The Kiehls focus on profitability and long-term stewardship
STORY AND PHOTOS by Sara Schafer
One day, Mason and Hannah Kiehl may have lazy evenings. But for now, after dinner is when the real work begins. With spreadsheets open, receipts spread across the table and the baby monitor close by, the young couple turns their focus to the farm they’re building. Together, they are raising crops, cattle and a toddler — all while balancing two off-farm jobs that help make the operation possible.
The Kiehls are part of a generation farming in a far different world than the one their grandparents knew. Today’s young farmers face unprecedented financial pressure, rapid technological change and limited room for error. To succeed, they must blend production skills with business savvy, innovation and collaboration. The Kiehls’ operation reflects that shift — a modern farm built on diversified income and a long-term vision for both land and livelihood.
The Kiehls, members of Farmers’ Electric Cooperative, live in Mason’s hometown of Meadville. Mason always knew he wanted to farm, so he earned degrees in agricultural systems technology and agricultural economics at the University of Missouri. At Mizzou he met Hannah, a Ste. Genevieve native, who was earning a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s in public health.
After graduation, the couple spent three years in Iowa before moving to Meadville in 2019. They joined Mason’s parents, Don and Lori, in the farming operation. Slowly, Mason took over business responsibilities, and he traded his labor for a share of the cattle and crops. Over time,
Mason realized he and his dad had different goals in terms of investments, upgrades and production practices.
“Farming with parents is notoriously tough,” he says. “After a few years of doing that, I proposed to him that I would just cash rent everything from him. In 2024, we did that, and it has been way less friction.”
That shift marked a turning point. Mason and Hannah can now invest in the operation they hope to pass on to their nearly two-year-old son, Wyatt. Part of achieving that goal — at least for now — means they both work off-farm jobs. Mason works in agronomy sales for MFA, while Hannah serves as a resource conservationist for USDA/NRCS on the wetland emphasis team. Both of them bring income and knowledge from their day jobs to the farm.
“With having the off-farm jobs, we can afford to make mistakes, to some degree, on our own farm,” Mason says. “If I was only on the farm, there’d be very little margin for error, and so I wouldn’t try new things.”
“He’s always said we want to do more with less,” Hannah adds. “How can we do more with what we already have?”
Since taking over the reins, Mason has added regenerative production practices — including no-till, cover crops and nutrient management. “We’ve gone 100% no-till where we can,” he says. “I understand there may be some yield drag in the short-term. But, you know, this is family ground that I plan to have for the next 30 to 40 years.”
The shifts in crop production practices have helped Mason and Hannah expand their commercial cattle herd. After cash crops are harvested, the cover crops provide a high-quality feed source for their cattle. They’ve invested in rotational grazing systems, new fencing and water tanks, which provide better nutrition to the cattle and improve soil health of the pastures.
Beyond selling cattle to local livestock markets, they directly sell freezer beef to local customers. “That gives us a little bit better margin, especially by grinding our own beef,” Mason says.
The Business Side
Whether cows or crops, Mason is focused on his numbers. He tracks his cost of production and return on investment by field and even by acre.
“I know my numbers — you have to,” Mason says. “My grandpa’s generation, they were able to raise hogs and things, and if they needed a little bit more money, they’d just keep a few more sows back. I don’t think our generation has that luxury. We’ve got to work really hard, but we’ve also got to be extremely smart about what we do.”
That focus on the business side of farming is one reason Mason and Hannah became involved in FCS Financial’s Connect Program — a statewide initiative designed to support young and beginning farmers from the Missouri- based agricultural lending cooperative. Launched in 2015, the Connect program offers a two-year educational program, the annual Connect Ag Seminar, specialized lending products and underwriting standards and a focus on peer networking opportunities.
The program is designed to meet young producers where they are — and prepare them for where they’re headed, says Rob Guinn, CEO of FCS Financial. “They start building that peer-to-peer network of people from across the state that they can lean on; we all know how well networks help us,” he says. “When these kids come into this program, they’re great producers, but we try to walk them out of there at the end of the program thinking like a CEO.”
From a financing side, the program can provide down-payment assistance, working capital and loan options for breeding livestock and machinery purchases. Beyond those specific products, the program helps farmers understand their farm’s financial health, says Kate Lambert, senior vice president of marketing for FCS Financial.
“In one of the sessions, they put together a balance sheet,” she says. “Then they actually meet with our credit team to analyze the balance sheet, understand loan options and what would happen under different scenarios. They can see it all laid out together and really have smart conversations.”
Mason has taken this focus on numbers to heart. He recently wanted to upgrade his combine. He mapped out what factors mattered, such as engine hours, location of the machine and technology included.
“I found every combine that met my criteria and was for sale online — that included 135 combines,” he says. “Then I created a scatter plot based on hours and price. I found the one with the best value in Minnesota, flew up there and bought it. I look for the value, not necessarily what color it is.”
Crops, Cattle and Car Wash
Beyond the farm, the Kiehls have diversified their income sources by purchasing a car wash in Chillicothe with two other couples. Mason had been on the lookout for a nonfarm income source. When the car wash came up for sale, he and his friends decided it would be a way for them to earn profit and split the work.
“It was pretty daunting at first,” Mason recalls. “But the former owner has been great at answering our questions. Then we figured out it’s all just basically valves, pumps and hoses, things we have everywhere on the farm.”
The car wash has been a good financial and educational move for the Kiehls, says Zach Trout, their local ag lender with FCS Financial. “What separates them from the other people I’m working with their age is they’re so diversified,” he says. “They have crops, commercial cattle, sell freezer beef, have two off-farm jobs and a car wash. That’s a lot of sources of income.”
Looking ahead, Mason’s priorities are clear. “My goal is to farm the acres I farm in the best possible way that I can,” he says. “So, we want to be economically and environmentally regenerative.”
For the Kiehls, the future of farming isn’t about doing things the way they’ve always been done. It’s about blending relationships, business discipline and long-term thinking.
How Young Farmers Succeed Today
Decades ago, farmers had to excel in production. If they raised more bushels of grain or more head of livestock, they could earn more money. Today, farmers — especially those early in their farming career — must have a CEO mindset, says Rob Guinn, CEO of FCS Financial.
“This is now a highly capital-intensive business with low margins,” he says. “If you think you’re just going to get out of college and raise No. 2 corn or just raise cattle and sell them at the sale barn, you’re probably going to struggle. Every young producer has to find their competitive advantage. What is their little niche? It can come in all shapes and sizes.”
For instance, Rob says he’s seen farmers excel by finding a cheap feed source for their livestock. Or a young farmer may run an older line of machinery to keep their cost of production low. Others may invest in becoming a top grain marketer.
“Every operation has to find their niche,” he says. “When they do, they can extract just a hair more margin then than other producers and excel.”
Email Sara Schafer at sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop.