at Kuna High School, has just started her own herd of goats, is a district winner in two welding methods and is my daughter.  Traditionally, Autumm, Hattie and I record a year end episode for New Years.  However, this year Autumm is sick and is in no shape to be a guest on the show, so it is just Hattie and I.  I have been waiting for Hattie to get far enough along in her FFA journey to be a guest on the show, so I can profile her FFA accomplishments for all of you.  About three months ago I realized that she had reached that point.  Since then, I have been looking for the right time.

Well, it turns out that this year's New Years Episode is exactly the right time.  I completely caught Hattie off guard with this.  She was working this afternoon and then went to visit her grandparents.  When she walked in the door, I told her that tonight was the night.  So, her interview is totally extemporaneous.  We literally recorded it about five minutes after she found that we would be featuring her.  I think she knocked it out of the park, and I am proud she did so well with no time to prepare and no advantages just because her dad is the host!

Jana Earp is the Advertising and Partnership Manager at Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association in Fort Worth, Texas.  The TSCRA began as a conglomerate of ranchers in Texas that banded together to stop cattle rustling in 1880.  Since the this group has evolved, officially becoming the TSCRA in 1921.  It's mission also evolved and turned from being focused on catching cattle rustlers to helping people succeed not just in raising cattle but in all aspects of agriculture.  

This episode was originally going to be aired as a rural crime episode.  However, it also evolved.  The TSCRA does so much to help people from anywhere in the country to succeed in agriculture that this interview felt more like an ag business episode.  So today, Jana will introduce the TSCRA to all of you and let you know exactly how this organization can help you succeed in agriculture.  

Because of the holidays and the way they fell this year, I am not producing a rural crime episode this week.  However, on tomorrow's ag business episode I am doing a show all about the Texas And Southwestern Rural Cattle Association, which I was introduced to through hosting this rural crime episode.  So, for today's re-cap episode I thought it made sense to go back and revisit a rural crime interview that I had been able to do.  This interview with Debi Metcalf of Net Posse made a lot of sense as there is significant overlap between what her organization does and what the TSCRA does.  So, I'm bringing it back for you today.

Ty Steffen is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Diversified Crop Production.  On his families property and on leased property in his hometown of Newark, Illinois he grows 4 acres of pumpkins, a 1/2 acre of broom corn and gourds as well as a large vegetable garden.  Using honor system stands Ty markets his broom corn, gourds and pumpkins as decorative produce every fall.  

There is an interesting twist to Ty's story.  During his 9th Grade year he noticed some city land adjacent to a park that was going unused.  Ty actually went to a board meeting for his village and requested to lease that ground to farm on.  That lease was approved, and he obtained two acres, right in town to grow his crops.  Ty is interested in continuing his business and remaining an entrepreneur after high school and college.  

A quick farm update on a "kind of" week off between Christmas and New Years.  This one has it all: goats, freezing rain and more....

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Hanna Schmidt is a junior at Mullhall-Orlando High School and the secretary of her FFA Chapter.  She also has a business removing invasive cedar trees from the pastures and fields of the people in her community.  In today's episode Hanna explains that the research she has done has indicated that cedar trees rob a lot of soil moisture from the grasslands, and their removal can result in higher carrying capacities for the property owners that she serves.

Doland FFA

Avery Miles - Chapter President of the Doland FFA Chapter in Doland, South Dakota

Starting this year the Doland FFA Chapter decorated the town's park on Main Street for Christmas.  The emphasis is on lights, but there is also a beautifully lit up FFA logo at the front of the display tying the community, Christmas and the local chapter all together.  This project began with a $500 grant that was received from the South Dakota FFA Association, and it was quickly matched the Doland FFA Alumi Association.  This is Avery's final year at Doland High School, but she believes that this will be come a tradition and will continue to grow in size and scope.

Southern Guilford FFA

Hannah Barnes - Chapter President of the Southern Guilford FFA Chapter in Greensboro, North Carolina

For the past four years the Southern Guilford FFA Chapter has been conducting a toy drive, beginning in mid-November, to collect toys for children in their community that can be given to them as gifts on Christmas Day.  The effort is now split into a whole chapter drive and an additional drive involving the just the officer team.  The chapter is partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps through their Toys For Tots program, and all of the toys are handed over to them for distribution.

In this interview Hannah highlights one of her fellow chapter members that, in spite of the $5 spending limit, donated over $250 worth of toys to the event.  The generosity of this student and the entire chapter is very heart warming.

