There’s nothing more inspiring than watching someone live her dream and love every minute. Laura Daniels, a Wisconsin dairy FarmHer, spoke at the 2nd Annual GROW by FarmHer conference in Ankeny, Iowa. She shared her #RootsinBoots story through a presentation entitled, “10 Life Hacks for the ‘Dirty Work’ of Being a Growing FarmHer.”

It didn’t take long for Laura to discover her passion. When she was 11 years old, she showed her first dairy heifer calf at the county fair. She loved it, and Laura knew then that she loved farming. Below are lessons she learned along the way:

1.      Don’t play dead. After sharing a story about an unfortunate opposum, Laura reminded us we are here for a reason. Take advantage of ALL the opportunities; don’t play dead. This is your chance to explore ideas, be vibrant and become involved in the ways that mean the most to you.

2.      Your passion is your power. Every person has a different set of work ethics, morals, values and leadership experiences. Take your passion and find a way to become influential for those looking for guidance. Your passion is your power; be as powerful as you can.

3.      Remember who packed your parachute. As life has it, none of got where we are on our own. Who helped you along the way, who was your role model? This may be a parent, teacher or advisor who helped you put your best interest first. Thank these people for helping you achieve what you have so far because they are the ones who packed your parachute.

4.      Share your magic shoes. Each one of us has special attributes to make us who we are. Use that and help others in a way that you would want to be helped. Never underestimate the value of teamwork and helping others because you can always accomplish more with help.

5.      Know your true grit. What is most important to you? Figure out the qualities you want out from friends or employees and keep those qualities consistent. Knowing what you look for others will help you stay authentic to yourself.

6.      Our progress will be held against us. The industry has developed and advanced substantially within the last few years. This progress can make others doubt our true integrity. Be ready to help educate and explain the positive advancements in the industry.

7.      YOU are the hitch pin. Imagine the farmer as the tractor and consumers as the wagon. YOU are the hitch pin. It is your responsibility to share the story of agriculture, especially your story. No one can share your story better than you can.

8.      IDK is OK. The agricultural industry is very broad, so not knowing every answer is okay. Saying “I don’t know that answer, but here is a resource that might help you find your answer” is okay! It’s impossible to know everything, so share what you can. 

9.     You need your sisters more than ever. Use the relationships and connections you have gained from school, activities and personal life to help you get where you’re going. Women are beginning to overcome the status quo, but there is still plenty of work to do to fully break the glass ceiling.

10.   Take the bull in life by the horns. Take advantage of the life you have and experience all it has to offer. As Laura said “take life by the horns.” Have no regrets and find a learning experience in it all.

Laura left us all with some great points to think about and utilize as we continue writing our #rootsinboots story. When sharing your story and helping educate others, it might help to keep in mind this nugget of truth that Laura shared at the GROW conference in Iowa: “Things have changed, farms have changed, the heart of the farmer has not.”

Find more inspiring #RootsinBoots stories below:

• Women in Ag: Tracing Amy Rohe’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Kilah Hemesath’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jenna Braun’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Ali Luety’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jessica Faust’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Josie Burgett’s #RootsinBoots

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Without strong women to help shape and manage our company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds would be a very different company than it is today. We understand the key roles women play in everything from purchasing seed to marketing grain, from public relations and event planning to sales and customer service. That’s why we’re celebrating women who are doing what they love. From now through November, we’re showcasing women in agriculture by telling their #RootsinBoots stories. Follow along and be inspired by FarmHers across Iowa!

We’re looking for women, ages 18 to 108, who have a passion for agriculture and are willing to share their farm stories. Simply post photos of yourself on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtags #RootsinBoots #LathamSeeds and #FarmHer. Let your personality and work ethic show. We want to see what a “day in the life” of you is like!

Because each woman in agriculture is unique, everyone who submits a photo of herself either working in the field or working with livestock will be entered to win a $500 shopping spree at Western Edge LTD. There’s no limit to the number of entries, so increase your chances by posting across platforms via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Go to https://www.lathamseeds.com/rootsinboots/ or click here for more information.

Autumn is many farmers’ favorite time of the year. That holds true for Blaine Perry, who farms with his son Andrew in Northwest Iowa. They’re busy harvesting the crop that will supply their livestock operation with feed.

“We feed 80 percent of the corn we raise, so keep corn for nine months before we haul any of it to town,” explains Blaine, who runs the combine while Andrew hauls grain from the field to the bins. They practice a 50:50 crop rotation, raising seed beans on contract.

When selecting corn hybrids, test weight is especially important. Blaine and Andrew typically spray fungicide because they want the highest quality corn going into their feed.

