Herding Her Story Podcast

We're baaaaaaack! Thank you for bearing with us as we took a short break. This week's episode consists of updates on what has been going on in our lives and also some updates regarding New World Screwworm. We hope you learned something from this episode and hope to see some of y'all at FCA Convention at Marco Island soon!

COVID was definitely a hard and dark time for everyone, but a lot of good things came out of it, including Florida Farm Finder! Meet Jillian Childs, founder of Florida Farm Finder. Jillian founded Florida Farm Finder to build a community around Florida's farm direct food. This community has allowed people to get produce and food directly from local producers and has highlighted both small and large producers! Not only that, it has allowed people to start their producing their own foods and goods and connecting them with their local UF IFAS Extension Agents for resources. We hope you are inspired by Jillian's gumption just like we are!

The wait is over! We hope you enjoyed Part 1 just as much as we did. We laughed, we cried, and we talked about some really important topics!  Part 2 of Girl Crew is finally here for y'all to enjoy!

Grab a snack and sit down with MM and GT for a little tittling and tattling. We started this podcast to have those hard conversations that hardly come up but desperately need to happen and the topic of this episode is no exception. We hope that this sparks up conversations among your peers and opens up your perspective!

Kim Brackett was raised in Wyoming on a cow-calf operation. She currently lives with and her family, operating Brackett Ranches Limited Partnership, a cow-calf and stocker operation based in southern Idaho on the Idaho/Nevada border. She's had a long history of service in the beef cattle industry including but not limited to chairing the Beef Industry Long Range Plan Task Force, Cattlemen's Beef Board, the Beef Quality Assurance Advisory Group, and serving as president for the Idaho Cattle Association. She was also awarded the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship in 2018 to study abroad and research issues affecting sustainability and the agriculture industry.

It's not everyday we get to have a seasoned podcaster on our show and we cannot wait for you to meet Tyler Schuster (if you don't already know her)! Tyler grew up in Brackettville, TX rodeoing and being involved in 4H/FFA. She earned a B.S. in Agricultural Services and Development at Tarleton State University and a masters in Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M. She was recently named as one of the honorees of the Class of 2024 Cowgirl 30 Under 30. When she's not girl-bossing it out in the corporate world, you can find her working cows, advocating for Ag, speaking at events, and sharing her life with everyone on social media. We hope you enjoy this crossover and check out her podcast, the Basically Famous Podcast!

It was an honor and a privilege to be able to sit down with Mr. Doyle E. Carlton III and his wife, Mrs. Debbie Carlton. Both Mr. Doyle and Mrs. Debbie serve as mentors to so many of those around them, including us. This episode is packed full with family histories, tales of the 1923 flood of Okeechobee, rodeo love, stories of raising ranch kids, conservation before it was talked about, and so much more. We are eternally grateful for their continual support and hope you find them just as endearing as we do!

Mary Margaret and Gina finally sit down to ring in the new year and talk about both personal goals and podcast goals for this coming year!

DeAnne Maples is a Florida native who grew up in New Smyrna Beach, FL. She spent her early years doing 4-H and FFA and went to the University of Central Florida to study Broadcast Journalism. She currently serves as the Director at the Florida Beef Council. As an advocate for the beef industry, you can often find her out and about working with chefs cooking the latest new recipe, training healthcare workers on the nutritional benefits of beef, mentoring young people, doing radio interviews, doing TV interviews, podcast interviews, and so much more! One of the most notable things she's done is establish the Beef It's What's For Dinner 300 NASCAR race on behalf of the Federation of State Beef Councils for 3 consecutive years. She is a proud mom of 3 and enjoys spending her time outdoors. The cattle industry is so absolutely lucky to have her and we cannot thank her enough for the wonderful work she's done on behalf of our industry!

