Kellie Gregorich - Farm Strong

Today we welcome Kellie!!! She has a passion for agriculture and is FARM strong!


My name is Kellie and I hale from the eastern part of Iowa! I grew up on a small cow/calf operation. We’re a start to finish cattle farm so I got to see every aspect there was to raising cattle. We raise around 60 Shorthorns, Herefords, and I just purchased my first Miniature Herefords. We used to have more, but because it’s just the two of us, I work full time, and dad is 60, we’ve cut back to make things easier.

Agricultural has always been a part of my life. It means everything to me. If I’ve had a bad day, a day on the farm can take away all the worries, concerns, and bad feelings. Ever heard of ‘runner’s high’? Well I have ‘farmer’s high’. It’s been in my blood for generations. It’s something I thrive on and enjoy doing. Most women don’t get excited about feeding calves, having a bottle calf, grinding feed, or raking hay, but this one does. Farming will be something that I do for the rest of my life. In 3rd grade we had to draw what we wanted to be. I drew “Farmer Kellie”. Someday I hope to be a full time farmer and make 3rd grade Kellie’s dream a reality.

A typical day for me is advocating for agriculture. I am a board member for the Iowa Women in Agriculture, member of Iowa Agri Women, member of American Agri Women, and writer for my own blog on what really happens on the farm. Once I’m done with that I go to work on the farm. As most of you know, there never is a typical day on the farm. We go from grinding feed, hauling manure, sorting cattle, feeding calves, planting crops, harvesting crops, and picking the eggs from the chickens. Every day on my farm is an adventure.

My favorite thing about living on the farm is the environment. That sounds funny doesn’t it? The fresh air, the wind through my hair, the smell of my tractors exhaust, the cows bellowing, the smell of fresh cut alfalfa, and many other great things that others don’t ever get to experience. It’s such a relaxing and comforting place to be. It’s all mine and it’s my favorite place in the entire world. My family knows that if they can’t find me, I’m out in the pasture petting my cows.

One thing I wish people would understand about is animal rights. I’m going to make this short and sweet. Our animals are our livelihood. They feed our families. Animals that are better cared for bring more money to our home. We treat our animals better than our children. Why would we treat our animals poorly knowing that we get less money? Think about that.

I’m farm strong and am loving my life as a women in agriculture! If your interested in learning more about my life and what I do, please follow me on instagram, facebook, twitter, and on my blog!

Thanks Kellie for a great feature! Be sure to check out her blog!!!

Are you FARM STRONG? Tell us about it by becoming the next feature!  E-mail us a foafeature@gmail.com

Taylor Short - Missouri Agvocate!

Today we welcome Taylor Short from the Missouri Ozarks. Taylor is passionate about agriculture!
My name is Taylor Short and I am senior majoring in agriculture communications at Missouri State. I am proud to be from Missouri more so from the Missouri Ozarks.

I am a third generation Angus breeder; our family has raised Angus cattle for almost 50 years qualifying us for the distinction of Historic Angus Herd in 2014.

Our farm has been in our family for 5 generations. During the summer I show my cattle at various state and national shows/fairs. this has allowed me to make lifelong friends and awesome memories. I write blogs for I love Farmers they Feed my Soul as the lone catalyst for conversation in Missouri – I love being involved in this movement because it gives everything a new light making it cool to talk about agriculture. I am also involved in Farm Bureau at the local, college, and state level.

A typical day since I am still a student involves learning all I can about agriculture.

I live and breathe agriculture. Agriculture is awesome- I mean where we would be without agriculture. Agriculture is my passion. Therefore it is my goal to be an agvocate for my fellow agriculturists and educate anyone who will listen about who works to provide for their food supply as well as other products that are raised by farmers and ranchers. If we don’t agvocate our “services” then those with less experience will – like the media. As agvocates we want the true story from farm to market to enlighten the consumer. Advocacy needs to be progressive in order to attract consumers and be able to answer their questions.

Agriculture is my passion and I want to share my passion with everybody. I was told if we don't tell our stories someone else will tell our stories. agriculture means the world to me I want people know that.

I run into a lot of misconceptions on certain areas that I think a lot of people just are scared and confused about issues...but the whole telling you story is important.

You find me on acebook The Aggie Hipster and on my blog at http://theaggiehipster.wordpress.com/
I am currently working on a vegetarian diet for 15 days to gain a different view on agriculture.

Thank you Taylor for the work you do and good luck with your vegetarian adventure!
Be sure to follow her blog!

You could be the NEXT feature!! E-mail us at foafeature@gmail.com today to learn more!

Stauffer Dairy

Please welcome Krista & Brandon on the blog today from Stauffer Dairy in Washington! Brandon & Krista have a small family farm where everyone helps out to make their dreams come true! 

