Lynn Moore

Lynn Moore, a farmer from Pittsburg, Kansas, is one of the 25,000 plus female farmers in Kansas. She runs a fourth generation farm with three different companies where they grow corn, beans and wheat.

Lynn Moore, a farmer from Pittsburg, Kansas, is one of the 25,000 plus female farmers in Kansas. She runs a fourth generation farm with three different companies of 6,500 acres, where they grow corn, beans and wheat.

Moore said she choose this career because of her family. Her parents were farmers for most of their lives and she wanted to help out.

”I got into farming mainly because it gave me the opportunity to be around my kids when they were little. That’s something you can’t do if you work for a factory,” Moore said.

One of the impacts for Moore working on the farm is helping other communities understand where their food comes from and the work provided to produce their food. She said she has found even smaller communities don’t understand where their food is from.

“I think working on the farm has taught me to slow down, to respect the land and the people around me,” Moore said. “I have also learned to appreciate where my food comes from and how much hard work to takes get it there.”

Farming is a Family

Even though Moore’s parents are semi-retired, they still help on the farm when needed. They also are actively helping the management of the farm. Moore shares the responsibility of management with two key employees, one fields operations manager and an office manager and accountant. Currently, Lynn manages seven employees, six full-time and one part-time, not including herself and her parents.

“I enjoy all the memories I’ve made with each of the employees and their families,” Moore said. “I’m really good friends from some of the past employees who have moved on. All of that is very valuable to me. I couldn’t do this without these key employees.”

Female farmers are eight percent of the world’s population. Moore said being one of the world’s female farmers is difficult at times and expectations are high. Lynn feels that pressure and knows that she has to work harder to prove that she is outstanding in her field.

“A man beginning his career, most other farmers would be glad to teach them,” Moore said. “For female farmers, sometimes they just want to do it for them, rather than show them.”

Next Steps

Moore’s hopes for the farm is to expand as more acres become available. This can help Lynn to become more efficient  and to thrive through the next few years. She also expressed agriculture is ever-changing. If a career in agriculture is something you want to pursue, you need to be flexible.

“I would like to be able to continue to provide jobs for employees and encourage our younger employees to carry on. I don’t want our way of life to die out,” Moore said.

“Agriculture is constantly a transitional journey because you can’t be set in your mind with one direction,” Moore said. “One thing I struggled to learn is you can have a plan but make sure you know that plan is going to change. You have to be able to see all directions and you have to see what is coming that you have to change. I think that’s anything in life, but especially in agriculture.”

Want to learn more about the folks that grow your food? Be sure to check out Justin Knopf. Or would you like some farm-fresh recipes? Your family will love this Greek Orzo Salad! Our friends at the Center for Nutrition and Athletics can help you find the spot where nutrition and athletics balance for you.