#100 - Celebrating 100 Episodes: Finding Purpose in Agriculture
“I think the most important thing is focusing on what our priorities are, because those priorities give us a purpose even when goals become unattainable or the course shifts or something happens in life that changes our trajectory. If we know what our priorities are. We can choose to focus on those every single day.”
We've hit 100 episodes of Farming on Purpose, and I can hardly believe it. Looking back at where this journey began, I was still finding my feet as a mom to my youngest, who was about seven months old at the time. I knew she would be our last baby, and honestly, I was struggling. The big question kept coming up: What next?
My role on the farm, my goals, my purpose - everything felt uncertain. I didn't know where I fit anymore or how to get closer to the dreams I had for our farm and our kids. That uncertainty led me to start this podcast, hoping to learn from others who were making it work.
Two years ago, we were at our old place - just 20 acres - trying to figure out how to grow our cow herd. We were renting grass and hitting wall after wall in our attempts to expand. Today, we're on my husband's family farm, where our kids could be the seventh generation if they choose. The change has been huge, and sometimes I have to pause and take it all in. We don't do that enough in farming - stop and look at how far we've come.
Through all these conversations with fellow farmers and ranchers, I've learned some important lessons that I want to share:
It's About Priorities, Not Just Goals
Everyone talks about setting goals, but what really matters are your daily priorities. Goals can change or become unreachable, but priorities guide us every single day. When you know what truly matters to you, you can make decisions that align with those values, even when the path ahead isn't clear.
Good Things Take Time in Farming
For young or beginning farmers, it's easy to get caught up wanting everything to happen quickly. But farming operates on its own timeline. Even small changes, like trying new methods on one field, can take several growing seasons to implement without breaking the bank. Real, lasting change often takes years - sometimes decades. That's just the reality of building something worthwhile in agriculture.
Understanding Why Things Are the Way They Are
I used to think differently about generational farming, especially about young farmers having to wait so long to take over. While I still believe we can't have farmers starting their independent operations at 60 (our industry won't survive that way), I understand the financial realities better now.
We joke about how you either need your land paid off or your cows paid off - trying to make payments on both just doesn't work. When we started, we did exactly that, making it work only because we both had off-farm jobs. At our current scale, that wouldn't be possible.
Finding Your Own Way Forward
The best stories I've heard on this podcast are from farmers and ranchers who found creative ways to make things work. Whether it's finding unique market opportunities or trying different approaches to make more profit, that entrepreneurial spirit is what excites me about agriculture's future.
Sure, we face plenty of challenges in our food system. But I believe the path forward involves learning from each other and being open to new ideas. That's why I'm committed to sharing more stories of farmers and ranchers who are making positive changes and finding success their own way.
Here's to the next 100 episodes of learning, growing, and building stronger farm families together.
More from Farming on Purpose
Enter Our GIveaway!
Farming on Purpose hits 100 episodes! To celebrate, we're giving away exclusive merch and two fantastic children's books: "A Day on the Farm with Mama" by Andrea LeFevre and "Charlie Learns to be a Cowboy" by Danika Kester.
Enter by December 31st:
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts OR
Share any of our posts to your Instagram story
The winner will be announced on January 1st! Thank you for joining us as we explore success stories in agriculture and build stronger farm families, stronger food systems, and stronger rural legacies. Here's to the next 100 episodes!
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About Your Host
I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the stories of agriculture from generations past, preserving the skills and lessons learned along the way, and ensuring the best of that is passed onto those who will continue to lead the way into the future of production agriculture.
I’m so glad you’re here and I hope you’ll take a moment to join the conversation with me and other listeners on social media.
Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
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