Tools For Today's Farmers

Jason Barber, known to most people as Duck, lives in a small rural area in southern middle Tennessee. He's an eighth generation cattle farmer, operate a 100+ acre farm, and grows approximately 30 head of beef cattle, and harvest hay. Doing all of this, while at the same time being legally blind. Duck was diagnosed with a retinal disease, retinitis pigmentosa in 1999. He was then deemed legally blind in 2009. With retinitis pigmentosa, at this time, there is no cure or treatment. Duck also serves as the assistant chief at the local volunteer fire department. He is able to accomplish many task on his farm, with the assistance of a lot of assistive technologies. One major contributor is the national AGR ability program. Let's listen to how Duck farms blind.

Find Duck on these socials: https://www.facebook.com/farmingblindwithduck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavOG6AGpwU

https://www.youtube.com/@jasonbarber5643

Colleen Carpenter provides evidence-based training and targeted consultation to build long-term capacity to prevent suicide and improve mental wellness. Her mission is to help organizations and communities tighten their safety nets so that people who are struggling with suicide and mental health issues are identified and helped. Besides providing training and consultation, she is the Director of Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana coalition and Allen County’s Governor’s Challenge veteran suicide prevention project called Action Over Silence: End Veteran Suicide. She also sits on numerous local and state level mental health and suicide-related committees, including the Indiana Suicide Prevention Network’s advisory board. In early 2024 she became a Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) facilitator to help individuals identify the tools that keep them well and create action plans to maintain mental wellness. She has master’s degrees from Loyola University Chicago (sociology) and the University of North Carolina (public health). She has won local and national awards for her work in suicide prevention. She is also a survivor of her Uncle John’s suicide.Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana: Find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram (@stopsuicideneindiana)

Meet Emily Grant, a passionate advocate for mental health in agriculture and a freshman at Purdue University studying Agriculture Communications. With a standout FFA career and a deep-rooted love for the industry, Emily founded “The Whole Farmer”—a social media platform dedicated to the mental, physical, social, and spiritual well-being of farmers, ranchers, and agriculturalists.

Through her work, she collaborates with top organizations to break the stigma around mental health in agriculture. Emily also runs a livestock and western photography business and raises purebred show cattle. Don’t miss this inspiring episode as she shares her journey, insights, and tools for navigating farm stress.

📲 Follow Emily: @thewholefarmer (Instagram & Facebook)
🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!

Emily Meckel is the founder and executive director of Hancock County Poss-ABILITIES. Emily alongwith her husband Justin and daughter Emery own and operate Sunshine Valley Farm in Carthage,Indiana. She also works with Justin, at Meckel Construction. She is most importantly Emery’s mom,the inspiration for Poss-ABILITIES. Emily is a lifelong Hancock County resident and met her husbandJustin in 2010, they later married and after the birth of their daughter, Emily wanted to developsomething that Emery could be involved in with her peers; que the birth of Hancock County PossABILITIES.Because of Emery, Emily has become an avid advocator for her daughter and all children who areunique. Emery is the Sunshine in Emily’s life and she has taught Emily resilience, determination, andhas completely enriched her life.Emily’s heart is truly fierce for Hancock Couty Poss-ABILITIES. She is truly passionate about advocatingfor all children and letting children know that it is okay to be yourself, even if that means different.Watching her daughter, Emery, thrive with her peers and in the barn, she knew she needed to sharethis opportunity with the youth in her community. “Creating a fun environment where my daughtercan be like all her peers is something I was striving for. Something to share with kiddos like mydaughter, who bear a disability. A chance for her to be who she is, a little girl. My goal is to breakinvisible barriers, and create a fun, happy, learning environment for all the youth and familiesinvolved; all while incorporating livestock.”Follow on Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/hancockcopossabilities

Join us as we talk with Rosalind Kidwell, the 2025 Miss American Angus. She is a freshmanat Purdue University studying Biochemistry with the intention of going to Pharmacy school to be aVeterinary Pharmacist. Rosalind is a 5th generation Angus breeder and has been around cattle her entire life. She hastraveled all over the country exhibiting cattle and continues travelling but with a new goal,advocating for the amazing Angus cattle!Find her on social media: Facebook- American Angus AuxiliaryInstagram- missamericanangus2025

Don Lamb is the Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, re-appointed by Governor Mike Braun on Dec. 23, 2024. He reports directly to Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, who serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Don is a second-generation farmer for Lamb Farms in Boone County where, alongside his father, brother, and nephews, they produce corn, popcorn, seed soybeans and seed wheat. They also own two other enterprises, including AgRecycle which is a composting business and Lamb Farms Agronomy which provides neighboring farmers with agronomy products and services. Don stays involved in management aspects of the farm and joins in operations whenever he can.

