Hi folks! I am the host of a podcast called Choosing to Farm, which I started in 2021. I’ll drop more specific details below, but I would like to invite you to join me for a conversation about your farming journey. I mostly record episodes during our quieter times, and release them throughout the year. If you would like to join me–or know someone else who would be interested–please zip me an email or jump on the links below. I recordings all year long if that’s better for you, so no time is a bad time (for me). Thanks!
Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories is a podcast aimed at sharing the experiences of livestock farmers and ranchers who (mostly) did not grow up in farm/ranch families, but chose to make a living in this way. Some stories come from first-generation or “skipped a few generations” folks striking out completely fresh in their 20s or 30s, some are the stories of folks in their 40s or 50s leaving a career to follow their lifelong dream. We’ll even talk to a few people who did grow up on a farm or ranch and made the conscious decision to come back or even start their own. These stories are about the journey, and no two will be the same, just like no two farms or ranches are ever the same.
Podcast structure:
An open, recorded conversation about your journey into livestock farming or ranching. Interviews will run roughly 45-60 minutes. My style is such that I might ask some prompting questions (see below), but also want to follow the conversation where it goes and ask questions in the moment.
Before recording, I will spend 5-10 minutes with you to check in about the flow, answer any questions you may have, or touch base about anything you’d like us to talk/not talk about. If there is anything you are not comfortable sharing publicly (whether recorded or not), I will make sure it is cut.
Questions might include:
- What sparked your curiosity around livestock farming?
- Do you feel like choosing to farm was a single moment, or an ongoing decision?
- What skills did you bring from your non-farming life and what did you leave behind?
- What have you accomplished that you’re really proud of?
- What’s your advice for people thinking about livestock farming?
If you’d like to schedule an interview, check out our calendar and pick a time that works for you! https://calendly.com/choosingtofarm
Please complete a guest intake form at https://www.choosingtofarm.com/guests/intake/ . That will keep me from needing to harass you later for a picture or your socials.
To follow the podcast (and share it with your own audience), find us in these places:
Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories | Podcast on Spotify
Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories on Apple Podcasts
We have a private Facebook group for first-and-returning generation farmers and ranchers to connect with one another:
Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories | Facebook
Follow me on Instagram for more podcast (and my farm) updates:
Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos
Very much looking forward to our conversation!
Jenn