Joshua Badder | Wild Strawberry Lodge

Joshua Badder was born and raised in a small farming community of just 800 people in south-central Iowa, where a deep appreciation for the outdoors took root early. From fishing and hunting to exploring every corner of the countryside, Joshua spent his youth immersed in nature. Joining the Boy Scouts at a young age proved to be a perfect fit, allowing him to further develop his outdoor skills and leadership—eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout at just 17 years old.

By high school, it was clear that Joshua’s passion for the outdoors far outweighed any interest in academics or athletics. With a driver’s license at 16 came even more opportunity, and his pursuits expanded to include pheasant hunting, fishing, trapping fur bearers, and turtle trapping, among many others. After graduating from Lamoni High School in 2005, Joshua briefly attended college with plans to study forestry management and fish biology. It didn’t take long to realize that learning in the field suited him far better than learning in a classroom.

In 2007, Joshua enrolled in the Missouri Western State University Law Enforcement Academy and graduated in 2008. He was hired shortly thereafter by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri, where he served as a road deputy for two years. Around this time, Joshua met Meghan Dunagan, who quickly became his wife. The two were married in the summer of 2010 in Santa Cruz, California, beginning a life that would take them back and forth between California and Missouri.