Iowa native Emerson Sears has made it to the season finale of the reality TV show “Farmer Wants a Wife.”
After joining the show as a surprise plot twist nearly halfway through the second season, Sears was paired with Colorado barley farmer Brandon Rogers. With two more episodes left and the season finale reunion, fans will soon find out if Sears gets hitched.
The Register sat down with Sears to talk about her experience on the dating show.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” Sears said. “I went there and we definitely hit it off. We clicked on the first date.”
What is the show ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’?
The reality TV series features four farmers hosting a group of single women at their farms in hopes of finding love, according to Fox’s website. There are two seasons and the show is hosted by country music singer Jennifer Nettles.
Season two premiered Feb. 1. The women go on dates with the farmers and work on the farm in hopes of getting a feel for rural life.
Who is the Iowan on ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’?
Sears is 26 years old and is from Elkhart, Iowa. She is a college counselor and went to Iowa State University, according to her LinkedIn profile. In her free Sears likes to be outdoors. She enjoys fishing, biking, going to the gym and being with family.
She is the first Iowan to appear on the Fox version of “Farmer Wants a Wife.” A previous version of the show aired on The CW in 2008 and included then 23-year-old Krista Krogman from Kelley, Iowa.
How did Emerson Sears join ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’?
Sears never saw herself on a reality TV show and she never guessed she would look for her significant other on one. Her mom watched the first season of “Farmer Wants a Wife” and suggested Sears sign up for the show. Sears’ first instinct was no, but after thinking about it she realized she could see herself marrying a farmer. That same night as Sears’ mom watched the Season 1 finale of the show, Sears filled out the application to be on “Farmer Wants a Wife” Season 2.
The show responded to Sears eight hours after she turned it in. Sears didn’t choose which farmer she would be paired with. But both Rogers and Sears were from small towns and have similar goals.
What is Sears’ most memorable moment of ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’?
Sears’ favorite moment was meeting Rogers for the first time. She joined three other new women who joined the show in episode seven. She went on a date with Rogers and he decided to bring her back to his farm to see if they had a connection. Sears said she was able to get to know Rogers just from that first date.
“You only see a small amount of the conversation on TV,” Sears said. “I had a lot of fun just getting to know him. We laughed a lot and we both really do strive for that forever-type of relationship.”
In the second to last episode, Rogers visited Sears’ hometown of Elkhart, Iowa, and met her family. The couple went on a utility vehicle ride, but Sears said Rogers also learned more about her home life. Sears’ dad suffers from lymphoid and thyroid cancer and had a major stroke.
“It changed the course of my family’s life,” Sears said. “It was an emotional day for me and I didn’t know it was going to be like that. My dad’s my best friend, and Brandon knows that.”
What is dating on reality TV like?
In addition to first dates already being awkward, Sears said dating on camera felt overwhelming at first. There are multiple cameras and she had to wear a mic throughout the date. Sears also had the fear of coming on to the show late and Rogers not wanting to meet her.
“He’s not the first farmer I have dated,” Sears said. “I know my way around a farm. So the first two minutes were I’m nervous, he’s nervous and then it was all good.”
Rogers made Sears feel comfortable and talking to him was easy, she said.
“He made me feel super comfortable,” Sears said. “And it was just easy to connect and chat with him.”
How does dating on reality TV compare to dating in Iowa?
The obvious difference was the cameras following Sears around on all of her dates. But in terms of the guy, Sears said Rogers is fairly similar to the men she has dated in the past: a farmer.
“I know that he joked about dating in a small town,” Sears said. “Once you date one person you date the whole town. And I was like, ‘OK we might be the same person.'”
What will the final episodes of ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ include?
The second to last episode of “Farmer Wants a Wife,” airing on May 9, will consist of the farmers deciding if they found their wives. Rogers will choose between Sears and Grace Girard.
Following the choice, the members of the cast will join for a reunion episode to talk about their experience on the show. Sears couldn’t share many details of the final outcome, but regardless she wished Rogers the best and was thankful for the experience.
“I can’t give away too much,” Sears said. “Brandon needs to be happy and that’s all that matters to me. That’s why we came on the show right? To hopefully find love. I have a lot of respect for Brandon. I really do love him. He’s a good guy.”
Where can I watch ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’?
You can watch “Farmer Wants a Wife” on Fox at 8 p.m. Central on Thursdays, with the season finale dropping on May 16. You can also watch the show on Hulu. For those in Iowa watching, Sears hosts a watch party at Kippy’s bar in Elkhart Iowa at 7 p.m. Thursdays.