Farmer Derek plays on with the trombone and eagle cam

Hi everyone, I'm Paul Yeager. This is the MTOM Show podcast, a production of Iowa PBS and the Market to Market TV show. We're bringing in an old favorite, not old, but just a favorite that we've chatted with before - Farmer Derek is in central Kansas. He's been a guest before when he talked about eagle cam, and also playing his trombone, we're going to update both of those interests of him. Also talk about owls. I have to admit, we actually didn't even talk farming until we were done recording. But Derek is a guy who has visitors from all over the world online to watch his eagles. And here is that website right there on the bottom of the screen right now, how you would watch eagle cam, and it's getting to be pretty exciting. Because the mama eagle is about to lay in a bag. And then you'll just be watching that eagle cam all the time waiting for that thing to hatch. Other people actually come to his farm. Coming up soon is actually going to be some Italians. 24 Italians are going to come to his farm to see what it's all about in person, but we get a chance to talk to Derek from his shop. Pretty exciting early on in this interview. Give it a watch to see what happens live. When we're chatting. If you have any feedback for me or just want to send me a note the email is Paul.Yeager@IowaPBS.ORG. Now let's talk all things Kansas eagles and trombones. With dare Derek, I have a hard time keeping up with everything you do. Do you have like a physical planner to keep track of everything? Or do you have a spreadsheet in your brain? How do you juggle it all?

[Derek Klingenberg] Yeah, I don't write it down. It's all in here. And it's all at one time, especially when I'm talking to my wife.

[Yeager]  Does she think you're like on another platform? Or yeah, other planet? 

[Derek]  It’s trying to pull me back. But it's not working?

[Yeager]  Are you on when you're on the tractor, doing whatever. Those are long. I always say you have long rows, you have time to think, are you trying to like multitask? 

[Derek]  Oh, thinking? And then sometimes I'm like, stop. We have to like focus like if we got to get on the road or something.

[Yeager]  And you're one of those guys headset all the time, right?

[Derek]  Yeah. Yeah, pretty well. Yeah. Because it's so easy to make a phone call.

[Yeager]  Or are you a talk to texter?

[Derek]  Yeah, I feel like series getting worse. But I'll do that. And then I'll spend like five minutes trying to fix it.

[Yeager]  The last time we talked. Part of the reason was we wanted to learn about eagle cam, which we'll talk about, I see we're looking at, we're looking at the nest over your shoulder. But we also talked about music. So let's start with music first, because when you and I were messaging earlier this week ahead of this use, I'd seen a couple of these videos that you sent. One of them that stands out, I said, Hey, I'm talking to that guy from Kansas one day where he plays the trombone and the cat. Oh, yeah, I remember that in the cattle come running. Do you read did that one right. Or have you expanded the group?

[Derek]  Yeah. Yeah. So our band director at school was like, hey, my buddy wants to like, go out and play to the cows with you. And so they organized. There were six of us trombone guys, and I didn't know who was coming. And we showed up at like, five in the morning out there. When we practice actually, before we practice off yonder, and we called those cows in and then we went in, we call them in. And the one guy arranged the song for me, and I didn't realize that that he's the director of the pep band at Wichita State University. And they were all really good. I was, it was impressive. And so yeah, we went out and played, and they came in, and those guys were like, can we just keep playing? And I'm like, Sure. And then they wanted to come back and they had a really good time.

[Yeager]  Do the music people know that you do other things like eagle cam? And I mean, do they know you're this very much all sorts of stuff going on guy?

[Derek]  My basic core fan club? Like, who's mostly on the live campus? No. But yeah, I'm all over the place. My views on my YouTube channel are really high and my subscriptions are low. I would say because I'm good at like viral videos, and people can't put it together.

[Yeager]  So does that feel like you are living a double life?

[Derek]  Yeah. Maybe a triple life or more? I don't know. Yeah, it's fun because I like music. Art. See? And then I like well, I like new Sure, but then I like the whole tech, the techie thing behind it all. And I like space. I get really excited about it. And I like the fact that people can watch my live kingdoms and I can remote in and fix things. Like if there's a problem with the deer feeder. I can like listen, and I can fix it from my computer at my house.

[Yeager]  And what are we watching behind you. So that's the nest on the big screen right here. 

