Pork, chops and pull tractors for Brad Lundell

Hello, I'm Paul Yeager, and welcome to the MToM Podcast Studio. This is a production of Iowa PBS and the Market to Market TV show. Part of the fun of this podcast is getting to talk to producers at every stage of the game, from beginning farmers, middle farmers, senior farmers. We're getting one right in the middle this year. Just like me. We're in the middle. Sorry, Brad. Brad Lundell is a hog turkey grain farmer from northwest Iowa, from the town of Kiron, Iowa. He's a hog producer. That's what we're going to talk mostly today is hogs, but it has a nice little path. Brad is someone who has recently volunteered through the Iowa Pork Producers to help at the Iowa State Fair in the pork tent. We didn't get a chance to talk to him at the state fair, but we are going to talk about the state Fair. But that's not his only connection is to work the pork tent for a couple of days. He also does something with tractors, and the tractor pull will get in and learn about Johnny. Be good and how good they have been lately at the farm. We're also going to talk about family planning and just, you know, what options are there and what has changed over the years from his great grandparents, as well as his brother, his father and his uncle and sons and daughter that have followed. We'll just kind of talk about it all. A good old Iowa farmer conversation this week on the MtoM podcast.  A reminder; subscribe to our newsletter, the Market Insider Newsletter, available on our website of Market to market.org that comes out on Monday. This podcast comes out on Tuesday and then the TV show on Friday. But you know all that. Let's learn more about something you don't know. And that's Brad. Which is your busiest time of year? Is it fall, spring, summer or every day?

[Brad Lundell] You know, I'm the type of guy where I like to stay busy every day. So I would say year round.

[Yeager] And is there I mean, because you have hogs coming all the time. So, I mean, you could get called out and do anything at any given point.

[Lundell] Yeah. You know, one thing about raising livestock, it's always a 24 hour, seven day a week, 365 days a year job. We do have pigs coming in, pigs coming out, we farm, we do our planning, spraying combined, you know, through the spring, in the fall. We've also got turkeys. we rotate them martins three times a year, so there's always something going on.

[Yeager] Okay. Hold on. So turkey hogs, what was the other thing you said?

[Lundell] Corn and beans. Yeah. Corn and Soybeans. So, yeah..

[Yeager] Yeah. So there is never a day off.

[Lundell] No, no. But we always try to manage our time. And, you know, management is the key. I feel like so you're efficient with your time so you can do the things that you can have livestock and enjoy the things that you want to do with your family and friends, as well as your hobbies and such. 

[Yeager] Oh, you actually have hobbies?

[Lundell] Well, I've got one. I work a lot too, but.

[Yeager] Oh really? What's that? 

[Lundell] One? So. Well, the main thing that we've been doing. Oh, I think I started back when I was 14. you know, the local county fairs, they had tractor poles. So I thought I told my dad, like, hey, that looks kind of. It looks kind of fun. You know, we used to go to as a kid. Watch. So that's what we started doing. And we've been doing it since for 34 years. And we've little by little worked our way up. And now our boys are into it. And, you know, for us, it's a family affair. That's something we can, you know, joy throughout the summer and even the winter. Time to.

[Yeager] And you're not talking with your feet. You're talking with big old raw horsepower.

[Lundell] We got raw power. You know, we run, we run a couple of diesel tractors, you know, that we pull it. So it's a fun family hobby.

[Yeager] What's the name of the, what's the name of it?

[Lundell] The tractor. Yeah, well, we've got several. The one, the one that we current, we currently promote or, you know, campaign. Now it's with the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Players Association. It sees a few other associations over in eastern Iowa, ECI and a few PTO pulls. But we've got one. We run in the 8,500 pound light limited pro class. It's called Johnny B Good. if you've been down, if you're if you're a fan of the Iowa State Fair, we've had some pretty good luck there the last three years. So that's kind of our biggest our biggest bragging point, right now. But, yeah, we have a fun time throughout the summer.

[Yeager] All right. So who does it. Does it depend on the situation on who drives? Or is it always the same driver?

[Lundell] I've always driven it. Our son. You have to be 16 in order to pull with the outlaws. And our oldest is now 20. We have another one that we're actually redoing. We had bought an older one a few years back that are older. His oldest son started pulling in a super farm class, and that one should be done here by next year. We've made some changes and improvements and switch classes, so in the meantime I've let him drive mine as well so he can get some experience. And you know, we can share the fun. So it's actually actually kind of more fun watching him drive. You know, it is myself anymore.

