Why I Farm Roadtrip

Photo credit: Beck's Hybrids

Over the last three years, the Why I Farm Movement from Beck’s has become a huge part of my ag story. I'll never forget the goosebumps and lump in my throat that came as I watched my first Why I Farm video. From that very moment, I knew I wanted to tell stories of agriculture like that, and the only way I was going to learn was working with Beck's. 

A few weeks later, I walked up to their booth at the career fair to explain my goal. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the experience they were looking for at the time. Crushed, I looked for anything that would help me improve my writing skills. This is where my Roots Journey blog was born. After a year of writing, networking and exploring social media, I applied for their marketing internship again. I couldn't contain my excitement when I was offered the position!

The next summer was fantastic. Surrounded by creative minds and a genuine passion for agriculture, my love for Why I Farm grew. From behind the scenes I was able to be a part of the Why I Farm music video and sharing the Pralle brothers' Why I Farm story. 

At the end of my internship, there were so many bittersweet feelings. Senior year at Iowa State was around the corner, but it was so hard to leave the team of mentors I'd grown close to over the summer. I knew I didn't want this to be the end of my Why I Farm experience, but I had a burning desire to travel. Plus, I had so much to learn about American agriculture outside of corn, soybeans, cattle and pigs.

After months of daydreaming, planning, and praying, I came to Beck's with an idea. I wanted to use what they'd taught me to tell the stories of farmers from all 50 states. Most people probably would have thought my idea was crazy, but the Beck’s team loved it. My dream matched the Why I Farm Movement’s mission to honor American farmers. There are so many diverse ag stories to tell, and partnering with Beck’s will allow both of us to honor more farmers than we could on our own.

I’m excited to announce that after I graduate from Iowa State, on May 15th, I'll be heading out on the Why I Farm Roadtrip. For the next year, I'll be traveling the country working with Beck's and many others to honor farmers of all kinds. I will be sharing my interviews with farmers on the Why I Farm blog and Why I Farm social media pages.

I invite you to follow along and join me in sharing these stories of agriculture. Visit www.WhyIFarm.com and be sure to follow Why I Farm on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see the pictures, videos and blogs from my trip!

Also, don’t forget to check back here on Roots Journey to see what I'm packing, where I'm going next, and my personal reflections along the way.