Hello, we are Brandon & Krista Stauffer of Stauffer Dairy in Washington. Brandon is a third generation dairy farmer & I (Krista) is a second generation dairy farmer. We have three kids under 6 years old & milk on average 150-180 jersey/Holsteins/crosses.

Brandon was born & raised in Whatcom County which is well known as a dairy community. At a young age he worked for his uncle Craig & other local dairy farmers. He knew that when he grew up that he wanted to be a dairy farmer & nothing else. His senior year in high school he had them put in his year book that he wanted to be a dairy farmer!

In 2008, he decided that it was time to make his dreams come true. His grandfather & father no longer dairy farmed so he would have to figure out another way to get in the industry. He began the process & started seeking out potential dairy farms to lease. After going through all the motions he had found a dairy farm, had the startup loan, found some cows to add to the 20 he raised himself and it was go time! He moved away from everyone & everything he had ever known. In May 2009 he started milking cows. He worked endless hours, battled tremendously low milk prices & all with moving to a county where he knew only a couple people.

I was not born on a farm & knew next to nothing about farming especially dairy farming. My great grandma was a dairy farmer, but I knew very little about what she did or how she did it. I was just a kid when she was still milking cows. She did pretty much everything on her own. I met Brandon the summer of 2009. I was actually trying to set him up with one of my friends. We began dating the end of August. I had a daughter from a previous marriage & we found out we were expecting in May 2010. We had our son May 2010 & were married July 2010. I dove in head first into the world of dairy farming. I took on the books, the calves, helped with milking & basically anything to help take some work off Brandon. There have been plenty of times where I have had a baby in the front pack & carrying two five gallon buckets of milk or a stroller in one hand & a bucket of milk in the other. We had our youngest son in May 2012. I have taken on the task of agvocating for the dairy industry. I have a Facebook page & a blog. I try to post daily on Facebook but find it hard to make time for the blog. In addition to everything, I have taken a job off the farm two days a week. I felt it necessary to have something of my own.

Brandon is the brains of the operation. He is very business orientated & is the main laborer. An average day for him is up early in the AM to feed cows. He also feeds the calves as we have a new program & not too many calves right which means feeding calves doesn’t take much time. He fixes anything that needs fixed from fences to tractors. He tends to any cattle that may be sick or calving. Pretty much anything & everything on the farm he does it. Then most nights he milks the cows. When the kids are cooperating we help with the night milking. We are very fortunate after four years to have some reliable help. We have two part time milkers that do all the morning milkings so Brandon can feed cows. With the exception of 2013 the last couple summers we had all our hired help quit in the middle of silage season leaving everything to us. We got creative & made it work. If the weather was bad the kids watched a movie during milking in the milk house. If the weather was good, they played in buckets of water or a pool in the milk house. Our youngest son slept in the swing in the parlor or a pack on mommy’s back. Makes milking really fun! ;) We have chickens & love our farm fresh eggs! AND of course we have plenty of beef!!

What we both wish people understood about farming is everything! We wish that people understood what it takes to farm & that is not for the money. The public tends to think dairy farmers all abuse their cows & that we do not care about them. It’s simply not true. Dairy farmers simply cannot afford to not take the best care of their cows possible. Happy, healthy & comfortable cows produce milk. The cows have to be able to pay for what they eat & then some and in order to do that they have to be happy & healthy. We spend 24/7/365 taking care of our girls. Also we would like everyone to know how important it is to support all farmers from organic to conventional. From hobby farm to “corporate” farms. Every farm & farmer has something to offer & we need everyone to feed the growing population. There is not one way of farming that can be applied to everyone, to every farm or every part of the world. Farmers need support more than ever. Know your food, know your farmer.

The past four years have been tough as a new dairy farm especially operating on a cash flow only basis. We have amazing support & great relationships with our local farmers in which we buy feed from. Time spent with family & the way of life is why we do it. It’s not for the money, well because there is no money to be made in dairy farming. It’s 2013 and we are still going strong. Everyone said it would be over in the first year & we are not ready to give up. We have dreams of owning our own farm & plan on making that a reality some day!

Thanks so much to Stauffer Dairy for the great feature! Be sure to keep up with Krista on her blog, Facebook page & Pinterest account! 

Brandi in John Deere Green

Today we welcome Brandi who shares with us about the mechanical and repair side of agriculture and what it takes to keep her family's business running year round. Welcome Brandi! 

My name is Brandi and I am the blogger behind In John Deere Green… I blog about my life in smalltown Iowa.

I haven’t always live in the country, but I’ve never really lived in the city either. I spent most of my life on a small acreage right on the blacktop outside city limits. We didn’t farm or raise cattle or hogs. We did however have a couple of horses and cows throughout the year and baled about 20 acres of hay. We never owned and new or fancy equipment because it wasn’t necessary. We cut, raked, & baled our hay with a JD 70! My grandpa used to farm before my grandma wanted to move to town so I’ve been around farming for most of my life.

