Off-Farm Income

Abigail Harrison loves to inspire others, and that is what has driven her to start her own business - Abigail Grace Woodworking. In a business like this you might think it is the craft, the profit or the marketing that would be the driver. However, in Abby's case she loves going to different SAE sales, setting up a booth and speaking with other FFA students who see what she has done and want to know how to do it themselves.

Abby has the rare ability to really listen to what is right for her. During her 9th Grade year she had a journalism SAE, and she was creating a website. However, something didn't feel right about that. She really thought about what she wanted to do, and it occurred to her that she wanted to work with her hands and have a tangible creation to hold when she was done. That is how she got started creating products, and that is what has opened the doors for her in her SAE.

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.

Chico State University is the agricultural college that I almost went to. I have told the story on the show before, but in today's interview I finally get to verify! As it turns out, CSU Chico would have been a fantastic place to study agriculture. It is in a great part of California, has a great climate and has an outstanding school farm with the opportunity to learn multiple different aspects of livestock, permanent crop and row crop agriculture. And, it is a very affordable university, especially by California standards.

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

Tip Of The Week

Understanding what motivates thieves can help us stop rural crime

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/hay-donated-to-beaverhead-co-abused-animals-stolen-from-fairgrounds

https://wbontv.com/madison-county-sheriffs-office-investigating-tractor-theft/

https://dentonrc.com/news/crime/blotter/denton-man-reports-trainer-refuses-to-return-his-65k-horses/article_2899398a-6ba3-56be-b31c-4b46b75af5fe.html

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/thieves-steal-hive-containing-thousands-of-bees-from-home-in-the-oakland-hills/ar-AA1nWLWy

https://www.wlox.com/2024/04/30/pearl-river-county-family-left-with-questions-why-cattle-bulls-were-stolen-their-ranch/

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/crime/police-appeal-after-12-cows-and-bulls-stolen-from-farm-near-derbyshire-town-4612562

https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/derbyshire-dog-attack-leaves-farmer-with-2k-in-damages/

Africa

https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/rural-crisis-as-livestock-theft-bleeds-farmers-dry/

https://gazettengr.com/23-killed-44-injured-in-violent-clashes-over-cattle-theft/

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

http://www.fillmoregazette.com/front-page/farm-watch-collaboration-results-one-arrest-repeat-offender#google_vignette

https://ca.style.yahoo.com/news/man-arrested-21-tons-pistachios-164247894.html

Kasey Neely and her husband, Kyle, live in Eastern Illinois on their 32 acre farm. There they raise and sell grass fed beef, pastured poultry, eggs and they are considering raising and selling pastured pork. Kasey is a strong advocate for buying local and supporting your local farmer. On today's episode we will discuss their journey to becoming farm owners, how not growing up on a farm influences the manner in which you design your farming model and pacing yourself no matter how excited you get about what you could possibly do on your land.

There is a lot of content in today's interview. I was first drawn to this guest because of a referral by one of our listeners, Dave Lehman, because our guest was selling products to assist people with raising and processing chickens. However, during the interview I found out a lot more about this guest.

Mike Badger has worked in corporate America, and he grew up believing that was the way that life worked. However, he later decided that it did not have to be that way. He and his wife decided to farm right then and there.

Natalie Rider is the third generation of her family in the horse business on the Circle T Ranch in Celina, Ohio. Her grandfather, who always had a passion for horses, purchased this property in 1995 in the midst of his truck driving career. Then he started building a horse business.

Natalie was first put on horseback when she was 6 months old, and somewhere along the line she developed the same passion. Today, if she is not at school or sleeping she at her grandparents ranch working in the horse business. Today she trains client horses, gives riding lessons, feeds and cleans stalls for the boarding business and is coaching an equestrian Special Olympics team of eight competitors.

Natalie knows that she wants to be around horses and her families ranch for her future. So, she has already identified three universities that she can attend for a bachelor's degree in agriculture that will keep her close to home and working on the ranch!

Our dog brought us a piece of literature about canal breaches last night (literally), and I thought I would discuss this issue on today's Farm Update show. We will also be discussing:

• Kidding is over!
• Selling our bottle kids!
• First round of irrigation completed already..
• Protecting trees from goats

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

Hayden Mueller is just finishing his sophomore year of high school and second year of the FFA, and he already has a lot going on. In addition to farming corn & soybeans with his dad, uncle and brother, he is now leasing his own land to do the same. In the 8th grade he started his own business in order to make some money, and that has grown into Hayden's Landscaping in which he is providing an array of lawn services to his customers.

It may sound like Hayden is working all the time, but there is another side to his high school experience - music. Hayden first got introduced to music playing the recorder in elementary school. Since then, that has grown to him playing guitar, bass guitar and saxophone. Currently he plays the baritone saxophone in the marching band and pep band at his high school.

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.

On today's episode we are profiling Oklahoma Panhandle State University. This institution is getting a lot of agriculture started in the right way and onto their future agricultural careers. OPSU prides itself on being affordable and offering very practical, personalized instruction. With a student body of just 250, and the team that was assembled for this interview, it is easy to see that they are serious about this commitment.

Tip Of The Week

Support your local Sheriff

Rural Crime In The U.S.

https://www.ktsm.com/news/100000-in-cattle-stolen-from-clay-county-ranch-clay-county-sheriffs-office-crime-stoppers/

https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/broome-county/sheriffs-office-needs-your-help-in-a-sanford-burglary-investigation/

https://www.whas11.com/article/news/investigations/focus/copper-wire-lights-out-louisville-kentucky-focus-kentucky-transportation-cabinet-lmpd/417-a05cb9bc-241b-431a-939f-e14584ab762a

Across The Pond, Down Under And Up Above

https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/24261633.powys-livestock-worrying-incident-saw-dog-shot/

https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/rural/rural-crime/two-darlington-men-linked-to-1m-farm-machinery-theft-arrested/

Africa

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/man-found-hanging-dead-after-village-court-convicted-him-of-goat-theft-4595700

https://nairobiwire.com/2024/04/dci-detectives-recover-kes-1-8m-worth-of-stolen-govt-fertiliser-in-kitale.html

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

https://www.yahoo.com/news/shelby-county-man-charged-livestock-195952643.html

https://www.chronline.com/stories/eastern-washington-man-charged-with-stealing-cattle-in-borrowed-honda-to-be-arraigned,336804