Pines and River Fall 2024

Table Of

Contents

06 SOUTHERN FIELDS BREWING

18

AN EVENING IN TUSCANY

12

AUTHOR NICOLE BLANCHARD

22

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE

Editor’s

Letter

C. SCOTT STEPHENS

Editor-In-Chief editor@pinesandriver.com

A

s the air turns crisp and the vibrant colors of autumn blanket our beautiful region, we are excited to bring you the latest edition of our magazine, celebrating the magic of fall in the Chipola River Valley.

There’s something special about this season—the way it invites us to slow down, gather with loved ones, and savor the simple pleasures of life.

Fall in the Chipola River Valley is a season of reflection, gratitude, and connection to the land and the people we hold dear.

Whether you’re exploring the trails, attending a fall festival, or simply enjoying a quiet afternoon by the river, we hope this issue

CHECK OUT RENE JORDAN’S TOMATO RELISH RECIPE ON PAGE 11. brings a deeper appreciation for the beauty and blessings of this season.

Thank you for continuing to support Pines and River Magazine. We are honored to be part of your journey through the changing seasons and look forward to sharing the stories that matter to our community.

So grab a cup of warm cider, settle into your favorite chair, and enjoy all the beauty this season has to offer within the pages of our Fall Issue.

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SOUTHERN FIELDS BREWING

BIZ SPOTLIGHT Pines and River

Story by

HEATHER TYE Lifestyle and Food Editor

heather@pinesandriver.com

He beams with pride when he talks about his homeland, and he can’t hide it. He’s a personable guy with a friendly smile and he is surrounded by big screen TVs, arcade games, and BEER. Brian Walker is the owner, operator, and visionary of Southern Fields Brewing. Located on Hwy. 231 in Campbellton, Florida, it is an unlikely place to find an authentic brewery, but nonetheless, it is there. I enlisted the help of my husband, Tullis, on this interview when we visited the facility a few weeks ago and ended up staying several hours enjoying great food and conversation with Brian and the locals.

The environment is rustic and industrial with a few hints of femininity thrown in here and there in the form of velvet couches. The vibe truly embraces nearly every walk of life with a little something for everyone. If your group of girlfriends want to hang out and have a place to chat that is a little quiet but thoughtfully designed, there is a place for that. If your guys want to gather to watch the big rivalry game, there is a place for that. If you want to play nostalgic video games and have a good meal with your family, there is a place for that.

If you’d like to listen to local artists play in the beer garden while eating

with local caterers and enjoying a fall breeze, there is a place for that.

H: Brian, why beer and why HERE? Brian: I am from here but lived in New York for 10 plus years. Beer is part of that culture and while living there, I worked in hospitality. I noticed that beer bonds people. People get together and share meals, ideas, and life experiences around beer. After Hurricane Michael, I wanted to make something that brought people together and be able to have fun again.

H: It is obvious that you are pas-

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sionate about beer. There ed establishment. are all types and flavors on the menu, so tell our readers Brian: Absolutely, couldn’t do it without where that passion comes them. from.

Tullis: Where do you get your ingredients from because barley and hops aren’t grown here.

Brian: My dad was a farmer right here in Jackson County.

This ground is in my blood and beer starts in the ground. You Brian: What we use now is grown in the can make beer from almost any Midwest and Canada, but we are pushing produce you can think of. We towards more local grown ingredients. have some coming out later While it’s true that hops are more difficult made from satsumas. We have to grow here because of too much annual made beer from local honey rainfall and it is just too hot, barley is a difprovided by Smiley Bee Farms. ferent story. Barley can be grown in winter In our brewing, very little is as a cover crop, so we are looking at ways wasted. We even give our spent to put something back in the ground here grains to local farmers for live- that benefits both the brewery and the stock. It’s all about the ground local farmer. and putting back as much or more as we take from it.

Tullis: How much volume can you produce here? Do you distribute and how do you distribute?

H: These aren’t your normal off-the-shelf beers that are purchased at the local store. Brian: In a week, normally two brews yield Where do your ideas and rec- about 700 gallons when everything is runipes come from? ning right and wide open. We do distribute and most of it goes to the beaches. No Brian: Actually, a childhood bottles or cans, only kegs at this point. I friend of mine, Brantley Cook, think that it is important to note that this out of Marianna is the master. isn’t as easy as most people think it may These are his recipes, and we be. Everything around the vats must be just brew them. clean, nearly surgical room sterile. When something gets in there and it ruins the H: So, this is really a friends whole brew, that’s a bad day. It is costly and family built and support- and it hurts to have to dump product.

