Where Do I Fit?
John Canary farms with his family in Johnson County, Indiana, where the edge of Indianapolis keeps moving closer. Houses, warehouses, and other development compete for the land around him. What does a farmer build when he cannot count on the acres being there?
John has found openings in sweet corn, pumpkins, straw, hay, livestock, and direct sales. He is also repairing old barns and weighing what to preserve against the changes the farm needs to survive. His family’s history matters to him, but he is candid about the burden that history can place on the next generation.
We talk about the roadside stand, competition for niche markets, and how he tells the farm’s story online without turning it into a performance. The conversation moves into the work his children do, the difficulty of stepping away from the farm, and the financial pressure behind many conversations about farmers’ mental health.
This is John’s first podcast interview. He does not arrive with a polished answer to where he fits in agriculture. He thinks it through with me: how to keep a family farm useful, honest, and possible as the world around it changes.
Be Safe Out There.
If you’d rather not chase these conversations on social media, I’ll send them your way.