I met my boyfriend in 2010 and we fell in love. I was working on a nursing degree and he was right off the farm working on a degree in ag power technology. He is now a fulltime ag mechanic at the family shop and helps out with the family farming operation and hog buildings. I am a part-time RN and secretary at the shop. In 2012 he bought a house so I moved to the country to live with him. We also adopted a black lab-mix puppy who has become a big part of our life. I’ve live in the country for over a year now and have learned so much. I love living out here and wouldn’t change it for anything.

Since moving to the country and moving in with my boyfriend I’ve “joined” a 5,600+ acre corn & soybean farming operation, hog building operation, and ag repair shop business. I do help out with the farming operation but it generally doesn’t involve operating the equipment, I pick up parts, drop off food, and move trucks around to different fields. I do however enjoy riding in the tractor or semi with my boyfriend. The operation owns the hog buildings, but not the hogs. We rent out the buildings. But that also means that we are responsible for repairs. And I have spent far too many hours helping weld gates and slap-patch the floors in the hog buildings. The ag repair shop is what takes up most of my time. I am a part-time secretary at the shop, besides all of the bookwork, phones calls, etc. that means service calls, getting parts, and helping work on tractors. My boyfriend also has an ag repair business on the side, so I do all of that bookwork, taxes, etc.

Tractors have now become part of my daily life. And although I’m not in the tractor farming daily or out feeding cattle at 5am, agriculture is still a big part of my life. During the spring and harvest the shop gets VERY busy. Often I am there on my own taking phone calls and helping customers, while my boyfriend is off on service calls. During these times my boyfriend is in charge of the shop while his father is in a tractor. It’s a busy job and takes a lot of work. During harvest we get much more field time then in the spring, that’s just how things work out.

I’m definitely an agvocate. It’s important that farmers get the public’s support. People don’t understand how much work farming takes or how farmers are the reason they have food on their plates. I hate when people say how farming is easy and a lazy person’s job because you only farm a couple months out of the year. This isn’t the case at all though. In fact in our case, everyone besides one person who is in-charge of all off-season farm related stuff, has a job outside of farming: mechanic, business owner, manager, nurse, jailer, lawyer, and some others! It’s nice to see kids that are just graduating high school going into farming or ag-related industries.

Thanks Brandi for the great feature! Be sure to check out her blog, In John Deere Green, and also be sure to look her up on Facebook! 

Linda - Texas Ranch Girl

Today we welcome Linda – a Texas Ranch girl. This busy gal is busy agvocating and living life to the fullest on with her husband on their ranch in Texas.

From my childhood in Texas to my travels around the world - my heart has always belonged to my family and the ranch.

My family farmed rice and raised cattle in Katy, Texas - when Katy was a small farm town. Dad always told the story about his biggest decision on the school board was to buy a second school bus for the kids in the Addicks area to get to Katy High School. And now for those of you who are familiar with the area, I think there are five AAAAA high schools. My Dad was a great cattleman - my Mom a sweet Southern lady. So my childhood went from guns, horses, working cattle to piano and ballet. But I can tell you now - the horses and cattle won out and stole my heart.

We lived in the country on the ranch - my grandparents lived on either side of me. My family and our neighbors were my world and my extended family. We were so loved - so protected. We were also disciplined and had chores, but our world was so safe and secure. That did not mean we did not have trouble - but when you did - neighbors pitched in and helped - loved you through. They were all God-fearing, hard-working family oriented people. Integrity was everything - land purchases, farm deals, cattle purchases and sales - all done on a man's word and his hand shake. Life was real on the ranch - life and death - disappointments and victories - successes and failures.

I was always into mischief - but I made good grades - graduated from Katy High School - then on to The University of Texas in Austin for my B.B.A. with a major in marketing. Foleys Department Store (now Macys) hired me for their executive training program - Fashion Merchandising.

I am married to Gary and I have two sons, Scott and Christopher. So my life has been filled with all the love, laughter, and drama of two sons - and a career in fashion merchandising - and the ranch. But my travels - the famous personalities I met - the social engagements - the boys many activities - football games - fell short with my Dad the rancher. Believe me when I tell you that ranchers were way ahead of the times in the women's lib movement - you always got to work just like the guys on the ranch. The week-ends belonged to the ranch and there were always cows to work - hay to haul - pastures to mow - fences to mend - and any other project Dad could think of to accomplish while you were at the ranch. So I spent Monday through Friday in a fast paced world of fashion - many weeks in New York - but home was always back at the ranch. It certainly kept me grounded. I would go from whistling down cabs to whistling in my horses – skyscrapers to barns – executives to cowboys – delis and 4 star restaurants to campfires – drivers and limos to pick-up trucks and trailers – fast talk to slow talk – Broadway stars to star studded night skys.