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H: Will there ever be a day when passing through and give them something you get into the restaurant busi- to talk about. An average of 55,000 cars ness? a day pass by this place. Surely some of them will stop and learn a little bit about Brian: Honestly, I don’t know. Hav- our area. ing caterers come here in their food trucks and set up gets them H: If you had someone from New York exposure as well as exposure for visit Southern Fields and they knew us. nothing about this place, what is the story you’d tell them?

H: What are the short-term goals for Southern Fields Brew- Brian: I would tell them this place has been ing? in my family since 1931. I would tell them the bar you’re drinking at may be the oldBrian: The next thing is the distill- est bar top in Northwest Florida. I would ery is well underway. We will be tell them that it was a sapling before the making our own rum, vodka, gin, colonies. I would tell them this place beand whiskey. Most people don’t longed to my 91-year-old cousin and she know that the Florida climate didn’t want this building and all of its herswings are perfect for barrel agitage to fade away. I would tell them she ing. People headed to the beach supported what we do here and I would or back home from the beach, can tell them that she never got to see it finstop in, grab a bottle of local liquor ished. I would tell them that I really love and enjoy it even back home. Beer our area and I’m proud of Jackson County is a little harder to do that with be- and the land “between the rivers” and then cause it has to be cold, of course, I would tell them that I realize what we CAN so, the distillery will be operational be. I’d tell them all of that over a tall glass soon and we are excited about of Florida Panhandle home brew. that. We will be using as much local product in the making of liWell, Brian Walker, I think you just did. quors as well.

H: What kind of culture do you want to create here?

Brian: Safe, first and foremost, family friendly, laid-back, show off a little of Jackson County to people

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Nicole Blanchard

BEST SELLING AUTHOR

WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO BECOME AN AUTHOR?

I’ve been obsessed with reading for as long as I can remember. I would sneak books into all of my classes and would devour everything from nonfiction biographies about FBI profilers to my mom’s old Harlequin romance novels. When I first discovered ebooks, my oldest daughter was two, so around 2012. I was looking for a way to fill the nap-time hours and it renewed my passion for books.

Needless to say over the next several years, I devoured hundreds and as self-publishing evolved, my decades old dream to publish my own book changed from a possibility to a reality. First, I dipped my toes in with blogging and reviewing books and then I finished my first novel in 2015 and it’s been a roller coaster ride ever since.

The twelve year old version of myself who would stay up late at night reading books on Fictionpress and daydreaming about writing my own is what motivated me originally. Then,

the more books I released, the more readers I developed relationships with and my motivation became more about the connection between author and reader. I love nothing more than comments or messages from readers saying how much they loved my books or how they’ve been affected by them. There’s something magical about reaching so many people from so many walks of life and having a book in common. If one person loves one of my books, then I will always be motivated to write more.

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU HAD TO OVERCOME TO BECOME THE SUCCESS YOU ARE?

I feel like I’ve encountered so many challenges over the years. I’m not a college graduate. I don’t have any formal training. I’m not a traditionally published author, but I’ve been more successful than my wildest dreams. Despite those challenges, I forced myself to learn this business from the ground up--everything Pines and River | 13

from actually writing the books, believing in myself enough which is hard enough, to mar- to take scary risks with mind-blowing results. Even keting, graphic design, PR, more than going viral or newsletter management and making money, I’ve met SO so much more. Writing is truMANY incredible readers and ly only half the battle and the world of publishing is constant- if I’d never taken the plunge ly changing on a dime so there with that initial download, I are always new challenges, but would have stood in my own honestly sometimes that’s half way of all those relationships and opportunities. the fun.