Heather Howell Cleckler is a 4th generation rancher from Immokalee, FL.  She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education. She also earned a masters in Speech-language Pathology. When she's not busy managing her family's ranch and outfitting business, she's busy being involved in the community, helping with the annual Immokalee Cattle Drive, and spending time with her family. Heather has always been the biggest supporter of HHS and we are so glad we get to start the year off strong with her!

Can't believe it's been almost a year since we started this podcast! Thank y'all for your love and support. We hope you enjoy this last episode of the year about the things we encountered as Thing 1 and Thing 2 take on starting a podcast. As always, BE A LADY LEGEND!

Linda Galayda grew up in Katy, TX where her family raised cattle and farmed rice. She earned a degree in marketing from the University of Texas. Following graduation, she took a job with Foleys Department Stores and had a successful career as a fashion designer, but still continued to ranch throughout her career. She is currently the owner/managing partner of Jordens Cattle Co. / 7-7 Ranch and resides in Elkhart, TX. In 2020, she was named Woman of the Year in Texas Agriculture in District 5. She is an active member of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a member of the Ladies of Texas Tradition, and serves on several county and state advisory committees.

Missy Bonds is a third-generation rancher based out of Saginaw, TX. Her family operation, Bonds Ranch, spans across 26 Texas counties and 13 states. She earned her bachelor's in agricultural economics and a master's degree in ruminant nutrition at Texas Tech University. She also went through the Texas Christian University ranch management program. She is an active member in the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) and serves as their Marketing and Transportation chair. Some of her many accolades include the Mitzi Lucas Riley Award from the National Cowgirl Museum and the inaugural True Texas CattleWoman award from Texas Coastal Cattlewomen.

It's no secret that women struggle with finding the right clothes with it comes to workwear, ESPECIALLY in the agriculture industry. Sit down with a snack and listen to Mary Margaret and Gina talk about their grievances with women's western workwear and some of their solutions to these issues!

Join us this week as we sit down with a Georgian turned Texan. #LadyLegend Jenny Dillard leads us through her journey from riding English and Western as a kid, to jobs after college, to taking a step of faith and becoming a horse trainer. Lots of life lessons in this episode can be applied in an arena, but also in our daily lives.

Travis Thompson is the Executive Director of @allflaorg, an authentic conservation group. He is also a great mentor and friend to us! We sit down with Travis to talk about the hilarious story of how we first got connected and talk all things conservation and even Taylor Swift! You won't want to miss this one!

Mr. Gene Lollis is a 6th generation Floridian who grew up in St. Cloud, FL. He's spent his whole life around ranching and agriculture and is currently working as the ranch manager at Archbold's Buck Island Ranch. When he's not at work, he is involved in various organizations such as the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, the U.S. Animal Health Association, and the Florida Cattlemen's Association (Past President, 2020-2021). He also sells beef alongside his wife, Terrie, to his local community. Mr. Lollis is a great mentor to both Mary Margaret and Gina and we hope you take away as many life lessons as you can from this episode!

Mary Margaret and Gina sit down to chat about what's going on in their lives and about a full circle moment. They also have a conversation about social media and women in the industry.

Morghan Ruggles is originally from Round Rock, TX. She attended Tarleton State University for both her undergrad and masters programs. She currently works at the R.A. Brown Ranch as their Social Strategist and Internship Program Coordinator. She shared with us her journey so far with her husband, Tell Ruggles, and all that she's learned thus far.

Kendall Whatley grew up on a seedstock outfit in central Georgia. She attended ABAC for her undergrad and UGA for her masters. She currently resides in Stephenville, TX, where she is a Regional Sales Manager for Vytelle and the owner/manager of Bar K Cattle Services. She was also recently named as one of the honorees of the Class of 2024 Cowgirl 30 Under 30! Listen in to this week's episode to hear about her journey and the incredible advice she has to give!

We are so excited to introduce our first guest from Texas! Dr. Amanda Fuller earned her B.S. and PhD from Texas A&M and her M.S. from West Texas A&M. She currently resides in Hereford, TX where she runs F2 Cattle Co. with her husband and is also a Risk Management Consultant for Compass Ag Solutions. We can't wait for y'all to hear her story!

