In this inspiring episode of Modern Farming, we sit down with Stacy Young, a powerhouse educator and advocate for agricultural literacy and hands-on learning. Stacy is the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Branford High School, where her influence stretches far beyond the classroom. As a National FFA Teacher Ambassador and Agriscience Ambassador, she brings national-level insights to a local program that’s shaping the future of farming in Suwannee County, Florida.

🌱 In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Stacy’s journey from high school FFA member to becoming Branford’s first female ag teacher, and how her own teacher sparked a lifelong career.

• The dynamic, student-driven programs she leads—including greenhouse and aquaponics systems, a full shop for ag mechanics projects, and job training tied directly to real-world agricultural careers.

• How her students stay busy through summer managing family farms, research projects, and tending to 4.5 acres of maize and peanuts, plus barnyard animals like sheep, pigs, donkeys, and ducks.

• Her use of tools like the AEST Smart Growing System and GPS-integrated planting methods to prepare students for the future of ag technology.

• The remarkable stat that 1 in every 3 students at Branford High School is enrolled in the ag program—and how Stacy has expanded offerings all the way to the middle school level.

Whether you’re an educator, a parent, or just passionate about the future of food and farming, Stacy’s story will inspire you to see agriculture as a powerful platform for leadership, innovation, and legacy.

🎧 Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe!

In this episode, we’re joined by Emilyn Sharpless, a dynamic agricultural educator at Bok Academy in Lake Wales, Florida. With 10 years of teaching experience—six of those spent transforming Bok’s ag program—Emilyn shares how she rebuilt the curriculum from the ground up to align with FFA standards and student-driven learning. Her efforts paid off: Bok Academy was recently named one of Florida’s Finest FFA Chapters and is a National Chapter Finalist heading to national competition.

We explore how Emilyn engages her 185+ middle schoolers daily across six packed classes (with a student waitlist!) through a fully student-run program. From managing animals and greenhouse operations to using professional-grade equipment, her students gain hands-on experience and ownership in every aspect of their education.

Emilyn also reflects on her own journey—from FFA student to ag teacher—and what it means to guide the next generation of leaders. We dive into the high demand for ag teachers, the importance of land labs and contests in FFA, and how passion, mentorship, and real-world application are at the heart of her classroom.

If you care about agricultural education, FFA, or inspiring future farmers and leaders, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

In this episode of Modern Farming, we sit down with Paige Cruse, a proud seventh-generation cattle rancher from South Florida who’s making big waves as a youth ag leader, storyteller, and advocate for American agriculture.

As a Florida FFA Star Farmer Finalist, Agricultural Communications SAE Finalist, and Extemporaneous Public Speaking State Champion and National Reserve Champion, Paige shares how she’s spent the last six years using her voice—and her platform—to stand up for the people who feed us all.

We talk about:

• Paige’s early journey in 4-H and how it shaped her commitment to agriculture

• Her experiences in FFA and the impact of ag education in and out of the classroom

• Why she started FrontPaigeAg.com and what drives her to speak up for producers

• How writing for AgDaily helps her educate consumers and build trust in U.S. food systems

• Her belief that boots-on-the-ground agriculture is essential to national food security

• Plans for the future—and how she’s continuing to tell ag’s story

Paige reminds us that agriculture is more than a lifestyle—it’s a legacy. Tune in to hear how one high school senior is already making a nationwide impact through words, action, and heart.

🎧 Listen now, and don’t forget to follow Paige at FrontPaigeAg.com

#ModernFarming #Agvocacy #FrontPaigeAg #WomenInAg #FFA #RanchLife #YoungFarmers #AgEducation #SupportFarmers

In this episode, we sit down with Brooke Holcomb, the dynamic voice behind media and marketing at Independence Classical Academy, a public charter school in Fort Pierce, Florida. With plans to grow from a current K–9 school of 650 students to a full K–12 campus serving over 1,500, Brooke shares how agriculture and outdoor learning are deeply rooted in the school’s classical education model.

We explore:

• 📚 What a classical education really looks like—no tablets, no distractions—just deep, meaningful learning.

• 🌱 How school gardens, pollinator habitats, and hands-on ag classes are teaching kids practical life skills.

• 🐄 The exciting plans to build an animal barn as part of the high school expansion, giving students a chance to raise and possibly show livestock.

• 💧 Future goals like aquaculture programs, an FFA chapter, and even entrepreneurial opportunities for students to sell their garden produce.

• 💡 The vision for after-school ag clubs and experiential learning that connects kids to nature and to their food.

• 💰 The challenges of funding and how the school is creatively tackling resource limitations.

Brooke also shares her personal ties to agriculture—having married into a multigenerational family rooted in citrus, cattle, and timber, and now raising a sixth-generation ranch kid on their 40-acre property where they keep a small herd of cattle.

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Sarah Jones, founder of Florida Farm School, to explore how one woman’s vision turned a simple piece of land into a transformative learning environment for children. Born from a deep respect for nature and a desire to help kids reconnect with the world around them, Florida Farm School is a place where education, healing, and agriculture meet.

