A teaser for the next #KeepingAgReal episode - watch for its release tomorrow. I welcome guest @NatashaNicholes -we talk abt THE list, the buzz she is creating in south Chicago with urban farming & her impression of the ag community.

In this episode of Keeping Ag Real, Jenny Schweigert connects with Tracy Zeorian, a custom wheat harvester and founder of HarvestHer. The show tackles USDA data, gluten-free diets and navigating through family dynamics in a 40 ft living space.

When times get tough, the tough get going. Times are tough, especially for farmers and custom harvesters. To ease the stress, Tracy is growing the HarvestHer movement by adding a wellness event for HarvestHer, April 13-15, 2018. Stay tuned for additional information at HarvestHer.com, Facebook.com/HarvestHer and Twitter @HarvestHer.

Timestamps:

• 3:27 - Flashback to the 80's for Custom Harvesting
• 6:40 - Stranded by drought and hail
• 8:18 - Finding a silver lining
• 10:10 - Family dynamics in a 40ft living space
• 12:10 - Dive back into one of Jenny's favorite topics...Data and the USDA
• 13:50 - Gluten-free
• 14:23 - History is made as Tracy becomes the first woman President of the U.S. Custom Harvesters Association
• 15:00 - Women will be women
• 16:50 - The "Tell Your Story" rant
• 19:10 - Attitude ain't bad
• 22:10 - Bringing back the old fashioned Quilting Bee, without the quilt
• 24:25 - Tracy doesn't believe in the word impossible

Please be sure to follow Keeping Ag Real on Twitter-@KeepingAgReal, Facebook and the website KeepingAgReal. Note: KAR is now a blog and podcast.

Thank you for your continued support!

This interview is an incredible opportunity to see the world through the eyes of General Mills. Today's guest is Catherine Gunsbury, Director of Transparency & Sustainability for General Mills. This episode was recorded during a conference and unfortunately, the quality is not my finest.

My hope is that the work cleaning up the audio allows for listeners to learn and enjoy.

Special thanks to DTN The Progressive Farmer for sponsoring this episode of Keeping Ag Real. For additional information on how your company or organization can benefit from Keeping Ag Real, click here.

Editor-in-chief of DTN, Greg Horstmeier joins Keeping Ag Real to discuss their Ag Summit keynote Andy Papathanassiou's revolutionary approach which changed NASCAR.

Pit crews operate in one of the most dynamic and demanding teamwork environments imaginable. In racing, like in business and in life, there are no guarantees. Make one mistake that's too big or at an inopportune time and your day at the race is over - you go home while the race continues on without you. The same can be true for agriculture. Greg shares how Andy's passion for over the wall thinking will inspire farmers to overcome obstacles and makes things happen.

The discussion continues to include DTN/TPF's decision to provide a women's only grain marketing session during their DTN University. After gathering additional details, Jenny offers her support for shifting towards the gutsy move.

Building on an existing foundation The Country Christmas Connection (#TCCC) is back. The effort was started in 2013 by Jamie Rhoades and Laurie Link. In 2016, when Darleen Sichley and Jenny Schweigert learned the exchange may stop, they couldn't let it happen. Their friendship was built from the connection Jamie and Laurie made just for them.

The torch was passed and Christmas in the Country became The Country Christmas Connection, out of respect for Jamie and Laurie. They have had big boots to fill and its been a continuous learning experience, yet Darleen and Jenny are ready to begin their second year of leading this effort.

Above all, this is a project to form relationships with like-minded individuals while highlighting the respective geographical areas. Darleen and Jenny are working in baby steps to eventually use this project to connect rural and urban individuals.

In 2017, participants can be from the agriculture community or rural areas. We are also considering International additions.

Take a listen to this quick mini-pod. for additional details and be stalking us on Nov. 13th when registration forms become available on www.GuernseyMama.com, www.TheMagicFarmHouse.com and www.KeepingAgReal.com.

This week's episode is a quick listen, yet covers a tremendous amount of ground (pun intended). Jay Hill of New Mexico grows a large suite of crops from pumpkins, chili peppers, sudan grass and everything in between.

As Jay shares the destination of each crop, Jenny is tasked with learning more about cotton and lipstick production.

We cover his incredible story of beginning his farming career with 10 acres at the age of 16 and convincing his father to farm once again. Today, the Hills farm 17,000 with their family and 65 teammates (employees).

Time stamps:

• 1:33 - Managing 40,000 Snapchat followers
• 3:21 - Jay the 12 crops they are growing on their farm
• 5:00 - Where does it all go? Midwest, Mexico, Japan, Kentucky, New York?
• 7:12 - Jay schools Jenny on pecans
• 8:40 - Growing cosmetics
• 10:52 - Tracking down labels on cosmetics
• 11:45 - High cotton
• 12:25 - Illinois farmers just sit at home during the winter
• 13:27 - Going from 10 acres to 17,000 acres
• 15:45 - Even Pro-Golfers are interested in farming
• 16:30 - Poultry to Hydroponics
• 18:22 - Working with family sometimes can be the hardest thing anyone has ever done, but at the same time its also the most rewarding.
• 19:30 - The secret to Jay's photography
• 21:02 - Jay reveals a jaw dropping secret

Twitter: @hilljay45 | Instagram: @hilljay45 | hillfarmsnewmexico.com

Indiana farmer, Joe Mills is a think-outside-the-field kinda guy who has been doing cool things well before they were ever cool.

As the 25th episode of Keeping Ag Real, Joe discusses their transition to organic crops and his motto on farming different.

"We only have one lifetime to farm. I'm not going to spend it doing what everyone else does. I hope all the neighbors think I'm crazy."

More information can be found on their website www.millslivestockllc.com, on Twitter by following @TheHippieFarmer.

The interview began as a harmless interaction, before Jenny realized it, Gracie had taken over and began asking the questions. The pair talk about the agency life, rural poverty and the new AgBlogClub.

Its no secret that the general public has become disconnected from their food, fuel & fiber sources. As a whole, agriculture continues to be stumped on the solution. Today's guest, Mary Shelman, is the former director of the Harvard Agribusiness School.

She shares background on Harvard's program including the father of the word agribusiness. As we learn about her background, we move on to discuss a recent tweet describing agriculture as the last frontier for technology. With the advancements in GPS, drones, genetic modification, growth chambers, and RNAi, it becomes a challenge to agree with this statement. Shelman provides her point-of-view, observations and points to sustainability and agriculture's footprint as a heavy concern.

The discussion covers data or, lack thereof, as a culprit to today's real food trend and disconnect. Our conversation digs deep into ownership of data, the collection and how the data should be used and by whom.

What other questions should I have covered in the discussion?