[Yeager] A whole lot of questions. I could do a whole series on that because the last few years, ever since Mark Pearson died, I've started, I've narrated the tractor pulls for the State Fair coverage. Oh, I've said, Johnny, be good. I know I've said it.

[Lundell] Okay.

[Yeager] And but this year it was rained out. The, you know, like the one little time we had rain and it kind of messed up things. And you didn't get, how many events do you run in us in a typical season?

[Lundell] I think our class is at 26 different events throughout the year. Now we don't run for points. You know, we have two younger boys, two that are ten and 12 that pull a couple the farm tractors in the farm classes. So we try to do what we can to take them around to local county fairs. You know, that's where we first got started, tractor owners at the county fairs. And then you just keep growing and increasing and improving and you know, you know, just no different than a football player starting a high school, going to college and making it to the pros. And, so we have some kind of on every level. And when you talk about that, when you talk about the state fair being rained out, we were down there because we are also on the Iowa Pork Committee. So Monday morning, you know, we were working the Pork Tent and it's just, you know, Mother Nature, we we either love her, we hate her. And I think we, a lot of us were pretty frustrated that we didn't quite get the timeline down to when she was supposed to let it rain and how much. just some short showers made it, made the infield. Everything just not fit to put the ball on. This year, unfortunately.

[Yeager] And and you're in northwest Iowa and there was just like southern Minnesota and South Dakota heavy rains and in May and June. And it almost seems like we really haven't had much rain since those days at the State Fair. Well, we'll get into the crop cycle in a minute, but, you mentioned family. The family has been that's a big thing for you because you have quite the family operation when it's all said and done.

[Lundell] Yeah, yeah, I grew up, you know, my, you know, I think my dad and my uncle, you know, they farmed, but, they farm, they were diversified. They had farrow to finish hog operation. And, you know, I think that's. How about every farmer got going back, back in the day, everybody was diversified. And then as commodity prices, you know, of livestock or cattle, what have you, everybody kind of reorganized and, you know, maybe focused on one thing. And we've always tried to stay diversified. That's why we went from a farrow to finish operation. We  let the farming part go and we improved our barns, built some new barns, and went to this wean to finish, you know, pig operation that we have now.

[Yeager] And that's different than what you mentioned, like, kind of what the family was. I mean, I think you have a father and an uncle that did some things too.

[Lundell] Yeah, yeah, we had 125 silos when I was a little, you know, we, we we'd farrow them and then we finished, you know, we finished our pigs and, I think we were at first when I was really little, we were on a five week cycle. So every five weeks we were having cows farrow. And that was pretty labor intensive. Then we moved it to a 13 week schedule. Just allow for more time between groups. And then as my uncle's got, he started a business venture, and that took time. And we had as our farming operation grew a little bit, everything started to take time. So we knew we needed to kind of maybe shift our focus a little bit. It was getting harder to the farrowing side. You know, small salads were going by the wayside. And the bigger the bigger groups trying to find a market for the pigs consistency. So that's kind of what led us to switch our focus, just more lean to finish. We let somebody else do the farrowing and we get the pigs when they're about 12 pounds, 13 pounds, and then we'll take them all the way up to market. That's  our special plans.

[Yeager] That's been your specialty for how long?

[Lundell] Back in 2006, when we built our new barns, and then in 2014 and 2015, we expanded again. And actually in 2012, my brother came back to the farming operation and he built some barns. In 2012 and then in ‘22, in 2020, he built another set of new barns on his old place where he lives. So we had the opportunity to do it. So both of us took advantage of it. You know, we're pretty diversified. We also have a turnkey feeding operation. There's a processing plant close by. So we've got a four barn turkey site that also keeps us busy. Also provides manure for the farmland as well as our corn and soybeans. So we've I felt like we've done really good to be a diversified and be able to be sustainable, being able to use more of the manure back on the land and still follow the main focus. You know them. My dad, my uncle, my grandparents, you know, set forth years ago.

[Yeager] And that is diversification is part of many operations. But when you mention those expansion what, are you contract based then on those, those hogs or are you these all on your own, your own neck?

