Ben Randle is general manager at GDW Farms LLC, which is a turkey farm.  After a career as an electrician, Ben took on a new role as a farmer, where he helps raise turkeys from one-day to 20-weeks old.  In Hamilton, he’s the assistant basketball coach and school board...

Lori Hedrick and her husband Jeff own The Wild Pumpkin, where families can visit a petting farm, navigate a 1000-bale maze, go down mega-slides, play in the corn box, eat warm donuts, and of course, get pumpkins.  Outside of the farm, Lori also is a special needs...

Madeline Meyer is a senior at Michigan State University, majoring in animal science and minoring in food processing and technology. She’s from a dairy farm in Ionia, and she grew up being involved in the farm, 4-H, and FFA.  She’s now active in the MSU Dairy Club, MSU...

Sarah Zastrow founded Bay Area Wellness to help people deal with pain, stress, and their mental health.  She and her husband have a crop farm, plus she is from a farm, and she is invested in providing stress management resources to farmers.  She enjoys traveling to...

Sara Reisinger is the event planner and manager at Leaman's Green Applebarn in Freeland.  This year, her family’s farm and agritourism business is celebrating its 130th anniversary. In addition to a corn maze, apple picking, and movie nights, they also host very...

Noelle Nachreiner has the dual role of Executive Director of the Michigan Ag Council and Manager of the Agent Charitable Fund for Farm Bureau Insurance.  Noelle and her husband recently moved from Indiana back to Michigan with their dog, Hank the Tank.  Noelle’s past...

Claire Smith certainly didn’t want to work on her family’s seventh generation farm, but when her parents suggested trying to grow teff, she was intrigued.  Teff is an ancient grain that’s a main ingredient in Teffola, a nutty grain granola they now make, sell, and...

Taylor Truckey is the Farm Engagement Manager at AgVend.  She at first thought she wanted to work in another area, but her hobby farm and 4-H background convinced her she wanted to work in agriculture.  She is helping pay off her student loans by running her own...

Kevin Robson grew up and still works on his family’s farm, called Robson’s Greenhouse, which started in 1929.  He also works for Michigan Farm Bureau Insurance as an Agribusiness Specialist, and he is the Executive Director of the Michigan Blueberry Commission.  He...

Jeno Rivera is part of Urbandale Farm in Lansing, as well as Director of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program at Michigan State University.  She is a former high school ag teacher and professor in the MSU Residential College for Arts and Humanities.  She roller...

When Triston Cole met his own representatives as part of his teenage 4-H Capitol Experience, he never pictured becoming an elected official. But after starting his own farm and becoming involved with policy, he changed his mind. When he’s not working for his...

Dede Beck of Uncle John’s Cider Mill is running a business that has the goal of giving people of all ages to do something together. She works in accounting, merchandising, hiring, training – you name it, all for the 50,000 visitors that come each fall weekend. She,...

Elizabeth Taylor is the Ag Relations & Communications Manager at Michigan Sugar. She’s in charge of a long list of events and programs, but her most recent exciting project is Cream & Sugar, a gourmet ice cream shop opening in Bay City. She likes being with...

Adam Dietrich is an apple and cherry farmer in Conklin. After starting as a pre-med major at Michigan State University, it took six months until he decided he wanted to work on his family’s farm. He switched over to horticulture, engaged in research, and has now been...

AgroLiquid President Troy Bancroft discusses AgroExpo - going on Aug 13 & 14 in St Johns - what to expect at the show, his agricultural past, why he thinks farming education is valuable, and what he's personally looking forward to in...

Dru Montri runs Ten Hens Farm in Bath with her husband, Adam. She’s also the Director of Government and Stakeholder Relations for Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and College of Veterinary Medicine. She enjoys watching her two...

Brian Lesperance of Fenn Valley Vineyards left his career in technology to start a second one at a winery. His wife Gwen, whose family started the business in 1973, their two daughters, and Brian love riding around the farm and enjoying nearby Lake Michigan.  Brian...

