Recorded live at the Texas Ag Teachers Conference in Corpus Christi, this episode of the Drench Line sits down with two Texas ag teachers making a real difference in their FFA programs.

A HUGE thank you to our Ag Teacher Series title sponsor, Judy's Western Wares. Judy's has been handmaking show blankets, halters, tubes, wraps and muzzles right here in Texas for more than 30 years — and they'll customize almost anything, from chapter colors to embroidered awards to starter boxes for a kid's first sheep or goat. Shop Judy's Western Wares online here and use code DRENCHLINE10 for 10% off your order.

First up is Kayla Hughes, who teaches ag at New Braunfels High School and oversees the sheep, goat, rabbit, and chicken projects there. Kayla walks through how New Braunfels' rapid growth has changed her program's demographics — blending long-time ag families with kids who've never set foot on a farm — and shares her own path into the industry, including a commercial goat lottery program back in Helotes and a few years of her childhood spent in Alaska (bear drills included). She gets real about the budget conversation every first-year show family needs to have, and tells the story of two seniors who bought their first goats and went on to win champion and reserve champion at the Comal County Show.

Then Logan sits down with JT Kelley, ag teacher at Flatonia ISD and a third-generation educator. JT talks about walking away from a corporate sales job to get back into the classroom, what it's like working in a three-teacher ag program at a small 2A school, and why he thinks the future of stock shows is trending up — more ag barns, more first-generation show families, more growth. He also shares a great family story about his dad getting written up by his own father (the school principal) for skipping a faculty meeting.

Both guests answer the same rapid-fire round — favorite breed, favorite fair food, coffee or energy drinks, and the one piece of advice every show family should hear — and land on the same core message: find people you trust, follow one program, and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Submit your questions at DrenchLine.com. Read related posts on the blog at DrenchLine.com.

A HUGE thank you to our Ag Teacher Series title sponsor, Judy's Western Wares. Judy's has been handmaking show blankets, halters, tubes, wraps and muzzles right here in Texas for more than 30 years — and they'll customize almost anything, from chapter colors to embroidered awards to starter boxes for a kid's first sheep or goat. Shop Judy's Western Wares online here and use code DRENCHLINE10 for 10% off your order.

Kids are back to school, FFA chapters are gearing up for a new year, and there's no better time to say thank you to the people who make the whole thing run — ag teachers. In Part 1 of our new Ag Teacher mini-series, recorded live at the Texas Ag Teachers Conference in Corpus Christi, Logan sat down with two guys who've spent their careers building programs from scratch and keeping kids (and their families) headed in the right direction.

First up is Cody Peterson, now in his 21st year teaching ag and currently at Medina ISD after building a powerhouse program in Ballinger — right in the heart of sheep and goat country. Cody talks about growing up on the cattle side before learning to love sheep and goats in Runnels County, building a swine program from 25 head to 150, and the advice he gives every new show family who walks through his office door: figure out their budget first, then find the species that fits it.

Then Cameron "Cam" Anderson, ag teacher at Needville ISD, joins to talk about his own full-circle story — leaving Needville for a judging career at South Plains and Texas Tech (where he was an All-American), a stint as the McCulloch County extension agent in Brady, a detour into oilfield chemical sales, and finally coming home to teach the next generation. Cam talks about running a judging pipeline that starts in third grade, balancing kids who are all-in with kids who landed in his class by accident, and the lesson his own mentors taught him about never giving up.

Both guys touch on a lot of the same ground — patience, budgeting a show project, leaning on breeders and mentors instead of trying to do it alone, and why the kids (not the banners) are the whole point. If you've ever wondered what actually goes on behind the scenes of a good ag program, or you just want a reason to go hug your kid's ag teacher this fall, this one's for you.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Submit your questions at DrenchLine.com. Read related posts on ag education and show program building at DrenchLine.com.

This episode was recorded riverside on the San Antonio River Walk, right after a two-and-a-half-hour sit-down with Dr. Brian Faris, competitive director for the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo — circle back to Episode 10 if you haven't already. For now, Sam and Logan sat down to knock out round two of listener Q&A, picking up where Episode 9 left off.

First up, Donna Jo asks how smaller exhibitors can brace bigger lambs without getting pushed around — Sam and Logan break down halter breaking, hand walking, buying sheep that actually fit the kid's size, and why "good enough" beats chasing perfection on a back leg. Jace wants to know the best exercises for building muscle on a show sheep or goat, so the guys walk through their track, treadmill, and walker rotation, plus exactly how many days a week they train once they're inside that 60–90 day window before a show.

Claire asks how often to change leg wraps (weekly, with a laundry-service hack you'll want to steal), Brad wants to know how to stop a sheep from shaking its head while driving, and Brittany asks whether a market wether needs a buddy at home. Sean and Shauna close things out with a great one for Midwest families: how does a Texas show timeline compare to a Midwest show season, and how should you adjust your own feeding curve accordingly.

Sam and Logan also tease a handful of topics they're saving for full episodes down the road — breaking into the Texas sheep market as a Midwest breeder, building relationships with traders, spotting fake sale photos, judging trends, AI breeding, and a deeper dive into health and doctoring. Plus a quick update on what's happening at home: heat stress, parasite pressure, a scrapie case out west, and the fall fair shows both guys have circled on the calendar.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Submit your questions at DrenchLine.com — Sam and Logan are working through the backlog and want to hear what's on your mind. And read related posts on show sheep and goat management at DrenchLine.com.