[Lundell] the hogs that we have in our barns right now, those are all contracted. We contract with a vet company. They've been a great partner. We've worked with them since the start. I feel like we have an excellent reputation with them. They're great to work with. They strive for consistency. You know, they strive, strive real hard to produce the best pigs that they can. And, we've also are part of a small group where a bunch of us growers have bought into our farm as well. So that way we have that way we have some skin in the game too.

[Yeager] And then the same with the turkeys. What's their set up?

[Lundell] Yep. That's just a custom feeding operation for, for a well known turkey company. And there's a processing plant close by.

[Yeager] There can't be that many that do this like you do. Right?

[Lundell] Those animals, you know, they're few. There's definitely, you know, a few guys, not many. You know, there's. As we decided, we wanted to get back into the hogs. You know, some people decided to put their energy more towards expanding their farming operation, whether it be grain, grains, you know, corn and soybeans. And there's not very many that are quite as diversified. But there are still some. Yeah.

[Yeager] And that is always fascinating. And you're in an area that is known for both of those industry. So I guess that maybe my question, I should have just thought about it before I ask. Yeah, on the hog side, there's been some there's always ups and downs. Oh, yeah. Yeah, ebbs and flows. Where do you think you're at right now? In the cycle?

[Lundell] You know, I would say we're maintaining, you know, crop prices have receded a little bit. You know, so corn is an outrageously priced soybean meal isn't outrageously priced. It seems like no matter what industry and there's always a roller coaster, you know, it's been the cattle market, the hog market, the grain market. And, you know, there's going to be ups and downs. I think to be profitable, you have to know how to manage it when it's up as well as manage it when the prices are low. But I feel like we're kind of in this steady range right now, you know, granted interest is high. it's come back a little bit, but, you know, interest is still pretty high, compared where it was two years ago. But, you know, I think we want to be able to maintain a range where there's money in it for everybody. You know, the owners have to make a little money, you know, as growers, you know, but we, you know, we enjoy what we do. But, you know, we'd like a paycheck. The Packer needs to make a little bit. And the consumer, you know, has to be able to buy the product that, you know, we have to make sure it's affordable to them too. So, you know, I feel like we're kind of getting to that happy medium. We're not seeing any big price swings right now. So hopefully we can maintain that.

[Yeager] And you mentioned the feed costs the input side of things. Yeah. That has been one of the only bright spots. But let's, I want to unpack on the interest rate a little bit. you're old enough to know like I am that historically interest isn't what it was. I mean, could you imagine, What? Maybe your father and uncle did and dealt with, in the 70s and 80s, and we have to always kind of readjust and how we decide. But prices are different all around. So, yeah, higher interest rate is a high interest rate whenever it is.

[Lundell] Yeah. It is. And you know, I remember I was just a little kid, I was about 5 or 6 years old, you know, in the early 80s and interest you know, there wasn't fixed as much fixed interest as there is today on land. And, you know, the operating notes, they weren't 17, 18, 19% land notes went high. And, you know, that could even today a lot of land or livestock would or, you know, a lot of long term debt if you had to, where, you know, if you were locked in several years ago, you could lock it in for 3 or 4%.  Well, that jump to 17, 18% now, you know, and hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, you know, it would crash a lot of people. So we're definitely thankful there's some and there's some tools now where we can, you know, keep that interest, lock it in when we can.

[Yeager] Well, you mentioned diversity in the farming operation. There's diversity in ways to keep yourself profitable and.

[Lundell] Exactly.

[Yeager] Open and keep saying yeah. So yeah, that makes sense there. Do you find, biosecurity wise? I mean, you're always I mean, I go to a lot of those conventions and you, I'm sure, hear a lot of things. And, you feeling that, you're ahead of the game right now, in the hog, specifically when it comes to keeping them safe.

[Lundell] Well, we need you know, I feel as far as a lot of us growers, I feel we all do an excellent job. You know, when you look at the threat of African swine fever that's been floating around, it's been in I think it's been in the Bahamas kind of down in the in the island countries, you know, so far I feel we've done a great job at keeping it away from the United States. I feel if it did get here, it could be deadly. But, you know, biosecurity, it starts at home. You know, they have to do their part. And we have to make sure that we're always doing our part consistently every day to keep the pigs as healthy as we can.