Speaking of marketing. Social media can sometimes be the bane of an author’s existence. When TikTok became big during the pandemic, the last thing I wanted to do was download and learn how to navigate a new platform. I put it off for YEARS. I was so (stupidly) stubborn about it. So sometimes my own stubbornness can be a challenge of it’s own. But I finally gave in, downloaded the app and had my tween daughter (at the time) show me the ropes. Like everything else in my career so far, I taught myself how to market to the new TikTok / Booktok audience and it radically changed my life. I’ve always made decent returns on my books, but it wasn’t until TikTok that I really started

“IF I HAVE ANY ADVICE TO ANY FUTURE WRITERS OUT THERE: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, TAKE THE RISKS, BE ARROGANT FOR YOUR ART. TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN EVERYTHING. DON’T DISCOUNT NEW OPPORTUNITIES OR TRENDS. WRITE THE STORY OF YOUR HEART BECAUSE I GUARANTEE THERE ARE READERS OUT THERE WHO WILL DEVOUR IT.”

WHAT ARE YOUR PASSION AND INTERESTS? In addition to my passion for reading and literacy, I’m deeply committed to protecting and improving our community. Having grown up in a small town in Florida, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of strong, supportive communities. That’s why so many of my books, especially the Battleboro Fire & Rescue series, are set in small Florida towns.

This series was inspired by places like Altha and Calhoun County, where the sense of community runs deep. I even had a map designed based on our town, with fictional land-

marks inspired by the Chipola River, the Dead Lakes, and our beaches woven into the stories.

Storytelling can be a powerful tool for honoring and preserving the spirit of a community.

By highlighting the unique qualities of small-town life— the close relationships, the shared history, and the resilience in the face of challenges—I hope to remind readers of the value of their own communities. It’s about celebrating what makes these places special and inspiring others to protect and improve them.

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WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR IMPACT AND LEGACY? Truly, if one reader gets a moment of respite from a long day, I’ll feel like I’ve made a positive impact.

Ultimately, I hope to leave behind a body of work and a life that others can look to for inspiration—whether it’s in their own writing journey, their efforts to improve their community, or their pursuit of a passion that lights them up.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON COMMUNITY COLLABORATION? Community and collaboration are vital as an author. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve participated in several charity anthologies where groups of authors come together to provide stories to raise money for various causes. Our community of readers never fail to show up to support us and the cause by purchasing these books.

For example, one of the recent charity anthologies I participated in, DISSENT, raise 100k+ and 268k total with donor matches for reproductive rights.

WHAT ARE YOU FUTURE PLANS AND GOALS? My future goals are always, “Write the next book.”

Within the next few years I hope to finish out several of my series and release more darker romances. I’m planning to release the rest of my books in audio as well as have most translated into several other languages. Honestly, I’ve already accomplished so many of my goals: bestsellers lists, books in bookstores, my own library / home office, that I’m content to write more books and enjoy watching my girls grow into strong, powerful women.

WHAT ARE YOUR REFLECTIONS ON BEING FEATURED IN PINES AND RIVER MAGAZINE? Being featured in this issue of Pines and River Magazine is truly an honor for me. This magazine is a wonderful platform that highlights the unique stories and talents within our community, and to be a part of that is incredibly special. It feels like a celebration of not just my work, but also the community that has supported and inspired me along the way.

when the path isn’t easy. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that believing in yourself and taking risks can lead to incredible opportunities.

Whether you’re a writer, an artist, or someone with a dream you’ve been holding onto, I hope my journey encourages you to keep going, even when you face challenges or doubts.

Having the opportunity to share my journey with readers who may be familiar with the places and experiences that shaped me makes this feature even more meaningful.

It’s also a reminder of how far I’ve come, from dreaming about writing stories to seeing those stories resonate with others. I’m grateful for the chance to connect with more people through this feature, and it’s a moment I’ll cherish.

I hope my story serves as a reminder that pursuing your passions is always worth it, even Pines and River | 17

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F

ood. It is my thing. I love food. I love the way it goes together, brings together, and keeps people together. It goes without saying that I love food’s origins, and I have a deep respect for the ones who grow it to bring it to our tables. As I have gotten older, like a lot of us, I have become more conscientious of where our household food comes from. In that quest, I have become more and more appreciative of our farmers and the task they have before them of feeding not only our communities, but the world.

The lifestyle of our area has always been that everyone works and works hard regardless of gender and the local farm is no exception. Women have always tended to the farm in some way or another whether it was milking the cow, gathering eggs, harvesting the crops, and cooking it all up in the kitchen in the more traditional roles of the past. That part is nothing new. What is a little more cutting edge in our modern generations is the administrative, political, service roles, and even operating heavy machinery from time to time that our local women are becoming

more and more involved in. Also, it is harvest time in Northwest Florida and there is no better time than now to thank the people who keep our kitchens, restaurants, and bellies full.

