Simpson and Warren Counties

Full audio transcript. (Willis Jepson)

"You go to the grocery store, and you don't understand how many touches every product had. How many man hours, of labor, and how many times somebody physically handled that seed, to plant, to fruit, to packaging, to dock, to your cabinet."

"You have so much invested in it. Farming is one of those things where you can't get almost to the finish line and get tired. It's just not, it's not an option."

"That's something that I don't think people realize. That side of farming, they think farming is playing in the dirt driving cool tractors, which it is. And that's the fun part of it, but there's also a business side to it. I mean, basically, that's what I dedicate my time to. His older brother told some folks one time when they asked if he was going to grow up and be a farmer and drive a tractor, like his dad, he said, "my dad don't do that, he rides around in a pickup truck and talks on the phone all day."

Full audio transcript. (Brittany Jepson)

"I don't have an agricultural background. I grew up in East Tennessee and Willis and I met in college. So, I've had a little bit of induction by fire into the agricultural world but love it and wouldn't trade it for the world."

Full audio transcript. 

“It is a good way life, even though it has its bad parts, the income. It's still, it's a good way of life. Because on a rainy day like this, if when our children were little they still got to be with us. And our grandkids, they leave the house at 6 to 6:30 they come back at 6 or 6:30. And by the time they eat a quick dinner, they got to be in bed. And they don't get to spend time with mom and dad. Where our children were with us a lot. So, that makes it nice.” Angela Vaughn

Full audio transcript. (The business aspect of farming) 

Full audio transcript. (Having conversations) 

Full audio transcript. (Evolving Occupation)

"One of the things I really enjoy about what I do now is, not every day is the same. Now, there are seasons where every day is the same. (laughs) And it's like, you know, during harvest, you know, you're getting up at a certain time and you're kind of coming in, eating supper while you're watching the 10 o’clock news. Or mostly the 10 o'clock weather is what I want to see and, eating all your meals out of your lap. But my job is different season to season."

"It's like when I said that not every day is the same, not every season is the same. I mean, it's, you know, farming is an evolving occupation. And what it takes to be successful, you know, in each generation is changing."