If you have spent most of your time in a high stress office and not had the opportunity to saddle up and work cattle in 100 degree temps - from sun rise until the sun sets - with a bunch of cowboys who know no pain and fear is out of the question.......then you have missed the true meaning of "sweat equity". And you have missed some great stories. And that is what I want to share with you. I have traveled the road of board rooms - designer clothes - stiletto heels and I want to take you on the trail where our board room is open pasture with cows grazing - our jeans are Wranglers - and it's all about the boots and spurs.

I want you to know what really happens on a working ranch - how we work hard and play hard - how a good cup of coffee with friends and one of Gary's chuckwagon meals is better than any 4 star restaurant - how 24-7 is a way of life - and how we are always available for each other and we really do leave the light on for you.

So saddle up and join us for the ride of a lifetime. That's what it is - life!! This is one trail you don't want to miss. So let's ride out.

Thanks Linda for a great feature!! You can follow her on her blog Texas Ranch Girl.

How did you become involved in agriculture? What's your story? We need it! E-mail us at foafeature@gmail.com

Luella from Luella's Front Porch

Today we welcome Missouri native and farm girl Luella! Luella shares with us her typical day working in social media with the Missouri Soybean Association and Missouri Farmers Care, and how being raised as a farm kid made her who she is today. 

Luella and Australian Shepherd, Lucy

Hello from Missouri, a state rich and diverse in agriculture! Missouri is ranked in the top ten for beef, hay, turkey, corn, dairy, rice, soybean, cotton, ice cream, and watermelon production. With a variety of climate and soil types, Missouri is ranked second in the number of farms in the U.S. I am proud to be involved in one of the nearly 106,000 farms in the state. Missouri’s diverse landscape is home to many fruit orchards, vineyards, crop, livestock and diversified farms.

I grew up on a fifth generation row crop farm in east central Missouri. My passion for agriculture began early on and as farm kids. Little did we know, that it would be one of the greatest gifts we could ever be given and most influential part of my life. Looking back now, I thank God every day that we were raised to understand work ethic, self-sufficiency and the common sense values that I believe truly lead to success and happiness. I only hope that I can provide my family with the same experiences someday.

Growing up, we raised corn, wheat, soybeans and hay on our farm. My brother sells seed and has a specialty hay business that supports the St. Louis area. Today I am more involved in beef cattle production and enjoy livestock in addition to crops and hay. My grandpa has Hereford cattle on pasture, which has neighbored our house for as long as I can remember. I am constantly inspired by my 90-year old grandpa’s clear mind and memories of agriculture growing up in the 30’s. A lot has changed. But the honor and integrity of a farm family will always remain the same.

My typical day begins with managing social media, posting visuals or doing some writing in response to common questions or inquiries. However, every day is different. Some days are spent in the classroom and at other educational events, where I talk to students about agriculture and products they use every day. Other days are spent responding to media stories, or consumer questions about agriculture, maintaining public relations within our industry through grower communications and other communication tools.

As Manager of Communications for the Missouri Soybean Association and Merchandising Council, I have the opportunity to promote agriculture in many ways. I work on a variety of projects, maintain social media sites, lead efforts within our CommonGround consumer education program, as well as do layout for the Missouri Soybean Farmer magazine. Within the publication, we focus on stories that can benefit Missouri soybean farmers, including crop and weed management, ongoing research projects, the economic value of soybeans to Missouri as well animal agriculture, biodiesel, policy issues that impact the industry and consumer advocacy.

Missouri Soybean is an active member of a collaborative effort and organization, called, “Missouri Farmers Care.” Missouri Farmers Care is made up of many of the state’s agricultural groups and was established to promote the continued growth of Missouri agriculture and rural communities through coordinated communication, education and advocacy.

Within Missouri Farmers Care, I have been involved in influencer events, including “Safe at the Plate,” educational campaign with the St. Louis Cardinals. We also organize farm tours and other educational experiences for grocers, restaurant owners and dieticians, in an effort to provide a direct source for information to build trust with the consumer.

One of my main focuses is a third grade agriculture education program, entitled “Ag Education on the Move,” through Missouri Farmers Care, where we engage students with interactive and hands-on activities, like bread in a bag and garden in a glove.

I think it is so important to plant a seed early on while children are open-minded and excited to learn. The hands-on program allows students to develop an understanding of where their food comes from over a ten-week period and includes lessons on beef, dairy, pork, poultry, soybeans, wheat, corn, soils, nutrition and careers. I have endless positive stories to share from the classroom, where agriculture has left a lasting impression on a child. . Educating children about agriculture continues to be one of my most fulfilling endeavors. It is crucial that we teach our children that their food doesn’t appear on a grocery store shelf.

Teaching children about agriculture and products they use every day.

