Speaking up for the average farmer

Janelle Atyeo
Mar 24, 2020
Mar 24, 2020

Jay Esser tractor — Redfield farmer Jay Esser sits on a Kubota tractor in Cambodia during a trip last month with the South Dakota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program. The group got interested in harvesting equipment after seeing a farmer combining rice with a two-meter head. Esser said it was interesting to compare prices and scale.
Submitted photo

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A typical day for Jay Esser, who feeds cattle and farms northwest of Redfield, South Dakota, is pretty isolated.

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Jay Esser greenhouse — Jay Esser holds a red carrot at a greenhouse in Vietnam, where vegetables are raised in hillside hydroponic greenhouses.
Submitted photo

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Janelle is editor of the Tri-State Neighbor, covering South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at jatyeo@tristateneighbor.com or follow on Twitter @JLNeighbor.