Why would a fashion blogger consider relocating from Los Angeles to Iowa? “My grandmother died in 2009,” explains Wendy Johnson. “It made me think about the future of our family farm.”

A year later, Johnson convinced her surfer boyfriend (now husband) to trade the California coast for a landlocked sea of commodity crops. Soon thereafter, she talked her dad into letting her rent 42 of the operation’s 1,200 acres, where Johnson began raising soy and corn – plus alfalfa, oats, barley, and grass-fed livestock – following organic standards.

So far, so good: Already her father’s taken note of the price she commands for certified organic corn.

Johnson also appears on the cover of Women and the Land (Ice Cube Press, $25), a new book profiling 26 agricultural innovators – including several fellow members of the Practical Farmers of Iowa, a network of 3,000 Hawkeye State residents who “use practices that work with nature, not against it,” according to the 42-year-old. “We’re the minority. But it’s a growing sector – I like to be optimistic.”

Meanwhile, her dad remains skeptical. “I get it,” she says. “I’m a newbie. I’m a woman. I’m his daughter.” But surely a 70-something man is eager to hand over the reins. “Nope,” Johnson replies. “He doesn’t have any hobbies. Farming is his everything. He’ll be doing this forever.”

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Meet the Modern Farmer: Wendy Johnson

by Lynne Palazzi, Modern Farmer
January 3, 2018

					<h1>Meet the Modern Farmer: Wendy Johnson</h1>
<p class="byline">by Lynne Palazzi, Modern Farmer <br />January 3, 2018</p>
					
<p>Why would a fashion blogger consider relocating from Los Angeles to Iowa? "My grandmother died in 2009,” explains Wendy Johnson. "It made me think about the future of our family farm.”</p>
<p>A year later, Johnson convinced her surfer boyfriend (now husband) to trade the California coast for a landlocked sea of commodity crops. Soon thereafter, she talked her dad into letting her rent 42 of the operation's 1,200 acres, where Johnson began raising soy and corn - plus alfalfa, oats, barley, and grass-fed livestock - following organic standards.</p>
<p>So far, so good: Already her father's taken note of the price she commands for certified organic corn.</p>
<p>Johnson also appears on the cover of <i>Women and the Land </i>(Ice Cube Press, $25), a new book profiling 26 agricultural innovators - including several fellow members of the Practical Farmers of Iowa, a network of 3,000 Hawkeye State residents who "use practices that work with nature, not against it,” according to the 42-year-old. "We're the minority. But it's a growing sector - I like to be optimistic.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, her dad remains skeptical. "I get it,” she says. "I'm a newbie. I'm a woman. I'm his daughter.” But surely a 70-something man is eager to hand over the reins. "Nope,” Johnson replies. "He doesn't have any hobbies. Farming is his everything. He'll be doing this forever.”</p>

					<p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://modernfarmer.com/2018/01/meet-modern-farmer-wendy-johnson/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://modernfarmer.com&quot;&gt;Modern Farmer&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.&lt;img src=&quot;https://modernfarmer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cropped-favicon-1-150x150.png&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://modernfarmer.com/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=60081&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;</p>

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