CommonGround Farmers
Love for the land, our families, our friends and our food – that’s what fuels our CommonGround community. Scroll down to learn where our volunteers are located, or Contact Us to get involved.
CommonGround Kansas
Back to Our Farmers
Kim Baldwin
McPherson, Kansas
Our Farm: corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer, wife, mom, high school English and media teacher
My Hobbies: photography, videography, digital design, blogging, traveling and attending high school and Kansas State sporting events
Ask Me About: dryland and no-till farming practices, conservation and GMO foods
About Me: I’m originally from New Mexico, and worked in television news prior to becoming a teacher and marrying a farmer. I utilize my blog and Facebook page to share stories about life on our farm while providing photos and videos. I’m passionate about educating individuals – whether it’s in my classroom at school or in the middle of a wheat field.
Facebook: Alive and Well in Kansas
Twitter: @kimray02
Blog: Alive and Well in Kansas
YouTube: Kim Ray-Baldwin

Lana Barkman
Wamego, Kansas
Our Farm: beef cattle, chickens, produce
My Work: farmer, wife, extension program specialist
My Hobbies: running, overall fitness, rodeo
Ask Me About: sustainability and conservation, animal nutrition, welfare and antibiotics
About Me: My husband and I met at Kansas State University. We had a lot in common because we were both animal science majors. In my free time, I enjoy training horses for rodeo competitions. I also love dogs and currently have four dogs in the Barkman Bunch: Charlie, Rex, Ruger and, most recently, Gunner, a malnourished stray we adopted.
Twitter: @LanaBarkman

Jenny Burgess
Sterling, Kansas
Our Farm: corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer, wife, mom
My Hobbies: baking, blogging, cooking, fitness, photography, writing
Ask Me About: food safety, GMO foods, sustainability
About Me: My husband moved from England to the United States for better opportunities. Together we raise crops and our two beautiful children in Kansas.
Facebook: Burgess Hill Farms
Instagram: @BurgessHillFarms
Pinterest: BurgessHillFarms

Molly Drimmel
Wakarusa, Kansas
Our Farm: alfalfa, beef cattle, chickens, corn, goats, pigs, sorghum, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer, wife, mom, agronomist
My Hobbies: baking, cooking, hunting
Ask Me About: biotechnology, animal care, family farms
About Me: My husband and I both grew up on a farm. We wanted to raise our children the same way, so we moved back to my family’s farm after living in town for seven years. In addition to farming, I am an agronomist where, I test new genetics before they are available for sale to farmers. Since not everyone has regular access to a farm, I think it’s important for us to show what we do on the farm and help answer consumers’ questions about how food is grown.

Frances Graves
Bartlett, Kansas
Our Farm: beef cattle
My Work: farmer, wife, mom
My Hobbies: baking, blogging, cooking, hiking, travel
Ask Me About: antibiotics and animal health, animal welfare, hormones in meat and milk
About Me: I have a unique perspective as a farmer because I grew up in the city. I spent my 20s as a vegetarian and young urban student and professional. I made the big switch to rural life in my 30s to raise children and cattle with my family. And I’d love to tell you all about how we do our very best to raise cattle responsibly. We care for our land through no-till techniques, water management and grass rotation. And we care for our animals through daily care and low-stress handling.
Facebook: Frances Gorman Graves
LinkedIn: Frances G

Laura Handke
Atchison, Kansas
Our Farm: beef cattle
My Work: farmer, wife, mom, graduate student
My Hobbies: team roping, ranch horse competition, outdoor activities
Ask Me About: food safety and food policy
About Me: I am very passionate about my family. No matter how big or small, family is what shapes who you become and your influence on society. When I am not with my family working on the farm or doing my graduate work, I am a coalition coordinator for a non-profit group that focuses on obesity awareness and tobacco cessation.
Aly McClure
Garden City, Kansas
Our Farm: dairy
My Work: farmer, wife, mom
My Hobbies: baking, cooking, photography, traveling, writing
Ask Me About: animal care, sustainability and conservation, animal antibiotics, family farms
About Me: Farmers can be a great resource to help answer questions about food and how it’s raised. I’m happy to share my perspective from our Kansas farm. When I’m not working on the farm or caring for my family, I love to share agriculture with people who do not have the opportunity to experience it in their regular, day-to-day life. I am the coffee drinker and content creator behind alymcclure.com, and I love everything Jesus, Bovine and coffee.
Twitter: @alymcclure
Instagram: @alymcclure
Facebook: Aly McClure

Krystale Neitzel
Lawrence, Kansas
Our Farm: beef cattle, chickens, corn, soybeans, vegetables
My Work: farmer, wife, mom, insurance agent
My Hobbies: baking, cooking, fitness, arts and crafts, reading, hiking, 4-H
Ask Me About: biotechnology, sustainability and conservation, family farms
About Me: My husband and I farm with my parents and my brother and sister-in-law. I care a lot about the food I feed my family. I started reading food labels closely about six years ago. Some of the labels that talk about how food is grown can be confusing – especially for those who aren’t connected to farming. I want to be a resource for people who have questions about how food is grown and help them feel more informed as they make food purchasing decisions for their families.
Facebook: Bismarck Farms/Gardens

