Building A Farm Where Every Kid
Belongs in the Barn
Hi, I'm Nate Brooking. I'm a gay farmer in Indiana building a show-cattle farm with my partner, focused on youth, access, and inclusion on a piece of land we can call our own.
About Me
I grew up in rural Indiana loving agriculture, but often being told directly and indirectly that I didn’t fully belong because I was “different.”
As an openly gay farmer today, I’m working with my partner to grow a new show-cattle operation out of my family’s long-time farm, on land and in a barn we build in our own names.
My work centers on raising high-quality show calves, mentoring youth, and opening our gates to young people who haven’t traditionally had a way into this world – LGBTQIA+ youth, first-generation farm kids, rural working-class families, and urban families who have never had access to elite livestock, facilities, or safe mentorship.
This farm is how I turn those early “no’s” into a steady “you belong here.”
Land, Barn & Home: The Vision
Our first goal is to secure 10–20 acres of Indiana farmland and build a barn that can serve as both a working show-cattle facility and an open classroom. The land will provide pasture and turnout for cattle, plus safe, accessible spaces where youth can learn and work around animals.
The barn will be the heart of the farm – housing cattle, wash racks, fitting space, and daily care – while also hosting hands-on youth clinics in animal care, ethics, and showmanship. It will be a rare thing in rural Indiana: a farm where being “too soft,” “too different,” or “not country enough” is not a liability, especially for LGBTQIA+ and questioning youth.
Who This Farm Is For
- LGBTQIA+ youth who rarely see themselves reflected in agriculture
- First-generation farm kids who are curious but don’t have land or equipment
- Rural working-class families who want a fair shot at quality livestock
- Urban youth and families who want a real, hands-on connection to animal agriculture
Over time, we hope to connect this work more directly to local food access, channeling beef from our program into the community where it can do the most good.
What Will Happen in This Barn
With land and a barn in place, we plan to:
Host hands-on clinics where youth learn to halter, wash, feed, groom, and show cattle alongside us, not just watch from the sidelines.
Create a safe space for LGBTQIA+ and questioning youth in a rural context, where they see two queer adults living this life and know they don’t have to choose between who they are and the work they love.
Partner with schools, 4-H, FFA, and community groups to bring in both rural and urban youth and connect them to the broader food and ag system.
Launch a calf-leasing program so families without land or large budgets can participate, with animals housed and supported at our farm.
The hope is that some of these young people go on to judge, to study ag, to raise cattle of their own – and that all of them leave knowing there is space for their story in this industry.
Barn & Layout
A glimpse of the space we’re working toward – the barn rendering, front view, and floor plan that show how cattle and kids will move safely through the barn.
Why This Matters
As a queer farmer in Indiana, I’m used to quiet “no’s” – from the school hallways where I was bullied for being different to the legal and financial systems that aren’t built with families like mine in mind. This farm is how I turn those closed doors into open gates.
By protecting a small piece of Indiana farmland and dedicating it to youth, queerness, cattle, and community, my partner and I hope to show that there is still room in agriculture for every story, including ours – and for every kid who needs to see themselves in this work.
Cattle & Show Work
Moments of connection and daily care with the herd – the foundation of the work I’m doing and the future I’m building.
