Rockwell City native James Hepp aspired to farm, but with no direct ties to land, that dream seemed out of reach. Hepp attended Northwest Missouri State University, where he earned a degree in agricultural business and started his career as a crop insurance adjuster after graduation.
Jackson and Amanda Drost are multi-generation farmers located in Mahaska County. While renting his first acres in 2002, Jackson has been involved on the farm as early as he can remember, noting that his dad would take him and the diaper bag with him to do field work and chores. Jackson is now passing down that love of farming to their sons, Richard and Andy, who have started their own popcorn business supplying the local Little League and selling to neighbors, friends, and family.
Regenerative agriculture lies at the heart on Mike Bretz’s rural Buchanan County operation. After being employed at General Mills for more than 25 years, Mike returned to the farm to carry on his family’s legacy while nurturing the land and water bodies nearby. Learning from the work of other regenerative farmers, Mike strives to enhance soil health. To do this, he has looked to practices that increase carbon in the soil with hopes of boosting microbial life. Soil organisms are further helped through the continuous no-till that Mike practices. In addition to corn and soybean production, Mike raises 90 head of cattle which he eventually hopes to rotationally graze year-round. Through all his efforts, Mike has seen improved infiltration, healthier soils, cleaner water, increased wildlife, reduced input costs, and added grazing opportunities.
Like many in agriculture, Brian Wolken was born and raised on a farm. By age 10, he was helping anywhere he could with his family’s Jones County operation. But Brian’s path to farming wasn’t traditional. He spent many years abroad doing jobs ranging from working at a salmon hatchery in Ireland to growing hops in New Zealand. After some persuasion from his grandfather, Brian moved back to Monticello in 2012 to once again become a part of their third-generation farm.
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