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The event, held in conjunction with the Dakotafest farm show, combined food, community spirit, and a lineup of vendors with a keynote address that left the audience inspired. This year’s featured speaker, Calli Williams, a first-generation rancher, shared her journey in agriculture through a talk titled “Built by Hand, Powered by Passion: Life as First-Generation Ranchers.�

Williams, whose husband started his ranching career with no family background in agriculture, told the crowd that determination and relationships paved the way for their success.

“It says a lot about this industry that people are willing to support the next generation and give them a chance,� she said.

Williams described the challenges of starting from scratch and the creative ways she and her family have diversified their business to make ranching work. From launching TWA Meats, which now provides beef to more than 70 households, to developing an online cattle sale and hosting open house events, she shared how hard work and innovation have carried them forward. Social media, too, has become an unexpected pillar of their ranch. By posting everyday glimpses of ranch life, Williams has built a platform that connects consumers to agriculture and opened doors to partnerships with agricultural companies and organizations.

Williams ended with a challenge to those in attendance: build your networks. She emphasized the importance of saying “yes� to opportunities and connecting with others in agriculture.

“The whole point of events like this is to make sure you are networking,� she said. “You never know when the person you meet today will be someone you can lean on tomorrow.