Meet Influencer Kylie Epperson
About Kylie
Kylie Epperson didn’t grow up on a farm, but as she puts it, she got there as fast as she could. Residing in Vandalia, Missouri, Kylie can actually say she lives just a short trip from Paris, London, and Mexico… Missouri, that is. Kylie began her farm life after marrying her husband, Jordan, a 4th generation, born and bred farmer. She and her husband own and operate a row crop operation, raising corn and soybeans, and an independent swine operation alongside Jordan's family. After returning to the farm, Kylie kept the books as one of her many “other duties, as required” pieces of her farm wife job description.
Kylie began her social media journey after a barn fire had a devastating impact on their operation. She realized people weren’t talking about hog production, and social media became an outlet for her to share more. What began as a small mission to tell their family’s story became a connection with consumers, especially moms, who wanted to be reassured that they could trust the safety of the food they put on their tables. Kylie now reaches more than 30 thousand people with her posts and reels by talking about her family’s way of life.
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Raising A Farm Family
How did you get your start with farm life?
My husband is a 4th generation farmer, and we began with our 40-acre farm with a hog nursery. In 2018, my father-in-law decided it was time to retire. This put into motion a year-long transition, and in 2019, my husband took over the entire family row crop operation, and has now been running the operation for four growing seasons.
What’s it like being a farm wife?
Being a part of a farming family is incredible, but it’s also hard in ways that people standing outside of the farming industry might have a hard time understanding. Those challenges also bring amazing opportunities, and I love raising my kids on the farm, where they learn the incredible values my husband, his father, and the generations before him learned. Sure, the equipment looks different, but the values remain the same.
What was the transition to living on a farm like?
Change is hard for everyone. There have been some ups and downs as I’ve learned the ropes. I did grow up in a rural community, so while farm life may have been a change, I’ve always known what it’s like to be a part of a small, rural community.
What inspires you to use social media on a daily basis?
While there are absolutely people who don’t think we need to use social media as part of our jobs, we cultivate our land, we grow our crops, and we market them. Why would we leave off marketing ourselves and our farms? It’s more important now than it ever was before.
There is a huge disconnect with how things are grown and how it plays an integral aspect in the food system. Social media allows us to target a market that would never know agriculture unless it’s through TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook. Another added benefit is that social media allows us to see how people run their operations without stepping foot on their farm. Farming can be isolating, and no other profession has the same unique workloads at the same time. Making those connections also allows us to build community.
What is one piece of advice you'd share with others in a similar position?
We can do hard things. You only live once. Don’t worry about the future, worry about the now.