Raft River FFA

Jessi Knudsen - Vice President of the Raft River FFA Chapter in Malta, Idaho

What began with a canned food drive has now grown into a full blown gift giving extravaganza for the community in and around Malta, Idaho.  As the Raft River FFA Chapter has continued to give to their community during Christmas anonymous donors from the community have joined in, giving money to the cause so that more can be bought and the joy of the season can be spread to even more people.

Sleepy Eye FFA

Adam Johnson - Chapter President of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

The Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter participates in a backpack food program, and this year for Christmas they are putting together "Holiday Boxes" for folks needing some help in their community.  They are making "tie blankets" as a chapter and giving those away in addition some food, an ornament and personal care items.

Lumberton FFA

Kamryn McInnis - Chapter President of the Lumberton FFA Chapter in Lumberton, North Carolina

"Share The Warmth" Project - the chapter used the proceeds from their poinsettia sale to purchase coats for kids identified by social services in their county.  52 coats were purchased and donated to children in the area.

Ripley FFA

Riley Knotts - Chapter Vice-President Of The Ripley FFA Chapter in Ripley, West Virginia

Riley and his fellow chapters members are supporting the "Jackson County Hunting Heroes" program by butchering deer for the veterans who have gone out on the hunts and filled their tags.  The Ripley FFA Chapter has been participating in this program for quite some time, and their involvement continues to develop.  In this interview Riley talks about the veterans and holds in the high regard that they deserve.

Gracee Poorman has overcome a lot in her life, and dealing with the difficult challenges of overcoming obstacles is probably what attracts her to agriculture.  She did not grow up in agriculture, but through a series of twists and turns she found herself working in a commercial hog barn.  She also found many people skeptical about her ability to put in the work and be successful working in that environment, and that drove her to prove them wrong.....which she did!

Today Gracee is married and living and working on the family farm that has been in her husband's family for two centuries.  She is what I would describe as a serial entrepreneur.  Gracee is running several businesses including photography, pressure washing, agricultural consulting and public speaking.  She keeps herself very busy with different streams of revenue as well as working on her families farm.  In this episode, we will get a glimpse into what drives her.

Dresen Ferschweiler is a really incredible entrepreneur and has what I call "The Entrepreneur's Attribute.  She was first on the show in 2021 talking about how she recognized shortcomings in sheep halters and decided to do something about it, very early on in high school.  I have since met her, her family and her fellow chapter members at the National FFA Convention.  Dresen is the epitome of an entrepreneur, and she is a great compliment to the guest I have coming on the show tomorrow.  So, Dresen's episode was perfect for today's re-cap show.

Blake Moore is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Agricultural Mechanics and Repair.  Starting on his uncle's farm somewhere around 6th grade Blake quickly found his curiosity piqued when he was in the shop around the tractors, feed trucks and pickups.  Soon, he was working on engines and demonstrating aptitude.

6th Grade was also the very first year of his school's middle school FFA chapter.  Always seeing his father's blue jacket hanging in the closet, Blake knew he wanted one of those.  So, he signed up for the FFA and became very active, only to have his activity level wane just a bit going into his 8th and 9th grade years.  However, one of Blake's advisors saw what he was doing mechanically and how much talent he had there, and encouraged him to start filling out paperwork for a regional proficiency award.  One thing led to another, and Blake just kept winning!  This propelled him all the way to the big stage this year as a National Proficiency Finalist!

Hi everyone.  We have a farm update for you today and some more weather talk.  Yes, I love the weather and I love interesting weather.  We seem to have that in abundance right now, and I talk all about it in today's Tuesday Episode.

Halle Miller is a 2022 National Proficiency Winner in the category of Small Animal Production & Care.  She is also a junior at the University Of Akron in Ohio studying marketing and sales.  Halle was previously a guest on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2021 on episode #1063 as she was preparing to graduate high school.  At that point in time she was planning on becoming a nurse, but during that very spring her participation on the sales and marketing team through the FFA lit her fire for this industry, and she is pursuing this at college now.

Thanks to a strong work ethic and dual credit classes Halle is already classified as a junior in college, despite this just being her third semester since graduating.  During high school she was able to complete 46 college credits that she took with her to Akron.  Today she is still operating her dog breeding business, Borders Of Eby Eden with help from her entire family.  And of course, her overcoming a dog phobia that began at age 6 remains a large part of her story.

