Young Farmer Podcast

Pennsylvania FFA state officers Abby O'Neill and Nina Coolidge talk about their year of FFA service and how being part of the organization has helped them grow.

Description: In Lisbon, Maine, Trevor Kenkel and his crew grow lettuce and other greens in an aquaponics system. He runs Springworks Farm, the largest aquaponics facility in New England, but he has big plans to replace the greens coming from California with greens grown in his aquaponic greenhouses.

Website: Springworks Farms

Sam Staebner is the dynamic fifth-generation producer at Whittier Farms in Sutton, Mass., a 500-acre dairy, beef and vegetable operation. She talks about her farm’s history, the decision to come back to the farm after college, and what she thinks the future holds for agriculture in Massachusetts.

The 2021-22 New York State FFA officer team is a special one. All six members of the team are female, the first time in the state’s history. Three members of this year’s team give their take on being elected and what their plans are for the new year, as things start reopening and getting back to normal.

Description: Danielle Goodrich and Billy Connolly talk about

the partnership that led to the building of a 1.32 million gallon manure

digester at Goodrich Family Farm in Salisbury, Vt., a multigenerational farm

run by Danielle and her brother, Chase.

Raechel Sattazahn and Matthew Hackenberg of AgChoice Farm Credit talk about things young farmers can do to get off to a good financial start in their business as well as the importance of establishing a good long-term business plan.

John Torres is executive director of Maryland Farm Bureau, in charge of the day-to-day operations of the organization. He talks about the big ag issues facing Maryland farmers and the opportunities he sees for young farmers in the state.

What is Gen-O? It’s Organic Valley’s effort to train young farmers to be future leaders of the cooperative and to be ambassadors for organic dairying. But for struggling young farmers, it’s also become a place where they can talk about things happening on the farm and learn from each other. Guests include Amy Forgues of Organic Valley and Matt Choiniere, a 26-year-old farmer from Highgate, Vt.

• Organic Valley

Description: Dave Wolcott and Colleen Rudolph had one goal when starting their own dairy operation four years ago: simplicity. First off, though, they had to get their business going. A program offered by Farm Credit East helped get their operation off its feet, and last August they became farm owners, buying the farm they've been leasing for four years.

 Link: FarmStart Program

Bridging differences: In the wake of all the social unrest of 2020, a group of agriculture students decided that they wanted agriculture to be involved in conversations over gender equality, diversity and racial discrimination. The result was a five-part virtual series called AFA Bridge: Thriving through our differences, put on by Agriculture Future of America. Katie Gaebel, director of programs at AFA, and students Onsang Yau and Paul Schlotman talk about the program.