[Yeager]

And in your area, you mentioned land and prices and things like that. I mean, you're kind of in that area where land is pretty expensive there for a while too.

[Lundell] Well, yeah. And even as commodity prices, you know, have receded, some, you know, demand, there are still some that sold not too far or, you know, 3 or 4 miles away from here, that 16,000 an acre, you know, when land was sick or when corn was 6 or $7, it was more justifiable. You know, some farmers had made some good money and they needed somewhere to go with it. But, you know, it's pretty much came back a little bit, but demand is still strong for land. So like they say they're not making any more of it.

[Yeager] Right. Yeah. Exactly. That phrase hasn't been retired with age. No at all there. Brad, you know you, you mentioned the Iowa State Fair. You work with the pork tent. We've done a podcast there this year with Jeff French, and we've had lots of politicians come through and photo opportunities. What's enjoyable and what's your job there at the pork tent?

[Lundell] You know, we got asked to be on the pork tent about three years ago. There was one of the committees that, you know, we mentioned an interest in, and it's a committee that we're very thankful to be on. It's, it's a fun committee, you know, being able to be down and work at the Iowa State Fair, being able to, you know, show people how we how we cook. You know, you've been down there before, you've seen our grills. You know, everybody likes to stop by and watch and see how the chops are grilled. You know, we got to that. You see the one where we do the chops on where we lay them on there, and then we flip them so we don't flip each individual flop or each individual chop. Yep. But, no, it's definitely a good time. We're glad we're a part of it.

[Yeager] Well and it's, it is a quintessential state fair. I mean, you know, always the pork chop on a stick. Hear someone say that that's one of their top 2 or 3 things.

[Lundell] I would say the thing that we hear because we all rotate my I've kind of found this. But you know everybody when you're, when you're a committee member you know you kind of oversee you help the volunteers and everybody kind of finds their spot. And I've kind of settled more to the outside with a couple gentlemen, you know, cooking the pork chops, being outside, you know, you get to see the politicians. They all come through. They all adore the, you know, the red apron. And, you know, it's a big photo opportunity. So it's interesting to see that, but it's fun to be out there with the people and answer questions that they might have. And, but we.

[Yeager] All that's where I'm going. Yeah. Where I'm going is exactly what are the questions you're getting, this year. What are they different than the last three years?

[Lundell] No. You know, probably the thing I hear the most and, we all rotate through, you know, we serve the pork chops on a stick on the trailer up top there. We also have one down by the beef barns where we serve the bacon as well as the pork chop on a stick. And, you know, probably the thing that we hear the most is, oh, man, I look forward to this every year. This is my favorite thing I like. You know, everybody's you know, everybody is health conscious too. You know they're watching carbs. You don't have to worry about it being cooked in grease or a bunch of extra breeding and, you know, stuff like that. So it's no doubt health conscious as well as, you know, oh man, I can't wait. Or they'll take a six pack to go home so they can, for lunch or supper the next day. So, really don't get a lot of questions. Everybody wants to know how many chops we sell, and we don't really reveal that information. We just, it's a lot. It's in the tens of thousands. Put it that way. That's how many pork chops, you know, we do sell. But I would say the biggest comment is this is everybody. Oh, man. You know, this is the first stop I go or it's the last stop I go and I take it home. So it's good to see that people really look forward to it.

[Yeager] All right. It's just you and me talking here. do they tell you the real recipe and how you can do it at home? is that something you get when you're on the committee?

[Lundell] No recipe for what? Yeah.

[Yeager] Well, to make the pork chop on a stick. I mean, I know it's a cut, but, you know, the seasoning and all of those, I mean, how you cook it, I mean, I actually tried to replicate it, and I can't do it.

[Lundell] It's actually a cut. You know, the pork chop on a stick is a trademarked piece of meat that I would have, and, we don't season them at all, actually. It's just how they're cooked. And, you know, it is a special cut, so we can, you know, it's our pork chop on a stick to get that bone right. You know, the specialty cut it is. So it's, we have a process of securing that meat and that cut. And, we feel we do it. We do a very good.

[Yeager] I've covered the fair for going on 20 years now, and I don't think I'd ever heard that it was. I mean, I know it's special. You know, it was special that you had all ordered it that way. You know, that's the way you get it.

