“HOW A FIRST-GENERATION FARMER WENT FROM 6 TO 600 ACRES IN FOUR YEARS”
IN 2020, SPOOR RAISED JUST OVER 40 ACRES OF POPCORN.
By Emma Henning
12/9/2020
https://www.agriculture.com/farm-manage ... es-in-four
.. GROWING ON HIS OWN
Throughout high school, Spoor grew to love farming as he worked for a number of farmers in his community - which he says he learned a great deal from. When starting his freshman year of college four years ago, Spoor also started cash-renting his own six acres of soybeans.
At the age of 18, he took the opportunity with the six acres while balancing school and was able to pay for college classes at the University of Missouri and put a down payment on his first tractor, an International 1066.
“The reason I went to college is because I thought farming was going to be too difficult to grow and get more into,” said Spoor. “My goal was to get an ag degree and land a job with a large ag company where I’d give up my dream of full-time farming.”
Yet, Spoor continued to pick up land throughout his four years in college.
Fast-forward to 2020, that 6 acres he started with in 2016 has grown to 600 acres of corn and soybeans as well as 40 acres of popcorn. ..
It continues ..GROWING WITH POPCORN
In 2018, Spoor knew he needed to diversify his farm from the corn and soybean rotation he was growing. Spoor decided to dabble with 15 acres of popcorn that year.
“Although 2018 was a challenging year weather wise, the harvest was still bountiful,” said Spoor.
“That year was a big learning curve on how I was going to make growing popcorn in Missouri work.”
In 2020, Spoor raised just over 40 acres of popcorn.
“I direct-market the popcorn through 14 local grocery stores and sell it on my website of Spoor Farms across all 50 states,” said Spoor.
Spoor says the COVID-19 pandemic has both helped and hindered his popcorn business.
He has found a barrier to enter new movie theaters but has also seen a growth in grocery stores sales as consumers moved to enjoying popcorn at home.
“Trying to get the popcorn into more businesses was challenging as stores were focusing on keeping the shelves stocks with essentials such as eggs, milk, and bread,” said Spoor. “But, overall, popcorn sales have been steady this year.” ..