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Growing our Generation enewsletter features insights and ideas directly from Ohio’s young farmers and food and agricultural professionals. Sign up to get this e-letter sent directly to your inbox once a month.

National Farmers Day was Oct. 12, a day to celebrate the hard work and passion farmers demonstrate year-round. The most interesting thing about farming is that even though farms come in all forms and sizes, they all share the same uncertainties, challenges and triumphs. 

Hear from Kelsey Bezdek, a first-generation livestock farmer and Lake County Farm Bureau member and Marion County Farm Bureau member Clayton Lust, a third-generation grain farmer and Beck’s Hybrids dealer. While these two farms may be wildly different, they are wildly similar. 

Kelsey Bezdek

I’m a real estate manager by profession and a first-generation farmer by passion. Our family farm, Crooked Creek Ranch, sits on 17 acres in Lake County and is home to a mix of livestock including cattle, pigs, chickens, goats and lambs that my husband and I raise for both show and production. My days are often split between managing two Howard Hanna real estate offices in Geauga County and keeping things running smoothly on the farm — which means no two days ever look the same!

Farming challenges 

The biggest challenges are high input costs and access to land, equipment, and sometimes even the knowledge that’s been passed down through generations. You learn a lot the hard way when you don’t have a family member to call for advice on breeding, feed rations or pasture rotation. 

What does it mean to be a farmer

Being a first-generation farmer, other than my children, is my greatest accomplishment to date. It’s proof that passion can be just as strong as heritage. While I didn’t inherit land or livestock, I’ve built this lifestyle through hard work, research and a lot of trial and error. Every time I walk through the barn or see a 4-H member learning something new, I’m reminded that you don’t have to be “born into it” to belong in agriculture.

Clayton Lust

I am the third generation on my family’s corn and soybean operation located just north of Marion, Ohio. My mom is a seed dealer for Beck’s Hybrids, which I am also involved in including hauling the seed back from Indiana, and I am starting to become involved in the sales aspect. 

Farming challenges 

A volatile grain market along with ever increasing input prices are a real challenge on our farm, leading to narrowing profit margins. Other challenges we face include equipment breakdowns and technology constantly changing. 

What does it mean to be a farmer?

I always wanted to farm and be like my dad. I just love the way of life and the freedom that it offers. I saw the opportunity to help grow our operation and continue on the legacy. 

In conclusion: Shared goals

Big or small, livestock or grain, greenhouses or aquaculture, generational or first-generation, the trials and tribulations of a farmer are one in the same. No matter your role in the agricultural industry, high input costs, access to more land and an ever-changing society are challenges farmers continue to face. At the end of the day, all farmers have the same goals: to be good stewards of the land and provide a sustainable legacy for their children. Knowing that no two farms are alike, Ohio Farm Bureau offers valuable resources for agriculturalists of all kinds to help off-set the challenges and celebrate the achievements of the hardworking men and women who have the honor of calling themselves a farmer.

Upcoming events and deadlines

American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference (Portland, Oregon, March 13-16, 2026) scholarship applications due Dec. 1.
YAP Excellence in Agriculture contest applications due Dec. 1.
YAP Outstanding Young Farmer contest applications due Dec. 1.
2026 Winter Leadership Experience early bird registration ends Dec. 17; registration closes Jan. 6.