When not involved in ag advocacy work, I enjoy being as involved on the farm as possible, by feeding, raking hay and doing other various chores. I have always enjoyed gardening and canning.

Feeding silage to calves.

In my downtime, I enjoy writing stories for my blog and creating visuals for my social media and website, and am currently working on agricultural focused children’s books. I also love to go fishing, mushroom hunting and do freelance writing. 

Type of visuals I enjoy creating for Luella's Front Porch website and social media.

Through my personal website, www.luellasfrontporch.com and blog, luellasblogspot.com, I address common misconceptions, while sharing heartfelt stories and visuals about farm life and the thousands of farm families who share the same passion and lifestyle. I also develop greeting cards that promote agriculture. Cards include Christmas, Notecard sets and other holidays. 

Mother's Day Card

Along with addressing concerns, my love for cooking allows me to share ag facts through favorite recipes within the recipe portion of my site. When selling baked items, I take the opportunity to remind consumers that “Life is sweet, so thank a farmer.” You will often catch me baking bread or creating a new pork or beef recipe on most week nights. It is like my “therapy.” I enjoy being able to cook from scratch and tie my love for ag advocacy to the mix.

I have always said that farm life is not an easy life, but it is a rewarding life. Farm families make many sacrifices to ensure their livestock, land and natural resources are cared for and protected for future generations. I think, often, one of the greatest misconceptions or unknown facts is the upmost care a farmer has for their crops and livestock and that the majority of farms (98%) are family farms. Farmers work endless hours while making sacrifices others take for granted. At the end of the day, we are upholding family traditions passed down by generation after generation. Farmers work 365 days a year. There are no snow days or paid holidays. Livestock eat before we do. Christmas morning waits until after the livestock is fed and date night is a tractor ride or picnic in the field during planting, harvest and caving time. I think it is often difficult to express just how much time and care is put into providing food and everyday products we often take for granted in this country.

We face a harsh reality that we no longer can assume that agriculture is understood. For farmers, who are too busy on the farm to always tell their story have realized that they must begin or their story will be told for them. We are constantly being targeted by a variety of topics and we have to pro-active in providing resources and answers to top concerns.

I believe that everyone can make a difference and everyone has a story to tell. With a world full of technology and communication tools, we often forget how to communicate effectively. We need to be as transparent as possible. I am proud to be a part of the most important industry in the world and the values learned as farm kids have taught me many things. One, being that when you love what you do, you’ve hit the jackpot. There are some things in this life you can’t put a price tag on. Typically, those are things that are worth the most.

Thank our farmers today. For recipes, stories and rural life, visit www.luellasfrontporch.com. Follow me on my blog at http://luellafischer.blogspot.com/. Find me on facebook and Pinterest at Luella’s Front Porch, I always enjoy hearing from other ag enthusiasts, I would be glad to hear from you!

Luella’s Easy Pulled Pork Sliders & Homemade Buns- great for farm families who never know when they will be in for dinner time. The pork stays warm nicely. Serves 4.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

3- center cut pork chops
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Put all ingredients into crockpot on high. Cook until meat is cooked through. Reduce settings to warm. Great for farm families, when you are not sure when the guys will be into eat!

Homemade buns:

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbs. honey
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, salt and honey, and enough flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes. Do not let rise. Divide into 12 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 1 dozen.


Thanks to Luella for this great post! Be sure to check out her blog and Facebook page! 

Remember - to keep these great stories coming we need YOU! Contact us now to find out how you can be the next Face of Agriculture, we need your story today! 

Lara Durben and Minnesota Turkey Growers!

Please help welomce Lara Durben of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. Lara grew up on a farm and her passion for agriculture has led her to an exciting career promoting the poultry industry in her home state!

Greetings from Minnesota – home to more turkeys than any other state in the U.S.! I grew up on a crop farm in western Minnesota and knew absolutely nothing about raising turkeys (or chickens, for that matter) when I applied for a job nearly 18 years ago with the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. In fact, I had never even been close to a poultry barn. But, I had a couple of things going for me – I was a farm girl, which provided an instant connection with the turkey farmers hiring me, and I loved communications. Nearly two decades later, I’m still working for Minnesota’s turkey farmers and I love to help share their stories in a variety of ways.

As the Communications Director for my organization, I wear (as the saying goes) many hats. Truthfully, it’s probably too many to count some days, but that’s why I love my job – the variety is amazing, I am always learning (seriously – every day!) and I feel like my extended family has grown over the years to include so many of the farmers I work on behalf of.

I coordinate all of the communications efforts for Minnesota Turkey as well as two other poultry organizations – the Chicken and Egg Association of Minnesota and the Midwest Poultry Federation. I often refer to our office as “Poultry Central” because, well, it is – at least in Minnesota.

