Latest News From Farmer Resilience

Remember You Will Get Better: Chris Norton Inspires Crowd at National Pork Industry Forum
Remember You Will Get Better: Chris Norton Inspires Crowd at National Pork Industry Forum

“When the world tests you and times get tough, remember you will get better.” During a college football game, Chris Norton suffered a debilitating spinal cord injury. Doctors said he had a 3% chance to ever move again.

5 Pork Stories We Can't Get Out of Our Mind
5 Pork Stories We Can't Get Out of Our Mind

We've rounded up some of the most memorable features of PorkBusiness.com in 2023, just in case you missed them the first time around.

Flashback: Texas Girl on Fire Returns to the Show Ring
Flashback: Texas Girl on Fire Returns to the Show Ring

A pig showman, golfer and FFA officer, Paizlee Hardin was a happy high school sophomore. But on March 15, her life as she knew it changed when she began experiencing “crazy symptoms” and lost her ability to walk.

Jennifer Shike
Relax! Asking for Help is Not All About You

“Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart.” When things start to get off track and go wrong, it can be super frustrating.

Rural Revival: Why 3 Pig Farmers’ Wives Quit Teaching and Bought a Coffee Truck
Rural Revival: Why 3 Pig Farmers’ Wives Quit Teaching and Bought a Coffee Truck

Naomi Gretter, Kari Berg and Sky Hahn share a lot in common: teaching, motherhood and pig farming. Here's why they quit their jobs and opened up a coffee truck in a quest to stop the "crazy life" and "grow slow."

How to Lighten Your Load When Stress Piles Up
How to Lighten Your Load When Stress Piles Up

It was way too late on a Sunday night to be doing laundry at a coin laundromat in an unfamiliar part of town. But we had no choice. There are some things in life you just have to do even when you don’t want to.

Farm Stress Affects Kids, Too: Here’s What You Need to Know
Farm Stress Affects Kids, Too: Here’s What You Need to Know

It's no wonder farmers experience higher levels of anxiety and depression because of the many factors they deal with that are out of their control. But how does that affect their family? A new study sheds light.

Pork Producer Makes Dreams Come True for Many Iowa Kids
Pork Producer Makes Dreams Come True for Many Iowa Kids

Children interested in developing skills in science, technology, engineering and math in 47 Iowa communities will have great opportunities to do so through a generous donation from the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation.

9 Rules Parents Throw Out the Window During Fair Week
9 Rules Parents Throw Out the Window During Fair Week

We try to be good parents by setting boundaries for our kids. We want to raise decent humans who are kind, make good choices and respect others. But let’s be real. During fair week, that all goes out the window.

The Top 6 Survival Tips for Raising Teen Farm Kids
The Top 6 Survival Tips for Raising Teen Farm Kids

Raising teens isn’t for the faint of hearts. Raising teens is not easy and while many of those years are spent watching our children thrive on and off the farm, other times we are just trying to survive.

Understand Yourself Better and Be Better on the Job
Understand Yourself Better and Be Better on the Job

Are you interested in being more effective in business and personal interactions? Are you tired of butting heads with that annoying person on your team? JD Fiechtner, DVM, shares tips to “Be Better Than Before.”

‘Girl on Fire’ Sells Pig for $111,000 in Parker County Livestock Auction
‘Girl on Fire’ Sells Pig for $111,000 in Parker County Livestock Auction

Summer Hardin burst into tears when lot number 22 brought in a shocking $111,000 at the Parker County Stock Show Sale of Champions. Although one could say the Champion Berkshire was a great one, it wasn’t about the pig.

Girl on Fire: Paizlee Hardin’s Return to the Show Ring
Girl on Fire: Paizlee Hardin’s Return to the Show Ring

A pig showman, golfer and FFA officer, Paizlee Hardin was a happy high school sophomore. But on March 15, her life as she knew it changed when she began experiencing “crazy symptoms” and lost her ability to walk.

Illinois Community Rallies to Save 525 Pigs from Devastating Fire
Illinois Community Rallies to Save 525 Pigs from Devastating Fire

A fire broke out on May 23 at Blunier Farms in Forrest, Ill. The fire destroyed one of the farm’s five barns. Nobody was hurt and only 10 pigs were lost in the fire.

Activists Continue to ‘Storm the Courts’
Activists Continue to ‘Storm the Courts’

Undercover video campaigns, staging protests at grocery stores and posting graphic content on social media are common activist tactics, but here's a look at a recent trend of court cases – and unfortunately, “wins."

