“You’re going to make mistakes — and then you’re going to learn from those mistakes.”

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Hayley Darnielle, owner of Crooked Creek Farms in Montana, to talk about building a diversified, direct-to-consumer farm business from the ground up.

What started as a simple Facebook page and one milk cow has grown into a full-time operation providing raw milk, pork, poultry, eggs, and more to local families. Hayley shares what it’s really like to be a first-generation farmer, how Montana’s Food Freedom Act shaped her business, and why responsibility, transparency, and boundaries matter just as much as growth.

This conversation explores diversification with intention, navigating customer relationships, using grants to fuel growth, and building a farm that supports both family life and long-term sustainability.

Key Topics:

• Starting a farm business without growing up in agriculture

• How Montana’s Food Freedom Act opened the door for direct-to-consumer sales

• Diversifying livestock with purpose and limited acreage

• Balancing motherhood, farm work, and business growth

• Learning through trial, error, and knowing when to scale back

• Building infrastructure as a first-generation producer

• Navigating customer expectations and setting boundaries

• Using the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant to accelerate growth

• Growing two farm operations side by side

LINKS

Follow Crooked Creek Farms and learn more about Hayley’s operation: https://www.crookedcreekfarmsmt.com

Follow Crooked Creek Farms on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok: Crooked Creek Farms MT

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here!

Marketing Routine class, do so here!

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page.

Other Episodes You May Enjoy

#122: How Agritourism Is Transforming Farming – A look at how opening the farm to the public through agritourism can create new income streams, strengthen community trust, and support long-term farm sustainability.

#125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – An honest conversation about diversification, family roles, and building a direct-to-consumer business that supports both the farm and the people behind it.

#76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – A conversation about purpose, priorities, entrepreneurship, and building income beyond tradition while staying rooted in agriculture.

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

“You don’t have to have a perfect farm — you just have to open the gate.”

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Megan Daluge, a fifth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer and co-founder of Milk’n Mamas, to talk about what diversification really looks like when you’re committed to keeping the dairy — and the family — at the center.

Megan shares how she and her sister navigated family transition, industry pressure, and a tough dairy economy by building multiple income streams alongside their 100-cow dairy. From launching farm camps and agritourism to running a women’s boutique and coaching farmers on social media storytelling, this conversation is an honest look at resilience, creativity, and evolving with purpose.

This episode is a must-listen for farmers, ranchers, and ag entrepreneurs who feel pulled in more than one direction — and want permission to try something new without losing what matters most.

Key Topics:

• Navigating family transition on a multi-generation dairy farm

• Knowing when “enough cows” is enough

• Launching farm camp and agritourism with minimal overhead

• Overcoming fear around opening the farm to the public

• Diversifying income without abandoning production agriculture

• Using social media to tell your farm story without burnout

• Setting boundaries, handling criticism, and staying authentic online

• Embracing failure, pivots, and being multi-passionate in agriculture

LINKS

Follow Milk’n Mamas on Instagram: @milknmamas Find Daluge Farm on Facebook Follow Milk’n Mamas on TikTok

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here!

Marketing Routine class, do so here!

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page.

Other Episodes You May Enjoy

#122: How Agritourism Is Transforming Farming – A look at how opening the farm to the public through agritourism can create new income streams, strengthen community trust, and support long-term farm sustainability.

#125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – An honest conversation about diversification, family roles, and building a direct-to-consumer business that supports both the farm and the people behind it.

#76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – A conversation about purpose, priorities, entrepreneurship, and building income beyond tradition while staying rooted in agriculture.

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

“If you don’t start early enough to make a plan, it never takes care of itself.”

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Heidi Olson, certified farm succession planner and founder of Pathfinder Legacy Advisor, LLC, to talk about why succession planning is about far more than paperwork—and why waiting too long puts both farm families and farmland at risk.

Heidi brings decades of experience in banking, wealth management, trusts, and estate planning, along with firsthand experience navigating succession planning within her own family. We talk through how to start difficult conversations, why communication breakdowns are often the biggest obstacle, and what farm families of every size should be thinking about now as millions of acres of farmland prepare to change hands.

Key Topics:

• Why farm succession planning can’t be postponed

• The risks of waiting too long to start the conversation

• How to structure productive family meetings

• Why succession planning is operational—not just legal

• Managing control and change across generations

• Communication challenges inside family-run operations

• Succession planning for small, part-time, or diversified farms

• What to look for in a qualified farm succession planner

• Preparing the next generation without forcing outcomes

You can learn more about Heidi and her work at pathfinderlegacy.com, or reach out directly at heidi@pathfinderlegacy.com. Heidi also hosts the Pathfinder Legacy Podcast, which is linked on her website.

LINKS

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here!

Marketing Routine class, do so here!

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page.

Other Episodes You May Enjoy:

Episode 87: Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family's Legacy

Episode 8: Shifting Seasons in Motherhood and Ranching with Richelle Barrett

Episode 19: Homesteading Skills with a Farm Family with 14 Hands Ranch

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.