Dirt Road Discussions

Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
  • 4.5 (16)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

We are all about agriculture all the time. This podcast will surprise you! It is not your ordinary farm podcast. These are fascinating stories, from technology to human interest, where we talk to captivating people who are changing the landscape of the world around us. Hosted by the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.

  1. 1D AGO

    Christmas Farm On Mount St. Helens

    Send us a text In 1980, the eruption of Mount St. Helens left a landscape of devastation. Decades later, that volcanic soil has become the foundation for a farm that produces products that become our holiday boughs, wreaths, garlands, and centerpieces. In this special holiday episode, we sit down with Troy Turnbull, VP of Northwest Operations at Continental Floral Greens. He takes us behind the scenes of their unique farm and shares how the process works to get everything ready for this festive season.

    37 min

  2. DEC 9

    Bridging Fields: Agriculture & Academia

    Send us a text Leslie Edgar grew up in a large family Kuna, Idaho, where her parents emphasized the importance of hard work and education. Back then, she probably never knew that her life would take her to multiple states only to return as the J.R. Simplot Endowed Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Idaho. What a journey. In this podcast, Dean Edgar breaks down how a land-grant university works with students, farmers, 4-H, FFA, extension agencies, and a host of other agriculture groups.  Her message is simple. The University of Idaho has an amazing network of resources and projects to further the future of farming and ranching and they are accessible to a diversity of people that need them.

    46 min

  3. NOV 25

    Garlic Gods

    Send us a text While most farmers are trying to get their crop out of the ground by October 15th, Geoffrey and Jana Yockey are working to get their garlic seed in the ground before winter hits. The funny part is that they hope its a frigid winter with lots of snow covering their precious crop. Years ago, the Yockeys returned to Jana’s hometown from Florida to continue her family's five-generation farming heritage. With limited land available from the original homestead, the Yockeys sought a crop that could thrive in their high desert climate and reflect their values. Their answer: garlic.  Little did they know at that time just how much manual labor (weeding) it would take to make this little farm grow to what it is today. In the podcast, they take you into the world of garlic.

    35 min

  4. NOV 11

    On The Road With Lance & Lea

    Send us a text She was a girl who grew up singing at church in her Amish community. He was a boy that grew up in Texas listening to Metallica. A chance encounter at a Nashville event would create the country duo sensation of Lance and Lea. In this podcast, Lance and Lea talk about what it is like to be on the road, mapping out performance dates across the country, and writing music along the way. They also share what it takes to love the lifestyle of a performer and how the people they have met have changed them for the better.

    51 min

  5. OCT 28

    When Is Land Development Good?

    Send us a text Should land be used for farming or houses? Maybe the better question is, how do we plan for the future so people can still build neighborhoods and businesses without taking up all the farmland that grows our food? Keri Smith's thought she wanted to be a graphic designer until she answered a job in the local newspaper looking for an entry-level position taking notes for the land council meeting. This would be life changing as it led to more land-development positions until she found herself as a county commissioner. In this podcast, she gives a behind-the-scene look at why cities need to care where people develop, how they develop, and why agriculture lands need to be discussed before it is paved over.

    55 min

  6. OCT 14

    Dams Of The Pacific Northwest

    Send us a text Adam Ratliff, known as the Armchair Engineer, knows that when the topic of dams in the Pacific Northwest comes up, people start talking. Whether it is the topic of salmon recovery and breaching or the need for hydroelectric power and agriculture, Adam has studied how both good information and misinformation have spread, making it hard for many to understand. Adam discusses a host of variables surrounding small private and larger federally run dams, which creates the debate. He also shares how the history of dams and fish in the Pacific Northwest has gotten us to where we are today.

    57 min

  7. SEP 30

    Haircuts and Harvests

    Send us a text Three years ago, Ashlie Sutton's family was frantically working to get potatoes out of the ground before a potential frost killed the crop. From the spud truck, she started posting on social media about the plight of farmers in her valley. It captured the attention of people all over the country, which led her to launch a personal campaign to thank farmers. If that wasn't enough, she realized many families, like farmers, didn't have the funds or the time to run into town for a haircut, so she used her background as a cosmetologist to create "The Haircut Box", a company that sends out full haircutting supplies with tutorials. Today Ashlie has over 100,000 followers on Instagram.

    49 min

  8. SEP 16

    Talking Trades & Timber

    Send us a text Blake Manley is most invigorated when he helps students realize that there is an entire world of high-paying jobs in the trades, specifically forestry. As the originator of Manley Jobs, Blake piloted an idea during COVID to produce YouTube videos that shine a light on occupations that are not commonly considered by high schoolers. It turned out to be a huge success, being used in many schools across the country. In addition, Blake teamed up with school and industry professionals to create an ongoing program in which hundreds of students visit the forest for a first-hand experience to learn about sustainable logging practices

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

We are all about agriculture all the time. This podcast will surprise you! It is not your ordinary farm podcast. These are fascinating stories, from technology to human interest, where we talk to captivating people who are changing the landscape of the world around us. Hosted by the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.

Information

  • Creator
    Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dirt Road Discussions
  • Show Website
    Dirt Road Discussions

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