Fireside Chats, Episode 107: American Farming
Added 2019-09-18 16:00:03 +0000 UTCVirtually every culture in the world has a tradition of agriculture, but America takes it to the next level. In fact, the United States takes farming so seriously that, even in a country of 330 million people, the country exports around $150 billion worth of grown and raised food a year, making it a powerhouse on which many other nations rely. Today's guest, Will Thelander, is an Arizonan farmer that provides incredible perspective on what it's like to be part of America's booming agricultural economy, and what kinds of demands both society and the market place on family operations like his. From buying water and securing seeds to placing your bet on the right crops and navigating complex local, state, and federal politics, American Farming is quite the complicated enterprise, as you're about to find out.
Comments
I'd totally have you on Fireside Chats if we were continuing it past November. <3 Your business is a fascinating one!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-30 00:19:04 +0000 UTC@colin. I was inspired by this this episode. I graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelors in agribusiness and ended up with a job farm loans. I currently work for the FSA or Farm Service Agency in Kansas. We mostly make government subsidized loans to small and beginning farmers (less than 1,000 acres as noted in this podcast) Most ppl we loan to also have to have some sort of non-farm job to make ends meet. Farming is tough with the current economy and we loan to the most risky operations out there to give ppl a chance in a world where farming is going more corporate. In western Kansas we are also dependent on Colorado from the Arkansas river. If your wanna know know more about agriculture lending let me know. :)
Crusader
2019-09-29 08:36:12 +0000 UTCHey, thanks! =)
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-26 20:27:00 +0000 UTCFellow professional farmer here. Your guest was totally on the ball! I literally clapped out loud in my tractor for some of the things he said. Happy harvest, everybody!
Red
2019-09-26 13:45:01 +0000 UTCJust finished listening. My two cents for those interested in this topic. From a Midwest dairy background their was plenty to learn about southwest Ag management especially from a water conservation point. Many of his points are very spot on to Ag as a whole like GMO benifits, markets and trade issues and how the industry works as a whole. The only major difference I can observe is the ability he has to change crops and commodities. With Dairy, it takes years to establish efficient herds unlike crops where you have the flexibility to adapt to market trends. All of dairy's output is directly influenced by the government in both trade and policy. It's these two reasons why dairy subsidies are in place and even with them, many dairy farms are going out of business for other reasons out of their control. If you ever stumble in the MN area let me know I'll give you a tour. Thanks again.
Zugdar
2019-09-26 01:18:10 +0000 UTCI hope you enjoy!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-25 21:29:48 +0000 UTCThank you for listening.
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-25 21:29:36 +0000 UTCI'm in a 5th generation dairy family in Southern MN and currently teach Agriculture in high school. It's crazy how removed people are from modern farming and how far it's come the last 50 years. Can't wait to listen in later today.
Zugdar
2019-09-25 17:32:49 +0000 UTCThis was a super interesting interview! Neat hearing about how farming works in the SW US. I’m from the northern plains and the water aspect is completely different. Thanks for doing this.
Nick DeBoer
2019-09-20 12:18:31 +0000 UTCThank you!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-20 04:00:13 +0000 UTCWell he's got a perspective on 'em, no?
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-20 04:00:05 +0000 UTCAgriculture is very, very interesting to me!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-20 03:59:49 +0000 UTCThank you!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-20 03:59:40 +0000 UTCReally enjoyed this one, found the subject matter fascinating. A perspective I've never heard from before. Also enjoyed Colin fangirling over farming in general haha, great episode! 😁
Captain Canada
2019-09-20 00:10:11 +0000 UTCI really didn’t think this episode would be interesting to me, holy fuck was I wrong. What a great episode!
Dennis Fox
2019-09-19 23:57:14 +0000 UTCLoved this episode!
Jonathon H
2019-09-19 23:33:13 +0000 UTCAhh a Monsanto apologist-great 😒
Ethan
2019-09-19 21:53:31 +0000 UTCLandscaping in Arizona must be a fucking nightmare. (I was a landscaper in Boston and summers were brutal there... I can't even imagine.)
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-19 21:45:15 +0000 UTCNow that's rustic!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-19 21:44:56 +0000 UTCThanks!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-19 21:44:49 +0000 UTCwow super interesting topic. I'm a landscaper myself in Mesa, Arizona and see some good size farms from time to time and always wondered about the whole process. glad I finally became a patron.
Devin Groover
2019-09-19 14:40:47 +0000 UTCI was very excited when I saw this episode incoming. I grew up on a seed corn farm and my family still farms there. It was not for me though and I always thought this would make for an excellent topic for fireside chats. Great episode and good job Will.
Trent Miller
2019-09-18 23:35:14 +0000 UTCFascinating episode and made me want to learn more about farming / agriculture. Awesome work
Ryan Taylor
2019-09-18 21:29:21 +0000 UTCThank you!
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-18 19:06:48 +0000 UTCTHAT IS FUNNY, isn't it.
Colin Moriarty
2019-09-18 18:55:01 +0000 UTCThis was one of my favorites in a while! Great topic that was interesting and an incredibly well spoken guest.
Mitch Krassin
2019-09-18 18:49:54 +0000 UTCFunny how this is uploaded literally minutes after I was thinking about how crops are harvested
Connor Peterman
2019-09-18 16:02:54 +0000 UTC
