Shows
Straight Talk with NDFBHarvesting with NDFB: Ep 1 - Canola HarvestJoin hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord as they begin a new season of Straight Talk with NDFB, “Harvesting with NDFB.” We are visiting with farmers across North Dakota as they bring in the harvest. In the first episode, our hosts visit with Kristie Sundeen from Brocket, N.D. Kristie and her husband harvest canola on their farm. Kristie visits with us about raising canola, the challenges that come with harvesting, and changes to canola farming over the years. Join us as we find out whether the 2024 canola harvest was a boom or a bust! 2024-09-2517 min
Straight Talk with NDFBDiscipline, freedom and NDFB: Season 7 wrap-upIn today’s episode, cohosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord round out season 7 of Straight Talk with NDFB, reflecting on the season, and discussing plans they have for summer 2024. We discuss:How to prioritize the important things in life Letting things go that no longer serve The importance of showing up How discipline can set you free Our hosts will be taking a break from podcasting for the spring and summer to chase calves and plant fields. To contact our hosts about anything, email emmery@ndfb.org. To find all the NDFB happenings, visit nd...2024-05-0126 min
Straight Talk with NDFBFrom the ground up: Starting a business with your spouseNDFB Straight Talk hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord travel to Wimbledon, N.D., to visit with Matt and Bethany Peterson, owners of Aligned Ag. Aligned Ag offers precision ag services, crop protection, soil sampling services and sells Pioneer seed to the Wimbledon and surrounding areas. Matt and Bethany are active in NDFB and serve on NDFB’s Young Farmers and Ranchers committee. The Peterson’s began growing their business in 2021 and Bethany recently left her job at BASF to work full time in the business. In today’s episode, we talk about: How precision...2024-04-1735 min
Straight Talk with NDFBBuilding mental resilience on the farm: a talk with a psychologist and farmerCalving, planting, and harvesting are the lifeblood of the farm and ranch. The new beginnings of spring calves and seeds and the completion of harvest in the fall are the things we as farmers and ranchers live for. But what happens when these busy seasons start to pile up and you go from excited to a little bit more… stressed? In today’s episode, hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Dr. Amy Missling about stress on the farm and how it can turn from something seasonal to more permanent: chronic stress. Dr. Amy Miss...2024-03-2042 min
Straight Talk with NDFBHow to start the conversation about taking over the farm with Jolene BrownHosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Jolene Brown, a walking, talking spokesperson and champion for the people of agriculture. Jolene is a farmer in eastern Iowa, contributor to Successful Farming magazine’s popular family business column, author of two great books, and an inductee into the prestigious CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame. In this episode, your hosts discuss ideas from her upcoming workshop entitled: “If we huff and puff, will we blow your house down?”Jolene shares lessons learned from her 30+ years of working with farm families. She addresses the issues of com...2024-03-0627 min
Straight Talk with NDFBWhen will the grain market hit the bottom? Will high cattle prices continue? A conversation with Randy Martinson.In this episode, Straight Talk with NDFB hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Randy Martinson, founder of Martinson Ag Risk Management. Martinson Ag offers a variety of crop marketing and crop insurance packages to its customers.Randy grew up on a family grain and livestock farm near Milnor, N.D., where he farmed for ten years. Randy is well-known for introducing complex marketing strategies in a simple, straightforward manner.In this episode we talk about:Grain prices: Where the market is going and what to plant this springCattle Prices: When...2024-02-2125 min
Straight Talk with NDFBWhat can Farm Bureau do for you? A conversation with Dahltin PahlOur Straight Talk hosts, Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord, were live and in person at NDFB’s 2024 Young Farmers and Ranchers conference., February 2-3 and spoke with Dahltin Pahl.Dahltin is a farmer from Ellendale and active NDFB member, who joined our hosts to talk about his experience with NDFB. Dahltin is an ag lender for Ag Country and has been involved with NDFB for several years. He has served on the NDSU Collegiate board to as well as the NDFB’s Board of Directors as the chair of the NDFB Young Farmer and Rancher Committee. J...2024-02-0723 min
Straight Talk with NDFBSaving the farm: A New Year's resolution worth keepingIn today's episode, we answer the question “What are you going to do today so your great-grandkids can farm someday?” Hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Andy Junkin about his business “Stubborn Farm.” Andy is originally from Bobcaygeon, Ontario, but now lives in eastern Iowa with his wife and four kids. Andy helps stubborn farmers work better together. Join us as we talk about how:77% of farmers do not have a succession planMany farms that have a succession plan have parties who are not happy about it Farm succession should not happen in the fune...2024-01-2449 min