“We raise corn that feeds our hogs. Then we use the manure our hogs produce to fertilize our fields,” says Blaine. “When you think about it, our operation comes full circle. Hog manure is ‘organic,’ but many people just don’t realize that manure has such a high value.”

These independent pork producers have one nursery that supplies them with the pigs needed for their wean-to-finish operation. Conveniently, one mile away a neighbor built a feed mill. The Perrys haul their corn to the mill, which really helps with biosecurity. Blaine and Andrew are the only two who enter their buildings.

They credit controlling truck traffic and people inside their facilities for keeping their hogs healthier. When PEDV (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus) hit a few years ago, they tightened up security, and it worked.

Producing Pork is a Family Tradition

“Our family has practically been raising pigs since the got off the Mayflower,” says Andrew, who grew up also raising sheep, cattle and chickens. A Perry has been farming in Cherokee County for six generations. Blaine and his wife, Darlene, are the third generation to live on the home place near Aurelia.

Andrew lives Alta with his wife, Liz, and their 20-month-old daughter, Danika. Liz is a teacher at Cherokee Community School. She and Andrew started kindergarten together but didn’t start dating until college.

Farming is all Andrew says he ever wanted to do, so he studied Agribusiness at Iowa Lakes Community College for two years. Then he transferred to Northwest Missouri State where he earned a Bachelor of Technology degree in Agronomy.

When they’re not busy on the farm, this family enjoys taking tractor rides together. All three of Blaine and Darlene’s children enjoy riding together in Peterson’s Annual Trip on Old Tractors (PATOOT). Oldest son, Adam, is band teacher at Sioux Central and lives with is family in Peterson. Their daughter, Brooke, lives in Gilette, Wyoming.

In celebration of National Pork Month, today Andrew is sharing a recipe for Bacon Bourbon Apple Pie. He says Liz has this recipe down to perfection. So go ahead and enjoy the fruits of this season with a slice of life this weekend!

Kraft® recipes writes, “Crispy bacon streusel tops this fabulous apple pie laced with a hint of bourbon, making for a sweet and salty dessert.”

Five years ago when Josie Burgett was a freshman in high school, she didn’t know if pursing an ag career was the right fit. She had grown up on a farm but had gotten her fill of hard work and long hours. Sometimes our lives take a turn and we end up taking another path. That’s what happened to Josie when she accepted an internship with FarmHer, which promotes the image of women in agriculture and inspires women to pursue their passion.

“The FarmHer message has been a long time coming,” said Josie. “Women have always played an important role in agriculture, but they haven’t always been showcased. FarmHer gets people in agriculture excited. They hop onboard and want to be involved!”

Positive encouragement from her FFA Advisor prompted Josie to give FFA a chance. Little did she know that she would fall in love with the opportunity to communicate and promote agriculture. After holding two officer positions and participating in several FFA Career Development Events (CDEs), Josie knew she wanted to remain involved with agriculture.

Josie’s #RootsinBoots story began in Pleasantville, Iowa, where she grew up on a small hobby farm and enjoyed raising and showing pigs each summer. Her family is involved in the swine industry, which is where she found her interest in showing. She decided to attend Iowa State University to study Agricultural Business because she knew there were great opportunities within the agricultural industry and had heard good things about the program.

Upon graduation in May 2019, Josie hopes to obtain a position within the industry that allows her to utilize her interests in communications and actively advocate for the agricultural industry. She sees the importance of understanding the “big picture” and wants to be a recognized role model within the industry.

As a sophomore in college, Josie is in the midst of creating her story in agriculture. Josie took on many substantial roles in her summer internship with FarmHer, which demonstrates her drive and determination to accomplish tasks. She corresponded sponsorship for all four of the 2016-2017 national Grow events for young women in agriculture, traveled to various events such as the Iowa State Fair, and improved her design skills by running the website and social media channels. She loves to travel and speak with those interested in FarmHer, and she loves to see the support that comes from all communities.

“One of my favorite parts of advocating is when someone walks up and says, ‘oh my brother’s girlfriend, my sister-in-law, or my daughter would love this!’ FarmHer gets large amounts of support on all levels.”

Josie is passionate about sharing her love of agriculture with others, and she shares this advice with anyone else who was in her shoes five years ago: “Be confident. Be bold. Find people with your same interests and get involved in any way that you can.”

Josie’s future is bright, and we’re looking forward to the footprints she will make along the way!

