In the rich farm country of Tuscola County, there’s a young man who’s as comfortable power washing deer skulls as he is with reading textbooks. Meet Jonathon Hoard, a 17-year-old outdoors enthusiast and entrepreneur extraordinaire who’s carving out his own path in the world of agribusiness.

For Jonathon, the journey began with a simple realization – getting a European mount done shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. So, armed with determination and a passion for the great outdoors, he set out to do it himself. What started as a hobby back in 2021 quickly snowballed into something much bigger, and in 2022, Bare Bones Taxidermy was born.

But running a successful business isn’t just about skill – it’s also about getting the word out. And for Jonathon, that means leveraging the power of social media. With a little help from Facebook, he’s been able to spread the word far and wide, drawing in customers from all corners of the county. And let’s not forget the power of good old-fashioned word of mouth – thanks to satisfied customers and a knack for networking, Jonathon’s business has been booming.

Yet he isn’t content to sit back and wait for customers to come to him. Oh no, he’s all about shaking things up and keeping things interesting. Whether it’s running special deals or hosting giveaways, he’s always finding creative ways to draw in new customers. And let’s just say, it’s working – that giveaway alone brought in nearly 15 deer heads in just four days!

It’s not all deer heads and longhorns for Jonathon. He’s also had the chance to work his magic on a wild boar skull and even a beaver skull – talk about diversity.

And while taxidermy may be his bread and butter, Jonathon’s got his hands full with other projects, too. From showing steers at the fair to lending a hand on local farms, he’s a true jack-of-all-trades.

“Over my time in FFA, I’ve been influenced by so many great people. They’ve all helped me grow, gain confidence and improve my public speaking skills,” he explains.

As graduation approaches, Jonathon’s got big plans for the future. While he hopes to continue growing Bare Bones Taxidermy on the side, he’s also setting his sights on a full-time gig as a linesman.

“Jonathon started as a quiet and shy young man with a passion for agriculture, but not wanting to go outside of his comfort zone. FFA helped hone his speaking skills through Greenhand and Prepared Public Speaking and gave him the confidence he needed to break out of his comfort zone and motivate others to share their passion for agriculture, not only in FFA, but also with 4-H students,” his FFA Advisor Jeremy Glaspie attests.

As Jonathon finds himself among the finalists for the Michigan FFA Star in Agribusiness Award, he’s not simply vying for a title – he’s symbolizing a fresh wave of innovators and business minds. Alongside Makaila Cantrell from Ubly and Joshua Fruchey from Blissfield, Jonathon epitomizes the tenacity and fervor that characterizes the FFA community.

So let’s give a round of applause for Jonathon and his fellow finalists. Whether it’s by supporting the Michigan FFA Foundation or simply cheering them on from the sidelines, let’s show these young trailblazers that we believe in them.