[Lundell] I mean, you know, I think, you know, anybody can go to a shop, I believe, and get a cut this way, but, this is this is Iowa pork. So you don't get a signature cut that we could promote at the state fair.

[Yeager] When you are there, and you talk about what people are asking you and numbers and things like that. Do you ever get that random question about, oh, are you an actual hog farmer or, you know, how many hogs do you have? I mean, does anybody ever really kind of want to know that from you?

[Lundell] You know, I don't think anybody asks, but I think you know, when you go to the whether it be the pork tent or the beef tent or the turkey grill, you know, I, I'm going assume here, but you know, everybody I want to say assumes that you're part of the industry in some, some way, shape or form. It's fun. My wife likes to go out to the dining room and, you know, show white tables and she'll have conversations with people and, you know, wherever we can have good conversations about where the food comes from and what our part of the process is. You know, the more we can educate the general public, the better we are.

[Yeager] And that's, I think, what the state fair does it perfectly. Million, a million people, from the country get together and hopefully they can converse and and even if they're just standing in line for those three minutes, to get a pork chop on a stick or a leg or, a roast beef sandwich or whatever.

[Lundell] Yep. Yeah. I mean, no doubt agriculture, you know, is a big, big part of Iowa's economy. And, you know, and one thing nice about if I can go back to the pork tent for just a second, you know, we've we're super proud, you know, after, I think, 30 some years of the old quartet, it was time to retire that, you know, and we've, we've concluded our second year of the brand new Iowa, Iowa portent, you know, new building, more shade, you know, for people to come in and eat. So, we're definitely really, really proud of that. And we're hopefully we can make an impact, you know, for another 30 or 40 years or longer.

[Yeager] And a little more stable, usable throughout the.

[Lundell] Year. Yeah, yeah. No, no.

[Yeager] The state fair is, the committee's, I mean, so then conversations, I mean, do you get to pick who you're coming with or it just kind of set that a text among friends? Hey, I'm going to do these two days. Can you or you just you hope you just meet somebody new?

[Lundell] you mean as far as what days do we work that they're.

[Yeager] You're working with? Yeah.

[Lundell] Yeah, we all sign up. We we have meetings throughout the year, you know, as to, you know, we'll get bids for our products or we'll we'll send bids out, to see, you know, we don't like to change a whole lot because when people come to the fair and they have the same workshop year after year, they expect the same quality, you know, no different. When you go to a fast food restaurant, you know, what you buy today is going to taste the same tomorrow. And, you know, so people do have an expectation that we we're going to have the same food. But we, you know, we do mix it up a little bit with suppliers, you know, we work on chances on cost as well.

And we got to keep everybody honest. But we have meetings throughout the year and then we get to sign up. And you know everybody that's on the committee really does a good job. There's some people that like to work the weekends and have day jobs. There's some people that are that like to take off their vacation to work through the week, and then they go home on the weekends and then the stuff at the farm or wherever they are, they make sure that's, you know, their, their livelihood gets done too.

[Yeager] So prior to three years ago, what was your experience with the Iowa State Fair?

[Lundell] Prior to three years ago? We were just a spectator. You know, we take the kids down there and we were just a spectator just like anybody else until we well, we kind of got involved with the fair in two ways. Number one was the Iowa pork tent. And also that was when the, on the West side, if you covered, you know, the fair for a number of years, you know, how they took away the racetrack and the, you know, the grandstands, a permanent concert facility now. And they built the Elwell Family Park there on the west side. So the track was absent for a few years, and then back in 21 when they brought it back. We also the group that were involved with the tractor pull, it helps put on the pole at the state fair. So we've been involved with helping with the pole for that since 21 as well. So for us, I feel like we get in, we get a double benefit, we get to help with the pole, as well as spend some time in the pork tent to.

[Yeager] Yeah, and two extreme corners, the far west and almost the super far, far east there. Yeah, you really do get it covered.

[Lundell] Yeah. We get our workout.

[Yeager] So back on the farm, you've been busy, trying to, you know, it's fall, it's harvest. the beans came out here, this week. Yeah. Did you think of them?