In my last 10 years of being mom to 7 high school students, I have seen agricultural involvement skyrocket the confidence and abilities of several of my children and the women in those positions of teaching and guiding them have influenced our communities like no other. In that time, I have watched more and more young women step forward as leaders in their schools, communities, and even at the state level and agriculture is at the heart of it all.

This month, I had the opportunity to talk with several of these women who represent the future of agriculture in our area. They all have such passion for what they do, and such great pride accompanies their work.

“Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve” is the motto of FFA. Macy Jordan, Jocelyn Eubanks, Kayla Gonzales, Valena Alexander, and Kim Barber all have heavy ties to FFA and for several of them, it is where their journey starts. Macy Jordan is currently serving as FL FFA State Secretary. Jocelyn Eubanks is currently serving as FL FFA Area 1 Vice President.

Kayla Gonzales has served in various organizations like Florida Farm Bureau

LOCAL WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE THE FUTURE, THE FACILITATION, AND THE FINANCING OF FOOD

Story by

KAYLA GONZALES AND FAMILY

HEATHER TYE Lifestyle and Food Editor

heather@pinesandriver.com

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Young Farmers and Ranchers and Florida Cattlemen’s Association to name a few. Kim Barber is currently the Malone FFA Advisor and Agriculture teacher. Valena Alexander is currently CEO of Jackson County Teachers Credit Union and co-advisor of Chipola FFA Federation. The landscape of agriculture is changing from what we once knew, and these women represent a larger, growing population of females in agriculture. There are so many places for women to serve their communities because farming isn’t just “cows and plows” anymore.

JOCELYN EUBANKS, KIM BARBER AND MACY JORDAN

THE FUTURE MACY JORDAN FLORIDA FFA STATE SECRETARY All I’ve ever known is rows of cotton, peanuts, and cucumbers.

While walking or driving down our driveway, I got to see the beauty of growth all my life. Both of my parents, Mike and Rene Jordan, are successful business owners.

I had the unique opportunity to grow up on a family farm and I was immersed in agriculture from a young age. I have had so many people invest in me through the years, but my FFA Advisor, Kim Barber of Malone School, taught me everything I know about the ins and outs of FFA. Without her, I wouldn’t be in this position today.

There is truly a place for everyone in agriculture. As an FFA State Officer, I get to interact with members, industry representatives, parents, teachers, etc.

I hope to make a difference in the lives of everyone I encounter

while communicating the mission of the National FFA Organization. I want to inspire members to chase their dreams but live in the current moment. This position is often glorified as a “public figure”, but I want to show members that I am just like they are and can be a source of inspiration as they take on the year in their organization.

In my current position as FL FFA State Secretary, I have a lot of opportunities afforded to me to learn new things, then, bring that knowledge back to my community. Seeing how different states tackle issues has been an eye opener. Working the Citrus Expo has already exposed me to different areas of the industry and our upcoming trip to Iowa, the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers in Portugal and Spain will no doubt do the same. My team and I will gain global agricultural knowledge that this row crop farmer’s daughter has personally never been exposed to. I am excited for that!

I can still hear the music over the speakers and my name being called as I ran across the convention hall. I was a crying mess the entire day and I wholeheartedly believe it was because I could feel God working in the

room. Being announced as the Florida FFA State Secretary and getting to group hug my seven other teammates was truly “the best day ever!” In that moment the scared little girl that attended her first conference smiled.

The girl who attended her first convention in ninth grade and decided she wanted to be a state officer screamed in excitement, and the burned-out high school senior who thought this moment was unreachable was so proud of herself. I thank God every day for this position and hope that I get the chance to make an impact through my year of service.

When I retire from state office in June of 2025, I will attend the University of Florida in the class of 2027 to earn my bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications, then my master’s degree as well. I hope to work in policy development and lobby on behalf of the rural American farmer. I would love to communicate my passion, advocate for better mental health resources within the industry, and move back to my hometown and give back to my community!

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JOCELYN EUBANKS FLORIDA FFA AREA 1 VICE PRESIDENT Growing up in Jackson County, I was surrounded by agriculture my whole life, but it wasn’t until my oldest brother joined his middle school FFA chapter that I would see the significance and change the local FFA chapter can have in children’s lives. I was only in third grade at the time, and it made an impression on me. Once I was in High School, I decided to take an Ag class and as a result, I joined the Sneads FFA Chapter.

