Plow and Pencil
Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field. –President Dwight D. Eisenhower A lot has changed in America since Ike’s presidency, including agriculture. Equipment, supply-chains, communication platforms – they’ve all evolved and adapted with the rise of technological advancements. Like Ike, HitchPin’s roots begin on a farm in Abilene, KS where the spirit of watching the original entrepreneurs – American farmers and ranchers – was planted in a young man watching his dad sell hay. As he, and their family farm grew, a belief was cultivated that one creates value by looking to solve problems for others. That conviction grew into an idea: the agriculture industry needed new technology to buy, sell, hire and find work. In 2019, founder Trevor McKeeman publicly launched HitchPin: the best digital marketplace for agriculture. HitchPin has been plowing new ground ever since, providing a platform at the fingertips of farmers and ranchers to securely, efficiently and easily transact – all from their computer or mobile device. And today’s consumers? It’s safe to say they’ve changed over the decades too. Growing in number and now generations-removed from production agriculture, they are truly curious about where their food comes from. It’s an incredible opportunity for agriculturalists to bring the cornfield to the consumer, and with the help of technology, it too is easier than ever. The Plow & Pencil podcast will paint a picture of American Agriculture today. It will tell the stories of the producers, the products, the policies and the platforms that provide feed and fuel to our nation and world.
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
It’s National Dairy Month and we had the opportunity to take a moment to learn from a well-known name in dairy – Hildebrand Farms, of Junction City, Kansas. In this episode Melissa Reed shares with us more about what makes the Hildebrand Farms Dairy work in the evolving dairy industry.
Facebook: Hildebrand Farms Dairy
Website: https://www.hildebrandfarmsdairy.com/
In this episode you’ll hear:
Melissa discuss in detail about how the farm operates and what products they offer.
The struggles they experienced during Covid-19 and how they overcame these obstacles.
Melissa gives a behind-the-scenes look at what a typical day looks like for their dairy farm.
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
In this episode of Plow and Pencil, I had the pleasure of sitting down with two of my colleagues at HitchPin, Lexi Wright, and Bryce McPhail. Lexi and her husband farm outside of Manhattan with their four children while Lexi also owns Back Pocket Social Marketing. Bryce is the Product Manager at HitchPin and has been with us almost a year. Bryce and his team have been hard at work making updates to HitchPin to provide an excellent user experience.
Find Lexi on Facebook and Instagram by searching for Lexi the Freelancer
Find Bryce on Twitter and LinkedIn at: @bamcphail
In this episode you hear:
Lexi talks about the importance of marketing and why every business needs to have a marketing strategy.
How to use HitchPin as a marketing tool to benefit your farm, ranch, or business.
Bryce describes and explains the newest feature of HitchPin and what to be on the lookout for in the future for new updates.
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
In this episode, Dr. Hodes talks about his experiences being a veterinarian and shares some very unique stories from his years of treating and caring for his patients. Dr. Hodes has been a veterinarian for 43 years and has a mixed-animal veterinarian practice.
In this episode you’ll hear:
Some of Dr. Hode’s favorite veterinary stories and some of his more challenging encounters.
Advice Dr. Hodes has for new or aspiring veterinarians.
Dr. Hodes talks about compassion fatigue.
You can follow Hodes Veterinary Health Center on Facebook or Instagram or learn more on their website: hodesvhc.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Andy Junkin owns and operates Stubborn.farm, a consulting business that provides farming families with farm succession and operating their family farm business together. In this episode Andy shares his experiences and insight into what saves family farms and stubborn farm families.
You can follow Andy on Facebook or YouTube or learn more on his website: www.stubborn.farm
In this episode you’ll hear:
What succession planning is and some of the problems farming families face
Ways to improve familial relationships on the farm.
The importance of mental and emotional health for farmers
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Wrenn and her husband Arturo Pacheco started their direct-to-consumer beef business, Pacheco Beef, LLC in 2021. We are excited to share Wrenn’s story with you about her business.
