Hello! I’m Hannah Becker, a Farm Bureau member from Ottawa, Kan. My husband and I are first-generation farmers at Willow Springs Farm, a grass-fed beef operation in Franklin County. We originally came to Kansas via the U.S. Army, and quickly fell in love with the Sunflower State. Following my husband’s transition from the military, we purchased a neglected piece of land outside of Ottawa and have been working hard to turn it into a productive agricultural operation.

From the time I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to grow-up to be a “cowgirl.” Fringed pink cowboy boots dominated my wardrobe through junior high, and 4-H livestock projects were the highlight of my year. Pursuing my undergraduate degree in Animal and Dairy Science seemed like the perfect education opportunity for a future cattlewoman. Throughout college, I backgrounded calves, trained horses, raised goats and even owned a Char-Bray bucking bull named “Frosty.” Following graduation, I fell in love with an Army officer whose military service threw a temporary “kink” in my farming plans.

Willow Springs is a small 15-acre farm located about 45 minutes from downtown Kansas City. Being a first generation farmer means we’re pretty “bare bones”—it’s been a lot of do-it-yourself and phased in projects. Given our farm’s newbie status, we both work off the farm. I currently work as a marketing consultant and teach adjunct at local university. Farming’s still a part-time and weekend activity, but we hope to transition into a full-time farming role as we’re able to expand.

My favorite part of the day is hitting the gravel road leading out to Willow Springs, dropping out of Wi-Fi range and watching the cows peacefully graze our brome pasture. While our fast-paced, high-tech world has much to offer in terms of convenience and entertainment, few things can compare to the fascinating world of farming.

I’m really excited to have the opportunity to discuss some very important agriculture topics with Kansas Living readers over the next few months. A few of the interesting topics we’ll be exploring include: deceptive food labeling, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), antibiotic use on the farm and much, much more. If you have any questions or topic suggestions as we continue on this educational journey, feel free to e-mail me at beckerh@kfb.org.