Ag Women Connect "Ag Talk, Your Story Matters!"

Venessa Wood
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

"Ag Talk, Your Story Matters" is America's Platform for Women in Agriculture to share their thoughts, ideas and stories! This is a safe space for everyone in agriculture, no matter what their role is, to come together and have real and raw conversations with each other! We feature our AWC members, guest speakers, and current  topics across the nation that affect our agriculture industry.  Our goal is to include others into our discussions. We invite YOU to be a part of our conversation every week.  Join us! 

  1. 2d ago

    Finding Your Place in Agriculture with Tanya Smith

    Send us Fan Mail This week, Venessa Wood interviews Tanya Smith of Lubbock, Texas, marketing director at Capital Farm Credit, about her ranch upbringing in northeastern New Mexico, involvement in 4-H/FFA and livestock judging, college path through South Plains College and Texas Tech, and 27+ years with Farm Credit through mergers into Capital Farm Credit. Tonya explains Capital Farm Credit as a Texas-based agricultural lending cooperative serving 192 counties with home lending and insurance, strong patronage dividends, community and youth support, major stock show partnerships, including Texas ShowPass, scholarships totaling about $110,000, and a highly competitive internship program.  She discusses marketing’s evolving demands, building teams, customer storytelling, collaboration with Aaron Watson, and the importance of hard work and networks. Tonya also shares board work on Lubbock County’s new expo center, advice for women and students in agriculture, and personal ways she recharges. This episode concludes with updates from Venessa on Ag Women Connect’s weekly Bible study and the Ag Connected directory. Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    51 min

  2. Jun 30

    Uplifting the Ag Industry Through Livestock Photography

    Send us Fan Mail This week, Venessa interviews Sierra Franks who grew up on a Texas Panhandle cow-calf and Hereford show-steer operation spanning Texas and Oklahoma, and credits her grandfather and family history for shaping her values and cattle program. Sierra explains how showing steers led her into photography, beginning with a 2014 Show Champions USA internship that expanded into major events like Houston and a career shaped by long show days, fast turnaround editing, and industry connections.  She later worked with Legacy Livestock Imaging and launched Uplift Imaging in 2021 to change industry culture with a focus on kindness (“make kindness loud”), valuing staff, and mentoring women. A single mom of two boys, Sierra relies on family and a mostly female team to provide livestock, sale, rodeo, and portrait photography, shares how she recharges at home and on the ranch, recounts a road-trip story with her son, and outlines upcoming summer events and contact info. 00:00 Meet Sierra Franks 00:57 Panhandle Ranch Roots 01:54 Camera Sparks a Career 03:39 ShowChampions Breakthrough 05:09 Hereford Heritage Story 06:34 West Texas Weekend Sale 08:14 What Makes a Winner 09:29 Show Cattle After the Ring 12:36 Kids and Calves 13:55 Internship First Day Nerves 15:51 Houston Changed Everything 18:55 Editing and Fast Turnarounds 22:17 Launching Uplift Kindness 25:07 Staff That Feels Like Family 27:06 Mentoring the Next Generation 27:51 Beyond Livestock Photography 28:47 Single Mom Balancing It All 30:11 Pruning and Knowing Your Worth 33:53 How She Fills Her Cup 36:53 Advice for Business Pivots 38:48 Road Trip Storytime 43:44 What’s Next and How to Reach Her 45:47 Final Thanks and Wrap Up Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    47 min

  3. Jun 23

    Protecting Farms, Supporting Families, and Serving Agriculture with Donna Hughes

    Send us Fan Mail What does a girl from the suburbs of Chicago know about agriculture? For Donna Hughes, the answer became an entire career. In this episode of AgTalk: Your Story Matters, Venessa Wood sits down with longtime friend and agriculture advocate Donna Hughes of StoneX to discuss her remarkable journey from an industrial Chicago neighborhood to becoming a trusted advisor for farmers and ranchers across Texas. Donna shares how a temporary job at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange changed the course of her life, introducing her to commodity markets, agricultural risk management, and the people who helped shape her career. What began as a short-term plan to save money for a move to New York ultimately turned into a 35-year career helping producers navigate market uncertainty and protect their operations. Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    51 min

  4. Jun 16

    What Does Yoga and Agriculture Have in Common? Find Out With Krysta Paffrath

    Send us Fan Mail This week, Venessa welcomes Krysta Paffrath, CEO & Founder of the Rural Podcast Network and Yoga Teacher to AgTalk: Your Story Matters for a candid catch-up about moving through hard seasons, growth, and entrepreneurship.  Krysta shares about her journey completing her 500-hour yoga teacher training, which began in January 2025, graduating after a demanding year and a half that required stronger boundaries and saying no. The conversation explores discernment, avoiding “golden ticket” distractions that don’t align with purpose, and the burnout that comes from chasing status or growth at the expense of self.  Krysta reflects on finding her own voice after years of telling others’ stories and discusses bridging agriculture and yoga through community, food, and mental health, including teaching at a conference. She announces new summer offerings: an eight-week one-on-one mentorship with personalized yoga and journaling, and customizable one-on-one retreats in Arizona combining yoga, business work, journaling, and local cooking, emphasizing accountability, community, and faith. Learn more about Krysta and her current offerings here: https://www.krystapaffrath.com/ Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    51 min