Find more inspiring #RootsinBoots stories below:

• Women in Ag: Tracing Amy Rohe’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Kilah Hemesath’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jenna Braun’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Ali Luety’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jessica Faust’s #RootsinBoots

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Without strong women to help shape and manage our company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds would be a very different company than it is today. We understand the key roles women play in everything from purchasing seed to marketing grain, from public relations and event planning to sales and customer service. That’s why we’re celebrating women who are doing what they love. From now through November, we’re showcasing women in agriculture by telling their #RootsinBoots stories. Follow along and be inspired by FarmHers across Iowa!

We’re looking for women, ages 18 to 108, who have a passion for agriculture and are willing to share their farm stories. Simply post photos of yourself on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtags #RootsinBoots #LathamSeeds and #FarmHer. Let your personality and work ethic show. We want to see what a “day in the life” of you is like!

Because each woman in agriculture is unique, everyone who submits a photo of herself either working in the field or working with livestock will be entered to win a $500 shopping spree at Western Edge LTD. There’s no limit to the number of entries, so increase your chances by posting across platforms via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Go to https://www.lathamseeds.com/rootsinboots/ or click here for more information.

There were many issues I thought about addressing in this week’s blog: the presidential debates, the effects of flooding, plus Midwest farmers in the heart of fall harvest. Because I tend to tackle a lot of serious topics, today I decided to blog about something lighter. October is Pork month, so let’s talk #bacon!

“Bacon” is the one farming-related topic that you can Google and receive overwhelmingly positive responses. Meat candy is universally loved! Bacon is so beloved that Americans even ignore the false information put forth by government officials, who are charged with keeping us “healthy.”

Researching a topic that I’m writing about isn’t usually fun. Researching this post, however, has been a delight! As a disclaimer, I admit that not a lot of research is needed for many of my blog posts. I mostly write about my own experiences because I want to share what I know firsthand.

Our firsthand knowledge and experiences are what form our opinions. I’m always preaching that we must listen to the thoughts and beliefs of other people. This blog allows me to share my thoughts and beliefs with others. I’ve been totally immersed in farming my whole life, going back to the “good old days” of the fifties and sixties. We’ve learned so much about soil health and water quality since then, and I like to talk about the agricultural advancements that have been made.

But some things are so good from the beginning that “vast improvements” aren’t needed. Bacon has been nearly perfect for centuries!

Did you know that bacon was originally known as the meat of the common man? Higher priced cuts, such as pork chops and loins, were consumed by people who had more money. The “pork belly,” where most bacon comes from, was considered less desirable.

Here’s another fun fact you may not know: Bacon was originally salted to preserve meat before there were refrigerators. Cold farming regions could preserve some food better than warm farming regions. , so climate is a reason that some foods are grown in certain areas and not others. As you think about the world as a whole, there is so much diversity in agriculture because of need. It’s not just soil types that determine a crop. (“Soil type” is a common phrase to us farmers, but perhaps it’s not universally understood. NOTE TO SELF: Write future blog about how soils and climates affect what crops can be grown in an area.)

Now back to the good stuff… The high demand for bacon today has made pork belly the highest priced cut of pork. Pork bellies used to be a drag on the price of a pig I took to market, but now it’s the price leader. And for good reason!

Bacon enhances the flavor of any food. We all think of putting bacon on our burgers or using bacon to add flavor to green bean casserole. But have you tried bacon covered in chocolate? I’m not a big fan of chocolate, but I’ll eat it on bacon!

Anything wrapped in bacon is an instant appetizer… anything! A few years ago on a Franklin County Harvest Tour for bloggers, I tried mealworms. I’m not a fan, but maybe I could learn to eat mealworms wrapped in bacon. Just maybe.

People love their bacon so much that rock stars are singing about it. There are Facebook pages and festivals devoted solely to bacon. Touted by National Geographic’s Traveler magazine as “Iowa’s Best Food Festival,” thousands of tickets for the bacon festival in Des Moines literally sell out in minutes!

While celebrating pork this month, remember all the ways to enjoy your food. And, yes, enjoying food is what we need to do! The food fear mongers have an agenda. If you follow the money of any group that is against bacon, you’ll discover their motive. Bacon is the antidote to veganism!

Go ahead and enjoy that BBQ Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin and Bacon Ranch Slow Cooker Chicken. Pig out on that patty melt! It’s Pork Month after all. Live high on the hog!

The agriculture industry is one of the vastest industries in the United States. Abby Bultema of Beecher, Illinois, has had lots of opportunity to explore just how diverse agriculture is throughout the world.

Abby has roots in produce and row crop agriculture. She grew up selling her family’s produce at their farmstand where she learned how to work in the fields and developed retail marketing skills. Ten years ago, the Bultema family transitioned their produce business into greenhouses. They grow corn, soybeans, pumpkins and squash in fields. Inside the greenhouses, the Bultema family grows a wide assortment of vegetables and herbs, as well as annual and perennial flowers.

