Episode Category: Entrepreneurship

“ So yeah the balance of the family and the business and the farming and all that, just trying to get more systematic and efficient so that we can balance it all.” 

Growing up on a farm shapes who you become. For Abby Bowser, it planted the seeds for a future she couldn't have predicted. Today, she and her husband Brooks run Bowser Family Farms, a regenerative cattle operation in Southern Michigan, where they've found their own path in agriculture. 

“I think the most important thing is focusing on what our priorities are, because those priorities give us a purpose even when goals become unattainable or the course shifts or something happens in life that changes our trajectory. If we know what our priorities are.  We can choose to focus on those every single day.” 

“Teaching classes and being able to plant the seed itself for other people to get excited for things that have been lost in our generation has also just been something that has brought  tons of happiness and joy.”  

City girl turned farmer Jessica Lewis shares how she built Back to Roots Farm in Thomasville, Georgia, starting with bottle baby goats and growing into a thriving business teaching homesteading skills. With her seven-year-old daughter already sharing her passion for farming, Jessica shows how starting small and being willing to pivot when markets change can lead to success in agriculture, even without prior experience. 

“My life does revolve around farming but I also think we have good boundaries where I’m not resentful of that.”  

Growing up on a farm, Heather Nienhueser always knew she wanted to marry a farmer. While some people couldn't wait to leave farm life behind, she put "must be a farmer" at the top of her list of requirements for a future spouse. Today, she's living that dream as a farm wife and mom in South Central Nebraska, where she balances raising three kids, running multiple businesses from home, and renovating an 1890s farmhouse. 

 “The opportunity is out there, you’re just going to have to do a better job than trying to compete with Walmart on price and volume.” 

When I first met DL on TikTok, we were chatting about bottle calves. But as I got to know his story, I knew there was so much more to share. His journey from running a 400-head operation to starting over with just five borrowed calf hutches speaks to the heart of what farming is really about - family, resilience, and finding your own path to success. 

“And it's very important that you're thinking about what's best for the whole family and the whole ranch. Instead of just what's best for you or your individual family.” 

“And at the end of the day, the best thing you can do is, as long as you have good intentions, is to put some piece of your story out there because I promise you somebody will find a connection.” 

Every family farm has a story worth telling. When I sat down with Ashlynn Jones, a third-generation cattle woman from Southeast Iowa, we talked about something that hits close to home for many of us - how to share our farming story with the world. 

 “This is what I describe simple living as, it’s figuring out what you want to focus on and doing more of that while figuring out what you want to focus less on or there’s a distraction and eliminating those things.” 

Creating a life that aligns with your values is important. That's why I was thrilled to chat with Ryan Mitchell on the Farming on Purpose podcast. Ryan's journey from city living to homesteading offers valuable insights for anyone dreaming of a simpler, more fulfilling life on the land. 

“This idea of how all the different sizes of farms co-exist in agriculture today is one of the biggest problems that we have the opportunity to solve.” 

I often find myself thinking about the future of agriculture and where family farms fit into the bigger picture. With fewer small farms and more large operations, it's a topic that's close to my heart and crucial for our industry. 

“If you don’t send it out, if you don’t publish it, it doesn’t happen. You can’t learn from it. You have to push “go” to learn from it.” 

“Having a spouse that you are on the same page with when it comes to growing your business makes a huge difference. If you guys are both running in the same direction for your dream, you get so much farther, so much faster versus if only one of you has that dream or if you are going in different directions with that dream.” 

As I sit in my hammock on a beautiful day, surrounded by the sounds of our farm, I can't help but reflect on how far we've come. From our humble beginnings seven years ago with a few cows, goats, and chickens, we've grown into a thriving operation with crops, more livestock, and even a dairy cow (my pet project). 

“Buying the farm is probably the best not only personal but financial decision. Best decision for my family. It’s really opened up a quality of life that we wouldn't have had otherwise.”

Growing up on his family's dairy farm in Utah, Derek Penrod always knew he wanted to be a farmer. But with no clear path to take over the family operation, he had to forge his own way. Now, Derek runs a first-generation farm in Idaho, growing alfalfa and raising Scottish Highlander cattle.

In this week’s episode of the Farming on Purpose podcast, Derek shared his inspiring journey of becoming a self-made farmer while balancing family life and a full-time job.

“I think we have to figure out what makes sense for ourselves. And for the amount of effort that we're putting in are we going to reach our goals? Are we going to get there realistically on a timeframe that makes sense? And how does that impact other people in our lives? That can be a very challenging conversation to have with yourself, but I think it is one that is worth having.”

As farmers and ranchers, we're no strangers to hard work. But these days, many of us are finding ourselves working even harder - both on and off the farm. Let's talk about this growing trend and what it means for our families and our futures in agriculture.

“I think we just respect each other’s time and we know we both are trying our hardest and some days are better than others.”