Jennifer Shike
Don’t Doubt Your Purpose When You Find Yourself in a Weird Spot

The other night PORK editor Jennifer Shike and her daughter had a conversation she hopes they never forget. Here's why it's one we can all relate to.

Jennifer Shike
What Makes a Good Mom?

What makes a good mom? That's a question that PORK editor Jennifer Shike has been asking for nearly 17 years. Here's a little honest insight into her journey.

Farm Grandpas are Simply the Best
Farm Grandpas are Simply the Best

I wish grandpas never had to die. Especially the ones that sported bib overalls and rubber boots. I promise you this, the younger generation will reshare your stories and remember your advice long after you are gone.

Farm Kids Have the Heart of a Lion
Farm Kids Have the Heart of a Lion

When the going seems tough, don’t give up. Be brave, even when milk prices drop, feed prices rise and the next chapter of your farm seems like an uphill battle. Remember, the younger generation is watching.

How Important is U.S. Ag and Food to the Economy?
How Important is U.S. Ag and Food to the Economy?

In celebration of National Ag Day and National Ag Week, the 2023 Feeding the Economy report shows just how vital the industry is to U.S. families, communities and the world.

Jennifer Shike
Mental Toughness: Make the Most of What Life Throws at You

It’s great to know what you want to do next, but we don’t always get to control how life shakes out. That's why mental toughness may be one of the most important attributes we can develop.

A Look Back at 2022's Crowd Favorites on Porkbusiness.com
A Look Back at 2022's Crowd Favorites on Porkbusiness.com

Here's a list of the stories that drew eyes from the pork industry and beyond in 2022. Which one was your favorite?

Creston, Iowa Orchestrates Ultimate Harvest of Thanks for Fellow Farmer, Harvesting 600 Acres in Just Four Hours
Creston, Iowa Orchestrates Ultimate Harvest of Thanks for Fellow Farmer, Harvesting 600 Acres in Just Four Hours

After Paul Baker passed away unexpectedly in October, nearly 25 combines and 38 trucks came together for a touching tribute. The outpouring of support for Paul left his family full of gratitude and thanks.

Adopt An Attitude Of Gratitude
Adopt An Attitude Of Gratitude

Gratitude is like a muscle, the more you exercise it the stronger it becomes.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Stress
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Stress

Find out how to recognize the warning signs of stress, practical ways to deal with tough times and 3 tips to get your health on track in Farm Journal’s PORK’s new e-book, “Your Guide to Mental Health.”

People with diverse backgrounds—including differences in age, gender and race—bring rich perspective to the table that can better inform how farms operate.
How Farms Can Adapt Hiring For Greater Resilience And Diversity

Here are practical ways producer decision-makers can recruit talented future leaders for their operations—and learn and apply their unique experiences and talents, says Merck Animal Health’s Shannon Kellner.

When the Unexpected Knocks: How Cancer Gave Audrey Angus Perspective
When the Unexpected Knocks: How Cancer Gave Audrey Angus Perspective

Audrey Angus, a swine specialist with Furst-McNess, opens up about her battle with cancer and how she refuses to let it define her.

San Antonio Barrow Show Winner Captures Hearts and Breaks Records
San Antonio Barrow Show Winner Captures Hearts and Breaks Records

There wasn’t a dry eye in the barn when Samantha Nicole Iselt of Lexington, Texas, was named the exhibitor of the Grand Champion Market Barrow at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.

Nebraska Farmer Keeps Hog Herd Afloat Despite Flooding
Nebraska Farmer Keeps Hog Herd Afloat Despite Flooding

One Nebraska hog producer has been flooded multiple times this year due to a wet spring. He even had to travel by boat to take care of his hogs. We have an update of where he is now.

The Night the Fire Took the Farm
The Night the Fire Took the Farm

He was seven miles away from experiencing one of the most horrific sights of his life. As Anthony Russo drove down the lane to the 5,600-sow farrow-to-wean unit, all he could see was smoke.

Descent into Hell: Farmer Escapes Corn Tomb Death
Descent into Hell: Farmer Escapes Corn Tomb Death

When Arick Baker and Buddy Schumacher tumbled into corn flows, but emerged to tell harrowing tales separated by three years and 250 miles, the rookie and the veteran became remarkable survival exceptions.