On a daily basis, I am trying to keep with all of our social media tools, including (deep breath, here) four Facebook pages, three Twitter accounts, one Pinterest account and two YouTube channels. Plus, we have three different websites to maintain and keep updated. From a sheer time standpoint, it can be daunting (I won't lie about that!), although I can tell you I am ridiculously enthusiastic about social media and love trying to keep up with it all.

Lara in her office. 

I also coordinate a monthly printed publication, Gobbles magazine, for our Minnesota Turkey members that’s been around since 1945 and a weekly email newsletter for nearly 1,000 of our members and friends of poultry who like to receive updates about what’s going on in our organizations along with various links to poultry and general agriculture news from around the world. I am also the first point of contact with reporters who call or email, looking for stories and answers to their poultry-related questions. Because Minnesota ranks #1 for turkey production in the U.S., we do get media calls from all around the U.S. – especially in November.

Oh, and did I mention that at Thanksgiving, my job rocks?

Beyond that, I have several other career passions, including coordinating an annual trip for some of our members to Washington DC to meet with our Congressional leaders and attend the National Turkey Federation’s Summer Leadership Conference. I actually get energized every time I visit our nation’s Capitol and I find it gives me a much broader perspective when I am able to meet with our leaders to talk about the issues that are important to us, both turkey-related and agriculture in general.

My other big passion is coordinating the details for the largest regional poultry convention in the U.S., the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention, held in Saint Paul, Minnesota in March every year. Our office works with many volunteers to bring over 2,100 people together to learn from experts on a variety of poultry-related topics, network with other farmers and colleagues, and visit with companies in the exhibit hall. The details that go into making this show a success are mind-boggling and I am so fortunate to work with amazing team of four other people in my office to get the job done. We love this show – and we especially love to arrive onsite and see all of our industry friends connecting with each other. Farmers, I have learned - both from my own father and from the poultry farmers I work with on a daily basis - are constantly learning and evolving and improving what they do.

My newest adventure is the debut of my blog last fall – www.myothermoreexcitinglife.wordpress.com. It’s been a personal goal of mine for a quite a while, but it wasn’t until I attended a conference with some amazing role models – the AgChat Foundation’s Agvocacy 2.0 Conference last August – that I truly realized I could make this happen. It’s always a work in progress, of course, but I like to include a mix of topics – from living life as “MNGobbleGal” (my Twitter handle, by the way) to sharing “my other more exciting life” as a wife and mom who is a bit shoe-obsessed; loves running, gardening, wine and shopping (not necessarily in that order); and also happens to Instagram way too many photos of our senior citizen pug dog named Earl. I think a blog is a great way to connect with a variety of people about poultry, agriculture and my daily life – and I love how I can show all the different sides of “me”.

The Family!

As long as we're on a personal note here, I live in Buffalo, Minnesota – about 25 miles west of the Twin Cities – with my husband (“Teacher Man” so-named in my blog) and our nine-year-old son. I am still a farm girl at heart and am glad to see my brother continuing the crop farm in my family, along with my Dad who isn’t quite ready to retire fully yet. They raise nearly 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans in western Minnesota and we visit often. My mom is a former home economics teacher, gourmet cook, quilt designer and master gardener - she keeps the farm looking beautiful all year-round and I like to think my green thumb for gardening comes from her.

I can’t tell you how many times someone has jokingly asked me, “Do you want to talk turkey?” or “Are you the princess of poultry?” But the truth is, I never get tired of it. When I was in college, the professor of my very last journalism class found out I grew up on a farm, pulled me up in front of the entire class (mostly urban kids) and told the class: "Farmers are true gamblers. They gamble every year on the weather, on the bank, on their animals and on their crops. What they do is amazing." To be honest, I had never really thought about it in quite that way and I am quite sure, at that time in my life, I took my own farm upbringing for granted. But his comments struck a chord with me then and I've never forgotten what he said. I'm very glad I am able to work in agriculture today, and I am grateful, after all these years, for the opportunity to help share the stories of an amazing group of farmers.

Lara on the farm as a child. 

Thank you Lara for the great feature! You can learn more about Turkey production by visiting Minnesota Turkey Growers Association webpage and the Minnesota Turkey Facebook page. You can also follow Lara on her personal blog, twitter(MNGobbleGal) and check Pinterest account!

How are you involved in agriculture? We need your story next!

Contact us at foafeature@gmail.com!

Mark Anderson - Anderson Harvesting LLC

Good Morning! Today we welcome Mark Anderson. Mark is the owner of his very own harvesting business!

Greetings everyone, my name is Mark Anderson. I’m twenty-seven years old and run my own custom harvesting operation in Western Nebraska also known as the Panhandle of Nebraska. My business is headquartered out of Bridgeport Nebraska, a town of about 1,500 people where I went to high school.