Find Wrenn on Instagram: @pachecobeef
In this episode you’ll find:
How Wrenn and her family came to Kansas and how their business got started.
The roles that Wrenn and Arturo take on in Pacheco Beef, LLC.
How their operation works and why they choose to open a direct-to-consumer business.
We are grateful Wrenn took the time from her busy schedule to share her story with us. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes information on how Pacheco Beef, LLC operates and an opportunity to glimpse the passion that both Wrenn and Arturo have put into their business!
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Youth are the future of our industry and we are excited to share Will Stroda’s story with you today. Will was the very first person to transact on HitchPin and is a perfect example of the next generation in agriculture.
In this episode you’ll find:
– Will’s story of how he got started in agriculture and how he continues to grow his operation.
– The plan Will is using for genetic improvement in his herd and how his job at Bluestem Embryo Transfer has influenced that
– Will’s experience in finding his path at K-State and his plans for the future.
We are grateful to Will for taking the time to share his story and for being the very first HitchPin customer. We find it incredibly encouraging to hear how young people in the industry are preparing for their futures and leading when it comes to trying new technology and methods and hope you do too!
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Katherine, self-proclaimed “Cheif Minion to the Goats,” owns and runs her family’s small livestock farm in the metropolitan area of Central Ohio. Harrison Farm focuses on celebrations, animals, and teaching. The mission of the farm is to connect people with animals and farming. She raises primarily sheep, goats, and chickens. On her farm, she hosts numerous agritourism events including Goat Yoga, on-farm dinners, private events, and educational tours.
In this episode you’ll find:
– the history of a 13 generation family farm
– the story behind the events hosted at Harrison Farms
– learn about the experience of goat yoga
– the challenges faced by farmers and agritourism business owners during COVID-19 and the unique solutions found to overcome them
– insight on the value of mentorship in agriculture
Find Katherine on Facebook at @harrisonfarm13 & on Instagram @fearlessfemalefarmer
Learn more about Harrison Farms at Harrisonfarm13.com
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
You would be hard-pressed to find a more passionate product manager.
Bryce McPhail is the Product Manager at HitchPin and enjoys every opportunity he gets to brag on his skilled team of developers building the technology that serves farmers and ranchers on HitchPin.com.
Bryce shares a behind the scenes look at why he’s passionate about building the best marketplace for agriculture and the work, design, and complexity of creating a tool that will serve a very diverse industry with exactly what they need to keep their businesses efficient.
In this episode you’ll find:– How building an ag marketplace has impacted someone without a traditional ag background
– The growing role of marketplaces in every industry
– Strategic planning methods used by the HitchPin team to provide maximum ROI for the platform members
– A glimpse of the development roadmap for HitchPin
Follow Bryce on Twitter at @bamcphail
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Lynne Hinrichsen of the non-profit, Farm Rescue shares her experience as a development officer and the efforts of Farm Rescue and other ag organizations to assist those affected by the four-county Kansas wildfires in December 2022.
If you are in search of assistance due to the December 2022 fires, use code HPHELP on HitchPin.com to see resources that have been donated or request support.
The mission of Farm Rescue is to help family farms and ranches bridge crises so they have an opportunity to continue viable operations. Farm Rescue provides planting, haying, harvesting, and livestock feeding assistance to farm and ranch families that have experienced a major injury, illness, or natural disaster.
Know a farm or ranch family that needs assistance? Help give them a chance to continue their livelihood by nominating them.
www.farmrescue.org
https://www.facebook.com/FarmRescueOrg
https://www.twitter.com/FarmRescueOrg
https://www.instagram.com/farmrescue/
https://www.youtube.com/user/FarmRescue
Rate, Review, and Follow!
HitchPin.com
Use code PODCAST when you create your account and you’ll receive $100 in HitchPin credits that can be applied to your transaction fees!
The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Plow and Pencil podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of HitchPin nor it’s employees. This podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!