With experience like this, it’s no surprise to learn that Abby is majoring in Agronomy with a minor in Horticulture at Iowa State University. Ironically, she had no idea what she wanted to study until her senior year in high school. Her high school didn’t have an FFA program, and she was never a 4-H member.

“I took growing up on a farm for granted, I never thought there was anything more I could do in agriculture outside of farming,” said Abby. Then one night her dad suggested that she consider agronomy because she enjoyed the farm and knew a lot about it. After doing some research, Abby was opened up to the diverse possibilities a career in agriculture can hold.

Whether she’s abroad or at home, Abby is up for adventure. This college senior has gone on two international study abroad trips to New Zealand and Costa Rica. In New Zealand, she studied the dairy industry and the country’s pasture management systems. She also learned about the budding New Zealand horticulture crop export market. During Spring Break 2016, Abby toured coffee production facilities, mango and banana farms, orange groves and sugarcane plantations in Costa Rica.

Abby spent the summer interning with Forage Genetics International. Every week throughout her experience with FGI, she was in a different state visiting FGI research stations, attending meetings and riding with account managers of the internal seed brands. Abby also got to help develop marketing tools for FGI’s new low-lignin line of alfalfa, HarvXtra™. (BTW, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds sells this innovative alfalfa technology, so be sure to talk to your local Latham dealer about what HarvXtra™ can do for your alfalfa fields in 2017!)

Although she’s not yet sure which ag path she will travel once she earns her degree from ISU, Abby’s goal is to work in seed sales and eventually become a field agronomist for a seed company. Wherever she ends up, Abby knows that agriculture has plenty of avenues to go down.

“Everything in the agriculture industry kind of overlaps and plays off of each other,” said Abby. “Though I am going into crop production, there are opportunities for me to go into livestock feed or even nutrition. Every aspect of agriculture feeds into another aspect of agriculture.”

As one of the 51% of female students enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State, Abby is excited for the future of agriculture and what that means for women.

“Being a woman in agriculture means we have to be twice as smart, twice as confident and work twice as hard to prove our worth in this industry,” said Abby. “When someone says ‘farmer,’ you automatically picture a man. With more women pursuing careers in agriculture, we’re beginning to break that mold. Soon people won’t even think twice about seeing a FarmHer!”

Find more inspiring #RootsinBoots stories below:

• Women in Ag: Tracing Amy Rohe’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Kilah Hemesath’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jenna Braun’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Ali Luety’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jessica Faust’s #RootsinBoots

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Without strong women to help shape and manage our company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds would be a very different company than it is today. We understand the key roles women play in everything from purchasing seed to marketing grain, from public relations and event planning to sales and customer service. That’s why we’re celebrating women who are doing what they love. From now through November, we’re showcasing women in agriculture by telling their #RootsinBoots stories. Follow along and be inspired by FarmHers across Iowa!

Kayleigh Koch’s roots in boots runs deep. When she was a child, her parents couldn’t get her out of the tractor on their family’s corn and soybean operation in Hawkeye, Iowa.

Her favorite memory is the first time her dad let her plant. She started planting in the field right next to the driveway by their house. As luck would have it, she accidentally left a large triangle of unplanted ground. Not only did she have to see her mistake every day for the entire growing season, but her family also never let her live it down! Now she looks back on it and laughs. It was definitely a lesson she won’t forget, and she’s honed her planting skills over the years.

Kayleigh rented 20 acres of farm ground from her dad for her high school FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). She made all of the decisions for that land from seed selection and planting date to herbicides and harvest. Kayleigh had very little nerves starting out, because she had been helping her dad for years, and he continued to guide her throughout her SAE project. When she started, they had two drought years in a row, so corn prices were high. Even though yield was down, the prices compensated the yield loss so she was able to start out on a great foot on her first year. From using this as her SAE, she was able to successful earn her FFA American Degree. To earn this degree, an FFA member must earn $10,000. Kayleigh successfully reached that benchmark and was able to earn that profit over four years of selling corn and soybeans on the 20 acres. She will now have the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis this fall to receive the highest honor an FFA member can earn. As a result from this SAE, she gained a great appreciation for the detail and care that farmer’s put into their businesses.

During her junior year of high school, Kayleigh’s sister convinced her to buy steers and show them at the county fair. The girls didn’t grow up with livestock, but Kayleigh is thankful her sister pushed her to try something new. Kayleigh enjoyed learning about another facet of agriculture and wishes she had shown cattle her entire life! Kayleigh is a member of the North Fayette Valley FFA Chapter and have served various roles. She served as the Sophomore Vice-President, Secretary and President. As a junior in high school, she was elected to serve as the Northeast District Reporter.

