Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck

In the quiet margins of farm chores and Sunday gatherings, a thousand stories took root. Some made us laugh. Some made us stronger. Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck is a collection of memories about work, wonder, and the stubborn joy of growing up under wide skies and gravel roads.With humor, heart, and a few unforgettable turns of phrase, Tom Brand captures a way of life that still echoes across the Midwest — a place where Kool-Aid had to be sweet, fences had to be straight, and every chore carried a lesson bigger than the job itself.These are stories of faith, family, and the everyday grit that shapes a life. Whether you grew up with chores or city streets, there's something here that feels like coming home.

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I Never Heard of Johnny Fry

“I never heard of Johnny Fry,” my grandpa said to me…
And just like that, a curious boy takes the reins of the story — whisking readers onto a rhyming ride through wild weather, flying donuts, and the untamed trails of the Pony Express.With bright illustrations and a rhythm that begs to be read aloud, I Never Heard of Johnny Fry brings history galloping to life. Here, a modern-day kid schools his grandpa on the daring adventures of Johnny Fry, the first Pony Express rider — proving that imagination, storytelling, and learning something new can happen at any age.Perfect for young readers, classrooms, and curious minds everywhere, this playful picture book is more than history on a page. It’s a celebration of wonder, wit, and the joy of discovering heroes who ride right out of legend.

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Tom Brand

Tom Brand is a speaker, storyteller, former farm broadcaster, and community leader whose life and work have always revolved around one thing: connecting people through stories. Born and raised outside Hopkins in Northwest Missouri, Tom grew up in the rhythms of farm life — chores at dawn, gravel roads stretching toward the horizon, and lessons learned in the quiet margins of small-town living. Those early years planted the seeds for the reflections, humor, and heart that shape his writing today.For more than three decades, Tom worked in farm broadcasting, bringing news, markets, and voices from the heartland to families across the Midwest. His career included leadership roles with the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, where he built lifelong relationships with broadcasters and farmers alike, always believing that rural voices matter and deserve to be heard.In 2025, Tom and his wife, Beth, founded Richardson & Company Press to give a home to the kinds of books he most wanted to share: stories that feel like home, that celebrate faith and family, and that pass along traditions to new generations. His debut, Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck, blends humor and nostalgia in reflections on a Missouri farm childhood. His second book, I Never Heard of Johnny Fry, invites children and families on a playful ride through Pony Express history, where learning something new can happen at any age.Beyond the page, Tom continues to serve as Director of the St. Joseph Community Alliance, bringing together leaders across education, healthcare, business, and government to create a stronger community. He also speaks to groups ranging from classrooms to conferences, weaving together stories of small towns, railroads, and real life with the same warmth that fills his books.At home, Tom finds his greatest joy with his wife, Beth, their children, and grandchildren. Whether it’s cheering at a game, reading a bedtime story, or making memories on family trips, he believes the truest measure of a story is how it’s shared.Richardson & Company Press is more than a publishing imprint — it’s Tom’s way of passing along the stories, voices, and values that echo across generations.

Thank You

Thank you for visiting — and for supporting independent storytelling.Every story shared keeps a little more light in the world, and a little more laughter on the gravel roads.