Andrew Chae of Fisheye Farms is an urban farmer in Detroit.  He grows a variety of vegetables in a farm-to-chef business that provides for local restaurants.  He’s a skateboarder, enjoys Brazilian music, and loves the first-generation farm he and his family have built...

Matt Stutzman is a soybean, corn, and wheat farmer from Adrian.  When he’s not farming, he’s spending time with his wife Maria and their three young children.  He serves on state and national boards, has traveled all over the world (he even floated in the Dead Sea),...

Mark Daniels and his wife Miranda manage Bonnie Plants in Ithaca, which is a greenhouse operation that grows 175 different vegetable and herb transplants.  Mark enjoys watching his sons play football, spends time chasing escapee goats, and loves going to his cabin in...

Scott Maust is an egg farmer who also races sailboats.  When he’s not on a boat, he’s figuring out how to best take care of chickens in new housing (heated floors!) and working with a team to give them the best nutrition.  Born and raised in Pidgeon, Scott runs Farm...

Sharon Ostrowski and her family run SharKar Farms, (pronounced Share Care), an all-vegetable 10-acre farm in China, Michigan.  Sharon jokes that everything is grown in China, and she makes this a reality by offering “weird” vegetables like a cucumber/watermelon type,...

Mike Noll lives in the southern thumb with his wife Jordan and four children, where he farms with his dad and brother.  Not only do they milk cows, but they raise beef, corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar beets, alfalfa, and dry beans.  He coaches, serves on several boards,...

Darwin Eisenga is a potato farmer with 25 years of experience, and in his spare time, he loves tractor pulling competitions.  He just traveled to Indonesia to visit his daughter, he has a son in college, a son on the farm, and a wife that works alongside him.  His...

Jennifer Wortz and her family raise chickens in Branch County for Miller Poultry.  Their four children are learning the responsibility of taking care of 40,000 animals at once!  Jennifer and her husband travel, go to their kids’ activities, and eat chicken prepared in...

Scott Powell is the nursery manager at Dutchman Tree Farms in Manton.  Just before the dissertation for his PhD, Scott chose to go into business with his wife Laura’s family.  He’s had a great time working with nine family members, an entire crew of workers, and...

Not only was Laurie Isley raised on a farm, married a farmer, and has a farm of her own, but she also loves educating people about them.  After a long career teaching agricultural education and advising for FFA, she moved on to teaching adult education and serving on...

Mat Stutzman of St Joseph County is both a poultry and crop farmer.  He and his wife are raising four young kids while working along many other family members.  He also works in high school sports media, and he does video outreach with his church. Listen as he talks...

Even though she didn’t work on her family’s farm when she was growing up, a love of science and a curiosity about how things worked led Stephanie Kipp home.  She grows potatoes, peas, green beans, corn, and wheat as the fourth generation on her Edmore farm.  She’s...

Luke Marion started MIgardener to give inspiration and information to people gardening.  He and his wife Sindy garden 365 days a year, including growing their indoor coffee and citrus trees.  Together, they have grown into a retail location, an online store, and a...

Vicki Zilke and her husband Tom own two businesses – Zilke Vegetable Farm and Zilke Farm Kitchen in Milan.  At their farm market, Vicki repeatedly heard from customers that they had great intentions on making healthy, tasty dinners for their families, but they had a...

Andrea Boughton of Marshall raises Angus cattle, corn, and soybeans.  She’s the president of Calhoun County Farm Bureau and spends a lot of time educating students about ag.  She also works for the Department of Defense (Northrop Grumman) as an operations lead, crews...

Bryan Heffron of Heffron Farms Market raises cattle and crops and sells direct-to-market, in four retail stores, and online.  His wife Katie also owns a pie fundraising business.  They are the parents of three young children and are entering the sports phase of life,...