Blaine Hitzfield is the CEO of Seven Sons, a five-hundred acre regenerative farm he operates and cofounded with his parents and six brothers. Blaine’s entrepreneurial spirit ignited early, helping transformSeven Sons from a struggling family farm into a thriving business that serves 20,000 families annuallywith regenerative foods. Beyond Seven Sons, Blaine co-founded GrazeCart, an e-commerce platform thatempowered over 400 farms to direct-market $70 million in regenerative foods annually. In late 2023,Blaine and his partner successfully sold and exited this bootstrapped business.Blaine’s expertise in regenerative agriculture has led him to deliver keynote addresses at numerousagriculture conferences. He’s co-host of the Food-Chain-Wars Podcast, where he and his brother Brooksteach farm-to-fork brands how to scale their businesses. He also co-leads workshops on his family’s farm,sharing unique principles that have shaped Seven Sons’ success. His family farm has been written aboutand mentioned in publications such as Scientific American, The Washington Post, Women’s Health, andMidwest Living.Despite his business accomplishments, Blaine’s greatest pride lies in his family. He’s been married to hishigh school sweetheart, Charis, for 18 years, and together they homeschool their six children. His faith inJesus Christ is the foundation of his life, providing hope, strength, and redemption through everychallenge.Blaine’s story reminds us that even in the midst of life’s toughest seasons, there’s always a path toredemption and growth. He’s passionate about helping others recognize the potential for renewal inboth their businesses and their personal lives.

Find them on their social media:

- https://www.facebook.com/sevensonsfarms/ - https://www.instagram.com/sevensonsfarms/?hl=en- https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaine-hitzfield-50694839

Brian Reisinger grew up on a family farm in Sauk County, Wisconsin and lives to tell the hidden stories of rural America. A columnist and consultant, Reisinger worked with his father from the time he could walk, before entering the worlds of business journalism and public policy. He has been published by USA Today, Newsweek, Yahoo News, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network, PBS/Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life,” The Daily Yonder, RealClearPolitics, The Hill, The Wisconsin State Journal, The Cap Times, Saving Country Music, and many other news, policy, outdoor, and cultural publications. Reisinger’s writing has won awards from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, first place in the Seven Hills Literary Contest, a Solas Award, and more. He lives with his wife and daughter, and helps lead Midwestern-based Platform Communications, splitting time between a small town in northern California and the family farm in southern Wisconsin. Land Rich, Cash Poor is his first book. Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561679438759

Amazon link to book:

https://www.amazon.com/Land-Rich-Cash-Poor-Disappearing/dp/1510779981/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 Website: https://www.brian-reisinger.com/

Dr. Kelli Werling is the Deputy Director of the Animal Programs Division and the Director of Swine Health at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. In this role, she oversees development and implementation for a variety of regulatory animal health programs, including but not limited to livestock disease preparedness and response activities.

Dr. Werling grew up on a Central Indiana sheep and grain farm and attended Purdue University's College of Agriculture, where she graduated with a degree in Animal Sciences with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and a minor in Biological Sciences in 2013. Dr. Werling graduated from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 and joined the Indiana State Board of Animal Health as a field veterinarian and began serving as the agency's Director of Swine Health. In 2024, Dr. Werling was named the Deputy Director for the Animal Programs Division.

Annie Cole currently serves as the Youth Leadership & Resilience Manager for a national Nonprofit called Bring Change to Mind. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and is currently a master’s candidate at IU Indianapolis and will graduate in 2025 with a Masters of Public Affairs with a concentration in Innovation & Social Change.

She is a passionate educator and advocate with a commitment to youth. Annie has a background in trauma informed care and psychology and started her career in the public-school classroom teaching 4th grade. She uses her classroom experience to amplify student voices and bring change to the way in which we approach mental health in our communities. She is a firm believer we can change the world by starting with our youth.

Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), co-founded by actress Glenn Close in 2010, is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating dialogue around mental health, and to raising awareness, understanding and empathy. In 2015, BC2M launched a student-led initiative at the high school level aimed at increasing awareness and education about mental health in a supportive environment. Their evidence-based, youth-led club program gives tweens and teens a platform to share their voices, empowers students to educate one another, and creates a culture of peer support within schools. Currently, they work with over 540 high schools, in 43 states and empowering 12,000+ students each school year. Indiana, one of BC2M’s largest regions, has a mighty community of 90 high schools and 40 middle schools across the entire state.