I have always had a passion for farming and I’m sure that comes from my family’s history in the business. My great-great-grandfather homesteaded along the North Platte River in the late 1890’s in an area South-east of Broadwater, Nebraska. However, when he settled in the area the town of Broadwater had not been established yet. Broadwater did not come into existence until the railroad came through in 1909 and was on the north side of the river.

In those very early days, my great-great-grandfather had to travel via horse to the town of Sidney, Nebraska, about 40 miles south. I can’t even begin to imagine what things were like in those very early days. Over 100 years later the original Homesteaders dead hangs in my grandfather’s office and the land is still part of the family’s farm, ranch, and feedlot operation. Today the family operation is run but my grandfather, my dad, and my uncle. Two of my brothers, one cousin, and I are also involved with the family business.

After I graduated high school, I went to a technical college in the Denver, Colorado area. For about five years I lived and worked in the Denver area. I spent about four years working a corporate job which was a very good learning experience for me, but it was obvious to me that I missed the farm. Growing up I watched my grandfather dad and uncle make the big decisions for our operation over coffee every day. I was never able to grasp the seemingly endless meeting process it took to get equivalent decisions made in the corporate world.

In 2009 one of the individuals that had been cutting silage in Western Nebraska retired. This was the opportunity I had always been looking for. With a loan from my dad and John Deere I started Anderson Harvesting.

Growing up in the area helped me get on my feet because I knew most of the feedlot operators in the area. The first few years were definitely a learning experience for me. Learning how to manage people as well as my time took some time. I had taken classes in college related to time and people management, but nothing really prepares you for managing both in harvest. Those of you in agriculture I’m sure can relate to what I’m saying.

In 2011 I added a second forage harvester to my operation which brought on a completely new list of challenges. I soon found out that trying to manage one machine from the cab of another was a brand new game. I still enjoyed all most every minute of it because now it was a new level of logistics management. Plus both machines were always in different locations.

In 2012 my business continued to grow and I upgraded my original machine to my first Claas forage harvester. With the onset of the drought that we are still currently suffering from the demand for silage was incredible. For the first time since I started the business I had to turn work down. I never thought I would utter those words,“I’m too busy.” I had lost jobs in the past because the competition got there first, but never had I told someone that I couldn’t get there.

Last year was the first year that I really ever had a major problem with one of my forage harvesters and over the course of a week I had a major problem with both of them. On Monday my machine had a bearing failure. Not that uncommon on these high horsepower machines. By Tuesday the issue was resolved. Tuesday night as I was relocating my machine a piece of weather stripping went through the radiator fan on my machine taking ever blade off of the fan. Buy Wednesday night we had a new fan installed and got back to work on Thursday. Friday my machine had an engine failure and had to be shipped back to my dealer for repair. Sounds like a rough week, but unfortunately, the week wasn’t over. On Saturday my second machine fell in a sinkhole and broke the front axle. It too had to be sent in to the dealer for repairs.

In the course of two days I had gone from two machines to only one. I still had my second machine from the year before and with the help of my dealer, I had a loaner machine by Sunday to replace mine. That week was probably the most trying week I have had since I started this business. Looking back now it’s funny to laugh at it and smile knowing that we made it through.

A typical day in harvest begins around 5-6 in the morning. Having serviced the machines the night before we normally like to be in the fields cutting by 7-8 a.m.. Most of my mornings involve calls from customers wanting to know when we’ll be at their place and truckers trying to figure out how to get to the next field. By mid afternoon everything settles down and a natural rhythm to harvest sets in. The trucks are all in sync and everything just flows. This is the time of the day I absolutely love. The main reason I wanted to be in this business, to drive forage harvesters. At the end of the day the equipment is blown down, fueled up, and service ready to go again the next day.

The one thing I hope people understand about my operation and farming/ranching in general is how much time, effort, and money people in these business have to devote to their operations. Ranching especially is a year round job. There are no holidays, sick days, or vacations. The livestock have to be cared for by someone every day. The work involved in raising a successful crop, be it food or livestock, is tough work. It commonly involves long hours and tough conditions. It has to be done in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. The money involved in agriculture is also a factor. It takes large investments every year in the hope that it pays out in the end.

I really hope that by telling our stories that we can give people a better understanding of where our food comes from and what it takes to get it to your table. That’s why I’m proud to share my story in hope that it gives you a better picture of modern farming practices and encourages you to thank a farmer when you have the opportunity. Thank you for reading.

Thank you Mark for a great feature! We wish you much success! You can learn more about his operation by checking out his Facebook Page , Youtube Channel and visiting his website.

How are you involved in agriculture? We want your story. YOU could be the next FOA feature! Contact us today!

Small Town Girl - Rosie Sanderson

Today we welcome small town girl and farm kid Rosie Sanderson who shares her family's proud farming history and tells her story with the hope of educating others about farming and agriculture. 

