Celebrating the History of Family Farming

OUTdrive Episode 98 with Bonita & Taylor Riley

Now more than ever, people are invested in where their food comes from. Those who frequent local farmers’ markets have the luxury of knowing exactly where their food is grown and how it’s raised, and they have a chance to connect with the people who produce it. In this episode, I had a chance to sit down with Bonita Riley and her daughter Taylor, members of the family behind Back Yonder Farms, to dive into the day-to-day of running a family farm and small business.

Back Yonder Farms is a diversified farming operation in Cole Camp, Missouri. Bonita and Rich Riley and their children and grandchildren make up the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the family farming operation. The farm was homesteaded in the mid-1800s and has been operated by the family ever since. Back Yonder Farms specializes in pasture-raised meats, including pork and poultry, eggs, homegrown produce and baked goods.

Tune in to this episode to hear from Bonita and Taylor about what it takes to keep this family farm business running generation after generation.

SHOW NOTES

• 2:15 – Bonita shares a little bit about her family and the diversified farming operation they run at Back Yonder Farms
• 5:00 – Bonita explains how her family initially got involved with area farmers’ markets
• 7:30 – Taylor talks about growing up around the farmers’ market and her FFA supervised agricultural experience project
• 10:00 – Taylor tells Cliff about Back Yonder Farms’ famous giant cookies
• 13:00 – Bonita and Taylor outline how important the farmers’ market is to their business
• 15:10 – Bonita shares how customers outside of the farmers’ market can find Back Yonder Farms online to make purchases
• 16:30 – Bonita and Taylor talk about how their social media has played a huge role in their marketing and they share other tools and tactics they use to share their brand
• 20:30 – Taylor explains how they differentiate from other producers in the area, especially when it comes to the genetics of their pigs
• 22:30 – Bonita and Taylor share what has contributed to the success of the business while outlining the longevity of the family farm and land.
• 24:10 – Bonita gives background on the fastest-growing part of their business
• 26:10 – Taylor and Bonita share how they have grown their business through experience and continually seek out new tools and ideas
• 28:30 – Bonita and Taylor share the characteristics of rural America and what they love about where they live
• 31:00 – Bonita shares how people can find them at the farmers’ market and what produce they will have available this season
• 31:50 – Taylor shares the importance of agriculture education in today’s youth