When she’s not working or going to school, she loves enjoying a cup of coffee with a friend or a walk with her 2 y/o pup, Poppy.

Website: https://www.bringchange2mind.org

IG: @bringchangetomind @bc2mhighschool @annie_bc2m

Tiktok: @bringchangetomind Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/annie-cole-7a7a9411a

Amanda Radke is a fifth generation rancher from Mitchell, SD. Alongside her husband, Tyler, and their four children, they operate Radke Land & Cattle, an Angus seedstock operation.

A former National FFA Extemp Speaking Champion and National Beef Ambassador, Radke has spent nearly 20 years on the road fighting to keep agricultural families on the land, rural main street businesses thriving, and an abundance of food on the dinner table.

Amanda is an entrepreneur at heart and wears many hats, in addition to being a ranch mom. She’s the host of “The Heart of Rural America” podcast and radio show, a syndicated columnist, a western retailer, a cattle industry consultant with CK6, a partner in a new auction platform called Bid On Beef, and a children’s book author focused on promoting ag literacy in schools.

She also currently serves as an appointee on the National Agriculture Campaign Advisory Council, where she provides industry insights on ag policy discussions to the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee.

And when she’s not on the road, you can find her wrangling cattle and rowdy kids. She’s most at home on the ranch, where her love of the land, livestock, and community is rooted in boots-on-the ground work — with plenty of muddy boots and dirty coveralls to prove.

Follow on socials

www.amandaradke.com

www.bidonbeef.com

www.radkelandandcattle.com

www.ck6consulting.com

www.ck6source.com

I’m on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, TikTok & my podcast, “Heart of Rural America” airs on Wednesdays on Apple + Spotify

Calli Thorne is a keynote speaker, global leadership trainer, mindset coach, and multi-business entrepreneur. She is married to her husband CJ and they have three young children. Calli grew up on her family’s farm and ranch in northwest North Dakota and today they operate multiple enterprises including a backgrounding feedlot, cow/calf operation, and sell beef directly to consumers. They just recently took on a new endeavor and purchased a local beef processing facility. My speaking/training/leadership page: https://www.facebook.com/PioneeringLegacy

Our ranch page: https://www.facebook.com/TriangleMRanchAndFeedlot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callithorne/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callithorne/ My personal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/calli.thorne/

Join us with Maddy and Brady from the NJSA as we talk all things swine, leadership, and even mental health in the shows. Maddy and Brady are unique in their fields and experience.

Renee Wiatt serves as the Family Business Management Specialist for the Purdue Institute for Family Business housed in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. She also serves as the research and extension specialist for the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, where she studies the intersection of rural businesses and healthcare. Renee works on Extension and applied research in family-business interface and balance, succession, and family business management. She is a member of the Purdue Extension Succession Planning Team, working on programming and directly with families to guide them through some steps in the succession planning process. Ed is a Purdue Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources and County Extension Director in Huntington County. He has degrees in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Education from Purdue University. His focus areas are field crop production and farm business management. Prior to pursuing a career in Extension, Ed worked with farmers in New York and Indiana as a loan officer. His roots are in southwest Indiana where his family has a farming operation

Todd Price serves as the Vice President of Operations at Farm Foundation. Todd was raised on his family’s 170-year-old grain and livestock farm in southwest Iowa. He received a bachelor’s degree from Simpson College and is a 2014 graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership program. Actively involved in various agricultural organizations, he currently serves as a board member for his local Farm Bureau and volunteers his time with the Glenview Clovers 4-H club and the local FFA chapter.

Join us and the entire Indiana team from CareSource to learn about their initiatives in helping agriculture families get the help they need with medical care and more.

Emily Mullen is a 2019 grad from The Ohio State University - ATI. Upon graduation Emily returned home to her  family's 125 year old dairy farm in southwest Ohio. Knowing the key to survival as a small producer is diversification, Emily has since expanded the farm from cows and plows to bottling her own milk and events as far-fetched as calf yoga. She has also built a new facility incorporating a robotic milker and provides behind the scenes tours to schools and other groups in the community.

FaceBook: The Mullen Dairy & Creamery 

TikTok/ Instagram: The.M.D.C

Kourtney, a present Sophomore at Purdue University, is diligently pursuing a dual major in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Economics, specializing in Agricultural Law and Policy. Her academic pursuits reflect a commitment to comprehensively understanding the intricate intersection of agriculture, economics, and legal frameworks.

Post-Purdue, Kourtney envisions furthering her educational journey by obtaining a Law degree, driven by a passionate aspiration to act as a catalyst in bridging the divide between agriculturalists and policymakers. Her desire is to contribute to the development of nuanced and informed agricultural policies that harmonize with the needs of the industry.

