Off Farm Income

Matt Brechwald wanted to own a farm and, like many farmers, he had to find another source of income outside the farm to supplement his operation. At first he didn’t realize it, but 90% of the farmers in this country have Off Farm Income to supplement their farms and families. Matt now hosts and produces the Off Farm Income podcast, where we can learn exactly what Off Farm Income is and how some people solve this challenge. “ So I decided to start the podcast and interview other business owners like myself with businesses that could be run from rural areas and teach other people how to do it and get people options. If they want to make the same move that I have made they could make it to. So your podcast is not driven by you making money, correct? It is absolutely an attempt to teach and an attempt to inspire people. One of the over arching goals is that I want to help our rural communities. I have seen way too many rural communities that are getting boarded up with abandoned buildings. From my previous career in law enforcement, I know that with the advent of methamphetamine that rural communities became larger consumers of illegal and illicit drugs than inner cities on a per capita basis. To me, that is very disappointing. I look at the hometown I grew up in in Northern California with 60 to 70 people and I see how it has changed. I see how much crime is there where there never used to be crime. I look at my wife’s hometown of Buhl, Idaho where you see a lot of businesses that are boarded up, main streets abandoned and there’s not a whole lot going on downtown.

 

There are a lot of farmers who have to find ways to make money outside the farm.  That’s where Matt comes in.  His Off Farm Income podcast investigates the many entrepreneurial ventures to make money.  Matt talks to people who have found unique and creative ways to bring in off farm income.  And, Matt knows about off farm income as well as anyone.  He lives it every day.  His 25 acre Idaho farm is a success because of the efforts of Matt and his family.