The Kentucky State University Small Farm Program focuses outreach to small, limited-resource, minority, beginning, veteran, farmers with disabilities, non-traditional farmers, and women farmers.  The program focuses on one-on-one training, outreach, and technical assistance, bus tours to conferences,  meetings, outreach to the underserved farming population, and KSU's signature Third Thursday and Fourth Wednesday workshops.  The State Specialist for Small Farm and Part-time Farmers directs and manages the programs.

Brandon Gragg dreamed of being a farmer.  He was involved in the 4-H Saddle Blanket Club in Scott County where he rode and placed with his horse in the Kentucky State Fair when he was 16.  He took FFA at Scott County High School.  He decided that many small equine producers were older and did not have much storage, so he began a custom hay service where he brokered small loads of quality hay, including unloading the trailer or truck and putting the hay in their storage area.  Pus he delivered small loads of hay regardless of the weather.  He began taking KSU farmer educational bus tours whenever he could get school excuses to learn more about agriculture across Kentucky and the South.  He  attended portions of Third Thursdays and the Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference as school allowed.  He started a Young Farmers Club in Scott County when he graduated from high school.

The opportunity arose to go into the beef cattle business with a young friend occurred when his friend rented five local farms.  He started managing the production end of the partnership.  He looked to KSU for advice.  Cattle prices in 2017-18 were high and he wanted to invest in cattle, and when the Small Farm Specialist, Marion Simon, said wait.  He really wanted to invest in cattle, but he took her advice. "We are at the peak of the cattle cycle, Marion said." you must wait - the value will drop soon."  He saved his money while his young farmer friends lost thousands of dollars by investing in cattle at the wrong time.  He was then hired by his friends to manage the farms that they rented - five beef cattle farms which he operates by the hour.  He also raised a grain crop where he was allowed to keep 5 acres for his "own" operation.   Meanwhile, he married a young lady with an Animal Science degree, then became a new father.  By the way, at 10 months old his baby sold his first calf.

In April of 2023, he talked to her, discouraged about the low calf prices and she said wait, the prices will rise soon.  In May, he came to the Small Farm Specialist asking about the cattle suddenly increasing in price (a month before in 2023 cattle prices were about $1.35 per hundredweight, now they were over $2) - she advised him to get ready to sell shortly, the price cycle was climbing and jumping, but would most likely only peak for a short time.   He and his friend sold their calves and cull cows in mid-June for $2.22 per pound liveweight.  Their check was shocking - about $1 million for 800 head, making two loads of mixed cattle.  Are these beginning farmers happy.  They intend to invest in more beef cows when the prices cycle down.