[Derek]  That's the big eagle. That's our grid, right deer cam. It and this is a big chunk of ice. I had water there because we went from a drought to this. And so that I got rid of the water tank and there was I saw that I set it against this fence post. And so we're watching it slowly lean into the fence posts. And this is a salt block somebody sent me for Christmas for the deer. And then this is the feeders up here. 

[Yeager]  And that was great. Well the Eagles came they just flew in. That's an eagle.

[Derek]  Yeah, yeah, we're gonna go. I think it's got a fish

[Yeager]  Does that happen often?

[Derek]  Yeah. Every once in a while they come in so they're right now they're just, they'll come in and, and mate or eat something or there's two. Oh, there's the other one. Oh, I think that's the mom the bigger one on the left.

[Yeager]  And that's what was a baby at one time on the right.

[Derek]  Well, a lot of time ago, but that's the male the females that

[Yeager]  Female Okay. Male?

[Derek]  Females bigger because they need all that body mass. Keep the egg warm. Okay. And that's a catfish. 

[Yeager]  Ah, where does the, Okay, so I'm sorry. You I was asking if this happens often does this happen often? 

 

[Derek]  Oh, the food bringing in food is happening more and more. It wasn't really happening. But like, as they're getting towards closer to laying an egg. They go on more dates. That's what I call it. And so they'll eat together in the nest.

[Yeager]  And because there is an egg there now?

[Derek]  No, not yet. It works. There's an egg they won't get off of it. Okay, but I think they're.

[Yeager]  They had the meeting. We've had the meeting, right. 

[Derek]  So now we're just gonna we're on this on camera a lot. 

[Yeager]  Okay. Are those popular things for people to watch?

[Derek]  I don't know for sure. But it's interesting.

[Yeager]  Yeah. So then we've had the meeting. Now we're just waiting on an egg. So this is late January. Is this about the timeline that we'll see an egg?

[Derek]  I think it's going to be like first week of February, based on what I know about Kansas birds. So we're definitely getting close. And she will sit in the nest and pretend like she has an A more and more. And she spent the entire night like Three nights ago, sitting there. There's also owls that are trying to steal it. And so they've been guarding it more because the owls could lay an egg any day.

[Yeager]  And once an owl lays an egg, then that's like their nest or Yeah, there'll be some clash between the owls and the Eagles. 

[Derek]  No, I think whoever lays the first egg because it’s all defense, and I had that problem three years ago in this nest. Yeah. And I had two young eagles, and then the owls moved in and laid an egg and they'll be there for the fourth season. 

[Yeager]  And they're about ready to lay an egg their fourth season with the owl cam and unroll nest. And then a how many seasons have we seen an eagle and an eagle nest?

[Derek]  Well, the first season it started out Eagle ended up out. And then this is brand new. And I noticed this nest two years ago, two or three years ago, and I went last. Not this last fall, but the fall before I went out with my buddy's bucket truck and I went up and I got like halfway up. I'm like, you know, I'm an idiot, but I didn't realize how high it was. And so and so I forgot about it. And then that winter, which was last season, they actually had to Eagle it's and and this eagle lady from New Jersey showed up in May. And they went up there with this huge bucket truck and they tried to tag both of them. And they only got one and they even put it GPS tracker on it. And I pulled up to her and I'm just freaking out. And she goes this farmer Derek. I'm like, what? He's like, I want to tell you to live kids. Are you kidding me? And she's like, let's take a selfie. And so I ran up. She hands me this huge Eaglin and I hold it and we take a selfie together and I wasn't shot so bad. I took no videos of the whole thing. And then I learned about eagles. So, I've been, I've been talking to her and then we followed the Eagles. I named her Trish after because her name is Trish Miller, the eagle lady. And then that eagle that summer went up to Bismarck, North Dakota, I have this awesome tracker map of it. And then we lost her in August. So we either the backpack fell off, it's a backpack with a solar panel. And it'll dump all the information once it sees a Verizon tower, either that fell off where she died. Now, I will say there was a juvenile that showed up like a week ago. And, and she's noticed that they'll come back to the nest. And so the the juvenile got on the desk, and the parents scared it off, and there was no bands. So it could have been the other eaglette they didn't they didn't tag. And so I'm hoping I doubted that it'd be coolest abandoned one shows up, it should still live. Now one thing that happened while we were watching the YouTubers were watching the chat is they noticed the female on the left is also banned it you probably can't see it. 