Tip Of The Week

Get involved and create a community

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.bainbridgereview.com/news/3-break-in-to-bay-hay-and-feed-on-bi/

https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2022/12/police-shortage-california-rural-departments/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/llama-dead-two-others-injured-7930026

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/herd-14-cows-stolen-anglesey-25747562

https://www.police.sa.gov.au/sa-police-news-assets/murray-mallee-local-service-area/theft-from-rural-properties-murray-mallee#.Y5t4Ki-B2J8

Africa

https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/news/stolen-meat-suspect-shot-dead/

https://comarochronicle.co.za/276522/local-farmers-in-awe-amid-alarming-discovery/

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/minister-asks-security-personnel-to-protect-vanilla-crop-from-thieves-4054556

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.kimt.com/news/freeborn-county-man-pleads-guilty-to-theft-chase-in-north-iowa/article_d536e794-7be4-11ed-b72a-9b237050cb62.html

https://muddyrivernews.com/noteworthy/auburn-ill-man-arrested-after-six-week-investigation-into-theft-from-farm-implement-dealer-in-pike-county/20221212141749/

https://tscra.org/volunteer-fire-departments-receive-funding-from-the-texas-and-southwestern-cattle-raisers-association-disaster-relief-fund/

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Lance Irving is the program director for the Leopold Conservation Award which is presented to one farmer in each of 25 participating states.  The award comes after a farmer has been nominated for the conversation practices on their farm that are both financially sound and environmentally beneficial.  The award is facilitated and presented by the Sand County Foundation, which is named after Aldo Leopold's watershed book titled "A Sand County Almanac" which was released in 1949.

On today's episode Lance will speak with us about the award, the work of the Sand County Foundation, working for a foundation and his journey that led him into this position.  We will also discuss trends that he is seeing in agriculture and the use of conversation practices and the philosophy of the Sand County Foundation on educating people about this way of farming.

On tomorrow's Ag Business Episode I am profiling the Leopold Conservation Award that is given out by the Sand County Foundation each year to one farmer in 25 states.  The Sand County Foundation has a significant tie to Wisconsin and, of course, Aldo Leopold.  Whenever I think of old time Wisconsin, I immediately thing of Jerry Apps and his great story telling ability.  So, on today's re-cap episode I thought it would be great to revisit the second interview I ever did with Jerry.

Arturo Madriz is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Agricultural Mechanics and Repair.  He is also a senior at Madera South High School in California, and has a big time job in his father's trucking company.  Just this year Arturo started going out on his own to repair damaged or broken down semis from the families business.  He has driven up to 3 hours to take care of a truck that was broke down on the side of the road.  

Madera sits right on California State Highway 99, which has more north/south truck traffic than any roadway, including interstates, in the United States.  It is narrow and busy with vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed.  Arturo had to replace two trailer tires on this roadway this summer.  This is dangerous and stressful work.  And, he doesn't just switch out wheels.  He breaks the bead off of the damaged tire and re-seats a new tire on to the existing wheel.  

To further help the family business, which his father started years ago after emigrating from Mexico, Arturo is planning on going to a diesel mechanic program after high school.  One of the biggest expenses the business has is paying for expert diesel mechanic work, and Arturo plans to learn what he needs so that they can reduce that expense.  

The last piece of media I took in last night before bed was the weather report.  My favorite meteorologist predicted that the rain we were receiving would turn to snow over night but that little to no accumulation would occur.  She did give the caveat that if snow were to stick it would have to be from a very fast and heavy snowfall, which was very unlikely.

The first thing I heard this morning was my wife on the telephone receiving a call notifying her that her school district was taking a snow day today because of the heavy snowfall over night and the horrible road conditions!  I went outside to feed and found four inches of very wet and heavy snow.  And for a weather dork like me, that is a very happy surprise!

Willie Schoonover is a junior at Mulhall-Orlando High School in Orlando, Oklahoma and he is the treasurer in their FFA Chapter.  He is also the son of two veterinarians and moving quickly towards that same career pathway.  Willie and his younger brother raise goats, cattle, pigs and sheep on their Oklahoma farm, and this is giving them great experience for their futures, as Willie told me that his brother is also interested in veterinary work.

Willie currently has his sights set on Oklahoma State University in two years, after he graduates high school.  However, he has a dream of doing veterinary work with buffalo in Montana, outside of Yellowstone National Park.  Maybe he can be persuaded to seek his bachelor's degree in Bozeman and hang a blue Montana State University flag up as well.

Tip Of The Week

Learn what a reactionary gap is and how to maintain one.

Rural Crime In The U.S.

Are the folks in this audience more susceptible to being defrauded of money?  Well.....Perhaps.

Anytime that you have a goal that involves a lot of money, and it is difficult or next to impossible to figure out how you will obtain the money needed to reach the goal you become more susceptible to being scammed.  Then you see a success story like this one and start thinking that the only way you will find success is by getting WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX like this young man did: https://www.agweb.com/news/business/farmland/young-farmer-makes-history-uses-video-games-and-youtube-buy-18m-land

So, in today's episode I want to take a minute to point out a scam that is currently underway.  This is not necessarily a specifically rural crime, but if you are trying to find a way to create the capital needed to purchase your farm, you might stumble across these people while you are searching.  Of course, they would be more than happy to take your money and disappear, even if you don't live in an urban environment and are not one of their traditional victims.

