Episode 27 focuses on ag technology and an equipment outlook for 2024. If you are interested in agricultural advancements through technology and have plans to purchase equipment for your operation soon, this episode is for you!

Johnny Villanueava: Johnny Villanueva is the Managing Partner and General Manager of Flint Irrigation which is an affiliate of Agrispray Drones. He started his drone business a little over 2 years ago in Lee County, Georgia with the purpose to educate, sell and service the general public in agriculture spray drones. Johnny also farms row crops and looked into ag spray drones to solve a need for precision application in small field trials. The DJI Agras line of spray drones allowed him to be on the cutting edge of new farming practices and be more precise in foliar applications. He soon became the local resource for everything spray drones and decided to enter into a partnership with Agrispray drones to meet a growing, fast-paced demand for spray drones on local farms. This demand coupled with on farm education started what we now have as a successful drone retail business.

Ragan Brown: Ragan Brown has been employed with SWGA for over 18 years. She has her MBA from Georgia Southwestern and has held various positions and is currently Residential Lending Unit & Other Financial Services Manager. She started the Farm Credit Express product for SWGA and other farm credits associations and has been working with equipment financing and leasing for the past 10 years. Ragan resides in Leesburg with her husband, Richard and children.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com.

Episode 26 focuses on finding a place to call home in Southwest Georgia! If you are a first-time home buyer, aspiring southern dweller, entering your #ruralera, or interested in buying or building your forever home outside of the city limits, this episode is for you! Commentary for this episode is provided by Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager Anna Kinchen, Upland Real Estate Owner Bri Whigham, and Residential and Lifestyle Lending expert Lee Hatcher.

Bri Whigham is a third generation Realtor® located in Thomasville, Georgia with a background in marketing, sales, and photography. The Red Hills of North Florida and South Georgia offer many lifestyle choices from the oceanfront to the waterway and city living to plantations. Whether you are looking to buy or sell, Bri can help sell YOU the south!

Lee Hatcher is a Residential and Lifestyle Lender with Southwest Georgia Farm Credit. She assists clients in Southwest Georgia with navigating the home buying process from start to finish.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com.

Episode 25: Preparing for a Farm Loan (Resources for Young, Beginning, and Small Operation Farmers)

Episode 25 is hosted by Brant Harrell; a Relationship Manager with SWGA Farm Credit. This podcast focuses on prepares young, beginning, and small operation farmers for financing and long-term success! Commentary on this episode is also provided by Newt Gilman, with the Georgia Farm Service Agency.

Newt Gilman is a State Farm Loan Specialist for Farm Service Agency, a Farm Loan Division in Georgia. He joined FSA as a Farm Loan Officer in 2018 and became a Loan Specialist in 2021. He also has a background in farm equipment sales and serving with UGA Extension. In his personal experience on his family’s small ruminant operation and in his professional career, he has developed a passion for helping America’s farmers and ranchers obtain the financial resources they need to keep our nation’s food supply plentiful.

Brant Harrell was born and raised in Decatur County. He is graduate of Georgia Southern University. He has farmed for 25 years and has served as a Lender and Relationship Manager for Southwest Farm Credit for 15 years. He also serves as the Chair for the Decatur County Agriculture Committee.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com.

On our latest episode, Relationship Manager Mike Harris discusses what happens when a commodity leaves the farm with McClellan Organics owner, Bryan McClellan. 

Bryan McClellan is owner of McClellan Organics, a 350-acre organic vegetable farm located in Climax, GA. Bryan has been growing and selling organic produce for over 18 years.

Mike Harris has extensive experience as a Credit Officer, Commercial Lender, Branch Manager, and Market President.  Mike’s personal experience on the farm, combined with his professional experience as an ag lender, make him an asset for Farm Credit and our clients.  He has a passion for helping farmers succeed and rural communities grow. Mike will use his firsthand experiences and his financial skills to help our association continue to serve our customers at an exceptional level.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender.  NMLS 691477.  The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System.  No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice.  For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com.  Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com.

On episode 23 of HERE WE GROW, we sit down with guest experts Michael Chamberlain and Kevin Dowdy to discuss cultivating the perfect South Georgia habitat for wildlife, turkey hunting, and how to search for and collect prized artifacts on your property.

Michael Chamberlain: Dr. Mike Chamberlain is the Terrell Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at the University of Georgia. He is widely recognized as a leading authority on wild turkeys and has been conducting applied research on the bird for the past 30 years. Mike did his undergraduate work at Virginia Tech University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at Mississippi State University.

Kevin Dowdy: Kevin Dowdy found his first arrowhead when he was about 6 years old with his grandfather while squirrel hunting. He’s had a passion for arrowheads and artifacts ever since. Mr. Dowdy has written and published 4 arrowhead Identification and Price Guides (Best of The Best Vol 1-4) and 4 Volumes of Legends in Stone books. He has also maintained and operated an online Artifacts store since 1998.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com

On episode 22, Jordan Gilbert, a Residential and Lifestyle Lender with SWGA Farm Credit, shares information regarding the current and future housing markets as well as welcomes first-time home buyers to share their experiences. This episode features commentary by Lydia and Cory Green.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com

On Epsiode 21, our host welcomes a fantastic lineup of experts willing to share their knowledge and resources and for young, beginning, and small operation farmers in Georgia. This episode features commentary by Martin Bius and Lily Baucom.

Martin Bius was an agriculture teacher in Decatur County for 30 years. In 1990, he started his career at West Bainbridge Middle School and also taught High School classes periodically during this time. In 2006, Martin became the advisor for the Decatur County Young Farmers Chapter and taught agriculture classes at Bainbridge High School. Upon his graduation from teaching in 2019, he and his wife, Denise moved to Tifton where he now serves as the Adult Education Director for the Georgia Agriculture Education Program. He serves as the Executive Secretary for the Georgia Young Farmers Association.

Lily Baucom is a native Atlantan – she is also a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received a B.A. in Public Policy and Social Entrepreneurship. Her career has primarily focused on scaling non-profit organizations with missions centered around agriculture education and local food systems. Prior to her current role, she served as the Executive Director of the Common Market Southeast, a local farm foods distributor, based in Atlanta, that focused on improving regional food systems. Currently she serves as the Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, a nonprofit organization founded by Georgia Farm Bureau.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com

On episode 20 of HERE WE GROW, Relationship Manager Brant Harrell welcomes a fantastic lineup of experts willing to share their knowledge on land, recreational properties, and hunting opportunities in Southwest Georgia. This episode features commentary by Vince Barfield, Cole Barfield, and Brian Dean.

Vince Barfield: Vince is the Broker and Owner of Barfield Auctions, Inc. and is licensed in 5 Southeastern States (Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi. Vince is also a state registered real property appraiser in the State of Georgia.

Cole Barfield: Cole is an Associate Real Estate Broker with Barfield Auctions, Inc. and has been in the real estate business for over 20 years. Cole also owns a solo law practice located in Cuthbert, Ga, where he specializes in real property law and estate matters.

Brian Dean: Brian is a 6th generation farmer in Decatur County who grows cotton, corn, soybeans, and peanuts. His operations span overs 4,000 acres. In 2013 he started bagging quality wholesale corn for deer and other wildlife purposes.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or Info@SWGAFarmCredit.com. Please visit our website to learn more at www.SWGAFarmCredit.com