Q&A with Longford Farmer Hayden Heigele
Hayden Heigele grows corn, wheat, soybeans, sorghum (also called milo) and hay on his family farm in Longford. Hayden also has cow calf pairs and raises calves for butcher beef. We caught up with Hayden to learn about his background and passion for agriculture. Here's what he had to say.
Why are you passionate about farming and ranching?
I am passionate about farming and ranching because I had an enjoyable childhood growing up on the farm. From a young age I was playing in the dirt, riding in the combine with dad and feeding cows with grandpa in the winter. I spent as much time as I could in high school helping dad plant in spring and harvest the fall crops after school. When I was 16 my father and grandfather supervised me purchasing some cows of my own. I continued to grow my own herd, and kept them through college.
I studied precision agronomy at Kansas State University. I had multiple internships in the summers of college, working at chemical companies across the country. After I graduated I decided that I wanted to be a farmer and got a job at a farm 100 miles from home. I find great satisfaction with the way I feel after a hard day's work on the farm, seeing the accomplishments and knowing that it is going to feed people and is honest money.
What's your favorite part of raising livestock?
My favorite part about raising my own livestock is the planning. Some decisions and plans that I make may not come into play for six to 18 months down the road. I really enjoy the hands-on tasks that involve putting my decisions to work and ultimately seeing how they turn out for me.
I am constantly thinking of ways to improve my cattle and what we can do more efficiently on the family farm and at work. I also enjoy working with people as a team to accomplish a big project such as harvest or moving cattle.
What brought you into your farm job?
When I was just a child, I spent lots of time riding in the combine with my dad and helping grandpa do chores in the winter. I didn't care for it so much at first, but it quickly grew on me as they gave me responsibilities and even paid me. It felt really good to do work that helped the family and get paid. I was a huge saver. When I got into high school I purchased my own cattle and kept them through college.
After college I decided I wanted to be a farmer and got a job at a farm away from the family farm. There is no doubt my farming background from my childhood played a huge role in me getting this job.
What else would you like to share?
My passion project ties personal finances, farm finances and sustainability all together. I am constantly thinking of ways to be more efficient with time and money, with the greater goal of creating an environment for which a family can live on the farm with fewer financial pressures. My parents both worked full-time jobs outside of the farm and we spent lots of time in the evenings and weekends running the farm as a family. I am passionate about being a farmer and doing what is best for the land, but also want to work toward a business that is more profitable with less intensive capital investments.
On rainy days and snowy winters, I make candles mostly for fun. I proudly handcraft my candles from soy wax made from soybeans. I sell them across the country through my website roughcutcandles.com.
I look forward to having a career in production agriculture that involves working hard, spending time with my family when I can and providing an environment for my future children to grow up being taught the values of hard work and being a good steward of the resources.
Meet Hayden's Farm Dog Magnum