Kelsey Pagel
Wetmore, Kansas
Our Farm: corn, soybeans, wheat, chicken, beef cattle, cover crops
My Work: farmer, wife
My Hobbies: blogging, fitness, writing
Ask Me About: biotechnology, sustainability and conservation, animal care, local and organic foods, food safety
About Me: My husband and I are living our dream on our family farm. We care deeply about our animals, the environment, the land and the safety of the food we grow. We eat the food that comes from our farm and work to produce safe and healthy products to feed both our family and consumers. We use sustainable practices on our farm, including cover crops, to help care for the land, the water and the soil around us.
Website: www.sustainablebitesllc.com
Facebook: Sustainable Bites LLC
Instagram: @sustainablebitesllc

Janet Phillips
Cherryvale, Kansas
Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer, wife, mom
My Hobbies: cooking, photography, blogging, running, gardening
Ask Me About: animal agriculture, sustainability and conservation, hormones in meat and milk, family
About Me: My husband and I farm along with his parents and grandparents in southeast Kansas. I am passionate about farming, raising our four kids on the farm, cooking, gardening, canning and my faith. I understand that people have questions about food and farming. I blog and connect with other moms and consumers on social media to give them a glimpse into life on the farm and to show them how food is grown on family farms like ours.
Website: A Farm Wife’s Life
Facebook: A Farm Wife’s Life
Twitter: @afarmwifeslife
Instagram: @afarmwifeslife
Pinterest: Kansas Farm Wife

Melissa Reed
Abilene, Kansas
Our Farm: dairy cattle
My Work: farmer, wife, mom
My Hobbies: baking, cooking, reading
Ask Me About: local and organic foods
About Me: Our family raises 150 dairy cows west of Junction City, Kansas. We bottle and sell the milk to more than 90 grocery stores across the state in addition to our on-site retail store. We host events and farm tours that allow consumers to see how their milk goes from the farm to the bottle and then to their local grocery store. Once we began selling our product directly to consumers, we instantly became educators. I receive e-mails daily from customers wanting information about how their food is produced and processed. We welcome the discussion and enjoy sharing what we do.
Website: Hildebrand Farms Dairy
Facebook: Hildebrand Farms Dairy

Katie Sawyer
McPherson, Kansas
Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer, wife, mom, TV host and director of career services at a local college
My Hobbies: running, reading, photography, gardening, riding horses, Kansas State University basketball and football games, traveling and spending time with family and friends
Ask Me About: conserving land and natural resources
About Me: While I am a Kansas native, I was a foreigner to agriculture until after I graduated college and began dating a local farmer and my future husband. I moved to the farm in 2010 after we married, and, since then, my love of farming has grown. I love sharing the story of agriculture and how our family works to create safe and affordable food for people around the world. I hope to share our story and others through CommonGround.
Website: Sawyer Land and Cattle
Facebook: Katie Stockstill Sawyer
Twitter: @Sawyerfarm
Blog: New to the Farm, Kansas Beef Chat
Pinterest: Katie Stockstill Sawyer

Lesley Schmidt
Park City, Kansas
Our Farm: alfalfa, beef cattle, oats, sorghum, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer; civil planning, cartographer and permitting specialist; track and field official
My Hobbies: baking, fitness, gardening, outdoor activities, reading, sports, traveling
Ask Me About: animal care
About Me:
I am part of a fifth-generation Kansas family farm where I work alongside my brothers and parents raising crops and beef cattle. Through my other work in civil planning and as a track and field official, I have many opportunities to interact with friends, co-workers and other fitness enthusiasts who are not connected to farming. I enjoy talking with them about how we raise animals and crops on our farm. There are many parallels between our passion and commitment to ongoing improvements in work and athletics to our pride and commitment to continuous improvements on our farm.

Janna Splitter
Lyons, Kansas
Our Farm: corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat
My Work: farmer, wife, mom
My Hobbies: arts and crafts, baking, photography, reading, traveling, writing
Ask Me About: biotechnology, family farms, food safety, sustainability and conservation
About Me: My husband and I met as kids and then attended Kansas State University together. After college, his family turned the family farm over to us. That day, we became the fifth generation responsible for caring for that land. Sustainability is a top priority for us because now we think about the day that we might turn the farm over to our children. We want it to be a gift for them, and that requires focus on conservation and the best practices to preserve our soil and water.
Twitter: @jannasplitter
Instagram: @ksfarmmama

LaVell Winsor
Topeka, Kansas
Our Farm: brome and grass hays, beef cattle, corn, soybeans
My Work: farmer, wife, mom, consultant
My Hobbies: reading, cooking, landscaping and gardening, volunteering and spending time with family and friends
Ask Me About: GMO foods, succession and estate planning and the finances of farming
About Me: As a farm wife, soccer mom (literally), daughter, sister, aunt, friend, taxi driver, consultant, volunteer, cook and bottle washer – life goes at a fast pace. I work hard to grow my kids, grow my crops and grow for tomorrow. I enjoy sharing with others about how we live on our family farm.
Facebook: Growing for Tomorrow
Twitter: @growing4tomorro
Blog: Growing for Tomorrow