During that time, I showed hogs and steers and was elected President of Sneads FFA Chapter in my senior year. The officer team of 2023-2024 was made up entirely of females, the first in school history.

It was during my junior year in high school, I contemplated a run for FL FFA State Office.

There were a lot of people in my corner, like George Alexander, a family friend and dad of former state officer, Meg Alexander, who encouraged me heavily to run.

After prayer and thought, I went through the screening process. I Pines and River

knew that if elected, it would be my best shot to influence kids just like I was: shy, often overlooked, then blooming into my position, and experiencing some success.

Being elected as a state officer is one of my proudest accomplishments. Repeatedly I have seen the impact FFA has on students. The personal growth and connections students develop is unmatched by any other youth organization in the United States.

When the whole team was announced I just remember clinging to each other. All 7 of my teammates and I know and understand that God placed us in our respective roles to serve the Florida FFA organization for a reason. We will have the opportunity to impact the 61,000 members across our organization through conferences, competitions, and chapter programs. To date this has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Most members see the glamorous parts of state office, but the personal growth comes from our struggles. Members look up to us as mentors, but we are all still learning, growing, and developing like they are.

After I finish serving as a

Florida FFA State Officer next June, I plan to attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College to major in either Livestock Production or Agriculture Education. Producers feed our country and Ag Ed teachers equip students for life. I am hoping I can serve in both capacities. I try not to focus so much on the future; I make plans, and I have goals but ultimately, I know that God will place me where I am supposed to be.

Our industry feeds the world.

FFA has taught me how to be an advocate for the industry and I get to show students and adults alike the importance of it. Production agriculture and Ag Education are two areas I hold a fondness for. Without agriculture, life as we know it would not exist and there is a part of the population that doesn’t realize how many aspects of life agriculture touches. I want to teach others what I learn, and I want my legacy to be one of meeting people where they are and lifting them up. Negativity is all around us but so is positivity and it’s all about what we focus on.

I don’t care if people remember my name or position. I want people to remember being encouraged, loved, and lifted.

FACILIATATION KIM BARBER MALONE FL FFA TEACHER/ADVISOR I was raised in Holmes County and grew up in the “country.” In the eighth grade I knew I wanted to teach...Math. If you want to see God laugh, tell him your plans. I attended FSU and became a math teacher. I taught for 4 years in Holmes County and then found my way to Malone. Because Malone is a small school, I was needed to teach Science and even English...finally finding my way to teaching Agriculture. I have just entered my 32nd teaching and 22nd year teaching Ag. My passion in all this is for students. In The last 22 years, that has included FFA. I LOVE taking kids on adventures they have never experienced before. I love seeing the “light bulb” go off when they figure out a problem or make a connection they’ve never made.

It’s every moment that a kid succeeds that really does it for me.

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with me daily at school. Some have kicked drugs or overcame a tough “Inside the classroom, I look forward childhood. Some are just average to time with my eighth graders. I get kids that turned out to be productive to introduce them to so much about agriculture in the rural citizens. Those are my best moments, setting we live in.” even though it sounds cliché. To see them all be happy and successful are again, making those connections, my proudest and best achievements. has been so rewarding for me.

It isn’t about me – it really is about the In about eight years, I hope to students and being their FFA advisor gives me more opportunity to reach retire. I’d like to enjoy camping with my husband and enjoy watching them. our adult children flourish in their Inside the classroom, I look forfutures. I hope in the future when ward to time with my eighth graders. former students see me, they want I get to introduce them to so much to say hello and give me a big hug about agriculture in the rural setting and I hope when they hear my we live in. There are so many misunname, a smile comes across their derstandings about food production faces. and various things that go along with it and I thoroughly enjoy making those connections for them.

Out in the community, I have VALENA ALEXANDER always enjoyed the National Peanut Festival Cow Show. My husband, CEO, JACKSON COUNTY Bruce and I see after 75 plus head TEACHERS CREDIT UNION of cattle while both working full time.

