This week on the FarmHouse, a podcast by Lancaster Farming, we're talking to Jennie Schmidt, a grain and grape farmer on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Prior to farming at Schmidt Farms full time, Schmidt worked as a registered dietitian.
"I was able to kind of meld my training," she said. "I always tell people that farming is the front end of nutrition. They're the same continuum."
Thanks to her knowledge in both fields, Schmidt was offered speaking engagements, at first with dietitian and nutrition groups. This then led to her speaking nationally at conferences held by groups such as the U.S. Grains Council and the U.S. Ag Export Development Council.
While she said she enjoys the opportunities of speaking engagements, Schmidt spends most of her time farming.
Schmidt Farms uses a lot of conservation practices and was doing so long before Schmidt joined the operation.
"My father-in-law was always very progressive in adopting new practices and very cognizant of leaving the farm in better condition than you received it," Schmidt said. "That's kind of our philosophy to be able to do what we need to do to make sure the land stays intact and the nutrients stay in our soils and not in the waterways."
Initially, the farm was a hog and beef cattle operation but transitioned out of livestock and into grain.
In the early 2000s, Schmidt contacted local wineries to see if they'd be interested in purchasing grapes in the next few years.
Ever since, Schmidt Farms has grown hybrid grape varieties and is now also growing some vinifera varieties.
"We probably have 12 different varieties now," she said, and the diversity in the crop allows for different types of wine.
While Schmidt never planned on being a farmer, she said it was the best decision she ever made, and she hopes to inspire others in the industry.
"I'm trying to be a mentor to either girls that are in FFA or 4-H or younger women who are starting out in farming, because I've had several female mentors who have helped me grow in what I do and in my leadership roles," she said. "I think that's just sort of the path of women helping other women — empower them to do whatever they want to do."