[Lundell] You know, it's surprisingly we did have some late rains in August. not everybody got them, but we did. I do, you know, our beans? It was a little bit wet planting this spring. North of us, about 30 miles. I know they were rained out for several weeks. But I tell you what. Every year we say this, you know, man, we must be in a garden spot. But I feel like our bean crop has been really good. we just finished up beans yesterday, and we're going to switch to corn today and hopefully get invited to some corn tomorrow.

[Yeager] So what? Same expectation there that things kind of benefited in corn from those late rains.

[Lundell] Yeah. Yep. I the a lot of people are just starting for some early year for from some early year yield from some early yield reports. We've heard the corn has been good. It's a little bit wetter. Some early corn is dried down very well. but you still see some. There's some green corn out there. So as long as it keeps drying down, we'll be in good shape. Well, that's, fire up the dryer. Too much.

[Yeager] Well, yeah, I had a friend, south of you, we'll say 100 miles, who was like, yeah, 18, 19% water right now. And, you know, I look around, I mean, really this hot and dry September now into early October, there's really no weather pattern change. do you get more tired when you have no break?

[Lundell] I don't know, it seems like you can. You can get more stuff done during the day when you're, you know, don't have rain to contend with. It's, you know, even this next week. I know it's supposed to be sunny. I think Saturday supposed to be windy and an upper 80s. So no doubt we've got some great corn drying weather coming in. But with that, actually, we had one yesterday, you know, we are combined to catch fire, but our field are being filled. CalFire. we figured we figured had to do something with the emissions is what we kind of tracked it down to. But, you know, that's always a concern when it is hot and dry and windy as well. 

[Yeager] Always something. Yeah. I see the pictures of combines that have had fires and yeah it's just tough and it goes quick.

[Lundell] Yeah.

[Yeager] It does not. And the field can go quick too.

[Lundell] Yep. Yeah. We got reports. We got pretty fortunate. This was in an area that already been combined. We think it happened when my aunt was moving over to the other far side, the field. There are some chaff that have been hot that when it was driving, it bounced off is what we is, what we think. So. But luckily we had a disc close by. So, fire department came just to the back backup, but got it under control quick and no damage. So that's good.

[Yeager] How old is your oldest son?

[Lundell] Our oldest is 20. 20. Yeah.

[Yeager] Does he want to come back?

[Lundell] Yeah. He went to two years. You know, he told the kids you, you know, you got to go to experience college. I don't really care if you learn anything, but you, you know, you at least have the experience, you know, the college atmosphere. So he went to a two year college, for ag business. And, he actually had the opportunity to buy two hog barns from my brother. So he purchased them. And then, you know, one thing, if I can bounce back to diversification for a minute, when you have manure, you have to figure out a way to get it from the pit to the field. So it started back in those two, though. We built our barns in 2006, and in 2007 we bought our own manure tanks. And, he we traded a couple of them off and he's got his own tractor tank now. So now that we've finished the beans, he'll start hollow manure from the barns to the field.

[Yeager] So and that's a role he can do.

[Lundell] Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. He enjoys it. He's kind of a one man show. But he tackles the barns and takes them with his rig. You can do 2400 in about two days. And you know he's happy because he knows the harder he works the more gallons he's going to get. More gallons is going to get, the more money is going to make. So when you have a short period to make money, you got to make hay while the sun shines.

[Yeager] Well. And that's I was going to go back to that. I'm glad you went back to diversity, because I was going to kind of ask about family because I think you said younger kids ten and 12. Yeah. So and and given your family situation and I mean, do you feel that it's different from, from what your kids are looking at for opportunities versus what you had? Maybe you were that young, 10 to 12 year old kid going, well, gosh, what am I going to do here?

[Lundell] Yeah. You know, I, you know, it was, you know, when I was, you know, 12 years old, you know, we still had livestock and, you know, the family farm was very prevalent throughout the neighborhoods. And it wasn't until I kind of got into the late 90s or mid 90s is when the livestock industry kind of started changing and consolidating and such. You know, he started to talk about pack road livestock and, you know, everybody started growing. And I guess I'm pretty thankful that we had the advantage to work with our integrators. We did and expand as much as we did and part of our expansion, no doubt, was for was hopefully to secure a future for our, our kids. You know, our daughter's 17, I don't foresee her, you know, coming back to the farm to, to do outdoors every day. She's kind of got her own passion, which is fine. We support that. But our younger two boys are ten and 12 and if you know, if they see an opportunity, we've definitely got the opportunity for them to to continue on what we've been doing, what my dad and uncle started or what my dad and uncle continued from my grandpa and our great grandparents and so on.