Join us in this inspiring episode of Farming on Purpose with Sumiko and Harrison Mills. Sumiko and Harrison share about their background and how they got started on their ranch. They openly talk about the renovations they undertook themselves and what a long journey that was. They also share details about the opening of their Butcher Barn and some of the things they’ve learned along the way. Listen in as we talk about all thing's renovation and butchering.

“Learning to recognize the season you’re in is the first half of this and learning to live in the season you’re in is the second half.”

Join us in this midsummer episode of Farming on Purpose. In this solo episode I’m going to share some of The Lazy Genius principles that have helped me over the last few years. This lifestyle shift has helped me in more ways than one and I feel is pretty applicable to farm life, mom life, and being a business owner. Listen in as I go through some of the principles, share how I’ve implemented them into my life, and see if they might help you as well.

“I think it’s about figuring out what you’re doing already and finding a home for what you’re already doing.”

While some of the ideas presented in this episode may be different, it's important to recognize that in order for a business to be sustainable, it must also be profitable. This episode presents ideas to consider in food marketing that you may not have considered before.

Join us in this informative episode of Farming on Purpose with Ali Cox. Ali shares about her family’s history in agriculture and her journey back to agriculture once she started her marketing business. Ali talks about the importance of farmers to market themselves and their products to get the best prices they can for their goods. Another tip Ali gave was to do research to find the right buyer or processor for you or to find ways to diversify your operation. Listen in as we dive deep into marketing in the agriculture industry.

“It’s the season of life we’re in right now and we’re making it work.”

Join us in this powerful episode of Farming on Purpose with Amanda. Amanda shares about her family’s operation and the cattle operation that her and her husband own and run. Amanda delves into the different avenues she has pursued not only for additional off-the-farm income, but to fulfill her own passions. Amanda offers great advice about finding your priorities and making sure what you’re doing aligns with those priorities. Amanda is passionate about fighting to help farmers and ranchers as well as the land needed for agriculture. Listen in as we dive into the importance of knowing and pursuing your priorities and passions, and fighting for your way of life.

“Being authentic has really paid off for us. Not necessarily directly in our business, I don’t know that it’s affected our bottom line, maybe it has,... but people love to see people that they can relate to.”

Join us in this enjoyable episode of Farming on Purpose with Macey. Macey shares about owning a cow calf operation with her mom and sister and how the family dynamics changed as the business grew. Macey talks about the importance of having and building a supportive community that you can go to ask learn and ask questions without judgment. Macey opens up about some of the lessons she’s learned along her journey. Listen in as we delve into having a cow calf operation with your family, building a community, and Macey shares a few stories from the ranch.

“Anybody who is at all a part of agriculture, at all a part of direct-to-consumer knows that there is a lot of money that goes into this.”

Join us in this insightful episode of Farming on Purpose with Amanda. Amanda shares about finding her place on a multigenerational cow calf operation. Amanda opens up about what led her to start selling their beef directly to consumers. Amanda delves into how diversifying your operation can mean different things and reveals some realistic reasons for needing more than one stream of income. Listen in as we delve a variety of topics from finding your role, diversifying your operation to supplement your needs, and Amanda’s great advice on how to get started on a new venture.

“I never saw this coming. I never saw the opportunity to come back full circle and continue that.”

Join us in this enjoyable episode of Farming on Purpose with Jess Perez. Jess shares about her family’s history being farmers, how her and her husband moved for his law career, and how Jess found her way back to agriculture. Jess opens up about running a cow/calf operation, getting into selling their beef direct to consumers, and some of the hurdles they’ve faced along the way. Jess also talks about marketing online, sharing your life and story to an online audience, and gives a great perspective on how you can find ways to share your story. Listen in as we delve into a variety of topics from the ups and downs of having cattle, your online presence being more than just ag related, and Jess’s mentorship.

“Sick animals cost you a lot of money so keeping them healthy is the full goal.”

Join us in this informative episode of Farming on Purpose and learn more about KSX Performance with Kaitlyn Keller. Taking us behind the scenes of her business, Kaitlyn shares about her love for animals, helping people, and how that translates into her business and how she operates. Kaitlyn dives into her products and explains some of the benefits of them. Listen in as we delve into the world of animal supplements and caring for livestock.

“It’s a lot easier to start a dog with a clean slate than erase a bunch of bad habits.”

Join us in this stimulating episode of Farming on Purpose and get up and close with Randall Walker, a renowned stock dog expert from Satus Stockdogs. Taking us through his fascinating journey of employing dogs in rotational grazing, Randall presents an eye-opening narrative on how stock dogs can significantly enhance farming efficiency. Perfectly tailored for those considering incorporating stock dogs into their operations, this podcast is loaded with critical analogues and recommendations. Listen in as we delve deep into the world of stock handling with dogs, the significance of breed-specific traits like fetching in Border Collies, and more.