I've said many times that in order to succeed in our entrepreneurial journeys we may need to leave agriculture to obtain something (expertise, training, money, etc.) and then bring it back to agriculture for the lifestyle that we are seeking.  But this is not what I meant!

https://sfstandard.com/criminal-justice/bay-area-people-lost-6-8m-to-scammers-this-year-already-as-pig-butchering-rises/

https://www.orangeleader.com/2022/12/07/video-can-you-identify-this-man-who-stole-from-tractor-supply/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2022-12-07/state-files-criminal-charges-against-wisconsin-dairy-farm

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/two-old-lags-caught-secret-060000256.html

https://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/23173977.stourbridge-farmer-hit-theft-60-sheep/

https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/25-lambs-stolen-from-cambridgeshire-farms-police-say-some-w-9288281/

https://www.farminguk.com/news/livestock-theft-could-ruin-livelihoods-insurance-expert-warns_61702.html

Africa

https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/news/two-suspected-cattle-thieves-lynched-in-kaber-149174

https://neweralive.na/posts/otjozondjupa-omaheke-stock-theft-hotbeds-750-cases-reported-countrywide-in-10-months

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/2-men-arrested-on-possession-of-stolen-property-say-police/article_180bf112-11fa-5d48-89d9-6a4ef502b1ef.html

https://www.bctribune.com/news/deputies-recover-stolen-tractor-side-side

https://www.wbiw.com/2022/12/07/man-arrested-while-driving-on-the-flat-tire-of-a-stolen-grain-truck/

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/national/article269719656.html

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

Jenn & Phil Tomkins (Homestead Jenn & Phil) are the creators of "Rent The Chicken", an affiliate business that is helping farmers across the U.S. and Canada to create extra revenue and support their farming lifestyle.  They are also helping prospective entrepreneurs to get experience running their own businesses and gain the courage to really go out on their own.

Phil & Jenn are based in Western Pennsylvania, but they have affiliates spread far and wide.  They are also growing knowledge about agriculture by creating an easy way for non-farmers to get exposure to raising their own chickens and collecting their own eggs.  Jenn & Phil first appeared on the Off-Farm Income Podcast in 2015 on episode #30, and today they are back to update us on the growth of their business and how they have sustained their transition to being full-time entrepreneurs.

On tomorrow's ag business episode I am catching up with Jenn and Phil Tompkins of "Rent The Chicken".  They first appeared on the show in 2015 on episode #30.  Their business is still going strong, and they are both full-time entrepreneurs in agriculture.

For today's re-cap episode I wanted to provide you with their very appearance on the show.  

Peyton Parks is a junior at Topsail High School in Hampstead, North Carolina.  She is also a third year member in the Topsail FFA Chapter and she has an eye for entrepreneurship.  Peyton has been riding and caring for horses for several years.  She has been pet sitting for neighbors for about three years now, including people with horses, and she finds herself very attracted to entrepreneurship.  

This has led Peyton to make efforts to grow her business through postings on neighborhood apps that she knows people in her community use.  She has found ways to make her self standout on those apps, and she is seeing results in calls for service.  In her free time Peyton has her business on her mind, and this has led her to explore many of the different pet sitting apps that already exist.  Peyton believes that she can build a better pet sitting app, and she outlines what she believes should be part of the app in this episode.

It is that time of year when we have successfully raised a calf crop to finishing weights and deliver them to the butcher.  However, the timing of this trip factoring in the weather and traffic is always an interesting part of our story.  And of course, it can be a little bit bitter-sweet to have these livestock that we have known for so long fulfill their life purpose.  However, it is ultimately a very good day.

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

Levi Smuin is a 2022 National Proficiency Finalist in the category of Ag Mechanics Repair & Maintenance, and is also from my home state of Idaho!  Levi began his journey in the FFA during his sophomore year in high school.  About one year prior to that he had started working for Rounds Farms & Trucking in Rigby, Idaho.  This has led to a progression of responsibility on the farm and in the trucking business, and it was a natural fit for his placement SAE.

During our interview Levi talked about how important writing the narratives on his proficiency applications were.  When I asked him more about that he talked about the method he used, which was a peer review type method with his fellow FFA students.  He would write something, and then he would have his writing assessed by his classmates.  When they finished preparing the narrative his advisors would look it over and possibly make suggestions.  Then the process would start over again.  I really liked this approach, as you can see that every member in that chapter has a little part in Levi becoming a National Proficiency Finalist!