If I told you I grew up in a town with a population of 48, you would probably assume that I grew up with that typical “small town girl” story… and you would be correct. Anything you can think of to insert into a small town girl story could probably be applied to my childhood: I learned how to drive a Super M tractor before I learned how to drive a car, I crashed a go-kart or two into my dad’s grain bins, I spent my summers showing cattle, was constantly begging my parents for a horse (which I still haven’t gotten, by the way), and I had decided by age 4 that I was going to be a veterinarian when I grew up!

I was raised on a livestock and grain farm in northern Illinois. (No, not all of northern Illinois is Chicago! Population 48, remember?) My dad farmed with his dad and brother, so I was lucky enough to grow up with my dad, uncle, and grandpa at our farm every day. When I was little, we always had pigs out on the pasture at our house. I can remember riding out to the pasture in the truck with my dad to check the piglets, but he always made me stay in the truck (much to my dismay) because sows are very protective.

My brother Trent and I checking pigs with dad.

As I got older, our farm shifted from pigs to cattle. I got my first bucket calf when I was 7, and I was in love! I named her Wise-Guy (don’t ask me why, I don’t get it either). To this day, my grandpa tells the story about how sick my Wise-Guy got when she was just a small calf, and how I would lay in her calf hutch and sleep with her because I didn’t want her to be alone. As an experienced livestock farmer, of course my grandpa thought “Great, she is going to get attached to this calf and it’s not going to survive.” Well, she did! In fact, she is the cow that started what is now our herd of over 50 cattle. 15 years later, she is still on pasture at my parent’s farm. 

Me with my 15-year-old cow Wise-Guy.

With the help of Wise-Guy, I started showing cattle in 4-H when I was 8 and continued to show calves from our farm until the summer of 2008 when I moved to central Illinois to attend Illinois State University. Moving to college was a huge change for me. Not because it was away from home, family, friends, and grandma’s cookin’… but because these people had no clue about anything agriculture!

As soon as people found out I was an agricultural animal science major, the first question was always “Wait, you are from a REAL farm???” I thought to myself “Who are these people and where did they come from!” Where I grew up, everyone I knew was another farm kid. I had never met anyone that hadn’t seen a cow before. I thought I must have met the only people on this earth who had never been to a farm. People would ask me about chocolate milk coming from brown cows, brown eggs being healthier than white, if cow-tipping was a real thing… and all I could do was laugh! Were these people serious?

As I made my way through college and met more people, I realized that this wasn’t an exclusive group of people who had never been exposed to farming. In fact, I began to feel like the weird one because I HAD experienced these things first-hand. I started to realize that people wanted to know about farming, but they didn’t know where to go for the information. They didn’t have access to farming like I did growing up. This was a problem, and it was here that my passion for discussing farming and food production with farmers and urban folks alike. So I quit laughing when people asked me what I thought were silly questions, because I was their closest connection to farming. If they couldn’t ask me about these things, where did I expect them to go for their answers? 

My family in front of the house in Norway that our ancestors
left 170 years ago!

In 2011, my family had the amazing opportunity to travel to Norway and go to the farm that our ancestors left in 1843. We feel so lucky that we got the experience to stand in the house that they lived in and explore the farm that they left to bring us to where we are today. Farming has been in the family for longer than record books have been around! It is hard to wrap your head around how far we have come but how much has stayed the same, too.

I still have some cattle on pasture at my parent’s farm today, but I hope to move them to my own farm someday, just like all of my ancestors have done. When I have my own farm, I know that I will take with me the important lessons that I learned growing up on our family farm; including the importance of sustainability. Both crop and livestock production are jobs that come with a responsibility to conserve the environment, and that is a responsibility that my family has always taken seriously. Today our farm is more sustainable than ever with the help of new technologies. If that interests you, you can learn more about what we do at our farm’s website: www.sandersonag.com. In 2010, our farm even received an award for Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Family of the year from Orien Samuelson!

My family receiving a conservation award from Orien Samuelson.

One thing I wish people understood about my farm family is that we want to answer your questions! Farming is our livelihood, our history, and our passion. We take pride in what we do. If you have a question about agriculture, why not go straight to the source and ask a farmer?

I love what I do, and I think most farmers would say the same thing if you asked them. I feel so blessed to have been raised in “God’s Country” where I learned the importance of hard-work, responsibility, and most recently the importance of sharing what I know with people like you! 

Riding my mare, one of the many perks of living in the country!

If you ever have a food-production related question but don’t know where to start, visit my blog, Unpolished Boots, or facebook page and ask me! I will always be happy to answer your questions or get you in contact with someone who can!

Thank you Rosie for the fantastic feature! Remember - if you or someone you know is involved in farming, ranching, or the agricultural industry and would like to share your story here please contact us! YOU could be the next Face of Agriculture!