Ranching Roots Fuel Jessie Jarvis to Connect People Through Careers and Stories

On this episode of 15 Minutes With a Farmer, Jessie Jarvis shares her work building a platform to connect job seekers with ag careers, her mission to tell authentic stories that connect rural and urban audiences, and life on her family’s Idaho ranch.

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Meet Jessie Jarvis

Jarvis grew up on her family’s southern Idaho ranch. She made plans to pursue a life outside of ag as an anesthesiologist. “Six weeks into that journey of living in a city and being on a campus that had no connection to agriculture, I thought, ‘Pump the brakes. This is not what I thought the real world was going to be. I really miss agriculture. I miss the people,'” she said.

After transferring colleges and earning a business degree, Jarvis spent three years as communications director for the Idaho Cattle Association, which was an enlightening experience. “Growing up on a ranch, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the livestock industry,” she said. “I knew a lot about our individual operation, which is one of a million pieces that make up the puzzle of animal agriculture and specifically the livestock industry.”

When her parents mentioned wanting to add another employee to their operation 12 years ago, Jarvis decided to move home. She married a rancher from her home county, and today they both work on her family ranch, raising their children where Jarvis grew up. 

Outside Interests

Jarvis, who co-owned a Western fashion magazine, developed a strong network of people in the Western lifestyle industry. She began getting calls from contacts wondering if she knew of anyone hiring, and from business owners asking if she knew who would be a good fit for an open position. 

That sparked an idea that has become Of The West, an online platform linking job seekers with careers in the agriculture and Western industries. Jarvis also created a directory of freelancers, contractors, and other service providers. An educational directory, Schools of the West, is scheduled to launch later this year. “They all work together to really cater beginning to end in someone’s career in agriculture or a Western industry,” she said.

Through her podcast, blog, and vast social media following, Jarvis shares the story of agriculture, aiming to bridge the gap between producers and consumers. “There is not a PR agency for agriculture, so as farmers and ranchers and ag enthusiasts and members of this industry and community, we are the PR agency for our industry,” she said. “It is going to take all of us to continue to positively share that message, and to continue to connect it to those people who don’t have the same opportunity to see it the way that we do.”

Episode Highlights

• Jarvis grew up on a southern Idaho ranch but originally planned a medical career. When she realized she missed agriculture, she changed to a business degree.
• After serving as communications director for the Idaho Cattle Association, Jarvis returned to her family ranch in 2013 to work alongside her husband and parents.
• She co-founded Of the West, a platform connecting job seekers and employers in agriculture. It has expanded to include a freelancer directory and educational opportunities.
• Jarvis emphasized that ag careers go far beyond farming, ranching, and veterinary work.
• She served as a 2024 NCBA Trailblazer, training to be a strong advocate for the cattle industry.
• Her audience includes both ag insiders and consumers with no background in farming.
• Earlier this year, Idaho Farm Bureau named Jarvis their inaugural Influencer of Ag Award winner. 
• Jarvis encourages farmers and ranchers to share their stories and promote agriculture.

Links & Resources