Media Bios

For Agriculture:

Levi Lyle is a sixth-generation farmer and a poet in Keota, Iowa. Like most Iowa farmers he grows corn and soybeans, but aspirations to support more resilience in rural communities and our ecosystem have led to a vision for agriculture which is more diverse. Levi has transitioned some of his family’s land to organic and has adopted regenerative agriculture practices on the rest of the farm. As a writer, Levi shares his experiences as a farmer, and offers a call to action for regenerating farming and rural communities. Levi will share stories from his book, So God Made A Farmer: A Retrospective on The Living Words of Paul Harvey by an Organic Farmer.

Business Entrepreneur:

Levi Lyle grew up on a farm near Keota, Iowa, and graduated  from the University of Northern Iowa with a BA in Science  Education with an Environmental emphasis and MAE in Post Secondary Education. After ten years in human services teaching, counseling, and then coaching football at Simpson College, Levi’s family returned to the community where he grew up to raise their children and operate a diverse enterprise farm. Along with his interest in growing a variety of native fruits, Levi and  his family distribute fresh aronia berries and tart cherries seasonally to local markets. Processing and marketing wild fruits is a  passion that Levi feels brings balance to his other agricultural  endeavors. Levi has worked as an organic inspector and now  consults on the topic of organic transition. He has been a local  leader in conservation no-till farming using roller-crimping and weedzapping. Levi is the founder of Shock Soy Hybrids LLC, a soybean breeding company which owns a pending patent for soybeans-tolerant-to-electric-current.  He has two published books about farming which can be found on Amazon. Levi enjoys giving back to the entrepreneurship community by providing advice and mentorship to aspiring startups. Levi is co-founder of the startup Mentor Hub LLC, which offers the same high quality 1:1 youth mentorship which he accredits for his successes in business, farming, NCAA athletics, and foremost being a husband and father.

Valued partnerships in research and education include Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa State University Organic Program, Maharishi International University Regenerative Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa Organic Association, The Native Fruit Association, Rodale Institute, and the Iowa Soybean Association.

Music:

Levi is a singer and songwriter from Iowa, playing a blended genre of rural roots and folk styles on slide guitar and banjo. Styles and techniques of fondness include slide, old time two and three finger thumb lead, scruggs, claw hammer, sweep, and alternate tunings. His most recent repertoire expansion is building 1840s inspired fretless minstrel gourd banjos with business partner Bruce Hardt using 100% local materials under the brand Forest To Friend. You can find these banjos featured on the @Foresttofriend youtube page.

Publishing:

Keota Eagle Publishing is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with a purpose to bring about a platform where the creative voices within rural communities can be heard and developed.

With a mission to create media and publications to further the fine arts, an emphasis especially on programs for youth leadership, entrepreneurship, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), the KEPP serves to prepare our community for a future where these leaders will thrive.

Maharishi International University bio

Levi Lyle, MAE, is the Manager of Sports Programs, NAIA Compliance & Eligibility at Maharishi International University. He received his degree in Student Affairs: Post Secondary Education from the University of Northern Iowa where he played a key role starting as a running back on the National Semi-finalist Panther Football team and was named as Special Teams MVP for his role on the team.

Levi went on to serve as Interim Athletic Academic Advisor at UNI prior to becoming an assistant football coach at Simpson College and working for the federally funded TRIO Program: Upward Bound, while there.

Levi has since coached at the junior high and high school levels, fulfilling a calling to serve as a high school science teacher, speech and drama coach, and USDA Organic Inspector, as well as, Regenerative Organic Agriculture farmer.

In each of these roles, giving and receiving mentorship has been a commonality inspiring him to cofound Mentor Hub, LLC. where youth benefit by learning dedication, integrity, and character from collegiate student-athlete mentors. Levi brings his transformative leadership style and regenerative philosophy to consciousness based sports at MIU.

Levi currently serves on multiple community based boards and foundations supporting education, local economy, and the fine arts.