“I wish there were more opportunities for people to see the day-to-day of it, not just the ‘you want to teach about agriculture, you must want to be a teacher’. There’s other options to do that, especially now that I’ve gotten into the world of entrepreneurship…”

This week we are mixing things up a bit! I had the pleasure of being on the Off-Farm Income podcast hosted by Matt Brechwald back in December. We had such a great conversation about many different topics and I wanted to highlight that episode and share it! We talked about my FFA journey and the many benefits the FFA program gives to high school students as well as the unsung heroes, Ag teachers and FFA advisors. I shared about starting my marketing business and my podcast, Farming On Purpose.

“One of our favorite quotes of all time is, ‘The answer to America’s food problem is not one or two big answers, it’s many small answers.’ And we couldn’t agree more.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Jesse and Lisa Vivian. Jesse and Lisa shared how they started Lane’s End Farm + Creamery. The original plan for the creamery was to make cheese but then Covid hit and like many others their plans had to adapt to the new demand of their community. Once their community got a taste of their milk, they had a huge demand to keep it flowing. Jesse explains how complex it is to have dairy cows and touches on some of the planning that goes into keeping milk production at a consistent level. Jesse and Lisa don’t want to keep their business model a secret, so if it is something you’re interested in, check out their course! Also be sure to check out their Instagram to see some of the creamery’s products!

“It’s not something that happens overnight, it’s a gradual transition. We started making our own bars of soap, I started making my own tallow, I started doing all these little things gradually that are creating a more holistic home, but it definitely takes time and you appreciate everything you have a whole lot more.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Kerissa Payne of Covey Rise Farms. Kerissa shared about her journey building her farm operation with her husband in Ohio and then moving their operation to Kansas. As you can imagine, that process did not come without a few bumps in the road, but Kerissa and her family have settled into their new home and are working on expanding their business. Kerissa also delved into how she started making things from scratch and how going without some things, like their dryer, doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

“The mindset of I do belong here. I belong here. Never underestimate your roots and where you came from and just try to find your place.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Liz Fiedler of Sunny Mary Meadow Farms. Liz shared how her flower farm got started as a farm stand and the many different ag operations were run on her late husband’s family farm. Liz also opened up with us about losing her husband unexpectedly and her grief journey so far. Liz is more than just a flower farmer and business owner, Liz is also a nurse practitioner and she noted how the two have some commonalities. One other hat that Liz wears is a coach for other people wanting to start their own flower farms or operations. She has learned a lot in her journey to get where she is and wants to help others by sharing her knowledge and experiences.

“It’s different every day, which I love. That was one of my difficulties with an office job; it was a little bit of monotony and boredom. You’re not going to get bored on a farm.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gabe Spurgoen from South Baldwin Farms. Gabe shared about his career as an architect and how he didn’t feel fulfilled. What started as a way for Gabe to get away from his office desk by planting some peach trees quickly evolved into Gabe joining his father-in-law on the family farm as a fruit farmer. Gabe expanded on their peach and apple orchard operation and the seasonal employees that have now become like family to him. Gabe also discussed what it’s like to be an employee on the farm and talk about the farm succession and the future of the farm.

“I like animals and I like being a steward of animals and having a pragmatic purpose for having lots of animals.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Matt Brechwald, host of the Off-Farm Income podcast. Matt shared about his childhood and how he first got interested in agriculture. Matt also shared about his journey in the ag industry that eventually led him to start a farm with his wife and host the Off-Farm Income podcast. Matt explained the challenges he sees with the urban sprawl in his area. Matt gave some insight into the marketing around the lab-grown meat and where the funding is coming from. Matt has plenty of stories to share and was kind enough to share a Christmas story from his childhood.

“Probably one of the top three reasons the sheep industry is slowly dwindling is just the amount of work that goes into it is a lot, like you don’t really get paid for that. I wish that was something that, I would still have gotten the sheep anyways, but I wish I would have known that going into it.”   

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Charity Epperson. Charity and I cover quite a few topics in this episode. Charity had the unique childhood experience of growing up on a preserve in rural California and Charity shares what that was like as well as living off-grid. Charity explains why she chose the breeds of sheep and pigs that she raises with her husband and son as well as why she chose to get into ranching. Living in rural, serene California does not come without its challenges, like getting vet services or other services to come out to their home and ranch. Charity dives into that more and some of the ways she’s had to be creative to overcome some obstacles. Charity talks about her new ventures with the sheep wool and pig lard and where you can find those products from her ranch.   

“I think that it’s important for consumers to know that when you are in a rural area you cannot receive the same products, sometimes at all.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ashley Comeau. Ashley and her husband, Adam, are the current owners of Brant’s Meat Market in rural Kansas. Brant’s Meat Market has been in operation for over 100 years and Ashley talks about the history of the store and the Brant family and the processes they had in place to run the meat market. While still wanting to hold and honor traditions of the family and the store, Ashley and Adam also want to expand their customer reach and opportunities the meat market is able to fulfill. Ashley also shares about opening a second location and the highs and lows that came with a second store. Ashley and Adam love working with their community to provide high quality meat as well as local meat.