Join us this week for our second Tittle Tattle! We will share some travel fiascos, introduce our Texas Lady Legends, & dive into some cowboy etiquette on and off the ranch.

Rachel Barthle-Butler is a 4th generation rancher in Pasco County. Her family produces crossbred commercial cattle and have been producing American Quarter Horses for over 50 years. Listen in to hear a little more about the Barthle Brothers Ranch and for an incredible poem by Mrs. Jeanette Barthle at the end. You won't want to miss out on this one!

Lynetta Usher Griner is a 7th generation Floridian from Chiefland, FL. Her family's farm, Usher Land & Timber, raise beef cattle and produce timber. She was the Florida Forestry Association's first female president in 2012. She was also named the 2013 Woman of the Year in Ag and the 2018 Florida Farmer of the Year. She serves on many boards and committees statewide and nationwide. Aside from her day to day responsibilities, she dedicates her time in service of others through charitable work and volunteer work. We cannot wait for y'all to listen to her incredible story and words of wisdom!

We are so excited to share with you LeAnna "Bigtown" Billie's unique and inspiring story. LeAnna is a Pro Rodeo Athlete, horse trainer, ranch hand, and proud member for the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida! She currently still holds the Women's All-Around title for the EIRA. She has also qualified for the INFR 7 times and was 5th in the world standings for the WPRA tie-down roping in 2016. We can't wait for you to take a listen to this one!

Listen in to hear about Mrs. Counts' family operation and life lessons. You won't want to miss out on hearing about her father, Mr. Woody Tilton's, famous business card and a killed cook!

Join us this week for a little bit of a different episode! Mary Margaret and Gina sit down to talk about some life updates, our journey so far, and our relationships with our sponsors!

Jo Ann Doke Smith is a trailblazHER like no otHER. She has served as Florida CattleWomen's President, as the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's first female president, as the director and president of the 4H Foundation, as the director of the National Livestock and Meat Board, and was the founding chair of the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board. Some of her many honors include: 1985 Florida's Woman of the Year in Agriculture, 1989 International Stockman Hall of Fame, 1990 National Golden Spur Award, 2005 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame, 2015 Meat Industry Hall of Fame, and 2015 National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. As someone who was known not by her gender but by her ability to get the job done, she was also named the 1982 Progressive Farmer Magazine Man of the Year in Florida Agriculture and the 1988 Man of the Year in American Agriculture. We hope you take a listen to hear this incredible woman's story!

Lauren Butler is the UF/IFAS Livestock Extension Agent and County Extension Director in Okeechobee County. Lauren is originally from Pasco County where her family raised commercial beef cattle, registered quarter horses, and registered brahmans. She met her husband, Will, while they both attended the University of Florida. They reside in Okeechobee with their two daughters, Claire and Loretta. Will's family runs a commercial dairy and cow-calf operation. Will and Lauren also own a small herd of registered Brahman cattle.

Born in 1929, Iris Wall is a Florida Cracker icon from Indiantown. In 2002, she was inducted into the Florida Cracker Hall of Fame and in 2006, she was named Florida's Woman of the Year in Agriculture. Listen in to hear come cow-hunting tales and a surprise from Mrs. Wall at the end.

Dr. Saundra TenBroeck is a State Extension Horse Specialist and Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. A woman of many titles and accomplishments throughout her career, she isn't short of any accolades. But, she was recently named Florida's 2023 Woman of the Year in Agriculture. Listen in to hear about her journey in not only academia but also through motherhood.

Gina shares her story of her family's history, how she fell in love with agriculture, and what it has been like for her to grow up in the city and then transition to a life within the agricultural industry.

Mary Margaret shares her story by taking a deeper dive into her family's history, her love for horses, her career in the cattle industry, and her relationship with God. Listen in to hear about the lessons she has learned along with a surprise at the end.