[Yeager]  It's kind of hard to see. But you're saying that people have posted pictures or they've zoomed in, you can zoom in on the camera right and see the band. 

[Derek]  Yeah, so I made it so that you can type in, in on chat, and that hero will start to zoom in. And so they zoomed in and they read one of the bands and it said 53 and it has purple on it, which means it's a key as a spur. Now we can't see the letter above it, but we're pretty sure that it means that we know where it originated from. So my ego lady, I haven't told anybody this, this is big deal. So my ego lady called a lady she knows in eastern Kansas, Michelle. And they found out she tagged this eagle in at Clinton Lake in Lawrence, Kansas 10 years ago. So I have to tell my chat that they're gonna be so pumped. So she's going to add in, I'm going to go there with my buddy who has a little smarter plan. I'm gonna. I haven't gotten there yet. I'm gonna fly there. And we're going to check out where she came from the nest. And there's a good chance her mom's still alive.

[Yeager]  Where did all of this eagle interest come from? 

[Derek]  Well, like we never had eagles. They were rare until like five years ago. And there's just they've just moved yet. And that's why Trish Miller is doing a study here in central Kansas. Because, yeah, just the way they're just exploding down here. And she is learning there is some differences so far, and this will help a lot too. We get to watch and see what's happening. And the people in my chat, document everything. And they're very helpful and they know a lot about eagles.

[Yeager]  Why are you saying Trish said they're helpful because like she can go back and see when people make notations of things happening that are of interest to her. 

[Derek]  Yeah, well, I did that. I had people message me. I have one lady that actually screen records like when the juvenile showed up. And so I can go look at her videos. And so I'll all compile all that and then I'll let Trish know if there's some crazy app. That's really neat.

[Yeager]  And you said Trish is from New Jersey. 

[Derek]  She's from Kansas originally, but now she's in New Jersey and she called her the other day and she said she was in Arkansas, trapping golden eagles in the snow. I'm like, I want to go where are you? This lady's crazy there.

[Yeager]  And is she an academic? When you say research or trapping? 

[Derek]  Yeah, she's like, Yeah, it's all research. Like she had permission from the feds and the state and this Kansas Wildlife and Parks was out there when we were tagging it. Yeah, she's where she's at. I think it's a nonprofit. I forget now that it's all research. 

[Yeager]  And you're telling me she didn't know she was actually on Derek's farm. Well, till you show up that day. 

[Derek]  Yeah. Okay. It's not technically. It's just a few miles from here and my neighbor has it and so he often was like, you know, Farmer Derek lives here. She's like, what? So they called me out there and the landowners great he loves this. He'll let me do whatever. This is all off grid. I have. I have solar panels and Starlink providing internet. It's a pain in the butt but I got to work.

[Yeager]  But people clearly love it. Because they come back like you mentioned they will watch for hours at a time. 

[Derek]  Yeah. And they get to you know, take control like, like you can feed the deer cameo or maybe send some corn data. Can you see everyone?

[Yeager]  I can kind of see it. Can you show me the ice can you zip into the ice or is that not?

[Derek]  Closer?

[Yeager]  Well no, I like our interview setup, but on the character, can you? Oh yeah, you can do that too.

[Derek]  Yeah, through manually zooming... manually zooming...

[Yeager]  A little more steady, we would say in the TV business, Derek, we'd say slow down on to slow down on too easy. Easy. Don't suck our eyes out. That's a good TV technical term. We're given you there. Okay. Okay,

[Derek]  I'm gonna let the feed or I mean, he'll be a little delay.

[Yeager]  That's fine.

[Derek]  And they can hear it. Come see it.

[Yeager]  There it goes.

[Derek]  Did you see it? They, if you send a super chat, that will leave the feed come out. And then they can also control it. Left, right up, down, zoom in. So they'll like film birds in the trees and stuff.

[Yeager] So which did come first? Eagles or trombones in fields and all your music shenanigans. Trombone fields shenanigans for? Okay, so music was first and that was what was your platform in the beginning? And what year just catch us up again?