Straight Talk with NDFBAn old-fashioned Christmas, courtesy Wayne-N-Jean's EvergreensMerry Christmas to all from Straight Talk with NDFB! In this episode, hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Courtney Lesmeister, part-owner of Wayne-N-Jean's Evergreens. Courtney Lesmeister, friend of Alisha, married into a family owned and operated Christmas tree farm when she married Lloyd Lesmeister, son of Wayne and Jean, owners of Wayne-N-Jeans Evergreens. Courtney now works on the family tree farm along with Wayne and Jean, Lloyd, and two children.Although the farm sells trees year-round, Wayne-N-Jean's is best known for their cut-your-own and pre-cut Christmas tree sales, wreaths, and gift shop. 2023-12-2022 min
Straight Talk with NDFBAn entrepreneur's story about building trust with landownersIn this episode, Straight Talk hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Nic de Castro, founder and CEO of LandTrust. Nic grew up hunting and exploring the outdoors. After several years in the corporate world across the United States, Nic found himself in Bozeman, Mont., with a passion to begin his own company founded on his love of the outdoors. Enter LandTrust.LandTrust is an online platform connecting landowners and recreators. Similar to AirBnb, Vrbo and other hosting platforms, LandTrust allows landowners to sign up their land for free.In today’s epi...2023-12-1528 min
Straight Talk with NDFBChelsey's Story: Farming + ParentingHosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Chelsey Erdmann, a 6th generation farmer and social media influencer. She also serves on NDFB's Promotion and Education Committee. Chelsey lives with her husband Kyle in Fessenden, N.D., and farms with her brother, parents and three children on the family farm. Chelsey is a North Dakota native and has an Ag Economics degree from NDSU. She originally began her career after graduation at an equipment dealership, but Chelsey wanted to come back to the farm. Growing up, Chelsey's parents made it clear there would always be r...2023-11-2926 min
Straight Talk with NDFBGrand Farm: Bridging the gap between ag and techIn this episode of Straight Talk with NDFB, hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Dr. Ruchi Bhardwaj, Grower and Education Program Manager for Grand Farm. Ruchi was born and raised in New Delhi, India and moved to Fargo in 2009 to attend NDSU, where she met our co-host, Alisha Nord. Ruchi has a Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate – all from NDSU. She joined the staff of Emerging Prairie where she eventually became the Grower and Education Program Manager for Emerging Prairie’s agricultural branch, Grand Farm. Join us for our conversation with this fascinat...2023-11-0122 min
Straight Talk with NDFBHow your mindset affects profitabilityIn this episode of Straight Talk with NDFB, hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord visit with Doug Ferguson who owns a stocker/backgrounding operation in SE Nebraska and is the author of Doug's Market Intel. Doug teaches a cattle marketing school focused on helping people become Master Marketers in the cattle industry. In this episode we talk about: An overview of Sell/Buy Marketing How to make money with cows every year How your mindset affects profitability Advice for the highschool graduate How to build a cattle operationInterested in learning more about being a master...2023-10-1840 min
Straight Talk with NDFBManaging your wetlandsStraight Talk with NDFB hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord talk to Matt Retka about ND Ag Wetland Trade, a program to give farmers an opportunity to buy and sell wetlands. Matt works for Stantec, the engineering firm contracted to facilitate the development and establishment of bank sites and work with landowners through every step of the process.In this episode, learn: How ND Ag Wetland Trade gives a tool to farmers who are interested in field drainage.More about how the program works. What it looks like to sell credits. What it looks like...2023-10-0420 min
Straight Talk with NDFBBecome a better risk manager in 10 minutes or lessIn the first episode of Season 7 of Straight Talk with NDFB, hosts Emmery Mehlhoff and Alisha Nord-Donelly get down to the nitty-gritty of marketing with Progressive Ag’s owner and founder, Ray Grabanski. Ray has several degrees in economics and law and is a recognized industry leader in risk management methods. Progressive Ag pursues excellence in farm risk management specializing in wheat, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, dry beans, canola, potatoes, and livestock. Each year, Progressive Ag exceeds its goal of 10-20 cents per bushel more than the customer’s previous marketing plan.In today’s episode...2023-09-2029 min
Straight Talk with NDFBSeason 7 Promo - From the plow to the internet: a staff conversation about technology, NDFB and agricultureIn this promo episode for Season 7, Emmery introduces her new cohost, Alisha Nord-Donnelly.Learn more about Alisha, in her own words, and find out how the communications landscape has changed for NDFB from a long-time employee, Dawn Smith-Pfeifer, who has been with the organization since before the internet.Your also cohosts provide food for thought on the good, the bad and the ugly side of technology and how it relates to their jobs and their farms.To learn more about NDFB staff, visit https://ndfb.org/aboutus/staff/To contact host...2023-09-1819 min