Sustaining a strong relationship with a third-generation farmer
Jarred Casiday is a third-generation farmer from Crowville, La., who understands the challenges farmers face each day. For 15 years, he’s run a 2,200-acre corn and soybean farm in Franklin Parish – one that his father and grandfather ran before him.
“The hardest part about farming is all the decisions that need to be made on a daily, even hourly, basis and how they can affect you,” said Casiday. “Not just right then, but two weeks from now, two months from now.”
Casiday has been a First South member ever since his first crop. Throughout the years, First South has been there for him.
“After my first year, I didn’t have a good year and I lost a little land along the way,” he said. “And First South stuck with me and I’ll never forget that. First South was always there in the good times and the bad times.”
Casiday knows what it’s like to enjoy a plentiful harvest and to endure a lean one. He’s developed a mindset to strive through the work when things get tough.
“What would it feel like to do your job every day and know that you might not get a paycheck?” he asked. “Would you still be able to get up, all day every day, to put those hours in, knowing there’s probably a good chance you’re not going to make any money – might even lose money? Can you still be that motivated to get up and do your job all day every day? That’s what goes through your mind in the hard years.”
This strong mindset is fueled by his stewardship of the land his family worked on for generations. Farming can be tough, but at the end of the day, it’s a life he loves.
“The reason we live this lifestyle and the reason why we do what we do is because we love what we do,” he said. “Not always at every moment and every day. Some days are better than others. We love coming out every day, going to the field, working the ground, working with friends and neighbors at times. That’s why we love what we do.”
Meeting the needs of farmers like Jarred Casiday is a priority at First South, so we can set our customers up for success to do the things they love.