[Derek]  The trombone. 

[Yeager]  That sounds about right.

[Derek]  What does the farmer say? parody was 2013. But I really hit hard in 2012 in my shop here, like, during the night.

[Yeager]  And you did a video last year, I think in '23. To a Billie Eilish song, where again, you're in the feedlot. But it was one take. I mean, that we saw, there's no editing to it. 

[Derek]  Right. I got bored with editing parodies, and I'm tired to sit in front of a computer. So with Tic Toc, you got one minute, they'll let you play a song for one minute. I figured that out while I was doing it. And so the whole thing is one shot. And so it took a long time to organize it. I practice a lot but I actually did it in one tape because I was like my brothers and dad are gonna be irritated if I do this again. Plus, there was a scared horse involved. Well, okay, let me see how it starts out with. See I have these crazy water fountains I made in the stocktakes. So my daughter was sitting there. She was 10 and she hits the water fountain. And that signals for me to start live video so everything lines up. And then I do my video and my dad and brothers are all moving trucks and tractors. And then I'm running through the pin. I'm on a four wheeler and then I ended up going up the load out into a semi. And my brother has a horse there for me to jump on. Well, we found out the worst couldn't see me until I was right there. We should have backed the horse up. And the horse freaked out and my brother's like he's dead. And I was like one take so I jumped on it hold on really tight. And we took and we got it. We nailed it. My audio cut out right before I got on the horse but I kept lip syncing and it lined up. I was pretty proud of myself.

[Yeager]  Better to be lucky than good and situations like that. Yeah. Hit there. I had seen the video of you getting the silage dumped on you that that was what I that is. And I do remember watching until the end, but I didn't realize the horse. I just thought, is this an aggressive horse? I should have known that that horse was spooked when it didn't see what was coming. came on and off we go?

[Derek]  Yeah, she even moved away. So I jumped. I didn't spring out and get on her. 

[Yeager]  The music. Let's go to music for just let's stick with music for a minute. You also have done. You've already had done interaction with the local school. Right. And you still continue to do that. And local college, one of the colleges and universities around you. 

[Derek]  Yeah. And I yeah, I've been doing stuff. Well. We're like girls go to school. They all all the kids, like you want to show up and yeah, this for the Christmas program, the grade school Christmas program. I played my trombone with them. And that was a lot of fun. And there's a new choir director and she danced along and it was cool.

[Yeager]  Do you think in the interview for her, they said You do realize who's in the school district. Now? I don't know someone famous. Yes, Farmer Derek. And he is going to want to be a part of all of the things you do. 

[Derek]  Yeah, that's right. She didn't know who I was. And it all of a sudden she was like, Oh, wait, I used to watch him.

[Yeager]  You were a star then and you just didn't know how big of a deal an Influencer you were and see she stuck with music. So it worked. 

[Derek]  Oh, yeah, that's right.

[Yeager]  I think before the last time we chatted, I had showed video where there was a choir around some hay bales and I think you mentioned Wichita State of the pep band director. I do just love how music has been able to bring people together. Yeah, on so many levels.

[Derek]  Yeah, so I deal with Wichita State now and the choir that came out singing in my house and singing my grain bin is at  Bethel College in Newton. And, yeah, I mean, I just crave people because, you know, cows and eagles all the time. And so yeah, it's wages. It's just way too much fun. And I get all these crazy opportunities. I get to meet professionals, you know, like at NASA or, or big news people like, like Paul here. And it's, and it's really, it's really interesting. 

[Yeager]  Your payment for saying that is coming, by the way. Thanks, Derek.

[Derek]  The big budget, but it's just cool to watch their style and what kind of a personal a professional is. I really enjoy it. They're all cool.

[Yeager]  You you say things you've met places you've gone? You did go international right here recently? Agritechnica?

[Derek]  Yeah, I go to Germany, pretty much every year, and I was just Agritechnica. And for fun. They made me the ambassador of Kansas.

[Yeager]  And did you know that was coming?

[Derek]  Yeah, yeah, we planned it. And I don't know if you saw the video, I there was two Germans going to Bethel College. And I had them pretend like they worked for the company. And they kidnap me on the side of the road. And that was actually my daughter was driving and it was just hilarious. I thought it was hilarious. And then they're like, you have to go to Agritechnica. I'm like, Okay, fine. And so yeah, I went there. And I have so many European friends. I love it. And I keep meeting more and it's exhausting. But they're great.

