Young Farmer Podcast

Stephanie and Hayley Painter are the faces behind Painterland Sisters Yogurt, an Icelandic Skyr yogurt they developed from their family farm's organic dairy. https://painterlandsisters.com/ (Painterland Sisters website) https://www.facebook.com/painterlandsisters (Facebook page)

The six new members of the New York State FFA Officer Team come all corners of the state, but they're united in their mission to further ag education. https://www.nysffa.org/ (NYSFFA.org)

Joe and Jenell McHenry struggled to get a foothold as a young farmers, but they've largely overcome that and are full-steam ahead on growing their operation in Kent County, Md.

Mike Beneduce Jr. is the 2022 Outstanding Young Farmer of New Jersey, but he's working on cementing the Garden State as a destination for world-class wine. https://beneducevineyards.com/ (Beneduce Vineyards) https://www.facebook.com/BeneduceVineyards (Beneduce Vineyards on Facebook)

Carolina Mueller of the National Young Farmers Coalition talks about the National Young Farmer Survey and how it will help shape the 2023 Farm Bill. https://www.youngfarmers.org/22survey/ (National Young Farmers Survey) https://www.youngfarmers.org/ (YoungFarmers.org)

Seth Sheehan, owner of T&S Crop Service in Warsaw, N.Y., talks about the impact high input prices have had on his business and whether farmers will have the fertilizer, herbicides and other tools they need to have a good growing season. Link: https://tandscropservice.com/ (https://tandscropservice.com/)

Katie Dotterer talks about being an advocate for agriculture and how she uses social media as a tool to promote the industry and educate about mental health. Links: Instagram (@the_agvokate) https://www.agvokate.com/ (https://www.agvokate.com/)

At only 15 years old, identical twins Ethan and Oren Welch are growing their apple bin business, Welch Brothers Bins, from their dad's garage in Marion, N.Y. Website: https://www.welchbrothersbins.com/ (Welch Brothers Bins)

Mikara Anderson and Riley Price have been farm owners for less than a year but they already have their long-term vision for their sheep operation set.

Ashley and Larry Latta are just getting started in the Christmas tree growing business where planning is a huge part of long-term success.

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: https://www.springworksfarm.com/ (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. https://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic-valley/sustainability/farm-wellbeing/ (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: https://www.farmcrediteast.com/products-and-services/new-farmer-programs/FarmStart (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. 

Heidi Witmer founded The LEAF Project nine years ago with the goal of addressing the growing disconnect between people and farming, and to give young people, especially at-risk youth, a chance at a decent job. Links: Website: http://www.leafprojectpa.org/ (http://www.leafprojectpa.org/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LEAFProjectInc (LEAFProjectInc) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leafprojectpa/ (leafprojectpa) 

Michael Howlett has led Howlett Farm's transformation from a commercial vegetable operation to a vertically integrated grain operation focused on growing markets for Northeast crop growers.

If you don't know Jess Peters yet, you will someday. She is a dairy farmer in northwest Pennsylvania, but she's also made her mark as a sort-of social media star for agriculture. It's her outlet to tell not only her farm's story, but to also tell agriculture’s story to the world. Links:Facebook: Spruce Row FarmTwitter, Instagram, TikTok: SeeJessFarm https://www.farmprogress.com/management/got-deans-letter-heres-what-do 

Description: Dairy farmer William Thiele is partnering with Slippery Rock University on its Farmer Friday series, Zooming himself on the farm to hospitality students in the university.Links:Thiele Dairy Farm American Agriculturist

Michigan native Heather Leach is on the frontlines of battling spotted lanternfly. She is an Extension entomologist with Penn State Extension working exclusively on this dangerous pest.

William Lee is the third generation farmer at Sang Lee Farms in Peconic, N.Y. At 35, he is in partnership with his father, Fred, and markets 100 crops from his 100 acres through direct-to-retail sales and a CSA. The farm’s environmental practices earned it the 2020 AEM Award in New York state, in partnership with the Leopold Conservation Award.More information:Sang Lee FarmsAEM AwardLeopold Conservation Award

After striking out on creating a Fitbit for beef cattle, Gareth Yoder and Joy Beam decided local beef was their sweet spot. And with COVID-19 creating a new renaissance for locally grown foods, they've found an eager audience for their locally grown beef. They are the owners of Cedar Meadow Meats in Chester County, Pa.  Cedar Meadow Meats on Facebook

Bob DiCarlo and John Knopf of Fa-Ba Dairy Farm in Canandaigua, N.Y., talk about their farm's transition plan and how their partnership has evolved over the years. They offer some advice to farm owners who are planning to transition their operation and business to a nonfamily member.

Labor Day is right around the corner, so we're taking stock of the 2020 growing season here in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We're revisiting with past guests Bryan Harnish and Karl Shlagel. Harnish farms 600 acres in Pequea, Pa., while Shlagel is co-owner of Shlagel Farms in Waldorf, Md.Here are links to the past episodes featuring Harnish and Shlagel:Direct marketing during COVID-19Bryan Harnish: First season with hemp  

Where there's an opportunity to grow and improve the business, Brandon and Ashley Bonk are there. This young farming couple from Magnolia, Del, started with nothing in 2007 and have grown the business to 5,500 acres, always with the goal of being efficient and profitable.Earlier this year, Brandon and Ashley were named Outstanding Young Farmers by the Outstanding Farmers of America Organization.For more information on the award, go to https://www.ofafraternity.org/.

They each have different goals and come from completely different areas of New York state, but the six new members of the New York State FFA State Officer Team are ready to promote ag education in the Empire State.

More than a month after being elected as state officers, the Pennsylvania State FFA team is gearing up for what will be a challenging year of service. The seven state officers spoke to me via Microsoft Teams about dealing with COVID-19, what they hope to get out of their year of service and how it will affect their future plans in agriculture.

Description: Eileen Jensen is the executive director of the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition. She agvocates for animal agriculture in the state and works with farmers to improve their messaging to consumers. New York Animal Agriculture CoalitionBeginning Farmer Tax Credit Program

The 42-acre Seed Farm in Emmaus, Pa., gives prospective farmers the chance to launch their own businesses through the farm's unique incubator program.In this episode we hear from Lindsey Parks, program administrator of The Seed Farm; Kinsey Gensel, a prospective farmer who is in The Seed Farm's incubator program; and Brad Pollack, farm manager of The Seed Farm.Since 2010, The Seed Farm has provided intensive, full-season training in production, marketing, business planning and equipment operation to over 30 beginning farmers who are looking to start farms. Eight farm businesses have been launched through the agricultural incubator.

Lyman Rudgers and his wife, Chelsey, run the 180-head Rudgers Registered Jerseys in Attica, N.Y., in partnership with Chelsey's parents. They've been farming since 2013. Like many dairy farmers it hasn't been an easy road for the young couple. Last month the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their small dairy cooperative forced them to start dumping 10% of their milk production.Still, the couple are focused on making it in the dairy business through being efficient and trying to put a positive message out there for consumers. 

Buying farmland is one of the biggest hurdles young farmers face. Farmland is expensive and the transactions are complicated. Pennsylvania Farm Link is a nonprofit dedicated to “linking farmers to the future.” They accomplish this through an online database linking young farmers to land that's available, and by offering educational workshops for landowners and beginning farmers.In this episode we talk to Michelle Kirk of Pennsylvania Farm Link. She gives her take on farmland succession planning, young farmers getting into the business and the services Pennsylvania Farm Link offers. For more information go to the Pennsylvania Farm Link website.

At 39 years old and with no underlying health conditions, Travis Duffy, a dairy farmer from Canastota, N.Y., doesn’t fall into the category of an “at-risk” COVID-19 patient. But he was unlucky. After being diagnosed with COVID-19 in early April, things took a turn for the worse and like many severely ill COVID patients, he went on a ventilator. Doctors only gave him a 10% chance of getting off the ventilator. But he beat the odds and after nearly a month in the hospital, he finally went home on May 7. We talked to Travis about his experience dealing with COVID-19 and his long road to recovery.

Alfredo Resindiz Rojo, a 23-year-old native of Clifton Springs, N.Y., is helping farmers in a different way by helping them protect their profits and businesses as a commodities trader in Chicago. We talked to Alfredo about growing up the son of a first-generation Mexican farmworker, how growing up in agriculture influenced his love for the business and his thoughts on getting more young people excited about future careers in agriculture and farming.

Farmers who direct market meat and produce have had to change their business plans as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Farmers who sell their products into farmers markets or are planning to hold pick-your-own strawberry events are finding it more difficult than ever with social distancing requirements this year. Karl Shlagel of Shlagel Farms in Waldorf, Md., and Amanda Hand of MKONO Farm of Huntingtown, Md., talk about how they’re adjusting to COVID-19 and the struggles they have encountered along the way.Links:Shlagel FarmsMKONO Farms

Ryan Murray runs a seasonal dairy farm in Truxton, N.Y. He markets organic milk through the Upstate Niagara Cooperative and has grown his farm from just 35 cows in 2013 to 100 cows this spring. He and his wife, Annie, welcomed the newest member to their family, Charles, just four months ago. Ryan talks about the struggles of the organic dairy sector and how he plans to stay in production well into the future.Links:Upstate Niagara CooperativeNortheast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance 2017 American Agriculturist story 

Bryan Harnish runs a 600-acre farm in Pequea, Pa. Last season he ventured into growing hemp for the CBD market and in this episode he talks about his first season growing the crop and how it fits into the overall operation. We also talk about handling the farm’s transition and even a little bit about wrestling!Links:https://www.farmprogress.com/crops/venturing-unknown-bryan-harnish-takes-chance-hemphttps://www.farmprogress.com/hemp/s-wrap-harnish-farm-s-first-hemp-harvest-winds-downhttps://www.farmprogress.com/hemp/it-s-getting-hot-bryan-harnish-s-hemp-plotshttps://www.farmprogress.com/hemp/testing-time-bryan-harnish-s-jungle-hemphttps://www.farmprogress.com/crops/so-far-so-good-bryan-harnish-s-hemp-plothttps://www.farmprogress.com/hemp/despite-late-harvest-harnishes-think-hemp-will-be-profitable 

Shelby Watson-Hampton co-owns Robin Hill Farm and Vineyard in Brandywine, Md., with her husband, and aunt and uncle. She writes the bimonthly Generation Now column for American Agriculturist, giving a fresh perspective of someone who is young and trying to make it as a farm owner.

Working with dairy cattle and growing crops are passions for 30-year-old Dan Lyness, a first-generation farmer and owner of  Spring Run Dairy LLC in Hunterdon County, N.J.