When we participate in the cow show, I see people come in that know nothing of cows and I get to tell them how and why we care for them the way we do. The Peanut Festival brings in so many people from so many different backgrounds. Getting to tell them where their beef comes from and

FINANCING

My agricultural roots run deep and wide. My father spent his career working in agricultural operations. My father-in-law, Glenn Alexander, affectionately known as “Mr. A” at Grand Ridge School was the Ag teacher and FFA advisor. My children have either been FFA members or are serving as FFA officers currently. Most people in our community have a close relationship to agriculture within a generation or two, and these values are simply a part of our culture and are important to preserve in our homes, communities, and workplaces.

Agriculture represents a specific set of values to me: hard work, community service, preparedness, and humility. Working at Jackson County Teachers Credit Union, I have the unique privilege to be part of an organization that supports the day-to-day lives of our members through their use of our financial services. That means I get to know our members’ families, their children, their parents, and their highs and lows. I don’t take lightly the responsibility of ensuring that our members have access to high-value, member-focused, local lending, and bank-

ing. We depend on our agricultural community for our rural way of life, and our members depend on our credit union to support it, as well.

Our credit union’s mission is to serve people who work and live in Jackson County, and our agricultural industry is an important part of that. Whether financing a vehicle, ATV, rural home, or managing their finances through our personal and/or business banking, our members can count on our service and values to support their way of life.

We believe in the future of agriculture. Our credit union financially supports ag education for our youth across the county by donating to FFA chapters, 4-H clubs, and agricultural events like Panhandle Youth Expo and Jackson County Youth Livestock and Equine Association shows. Additionally, we are honored to support many veteran-focused events and groups and recognize that a large majority of our local farmers are also veterans of our US Military.

I also have had the pleasure of serving as the Chipola FFA Federation co-advisor for the last two years alongside one of our board members, Chris Franklin. This organization serves all the FFA chapters within Chipola College’s 5-county Pines and River | 29

district through fundraising, building camaraderie, and community events like Merry Market and the Federation BBQ. The BBQ raises money for the federation scholarship fund. Those scholarships are then available to seniors headed into Ag or workforce-based programs. We were able to award 4 scholarships in 2024 and hope to grow that number.

There are so many ways to be engaged in agriculture that do not necessarily mean being on a farm.

Nowadays, the agribusiness side of things is just as vital to pass our way of life along to future generations.

What I get to do in my line of work is so rewarding because I get to see it all being passed down from generation to generation. At the heart of agriculture is servitude and to see young people serving along with their grandparents and parents as they learn the Agricultural way of life gives me hope for our children and their children.

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Kayla Gonzales DATA MANAGER AND ANALYST I did not grow up in a farming or ranching community but fell in love with beef cattle in high school through my involvement in FFA. In my freshman year, I was invited to join my local high school FFA chapter and it set me on a path of becoming a lifelong learner, agriculturalist, and facilitated the meeting of my husband.

Agriculture is my passion, my livelihood, and fortunately, a lifestyle I get to share with my family. In the early years of my life, I was painfully introverted. Some days I still am, but in the pursuit of finding my place in the world, FFA and college experiences have pushed me out of my shell.

Through highly beneficial agriculture leadership programs like 4H, FFA, Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers, and Florida Cattlemen’s Leadership Academy, I have developed a network of connections and friendships all over the United States. While we are not all like-minded, we are tasked with

the challenge of feeding the world and we do so with passion and integrity. I have assisted with farm tours, field days, conferences and cattle sales to name a few and each activity I am involved in helps one more person appreciate the lengths gone to in order to provide quality food to the best of our ability.

I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences-Food Animal Specialization and a minor in Management and Sales in Agribusiness.

I have been privileged to work with cowherds of 10,000 plus, keeping up with their trends, health, and conducted transactions with customers who may purchase the cows. I am currently a lifestyle lender trainee with Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, and I am looking forward to being able to help more farmers on the business side now.

I love agriculture. I love it for a host of reasons: acts of service, the rural lifestyle, the act of hands in the soil, boots on the ground, sunshine and open spaces, but most of all I love the people. This industry is home to some of the most wholesome, wise, and welcoming individuals I have ever met, and I am so grateful to share this journey with them.

When I am asked how I have had the experiences I’ve had, I just have to say be ready for any opportunities that may come up. I was told early in life that if the Ag bus was leaving, be on it, and I did just that. When I am faced with the unknown, do it scared. Life is hard, so choose your hard and do it. More than likely you will get a really great opportunity, or you’ll learn something you needed to know or avoid.

I am so fortunate to be on this journey and I am looking forward to what the next 30 years hold for me, my family, and our community.

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