[Yeager]  So an event like that. I mean, are you asked to speak at events now? Or is it just more of a oh, here's Derek, make an appearance. And you kind of talk about your videos, or how's that work?

[Derek]  Yeah. So like, I did a thing for NASA commodity classic last year, and I actually spoke at their booth. And but but Agritechnica this year is different every year. And basically, they just want me there. And yeah, like here's there and there's a lot of influencers now, there wasn't that many. Now there's a lot that show up and so I hang out with them. And we just have a good time. I do make videos leading up to the show to try to promote it. But yeah, I mean, we just got it. We just want Americans to get together with Europeans. It's just good.

[Yeager]  You're an influencer, right.

[Derek]  I guess you know why in Germany, the Germans are like, You're not an influencer, you're a creator. I'm like, that's fine. That's probably correct. Why are you thinking about this?

[Yeager]  They're just trying to understand us Americans.

[Derek]  Yeah, that's right. I think more than one they're like, You're not an influencer?

[Yeager]  Because you're you go back to the people that have interviewed you, whether it's news people or whatever. But the influencer gets the tag too often if they're not real. Or they're not genuine.

[Derek]  Really, I don't even know.

[Yeager]  But I always find I mean, if we want we could talk corn beans and wheat right now, if you want. Derek, you're a real person to me. I see you as you're a guy who has some fun hobbies that just happen to be a little more public than than.

[Derek]  Yeah. Unreal. I don't like it if people are intimidated. And so I always try to calm them down. Really? Because I just want to be best friends. You know?

[Yeager]  Do you wear a shirt that says I am a big deal, but I'm approachable. That's what you should have.

[Derek]  Yeah, that's funny.

[Yeager]  Find. So okay, Ted Lasso, is something they talked to? I didn't know the term the Ussie. Instead of the selfie. Do you get us season Europe in Germany? Or is that more? Or England and other places we want to take with you.

[Derek]  Wait, is this like two people were together?

[Yeager]  Oh, yeah. So like, if I had a camera right now, I would you know, we're gonna take an ussie, you know? 

[Derek]  Yeah. No, no, I did it. And I even told them, I was gonna, like, do that with everyone. And no, no, they're great. Yeah, I took lots of CS. And I don't remember that. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so either they want to, or I want to. Yeah, I personally love Aussies. Because I love cameras knowing you.

[Yeager]  Yeah. I wouldn't be in this if I didn't, I suppose. Although I do look at myself going, oh, I need to sleep more or I need to lay off that cheeseburger. The so your daughters now are of an age eight. Have they crossed into the were embarrassed by dad and the attention? He brings on a medium that's designed for kids? Not for adults?

[Derek]  Yeah. Yeah, I've got three girls sophomore, eighth grade, fifth grade. And they'll pretend like they're embarrassed, but they're not. So so far, they're all into it, which is weird. And so we'll see how long that lasts. And they harass me later. Like, they'll lie about my age before I can get into a public setting. They'll tell everybody, and then they decided they're not calling me dad anymore. It's just all dare. So I start yakking? They're like, okay, Derek.

[Yeager]  Yeah, this whole area? Yeah. Good to know your kids are like mine. Because they'll say oh, Paul's here. Yeah, thanks. Still your dad. You're not 18 yet kids. So easy on that? 

[Derek]  I  pretend like I'm mad. But it's so funny.

[Yeager]  But isn't it fun to sit there and have a good conversation with their friends? And yeah, I mean, that's part of it that I've enjoyed of, you know, getting to really know those kids. And, you know, you just happen to have a gateway in a good conversation starters. Your former Derek.

[Derek]  Yeah. Yeah. No, I yeah, of course. I love talking to kids. And now some of them just come up. They're like, Hey, girl,like, Hey, girl.

[Yeager]  Alright, you're ahead of me on that one. You have girls. I have boys. That's different. I don't want to do that.

[Derek]  Boys. Yeah,

[Yeager]  I have boys. Yeah.

[Derek]  I have a lot of boys come up to you. They like to talk about machinery.