  5. Jun 9

    Ag Teacher, Cancer Survivor and Change Maker: The Story of Kate Barfield

    Send us Fan Mail A routine doctor's appointment changed the course of Kate Barfield's life forever. At just 25 years old, Kate was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. What followed was a challenging journey through surgery, chemotherapy, fertility preservation decisions, and recovery. But through that experience, Kate discovered a greater purpose. Today, Kate is an agricultural educator, horsewoman, nonprofit founder, wife, and cancer survivor who is helping other young women facing cancer treatment through her organization, Kate's Cause. By partnering with MD Anderson Cancer Center, she raises funds to help young cancer patients preserve their fertility before beginning treatment—an often-overlooked expense that is rarely covered by insurance. In this heartfelt conversation, Kate shares her upbringing in Southeast Texas, her love of horses, her unexpected path into agricultural education, and the lessons she learned about resilience, community, and living with purpose. Whether you're navigating a difficult season, pursuing a career in agriculture, or looking for inspiration to turn your own challenges into opportunities to serve others, Kate's story is one you won't want to miss. Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    51 min

  6. Jun 2

    Embracing Your Gifts and Finding Your Place in Agriculture with Coach Kiah

    Send us Fan Mail This week, Venessa Wood interviews Kentucky-based speaker and entrepreneur Kiah Burchett, a seventh-generation California rancher who calls herself a “Kentuckifornian.” Kiah shares her rural cattle ranch upbringing, their commercial herd and Corriente roping cattle, and how attending the Agriculture Future of America conference broadened her view of careers in agriculture. She recounts filming “Backroad Cowgirls,” a pivotal conversation with her grandfather (“Roots aren’t meant to keep you stuck; roots are meant to help you rise”), and encouragement for the next generation to find their place in ag. She explains how she moved to Kentucky after a Germany exchange program funded by selling cattle, landed a Kentucky Beef Council job, and met her husband at the state fair. She discusses entrepreneurship, motherhood as a clarifier (“thin things out”), comparison, shame, confidence through action, breaking generational patterns, handling “mean girls,” and pivoting careers. Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    54 min

  7. May 26

    Kristen York: Bridging the Insurance Industry and Equine Passions

    Send us Fan Mail On this week’s episode, Venessa Wood interviews Kristen York of Remuda Insurance Group from Weatherford, Texas, about her path in agriculture and the equine industry. Kristin shares growing up in California with a farming background, pursuing horses and softball, playing at Colorado State, and choosing the equine science path. After college she moved to Wyoming, spent 25 years ranching, showing cutters and reined cow horses, and raising her son, a successful young trainer. Following a divorce and increased time in Texas through NCHA/NRCHA involvement, she entered equine insurance, emphasizing relationships and education. Kristen explains mortality, major medical eligibility, colic surgery coverage, claim requirements like veterinarian reports/necropsy, and common loss scenarios. She describes founding Remuda Insurance Group with three partners, their nationwide licensing, focus on grassroots horse communities, and discusses her stallion and lessons from multiple performance disciplines. Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    51 min

  8. May 19

    Three Farm Daughters: Cultivating Community and Innovation in the Pasta Aisle

    Send us Fan Mail This week on the podcast, Venessa interviews Mollie Ficocello, Co-Founder of 3 Farm Daughters, a North Dakota, Red River Valley farm family pasta brand founded by three sisters who returned to the farm after careers in marketing/finance, law, and beauty. They created a clean-label, high-fiber pasta after noticing their high-fiber wheat was going only into commodity markets, and they built the brand with a standout farm pink/peach box, minimal ingredients (wheat flour and durum semolina), and a farm-to-table story.  After self-distributing to local retailers, learning packaging and shelf-fit lessons, and moving production back to North Dakota, Whole Foods became their first major retail partner; they now sell online and through retailers including Whole Foods, Meijer, Central Market, United, and select Target placements. Mollie discusses juggling motherhood and business, advice to “launch before you’re ready,” and plans to expand beyond pasta into other pantry staples from their farm. Venessa closes by emphasizing AgTalk’s focus on guests’ stories, women’s growing role in agriculture, faith and “being the light.  Learn more about 3 Farm Daughters pasta here: https://3farmdaughters.com/ Support the show Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group | Connect With us on Instagram | Join Ag Women Connect

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

"Ag Talk, Your Story Matters" is America's Platform for Women in Agriculture to share their thoughts, ideas and stories! This is a safe space for everyone in agriculture, no matter what their role is, to come together and have real and raw conversations with each other! We feature our AWC members, guest speakers, and current  topics across the nation that affect our agriculture industry.  Our goal is to include others into our discussions. We invite YOU to be a part of our conversation every week.  Join us! 

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