IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO (RFD-TV) — For FarmHER Saydee Longhurst, farming is about more than growing wheat and hay. It is about continuing her family’s legacy, building connections in her community, and helping others understand where their food comes from.
Longhurst, whose family has farmed the same land for generations, joined Market Day Report ahead of her featured episode on FarmHER + RanchHER to discuss her family’s operation, her path into agriculture, and the role of education and social media in connecting consumers with farming.
Using Social Media to Connect Consumers With Agriculture
Longhurst studied agricultural education and originally hoped to teach in a classroom before returning to her family’s farm. Today, she uses social media as another way to educate people about production agriculture.
“To use social media as a classroom of sorts to show folks what it looks like to work in production agriculture has been really rewarding and something that I wasn’t anticipating doing when I studied agricultural education. But my hope is just that the things that I put out online can somehow, you know, connect with wherever their food comes from and put a face to the food that they’re putting in their carts at the grocery store,” Longhurst said.
An SAE Project Becomes a Family Farm Business
Longhurst’s agricultural journey also includes an FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project that developed into a business called Cleo’s Cuttings.
She started the business at age 14, producing small hay bales. It remains in operation today and has helped support her education and provide income as an adult.
“I started when I was 14 producing small hay bales, and I was able to put myself through school by having that business in high school and furthering it as well while I was attending school. And now I use it to pay my bills as an adult, and it’s been really great and rewarding,” Longhurst said.
She said the business has allowed her to find a niche in her community by selling small bales to people with animals to feed.
Continuing a Generational Family Farming Legacy
As the oldest child in her family, Longhurst said she feels a deep responsibility to continue the operation her parents established.
“I’m the oldest of our family. I have a younger brother, and he’s interested in agriculture as well, but to be the oldest and kind of see my parents’ homestead and start farming and be, you know, the one who paved the way for us to do what we do in agriculture, I feel that responsibility and highlight it and continue it for generations to come,” she said.
Longhurst also discussed the challenges her family has faced, including a difficult year when they lost their wheat crop.
She said the experience required the family to diversify and find ways to move forward when weather conditions were unfavorable.
“I think one of my favorite things of having participated in FFA was memorizing the FFA Creed. And there’s a section in there that talks about knowing the joys and discomforts of agricultural life. And I have truly gotten to live that each and every day,” Longhurst said.
She added that how producers respond to challenges can make a difference in agriculture.
“You never know what each day is going to bring. It’s how you choose to react to it that really makes or breaks you as an agriculturalist,” she said.
Encouraging More Women to Find Their Place in Agriculture
Longhurst said she believes everyone has a place in agriculture, whether they work directly on a farm or contribute elsewhere in the industry.
“I think, you know, everybody has a place at the table in agriculture, whether you’re a farmer or somewhere else involved, you know, in the percent that we have that produce food. And I think just recognizing that the value you bring will just be amplified by how you choose to share it and the manner that you bring yourself to the table,” she said.
She encouraged women pursuing careers in agriculture to recognize the value they bring and approach opportunities with a positive attitude, grit and determination.
Longhurst credited her father and other mentors, including the family’s agronomist, for helping her develop confidence and pursue a career in agriculture.
“My dad’s been the same way. It’s never mattered that I was a girl. I got to do the same work as everybody else,” she said.
Ways to Watch
Longhurst’s story highlights the importance of family, education, and carrying agricultural traditions forward while finding new ways to connect with consumers.
She continues to work alongside her family while using her agricultural education background and social media presence to share the realities of farming with a broader audience.
Learn more about FarmHER Saydee Longhurst tonight on an all-new episode of FarmHER + RanchHER, which premieres Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EST only on RFD-TV and streaming any time on RFDTV+
7:30 PM EST | 6:30 PM CST | 5:30 PM MST | 4:30 PM PST
