You don’t need a farm in your family to find your place in agriculture. 

In this episode of IL Corn TV, Lyndi Allen chats with Jacob Edens, an Illinois State University student who discovered his passion for farming early on.

Jacob shares what it was like starting his first farm job with no experience, restoring his great-grandfather’s Ford 8N tractor, and turning those early experiences into opportunities—like helping rebuild Alpha Gamma Rho and mentoring fellow students.

Episode Highlights:
0:00 – Welcome: Lyndi Allen & Jacob Edens
0:42 – Growing up around ag (but not on a farm)
1:55 – How FFA helped shape his path
3:05 – First memories in a tractor
4:00 – Learning everything from scratch
5:20 – Bringing the Ford 8N back to life
7:30 – From project to winning at shows
8:20 – College life and getting involved
9:30 – Building a mentor program
10:50 – Not To Be Corny moment
11:20 – Wrap up

If you’re into real stories about how people find their path in agriculture, this one’s worth a listen.

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