I feel like this week’s Female Farmer Friday, Jessica Anderson, and I share a bond because we are both Extension Educators. I fell in love with Jessica when I heard her on the Ranching Brunette podcast. I listened to her episode multiple times because she dropped so much knowledge, I had to listen again to take it all in. Not only do we have a similar off farm career, we are both super passionate about agriculture education, love to rope, and own too many boots. We also both have a Thelma and Louise – hers are pigs, mine are goats 🙂 So basically what I’m saying is, we’re best friends, she just might not know it yet! Please welcome Jessica!
• Sara Beth

Please briefly introduce yourself.

My name is Jessica Anderson, I am 33 and Ranch Wife to the Cow Boss, Mr. Anderson. We run a commercial cow calf operation where we have way too many 4 legged critters. We are home to cows, 6 horses, two pigs- Thelma and Louise, 10 chickens, – all named too by the way, 2 cow dogs, my borgi Loretta and Chiweiner, Dolce. We live in Smith Valley, NV but run cattle in both California and Nevada. My day job include being a extension educator and I have the opportunity to travel and work with the state FFA ag programs and teach beginning farmers and ranchers workshops as well.

What type of farm do you have?

We run a cow-calf operation and sell ranch direct beef. We farmed a little in the past for ourselves, mainly teff. My husband farms alfalfa and grass hay as well for the cattle ranch he manages. Cows are more our vibe but we do also irrigate some of the ranches we run as well.

How long have you been farming?

We have been ranching for ourselves going on 3 years. My husband has been cowboying and managing ranches for almost 20 years. Me, on the other hand, I was a bit more citified. I was a high school ag teacher for 8 years prior to moving and working with the extension the last 3 and a half years. When we met, we always knew we wanted to run our own cattle. As God and timing would have it, that happened for us when we started Anderson Cattle Company about 3 years ago. And here we are today!

Do you have an off-farm job?

Yes, I am an outreach educator for our Cooperative Extension. I have the opportunity to work with the ffa programs in our state and host beginning farmers and ranchers workshops as well as some social media marketing and curriculum development for the extension. I have also taught agriculture courses online and through our community college.

Please share with us one of the biggest struggles you have with farming.

I think the toughest struggle in ranching is the acquisition of land. There is a very limited supply of it, and all of us who run cattle and farm need it. It can be very challenging to find ground to run cattle on. It is also a very expensive input cost. But ranching is an amazing way of life, even though feed ground can be a challenge, it is also what makes you work even harder. It’s like having a challenge and that definitely keeps you motivated.

What is something about your farm life that you think would surprise most people?

This is a great question. I’m not sure, but probably the long hours. And those hours are needed rain or shine. Summer or winter. I think all of us in agriculture are all too familiar with the hours it takes, but I think for those outside of ag that may be one of those things, that is really hard to grasp. Funny story- so whenever we have family or friends up to visit, it always seems that it is during a “season”. And by season, I mean shipping, or branding, or gathering, or irrigating, or calving, or etc. So we love to bring them along with us. And before too long, I think we wear them out. Early mornings, go, go, go, late nights, and let’s do it all again tomorrow. And I love it. There is no better feeling than in the summer when you left before day light, to beat the heat. Spent the day checking cows and calves, to return home at dark, crawl into bed, and do it again tomorrow. Call me crazy, but I love it.

Can you share one of your long-term goals for your farm?

My long term goal for our ranch is to eventually be able to purchase and run enough cattle, where we can justify buying a home ranch. I would also like to expand our boxed beef to 100 monthly boxed beef subscriptions. I just love knowing we are raising the best beef product we can and share that with others. I know 100 seems like a silly number, but it is super important to me to maintain that integrity and one-on-one feeling. I don’t ever want to loose sight of “family owned and operated”. I want to know I was able to package and touch every box that leaves our ranch. I want to keep that personal small knit feeling.

If you had the chance to tell one thing to someone without any first hand knowledge of the farming industry, what would it be?

Believe in yourself. You have to believe you can do it to be able to. Ranching and farming are tough. You can have all the resources in the world, but if you don’t believe in yourself that you can, money will never be able to buy that. If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you have already decided. There is so much power in what we think, believe in you! You are far more capable and wise than you give yourself credit for. Just believe in you!

What do you think is the biggest misconception about agriculture?

I think the biggest misconception about farming is it is all sows and plows. When I was a high school ag teacher, I would always say that FFA is more than sows and plows, it is leadership development, career technical education, and classroom learning. Agriculture is so much more than what meets the eye. Eisenhower said it best “Farming looks easy when your pencil is a plow and you are a thousand miles from the cornfield”. With 3 and 4 generations removed from the farm, now more than ever has agriculture been misconceived. Agriculture is a way of life, it is what built this country, and when you get right down to it, agriculture is what produces just about every thing you need for just about any other industry. So I think as agriculturalists we owe it to ourselves to help educate, agvocate, and teach what agriculture really is and does.

What is something you are deeply passionate about?

Ag education for sure! And if I had to pick something non ag related, I love to rope. And major confession- I love to shop and boots! Give me all the boots!

What is are a few books, podcasts, blogs, and Instagrams you think everyone should check out?

Books: there are sooo many. I love “Grace Not Perfection“, by Emily Ley and “High Performance Habits“, by Brendan Burchard. I also LOVE the Pioneer Woman’s new book “Black Heels and Tractor Wheels“.
Podcasts: there are so many great ones. I listen to Goal Digger, Working Ranch Radio, The Ranching Brunette,and Rural Women Radio. And I can’t forget my personal one- Confessions From The 2A Ranch Wife podcast and blog.
My favorite Instagram is probably Jenna Kutcher and Ranch Wives Beef Co. Ranch Wives Beef Co. just has the best energy and I love how real they are!

If people want to follow your farm journey, where can they find you?

Website www.confessionsfromthe2aranchwife.com
Instagram @2aranchwife
Facebook @confessionsfromthe2aranchwife
Podcasts On Spotify at Confessions From The 2A Ranch Wife

I truly hope you will check out Jessica’s website and podcast. She’s got so much incredible knowledge to share – I know you won’t be disappointed!