Ag Women Connect "Ag Talk, Your Story Matters!"

The Power of Resilience and Connection with Heather Richard

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2090206/fan_mail/new] This week on Ag Talk, Venessa Wood welcomes Heather Richard, an East Texas ag-raised mother, who shares how her grandparents and mother shaped her work ethic, education, and identity, and how she met her husband Shane through a dating app after an early, abusive marriage and divorce. Heather describes lifelong abuse and urges women to seek help, rely on prayerful support, and pursue healing, offering to connect them to resources.  She highlights her three children’s differing paths—cybersecurity, livestock interests, and engineering—and discusses faith and mentorship through Ag Women Connect’s Bible study. Heather introduces TexasHomesteadLaw.com, a free, secure hub launching soon to help Texans navigate county-by-county property tax relief, exemptions, and related resources for homesteads, farms, ranches, veterans, and others. She also outlines her upcoming memoir and children’s books, Ragged Souls author platform plans, and donated AgWomen gala jackets and scholarships. Support the show [https://agwomenconnect.com/give-back/] Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com [http://www.agwomenconnect.com/] to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/357172529148776/] | Connect With us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/agwomenconnect/] | Join Ag Women Connect [https://agwomenconnect.com/memberships/]

Finding Your Place in Agriculture with Tanya Smith

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2090206/fan_mail/new] This week, Venessa Wood interviews Tanya Smith of Lubbock, Texas, marketing director at Capital Farm Credit, about her ranch upbringing in northeastern New Mexico, involvement in 4-H/FFA and livestock judging, college path through South Plains College and Texas Tech, and 27+ years with Farm Credit through mergers into Capital Farm Credit. Tonya explains Capital Farm Credit as a Texas-based agricultural lending cooperative serving 192 counties with home lending and insurance, strong patronage dividends, community and youth support, major stock show partnerships, including Texas ShowPass, scholarships totaling about $110,000, and a highly competitive internship program.  She discusses marketing’s evolving demands, building teams, customer storytelling, collaboration with Aaron Watson, and the importance of hard work and networks. Tonya also shares board work on Lubbock County’s new expo center, advice for women and students in agriculture, and personal ways she recharges. This episode concludes with updates from Venessa on Ag Women Connect’s weekly Bible study and the Ag Connected directory. Support the show [https://agwomenconnect.com/give-back/] Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com [http://www.agwomenconnect.com/] to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/357172529148776/] | Connect With us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/agwomenconnect/] | Join Ag Women Connect [https://agwomenconnect.com/memberships/]

Uplifting the Ag Industry Through Livestock Photography

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2090206/fan_mail/new] This week, Venessa interviews Sierra Franks who grew up on a Texas Panhandle cow-calf and Hereford show-steer operation spanning Texas and Oklahoma, and credits her grandfather and family history for shaping her values and cattle program. Sierra explains how showing steers led her into photography, beginning with a 2014 Show Champions USA internship that expanded into major events like Houston and a career shaped by long show days, fast turnaround editing, and industry connections.  She later worked with Legacy Livestock Imaging and launched Uplift Imaging in 2021 to change industry culture with a focus on kindness (“make kindness loud”), valuing staff, and mentoring women. A single mom of two boys, Sierra relies on family and a mostly female team to provide livestock, sale, rodeo, and portrait photography, shares how she recharges at home and on the ranch, recounts a road-trip story with her son, and outlines upcoming summer events and contact info. 00:00 Meet Sierra Franks 00:57 Panhandle Ranch Roots 01:54 Camera Sparks a Career 03:39 ShowChampions Breakthrough 05:09 Hereford Heritage Story 06:34 West Texas Weekend Sale 08:14 What Makes a Winner 09:29 Show Cattle After the Ring 12:36 Kids and Calves 13:55 Internship First Day Nerves 15:51 Houston Changed Everything 18:55 Editing and Fast Turnarounds 22:17 Launching Uplift Kindness 25:07 Staff That Feels Like Family 27:06 Mentoring the Next Generation 27:51 Beyond Livestock Photography 28:47 Single Mom Balancing It All 30:11 Pruning and Knowing Your Worth 33:53 How She Fills Her Cup 36:53 Advice for Business Pivots 38:48 Road Trip Storytime 43:44 What’s Next and How to Reach Her 45:47 Final Thanks and Wrap Up Support the show [https://agwomenconnect.com/give-back/] Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com [http://www.agwomenconnect.com/] to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/357172529148776/] | Connect With us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/agwomenconnect/] | Join Ag Women Connect [https://agwomenconnect.com/memberships/]

Protecting Farms, Supporting Families, and Serving Agriculture with Donna Hughes

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2090206/fan_mail/new] What does a girl from the suburbs of Chicago know about agriculture? For Donna Hughes, the answer became an entire career. In this episode of AgTalk: Your Story Matters, Venessa Wood sits down with longtime friend and agriculture advocate Donna Hughes of StoneX to discuss her remarkable journey from an industrial Chicago neighborhood to becoming a trusted advisor for farmers and ranchers across Texas. Donna shares how a temporary job at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange changed the course of her life, introducing her to commodity markets, agricultural risk management, and the people who helped shape her career. What began as a short-term plan to save money for a move to New York ultimately turned into a 35-year career helping producers navigate market uncertainty and protect their operations. Support the show [https://agwomenconnect.com/give-back/] Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com [http://www.agwomenconnect.com/] to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/357172529148776/] | Connect With us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/agwomenconnect/] | Join Ag Women Connect [https://agwomenconnect.com/memberships/]

What Does Yoga and Agriculture Have in Common? Find Out With Krysta Paffrath

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2090206/fan_mail/new] This week, Venessa welcomes Krysta Paffrath, CEO & Founder of the Rural Podcast Network and Yoga Teacher to AgTalk: Your Story Matters for a candid catch-up about moving through hard seasons, growth, and entrepreneurship.  Krysta shares about her journey completing her 500-hour yoga teacher training, which began in January 2025, graduating after a demanding year and a half that required stronger boundaries and saying no. The conversation explores discernment, avoiding “golden ticket” distractions that don’t align with purpose, and the burnout that comes from chasing status or growth at the expense of self.  Krysta reflects on finding her own voice after years of telling others’ stories and discusses bridging agriculture and yoga through community, food, and mental health, including teaching at a conference. She announces new summer offerings: an eight-week one-on-one mentorship with personalized yoga and journaling, and customizable one-on-one retreats in Arizona combining yoga, business work, journaling, and local cooking, emphasizing accountability, community, and faith. Learn more about Krysta and her current offerings here: https://www.krystapaffrath.com/ Support the show [https://agwomenconnect.com/give-back/] Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com [http://www.agwomenconnect.com/] to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com Join our Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/357172529148776/] | Connect With us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/agwomenconnect/] | Join Ag Women Connect [https://agwomenconnect.com/memberships/]