Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) today announced that Matt and Molly Adams of Hardin County have been named the 2023 Outstanding Young Farm Family. This annual award honors an individual or couple under the age of 35 who demonstrates strong farm management skills, KFB and community involvement and consistent financial growth through their farm. 

The Adams’ consider themselves first-generation farmers as Matt’s family’s original farm was sold in 1992, following the farm crisis of the 1980s. Matt introduced farming back into his family tree as he followed his life-long passion for agriculture and purchased his own farmland. Molly works at their regional hospital as a Registered Respiratory Practitioner and assists with farm duties.

Matt and Molly operate just over 825 acres of farmland and own 115 acres of the property. 523 acres of their farm is devoted to corn, soybean and soft red winter wheat production, with double crop soybeans being planted after the wheat. They also have 40 acres of hay dedicated to producing small square bales for the equine market. This hay consists of various mixes of alfalfa, orchard grass and timothy. The remainder of Matt and Molly’s land is devoted to pasture and mixed grass hay production for their cow/calf operation, which currently includes 87 mature brood cows and replacement heifers. They also sell USDA inspected freezer beef. 

The Adams’ are passionate about expanding their farming operations and continuing to push the limits as first-generation farmers. “We hope to grow the row crop enterprise to 800 acres in the next 5 years and to 1000 acres in the next 10 years,” they noted. “We would also like to grow our cow/calf operation to 100 brood cows in the next 5 years by better utilizing the pasture we currently have.” 

While the Adams family stays busy with their farm and family, they are also enthusiastic about agriculture advocacy. One way they do this is by sharing their daily farming lives on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Additionally, Matt and two other farming friends began producing a podcast that focuses on all things agriculture and Molly was inspired to produce her own YouTube channel chronicling their daily lives raising cows, crops, and kids on their farm.