Chris and his family live in Monroe County and grow corn, soybeans, wheat, plus some organic acres.  He also is a sales representative for Actagro.  Currently, Chris and his wife Rachelle spend a lot of time gazing adoringly at their 7-month-old daughter Adelaide.  As...

Scott Ferry is a fourth generation dairy, beef, and crop farmer in Litchfield.  He was Sparty in college, and now he brings that same enthusiasm to his farm and family!  When he’s not working, he’s skiing, hiking, or keying his own farm truck. Listen as Scott talks...

Luke DeHaan is a blueberry farmer in Ottawa County.  After he graduated with an engineering degree and worked as a civil engineer for six years, he decided to join his wife and her family on the farm.  They now run a processing facility, a farm, a market - and during...

Shelly Hartmann of South Haven is a blueberry farmer at True Blue Farms. She and her husband Dennis, along with their family and like-family team members, run a blueberry farm that covers growing, packaging, retail, u-pick, online, and catalog sales. They have been...

Gregg Smyth worked at Phillips Orchards and Cider Mill as a hobby until he and Brian Phillips decided to make the family farm their full-time business. Gregg now runs the Gatehouse Market, enjoys the benefits of small-town living, and works as a flight attendant in...

Matt Scramlin has had a lot of roles, like a regional rep for Michigan Farm Bureau, a trainer at American Farm Bureau, an auctioneer, a meatcutter, and a sheep farmer, but through all of it he’s been one thing – a Farm Bureau junkie. Listen as he talks about his...

Ben LaCross is a cherry farmer in Leelenau County, the cherry capital of the world. He and his wife Kelsey are competing in Traverse City’s half Ironman Triathlon, he’s working on solving agricultural issues, they’re raising three kids going in different directions,...

Natalie Pennington is a “stay at farm” mom of two. She and her family have a farm market called Hearty Harvest, raise sheep, provide agtainment, and host dinners on the farm. She is the youth minister at her church, has gone on missions to Guatemala and Haiti, and is...

Kelly Leach is a fourth generation farmer on Avalon Farms in Climax. Her family grows hydroponic lettuce, tomatoes, and vegetables. Listen as she talks about her beloved Michigan State Spartans, new food trailer adventure, coaching cheerleading, and how she will cook...

Keely Efaw enjoys advocating for agriculture so much that she’s even earned a title - Michigan Miss Agriculture USA. She spends her time earning her associate’s degree in agriculture technology and spoiling her dogs, including a one-eyed bird dog. She’s looking...

Michael DeRuiter is a tart cherry, apple, and peach farmer in Hart, Michigan. After getting his MBA – even though he originally planned on leaving after an associate’s degree – he returned home to farm with his family. He and his high school sweetheart are married,...

Ed McBroom is both a senator and dairy farmer who hails from Vulcan, in the U.P. Listen as he speaks candidly about playing Rachmaninov, directing the Norway City Band, how farming and family intertwine, and what a perfect day on the farm looks like to him. He covers:...

Kate Avery is Director of Marketing & Sales at Brewery Vivant, a brewpub, restaurant, and microbrewery in Grand Rapids. Brewery Vivant is also the winner of the Michigan Grown, Michigan Great Restaurant Full Service Award. Listen as Kate talks about how her...

Joe Ankley is an ag educator in Huron County. He also dairy farms, grows crops, raises grass fed beef, and leads the North Huron FFA. He’s also the 2019 winner of the Michigan Farm Bureau Young Farmer Excellence in Ag Award. How does he have more time than everyone...

Amanda Kutchey from Macomb County runs a fruit and vegetable farm with her family, and she’s also a crop insurance agent for GreenStone Farm Credit Services. Aside from work, she likes to travel … and visit farms on her trips! Where do you find broccoli in the wild?...

Emily Crambell is the Education and Outreach Manager at the IQhub, the learning center for agricultural history, innovation, and exploration, and she and her husband also operate a family dairy farm near Owosso. Throw in horses, kids, and roller derby skating … meet...