Beyond her academic endeavors, Kourtney showcases her literary and artistic talents as a published author and illustrator. Her inaugural work, "The Young American Farmer," stands as a captivating children's book strategically designed to foster agricultural literacy. This literary creation serves as a catalyst for elevated discourse surrounding the profound impact of agriculture on our daily lives.

Kourtney's leadership acumen has been exemplified through her tenure as the State President for Indiana FFA from 2021-2022, where she demonstrated a commitment to advancing agricultural education and fostering a sense of community among aspiring agriculturists.

Currently, Kourtney occupies a significant role as an Intern for USDA-FSA, where she actively engages in the practical aspects of agricultural policy, gaining invaluable insights that complement her academic pursuits.

Marshal Sewell was raised on his family’s fifth generation fruit and vegetable farm in Plant City, Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida, he began a career in the vegetable seed industry. He currently works with Bayer Vegetable Seeds as a member of their Global Strategic Accounts team. His personal farm experience and his professional work across the produce business have given him a close look at stress and challenges in agriculture. Outside of work, he and his family are active advocates for mental health and stress management, both in- and out of agriculture. Through their Mind Your Melon platform, they seek to inspire healthier minds through proactive lifestyles. 

Website: mindyourmelon.org

Facebook: @Mind Your Melon

Instagram: @mindurmelon

Proud to have been born and raised in Evansville, 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Indiana Suzanne Crouch is a lifelong Hoosier.

Constitutionally, as lieutenant governor, Crouch serves as the President of the Indiana Senate. Statutorily, the lieutenant governor oversees a portfolio of agencies that includes the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) and Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC). Additionally, she chairs the Indiana Mental Health Roundtable, Intellectual and Development Disabilities Task Force, The Indiana Main Street Council, INVets and the Civics Education Commission.

From 2014 to 2017, Crouch served as Indiana’s State Auditor. Before becoming State Auditor, she represented House District 78, which encompasses parts of Vanderburgh and Warrick counties, in the Indiana House of Representatives. She was a state representative for nine years.

Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, the lieutenant governor spent eight years as auditor of Vanderburgh County.

Website: lg.in.gov

Facebook: Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch

LinkedIn: Office of Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch

Twitter: @LGSuzanneCrouch

Instagram: @lgsuzannecrouch

Join us as Kaitlin, a sophomore at Delta High School, shares how she manages it all. As a 8 year 4H Member, a junior leader, and participates in extra curriculars at school- she keeps a simple perspective for managing her stress.

Joining us today is Dr. Engel the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. We are excited for you to hear about his vision and plan moving forward with both the college of Agriculture at Purdue University and Extension. Follow Dr. Engel on the social media outlets listed below:

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/PurdueAgDean and https://twitter.com/PurdueAg

Website: https://ag.purdue.edu/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purdue_ag/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PurdueAg/

Bailey DeGroat, is a third-year veterinary student at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. While she is juggling veterinary school she is also a business owner of The Turquoise Vet, and a woman in agriculture empowering others to discuss mental health.

To find more information and resources check out:

• Instagram & Facebook: @theturquoisevet
• Website: theturquoisevet.com
• Etsy: TheTurquoiseVet

Jenna is no stranger to Purdue Extension. Her heart and passion is in Extension but goes deeper into her hometown roots. Join us and Jenna as we talk all things farm stress, women in ag, and future programs you might want to be involved in!

Join us as we talk about Progressive Ag Safety Days and how important they are for our future young farmers and youth interested in agriculture. If you want more information about Progressive Ag Days follow the link below!

https://www.progressiveag.org/

Join us with Claire Bishop the reigning Indiana State Fair Queen!

Aimee Inskeep and Lynsee Pullen grew up on their family’s swine and grain operation along with showing pigs across the United States. Aimee and Lynsee returned home to work on the family farm – Shaffer Goldrush, a show pig operation. They work alongside their family in this multigenerational business selling semen, show pigs, and breeding stock across the United States.

These ladies wear many different hats in their daily lives! Listen in to hear them share more about being a mother, working on their family operation, and how they juggle work and life!!

Check out their website at: https://www.shaffergoldrush.com/

Welcome, Jennifer, Emmett, and Bennett to the show. This family has used their journey with a farm accident, tragedy, and grief to create a small business to help their fellow farming families caught in similar situations. If you or someone you know is suffering please use the Indiana 988 line by call or text to get help in times of crisis.

