By Amanda Bush
To thrive in today’s agricultural economy, small farmers sometimes have to look beyond traditional farming. For Austin Ledyard, a young ag professional member in Ashland County Farm Bureau, this has meant a strategic shift toward diversification, creating a steady foundation through custom services, equipment repair, and niche crop production. These additional income streams do more than just balance the books, they ensure the farm remains viable for future generations.
About Austin
I am the 6th generation of farmers on the same land. We raise corn, soybeans, wheat and
distillery rye and have a small herd of beef cattle. My father started a custom application company when I was a kid, and as I got older I continued to help and learn the business and now I am the primary applicator. We service Ashland, Huron, Lorain, Medina, Richland and Wayne counties. I own an agricultural fabrication/repair business where I build, modify and repair equipment, machines, and tools. On top of that, I am a realtor trying to focus on agricultural sales.
Branching out
The custom application business was started many years ago to help diversify the business for the farm and it turned out to be successful. This made it so we could still be involved in agriculture while having a steady income during the off months. We began growing distillery rye to diversify our crop income, too. It opens a lot of doors for us on where, when and how we can sell the grain. Running a repair business and being a realtor also helps me stay in agriculture while giving myself a more reliable source of income year-round. I combined both of my passions to help other farmers and to be able to create new things
Diversification importance
Having multiple sources of income can help a farm stay afloat during times of financial hardship. The distillery rye has helped us a lot when grain prices have dipped because the market for it is so diverse and there are a lot of options of what can be done with it. The custom application is always needed no matter what crop prices are, so it helps us have a steady income even when prices drop. I think that diversification of your business is essential to stay afloat as the market is always changing and you can be prepared for any fluctuations.
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