[Yeager]  Well, do you ever get out? Yeah. Do you ever get asked about farming? Actually?

[Derek]  Oh, yeah. You know? Oh, yeah. The Germans for sure. But no, no farmers or or, you know, farmers, they're always asked about farm. So we always talked about that. And it's more relevant for farmers.

[Yeager]  Do other farmers actually admit that they know you from? Do they even acknowledge that they know this eagle guy or the bad guy. Just look at you as farmer guy.

[Derek]  I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people that don't admit it. I've noticed. But some do. We'll have semi truck drivers show up with like machinery. And they'll get out and they're like, oh, I want to take a picture with you. Buddy, and then we some great conversation.

[Yeager]  Do you think they saw they're like nah, this can't be? It is? Oh my gosh, it is the Derek. Yeah.

[Derek]  Well, I don't care. I just want to be best friends. So whatever it takes. 

[Yeager]  You're in central Kansas. Right? Yeah. So I mean, everybody knows everybody, right? I mean, there's not that many that. They'll know who you are.

[Derek]  I suppose all I'll see is families staring at me. And we're married now. And I'm like, better to talk to them.

[Yeager]  Kind of awkward, isn't it? Yeah, but not awkward? Yeah. Do you make it awkward? 

[Derek]  Yes, sometimes? Well, no, with like fans, my goal is to try to have a set thing that I do. Because I want them to feel welcome. And so I'll make sure I ask her their name or like, where are they from? Instead of just like, Go awkward.

[Yeager]  Yeah, you want to take my picture with me in it or like a picture? Okay, so let's go with your family then on a trip and you're not going to Agritechnica you're going say you're on some car trip four or five states away? Do people recognize you?

[Derek]  Now very much. Sometimes my wife will instigate like on an airplane you like you seen that cow trombone video? They're like, yeah, just like that's that guy right there. Yeah, I don't want to Okay, whatever.

[Yeager]  See what I get. And, again, audiences mix. I do some sports here at Iowa PBS and on the last Saturday of the Girls State Basketball Championships. As I'm hosting the coverage. I wear a pink coat. So I'm known as pink coat guy. They don't know me as Paul, but I'll have farmers who are there with a basketball team during the week. And they'll say I can't believe what Sue Martin said on your show last week, you know? Yeah, they know and but they're kids that they have no idea if I'm at a basketball tournament what my other job is, right? And it's just fun to be in that different world and, and you can be in those different worlds.

[Derek]  Yeah. Yeah, I'm with like, the smartest people in the world when I go to NASA or whatever. And then, and then you got the people brawl in the food world. And then you got the news world and then just kids.

[Yeager]  It's fun. Yeah, it is fun. All right, let's close with this. Eagles have now departed. But if you watch the eagle cam, look in the chat right for things that were kind of exciting that may have happened if you're new to the cameras out, right?

[Derek]  Yeah. And if you want to get involved, they're very friendly. And like, I have two, two moderators, Tracy in Maryland. And you can either ask them or ask. There's a bunch of others who will answer any of your questions. It's really cool.

[Yeager]  And that, again, is relationships. You made them feel welcome. And the community made them feel welcome. And they're ambassadors for you. And for the cam.

[Derek]  Yeah, it's strange, but yeah, there's just this whole family there. And Marilyn was just, I think she was in the ICU. You're in I think she just got out. So everyone is excited. She's back. Now I'm excited. She's back because I was in the dark on some stuff because it's hard to keep track of everything. But yeah. 

[Yeager]  And new things for us to watch here in the coming months. Anything. I mean, you've already given us one bit of breaking news about what's to come, anything else happening that we should be on the lookout for from you, Derek?

[Derek]  How things are, I've done a lot of crazy stuff. So we're just taking a break. I'm big into rockets. So I'm watching space eggs, and I feel like there's something I know there's really nothing exciting right now. But you know, something I'll just pop up.

[Yeager]  Be on the lookout for what Farmer Derek comes up with next time. Derek, I appreciate it. Good to see you. Thank you and always love catching up with you. It's always a hoot. Keep an eye out on that cam. Pretty fun days ahead. If you like nature. Next week on Tuesday, a new episode will drop of this podcast and audio and video form. We appreciate you consuming it, whichever way it is that you do. We'll see you next time. Bye bye