09/25/2026
This week's Farmer Friday features Matthew Martin of Martin Farms in Bloomfield, Kentucky.
From a young age, Matthew knew there was something special about being on the farm. “I’ve loved farming for as long as I can remember. I really believe it’s just in my blood,” he said.
While he was still a junior in high school, Matthew took his first step toward building an operation of his own when he rented his first piece of ground to grow soybeans and to***co. At the time, it was just the beginning, but that first piece of ground gave him the opportunity to start building something for himself. Since then, he has continued to grow his operation and take on more responsibility. “I started small, but I knew I wanted to keep growing and see what I could build,” he said.
Today, he grows soybeans and corn and puts up hay, with much of the hay being sold to other farmers in the area. He enjoys the variety that comes with farming and the opportunity to see a crop through the entire growing season. From getting in the field in the spring to watching the crop develop throughout the summer and finally bringing it across the scale at harvest, Matthew says the process is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. “There’s nothing like seeing a crop come together after you’ve worked on it all year,” he says. “You put a lot of time and work into it, and getting to see it at harvest makes it all worth it.”
Like every farmer, he knows that farming comes with its share of challenges. Weather, markets, and the uncertainty that comes with each growing season can make farming difficult, but those challenges have not changed how he feels about the profession he chose at a young age. “Farming isn’t always easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said
One of Matthew’s favorite parts of farming is getting to work alongside his dad and his uncle every day. For him, farming is about more than raising crops. It is also about the time spent working together as a family. Those long days in the field give them the opportunity to share responsibilities, solve problems and simply spend time together.
From renting his first piece of ground as a high school junior to growing soybeans, corn, and hay today, Matthew has continued to build on the opportunity he started for himself at a young age. His story is a reminder that farming is not always about starting big. Sometimes, it is about taking that first opportunity, working hard, and continuing to build year after year. For Matthew, farming is a way of life, a family tradition, and something he hopes to continue for many years to come.