🌿 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic inspired Sarah to create an indoor petting store—and how that pivot laid the groundwork for something much bigger.

• Sarah’s journey from personal sacrifice to purpose, fueled by the healing power of nature and the unique, profound connection between children and animals.

• Why working with non-verbal and special needs children opened her eyes to the emotional and developmental strength farm experiences offer.

• How farm chores, feeding animals, and making butter build more than just skills—they build resilience, confidence, and teamwork.

• The role of agriculture as a healing industry—a place where love, loss, and responsibility create opportunities to grow emotionally and spiritually.

• A real look at sustainability and where food comes from, shared in age-appropriate, hands-on ways that make kids feel empowered and engaged.

• The importance of community in farming and in life, and why Sarah believes kids are naturally curious, compassionate, and ready to learn when given the chance.

🐐 Key Takeaway:

At Florida Farm School, nature is the teacher—and every child is given the space to grow, take risks, care for animals, and learn the real-life lessons that don’t come from textbooks. It’s a place of love, learning, and legacy.

🌾 Join Us as we dig into how Sarah Jones is planting seeds—both literally and figuratively—for a stronger, kinder, more connected generation.

In this inspiring episode, we chat with Tiffany Gallegos, a dedicated educator with 21 years in the classroom, who has taken her passion for agriculture and turned it into a hands-on learning journey for her students. What began as a classroom visit from Florida Ag Experience sparked a mission to connect kids with agriculture beyond the textbook.

Tiffany shares how she started an ag club as a passion project to bring experiential learning into her school. With no formal ag program in place, she saw agriculture as a perfect vehicle for integrating science, math, reading, and social studies—and wanted to make these kinds of resources available to other teachers, especially the free ones!

Through farm field trips, hatchling projects, and food-based lessons, Tiffany’s students have:

• Picked blueberries and made pancakes and muffins from scratch

• Toured a processing facility and pulled fresh potatoes from the soil

• Visited Dakin Dairy to learn about milk production

• Hatched their own chickens, bringing life science lessons full circle

Her creative, out-of-the-box approach proves you don’t need a formal ag program to make agriculture part of everyday learning. Tiffany encourages other educators to think beyond the mandated curriculum and explore the field—literally!

🔗 Tune in to learn how you, too, can plant the seeds of curiosity and growth in your students with accessible ag resources and real-world learning.

#AgEducation #FloridaAgExperience #FarmToClassroom #ExperientialLearning #DakinDairy #STEMthroughAg #GrowWithAg #ChickenHatchProject #FoodLiteracy #BlueberryPicking #FloridaTeachers

In this entertaining episode, we meet Courtney and Jennifer, AKA Two Blonde Heifers - the dynamic duo behind the Florida Ag Experience, a Florida-based mobile classroom bringing dairy education directly to schools and fairs. Inspired by the Southwest Dairy Farmers in Texas, they launched their trailer three years ago to teach kids and consumers the truth about dairy—from “cow to counter.” Based at Dakin Dairy, Florida’s only dairy with on-site bottling and public tours, they combine hands-on learning with engaging presentations to promote agriculture literacy.

Florida dairy faces unique challenges—rising costs, extreme heat, misinformation, and shrinking farm numbers, with only about 40 dairy farms left in the state, most housing fewer than 50 cows. Despite these obstacles, the Heifers emphasize that community outreach, agrotourism, and product diversification (like creameries and cheese production) are key to survival. They also remind us how vital it is for consumers to understand their purchasing power: by supporting local producers, staying informed about ag policy, and choosing Florida dairy, people can help sustain these family farms.

With support from sponsors, the Florida Ag Experience offers free or reduced-cost visits to schools. Along the way, they sprinkle in fun facts—did you know it takes 345 squirts to fill a gallon of milk?—and reveal just how disconnected some people are from their food system. Common questions at fairs often include confusion about whether only female cows produce milk or mistaking milk for other bodily functions. Their mission is clear: reconnect people to where their food comes from—one classroom, one cow, and one story at a time.

📧 Want to bring the trailer to your school or event? Contact twoblondeheifers@gmail.com

🔗 Choose to purchase local milk: WhereIsMyMilkFrom.com

In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping both agriculture and education—starting right in the classroom. From diagnosing plant diseases to predicting nutrient deficiencies, AI is helping students and future farmers see agriculture through a high-tech lens.

Discussion includes:

🌾 How AI is being introduced into agricultural education

🧠 AI’s role in identifying healthy vs. diseased crops

💸 The cost of disease treatment and the value of early detection

👨‍🌾 Why agronomists are key partners in plant health management

💰 The ongoing challenge of funding—how grants and local support keep programs running

🌿 The role of plant and tissue sampling in spotting nutrient deficiencies

🤖 How emerging technologies may reduce manual labor—but must still overcome traditional mindsets

Whether you’re an educator, student, or grower, this conversation dives into how innovation is transforming ag education—and what we still need to move forward.