Gracie Lee from Randolph County joins us on the show today. She shares her non-traditional entrance into Agriculture, her current projects, and future plans.

Joe is a recently retired Army Colonel who specialized in Logistics and Information Management. His 30 years in the military brought him to Afghanistan, Iraq, and many other countries. He developed not only a drive to get the mission done, but a desire to help people. After two tours in the Pentagon and meeting the AgrAbility Veteran team in 2016 at a workshop he decided that agriculture was going to be his focus in retirement and helping Veterans is his passion.

He is the founder of At Ease Orchard, a non-profit that is focused on getting Veterans, First Responders and their family members into Beekeeping and other farm activities. Over the past two years At Ease Orchard has provided over 20 hives, mentorship, and training to their beneficiaries. He also manages his property with 250 apple trees as well as 8 beehives. Joe is also the Secretary of the Farmer Veteran Coalition Indiana Chapter.

Joe is currently the Veteran Outreach Coordinator for AgrAbility where he mentors Veterans on Veteran specific resources and provides guidance to dozens of Veterans every month on pursuing their passion on getting into Agriculture.

Dr. John graduated from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and joined the Princeton Veterinary Hospital team in 2005. He loves that every day at work is different and fun, which makes it not be work! He has served as the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association President to help give back to the organization and profession that he loves.  Dr. John is also very involved in the local community with Gibson County Farm Bureau, Gibson County Fair Board, and the Gibson County Antique Machinery Club. He loves relaxing at the end of the day with his family on their farm.

Dr. Egger is the Learning & Development Lead at AgReliant Genetics, Westfield, IN. In her role, she focuses on her two passions – people and leadership development. She thrives on the combination of the two while inspiring managers and leaders of people to maximize the performance of their teams. She specializes in training, facilitating groups, coaching, and professional and leadership development. She is a trusted leader in career development, as well as leadership coaching. Additionally, she has been instrumental in leading the AgReliant Women’s Network which provides a platform for AgReliant women to connect and engage in growth opportunities.

The team has a discussion with Jen Dalton from WKRC-TV in Cincinnati discusses mental health .

Today we talk with the team that puts together these podcast . We look at what we have done in the past and what we are looking forward to in the future with this progam.

Join Mary Adair, the Tourism Director of Jay County Indiana, as she discusses her agriculture background and how she uses that to market events to the community.

Welcome back to the 2nd part of our interview with Elise. Join in the conversation as Elise has a  frank conversation with Abby and Rachel about her struggles with mental health and  the ways she has dealt with those challenges.

Elise Koning has a conversation about the stress of having a small farm in Indiana and also the struggles of being a migrant worker in a foreign country. Tune in today, but stick around for part 2 next week!

Join us as we talk with Stephanie from Jacob's Family Apple Orchard in New Castle Indiana. We learned so much about the family operation and the community of orchards in Indiana.

Interview with Sandy Hacker from Bippus State Bank. As a local agriculture loan officer Sandy gives her thoughts, ideas, and hopes about the finance side of farming and agriculture.

Join us and Stacy Clupper from Ivy Tech Marion campus as we talk about the agriculture program and what students learn during an Ivy Tech educational program.

Kimber wears a lot of hats at Purdue University. She's been with Purdue for 18 years! She's currently the MESA Director at Purdue University. Kimber works with Latinx and farm worker families to strengthen and encourage their day-to-day life in agriculture. Please take a listen to her fantastic work and story!

Kelly is a jack of all trades. But you may recognize his voice as the voice of Purdue Football Sidelines. Kelly's time at Purdue in athletics has served him well both personally and professionally. Today we will talk with Kelly about his involvement with agriculture and what he's teaching future generations about its importance. 

Bec Wicker a farmer,  former Crop insurance manager and Purdue Women In Agriculture award winner talks about stresses on the family farm and using insurance as a way to help mitigate some of the stress on the farm. 

We talk to farm safety expert Ed Sheldon about farm safety and farm stress. 

Maddie Caldwell holds an impressive resume in the FFA and pork industry.  But in this episode, we will talk about the importance of mental health, especially with families and youth. This episode is a "can't miss" one! 

Join us as we talk with Kady about family farming, the stress it can cause, how she copes, and her role with the Ohio Soils & Water office and a program she's managing.  

Learn how to share the road with farm equipment and look out for those slower-moving agriculture machines. 

Join the Farm Stress Team as we interview Rob Braun, former Cincinnati TV News Anchor and now farmer in Kentucky. In this episode, we hear about Rob's journey to doing what he enjoys. Rob talks about the good and bad that come with farming and how he has overcame some challenges along the way. You won't want to miss this.