[Yeager] So your kids would be fifth generation then, correct?

[Lundell] Yep. Okay.

[Yeager] And all in that same area.

[Lundell] So yeah, pretty much we live just a half mile down the road from where my great grandparents lived, and built their house. So we feel pretty fortunate, you know, that to be basically in the area where my ancestors started years ago.

[Yeager] What do you think would be the biggest question that your great grandparents would have if they see it today?

[Lundell] You know, I often I have to think about that because that's a question I always they always think it's like, man, if I, you know, if my grandpa could see this, you know, you know, they farmed with, you know, two cylinder tractors back in the days. And of course, his parents, you know, they had horses, mules and such. And, I don't know what the biggest question they would ask. Maybe they'd ask, you know, with everything, the biggest question they would probably ask is why? You know, because there wasn't the you know, there wasn't the technology, there wasn't the need for everything. You know, life, life, I feel was simple back then. But we definitely we do a lot more stuff as far as like kids activities and opportunities. So, you know, maybe the question they would ask us is why? I don't know. It's good, good, good question.

[Yeager] That would be an interesting conversation. And maybe our dreams, they have that conversation. But I mean it's the you know, yes. It's the shuffling of being able to do many things. You know, technology allows us and improvements in equipment and machinery allows us to maybe compartmentalize some time where, you know, I think of, you know, the dairy folks that, you know, that is every day you can really change that, that. Yeah, dairy cow needs milk too. But with you I think you said at the very, very beginning of livestock does allow you some opportunities for windows to do other things. And that's. Yep. That's something you've been able to realize. And you lean into it and you make it work.

[Lundell] Yep. We do. And one thing, one thing I would think that our grandparents are great grandparents if they could step onto the farm now, I would like to think that they would say, oh, you know, they're still doing what we did. They just did just looks a little different, you know. You know, they drove Model T's back then. And now we drive. We drive, you know, Chevy Dodge, Ford pickups. You know we still get the same place, but just the vehicle is different. And you know, I think I feel the same thing is I feel it's the same way with livestock. You know, we still raise them the same. Our level of care is still the same. Just the building and the process which we house them and, you know, we're able to make them more comfortable. It's changed.

[Yeager] So I still think the big thing would be the size. And they would say, well, what about your neighbors in the next section over? And you're like, they're not there. That thing went down in 1974 and and been back, you know. Yeah. There's just not as many people around. Yeah.

[Lundell] Yeah. Now. Yeah.

[Yeager] That's the other big thing. Yeah. That's for another discussion. When we do the second part of what is the key for Johnny B Good to win in 25 on the circuit. Right. Yeah.

[Lundell] There was that. There was definitely some pressure. You know, we were down there and they were you know, they're like, well are we going to make it a four peat? You know. And you know I'm like, you know, you just you just go, you have fun and you end up where you end up. And there's some little tricks to maybe knowing where to go. And sometimes you get lucky, sometimes it pays to pay attention. And I felt like we paid attention and it suited us well. You know, we've done well and we'll try it again next year.

[Yeager] And you do all your mechanic, work yourself or someone else there in the family.

[Lundell] You know, we do some of it, you know, our other tractor we're building, it'll be in the same classes. Well, we're, you know, we're putting a new chassis on it now. but somebody else does the motor for us. That's kind of over. Over my pay grade. And, For what? For? For what? It has to be done. I'd rather trust somebody else to do that. But we try to do a lot of everything else ourselves, so. Oh, I love it.

[Yeager] Yeah. I can't wait to see it at the fair next year. Hopefully everything works out.

[Lundell] You bet your, you know, if you get a chance, stop with the pork tent. You know usually we're there. We try to be there all throughout the week.

[Yeager] Sounds good. Brad, thank you so very much for the time I appreciate it.

[Lundell] Yeah. Thanks for having me. Enjoy the conversation.

[Yeager] Thank you for watching, listening or reading along with this podcast. New episodes each and every Tuesday. Subscribe at the newsletter at market to market.org and have that delivered to your fingertips every Monday. New podcast episode comes next Tuesday. We'll see you then. Bye bye.