Dirt Road Discussions Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

In Bob Hoff's family, teenagers didn't just get a driver's license. They also got a pilot's license because they never knew when to run out the back door, jump in a plane, take off from a grass runway and look for a lost cow. As Bob explains, every family has their passion, and for the Hoff family, it is farming and aviation. Bob shares stories from his first barrel roll with his Dad to helping develop a museum in his local community to teach about the beauty and history of soaring the s...

Jessie Jarvis had a time when she considered pursuing an occupation outside of agriculture. Born and raised as a rancher’s daughter in Southern Idaho, she tells how her love for agriculture and desire to raise children in agriculture changed her mind.With the support of her husband Justin, Jessie uses her experience in communications and media to build bridges for the next generation of agriculturists, whether they work in the dirt, with cows, in a lab, or on a computer. She explains how time...

Almost half of the land in the western United States is owned by the Federal Government. Compare that to only 4 percent of land east of the Mississippi. Obviously, there is a story to tell on this topic.Dirt Road Discussions visited with an online panel consisting of Amanda Kaster, Director of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; Keith Hamilton, a fourth-generation rancher and farmer from Wyoming; and Ben Menges, a fifth-generation farmer from Arizona. With host ...

Imagine a succulent plant with sharp spines that can grow up to 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide. When it flowers, it can grow up to 8 feet tall, and its inflorescence can reach 25–30 feet tall. Sharla and Leo Ortega grow agave, a plant used for tequila and many other products. They talk about navigating the challenges of raising this "behemoth" crop.

Those who like to cast bait or a fly in the stream probably like a good salmon or trout filet, but it would never come close to meeting American's demand for fish. Welcome to the aquaculture industry. Jacob Bledsoe, Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist — Aquaculture Research, shares how fish farms are advancing, consolidating, and competing with imported products to provide fish or grocery stores, restaurants, and pet stores.

Marshal Sewell's thoughts about the farmer's mental health changed with the suicide of his father. In this podcast, Marshal talks about his own quest to prevent further suicides through open dialogue about the pressures of farming and steps that can be taken to identify and help someone going down that path. He shared how he started the Mind Your Melon movement.