Experiences in FFA and on her family farm led Kayleigh to major in Agricultural Business at Iowa State University with a minor in Entrepreneurial Studies and a focus on Agronomy. Before becoming involved with FFA, Kayleigh wanted to be an anesthesiologist. Looking back, she considers it lucky that pursuing a career in the medical field was just a phase.

“My classmates kept talking about Iowa State, and that’s when I realized how many career paths there are in the agriculture industry alone,” says Kayleigh.

Anybody active in the agriculture industry knows how vast the opportunities are, and Kayleigh admits that this fact can be a bit daunting! Kayleigh considers the flexibility of an ag degree to be a blessing because she’s not afraid to blaze her own trail in agriculture. She is open minded about where her career path will take her, but she does know that she wants to own a business one day. She plans to be active in her community and do everything she can to promote the agriculture industry. Currently, she is an ambassador for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State and gets to promote both agriculture and Iowa State’s diverse opportunities in the life sciences. When recruiting young female agriculture enthusiasts, she likes to use these three selling points:

1. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University is 51% female which proves that women are a growing demographic that is making a larger impact on the agriculture industry than ever before.
2. The ag industry is very tight-knit. Everyone knows each other, and it’s like one big family!
3. There is something in the industry for everyone. Follow your passion and don’t be afraid to stand out.

Kayleigh has used her involvement in FFA and at Iowa State to build a promising career. This past summer, she was an agronomy sales intern for Heartland Cooperative at its Prairie City location. She got to work with agronomists, deliver seed to farmers, scout fields, and attend BASF, Winfield and Helena Chemical events to increase her knowledge in agronomy.

“Let’s just say that I learned way more about weeds, insects and diseases than I ever planned on,” says Kayleigh. “But I loved every second of it! I love knowing that what I learned this summer, I will be able to utilize in any future career.”

While scouting fields for farmers, Kayleigh noticed that some farmers didn’t take her scouting as seriously as she did. Whether that is because she is a female or she’s just young, she has learned that you have to work to gain trust in this industry, but she’s up for the challenge!

“Being a woman in agriculture may mean we have to work a little hard and dig a little deeper to earn respect and trust,” says Kayleigh. “But the challenge is what makes this career path a true blessing.”

Find more inspiring #RootsinBoots stories below:

• Women in Ag: Tracing Amy Rohe’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Kilah Hemesath’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jenna Braun’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Ali Luety’s #RootsinBoots
• Women in Ag: Tracing Jessica Faust’s #RootsinBoots

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Without strong women to help shape and manage our company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds would be a very different company than it is today. We understand the key roles women play in everything from purchasing seed to marketing grain, from public relations and event planning to sales and customer service. That’s why we’re celebrating women who are doing what they love. From now through November we’ll be showcasing women in agriculture by telling their #RootsinBoots stories. Follow along and be inspired by FarmHers across Iowa!

This past week a friend told me that CNBC is interested in visiting with a panel of Iowa to farmers about agricultural issues and the presidential election. Of course, this started my thinking process!

It’s ironic that farmers’ opinions are sought out by media. Consumer surveys show farmers are respected. Yet, there’s a vocal minority that disconnects on certain issues.

Farmers are salt-of-the-earth types of people. It comes with the job! Just when I think I’ve got the farming thing figured out, Mother Nature makes sure every year is different! Weather, disease, bugs, viruses… there is an endless list of problems with which farmers must address. In addition, it takes an enormous amount of money to get crops and livestock to market. Farming is a complicated business!

So when a major television news network comes to the farm and asks questions, we need to be respectful of their interest. But can we use this as a platform to share our knowledge about other subjects dear to us? Can we talk about how the environment and conservation are always top of mind with us? After all, nature is our livelihood! We see how GMOs fit in to the whole world’s food production system and understand that GMOs make conservation possible.

Thirty-five years ago when I first tried no-till farming, it was a struggle. Modern plant genetics, combined with machinery and equipment advancements, make no-till farming possible today. Will I be able to convince people who don’t understand agriculture about the benefits of these practices because I’m a farmer?

Several articles this past week in The Des Moines Register mention farmers state that farmers are finally realizing the need to keep our water clean. Say what!?! This newspaper makes it sound like farmers are the last people to think about water quality! Where’s that trust and interest in what a farmer knows?

We get such mixed signals about how smart and how clueless farmers are. In addition to worrying about the weather, insects and disease, we must also be concerned about “perception.” Understanding the public’s concerns is a big hurdle we must continually overcome. When opportunity comes to the farm, let’s grab hold and use the moment!