Farming on Purpose

 ” No matter what, if you don't care for your animal, no matter what size of farm, if you don't care for it, it's not gonna produce milk. And if they don't produce milk, then we're out of a job.”   Farming is in yo   In this episode, I talk with Madi Skubal, a fourth-generation dairy farmer in Iowa, about raising kids and cows, returning to her roots, and building a raw milk business with her husb...

”I feel like it's my chance to tell my story because if I don't tell it, Netflix and Amazon and somebody else is gonna tell it for me. So it's my chance to tell the truth about how we do things here.”   On this episode of Farming on Purpose, Taylor Moyer shares his journey from NASCAR to full-time ranching, proving that creativity and adaptability are key to making a farm thrive. From cattle sales...

 ”  That's why I always say things don't happen to you. They happen for you.”  Erica Leubner grew up on a dairy farm, witnessing both the challenges and rewards of multi-generational agriculture. Now a farm business consultant, she helps families navigate farm transitions, communication struggles, and mental health challenges. In this episode, she shares insights on strengthening farm marriages, m...

 ” You have to bring value back to the family operation if you want it to be sustainable for future generations.”  When Lettie Nickell moved back to her family’s ranch, she knew she had to create her own path. In this episode, she shares how she built a direct-to-consumer beef business, launched a successful Airbnb and wedding venue, and found balance between motherhood, marriage, and entrepreneur...

 ”The story that we believe is vastly more impactful than facts.”    This episode is a fun, laid-back look at life on the farm, juggling motherhood, entrepreneurship, and daily challenges. From the satisfaction of milking a cow to the chaos of keeping a house with four kids clean, I’m sharing what’s working, what’s not, and what’s making life sweeter. Plus, a big investment in seeds for my first r...

”The other thing that really just brings joy to me is the little moments of farm life. So whether that's just like checking cows on pasture in the summer, that's some of my favorite memories growing up. And just holding on to those things when the ag economy or other things seem a little heavy, then it's those little moments that I think really grounds a person and why a lot of us are in agricultu...

 ” So what we're doing is just teaching farmers, ranchers, anybody really, how to utilize money correctly so that we can make the bank plan B instead of plan A.”   Mary Jo Irmen joins the podcast to discuss how farmers and ranchers can take control of their finances, avoid reliance on traditional banks, and secure their farm’s future. She breaks down the infinite banking concept, estate planning,...

 “Just know that spring always follows winter. And sometimes that's the only thing we can hang on to.”   DL Lautenbach shares his heartfelt journey on the Farming on Purpose Podcast, discussing the challenges and triumphs of balancing farming, family, and entrepreneurship. He highlights the power of small victories, embracing honesty, and redefining success on your own terms. From recalibrating hi...

“I get to pass on a legacy of skills, just like my parents did for me, and just like their, their family that taught them and I get to take it on to the next generation and I hope at the very least they'll teach their next generation.”  Janelle Anderson shares her inspiring journey from rural Wisconsin to building a ranching life in North Dakota and starting fresh on raw land in Tennessee. Balanci...

“ I sometimes pinch myself. It's hard. Ranching isn't easy. It's not easy and I don't want to give that impression, but to get to do what you love so much and are so passionate about it…”  Laura Hicks started ranching at 19, building from nothing alongside her husband Mike in South Dakota. They went from running others' cattle to developing their own herd while raising two sons who now ranch with...

  A Note to Parents  Dear listeners,    Tonight's episode is something special - a departure from our usual conversations. As Christmas Eve approaches, I wanted to create something a little different.     This episode is a bedtime story designed to help your little ones settle into sleep on Christmas Eve, beginning with a gentle relaxation exercise and flowing into a story that captures both the w...

“ So yeah the balance of the family and the business and the farming and all that, just trying to get more systematic and efficient so that we can balance it all.”  Abby and Brooks Bowser started farming conventionally at age 20, but after realizing their corn and soybean operation wasn't sustainable, they transformed their Southern Michigan farm into a regenerative cattle operation. Now they run...

“I think the most important thing is focusing on what our priorities are, because those priorities give us a purpose even when goals become unattainable or the course shifts or something happens in life that changes our trajectory. If we know what our priorities are.  We can choose to focus on those every single day.”  After 100 episodes of the Farming on Purpose podcast, this milestone episode re...

 “Some years you're going to make more money than other years and I think as long as you  don't outpace your budget, then you'll end up being just fine.”  Meet Brenna Beard, a beginning farmer who's building her operation while working full-time in ag sales. Starting with just 35 acres of her dad's land, she's doubled her acres and even bought her first piece of ground - all while living 50 minute...

“Teaching classes and being able to plant the seed itself for other people to get excited for things that have been lost in our generation has also just been something that has brought  tons of happiness and joy.”   City girl turned farmer Jessica Lewis shares how she built Back to Roots Farm in Thomasville, Georgia, starting with bottle baby goats and growing into a thriving business teaching hom...

“My life does revolve around farming but I also think we have good boundaries where I’m not resentful of that.”   Nebraska farm wife Heather Nienhueser shares her journey from ag banker to stay-at-home mom and entrepreneur. She discusses building a successful family popcorn business, navigating farm transitions, and finding joy in farm life. Through her candid stories about balancing motherhood, b...

“The opportunity is out there, you’re just going to have to do a better job than trying to compete with Walmart on price and volume.”  In this episode from the vault, farmer DL Lautenbach shares his journey of rebuilding after losing his 400-head operation in 2008. Starting with just five borrowed calf hutches, he shows how thinking differently and staying scrappy helped him build back up. DL's st...

“And it's very important that you're thinking about what's best for the whole family and the whole ranch. Instead of just what's best for you or your individual family.”  Meet the three sisters of Giles Ranch who are redefining what a family cattle operation can look like. From balancing motherhood with ranch work to growing a direct-to-consumer beef business with two retail locations, Jenny, Kati...

“And at the end of the day, the best thing you can do is, as long as you have good intentions, is to put some piece of your story out there because I promise you somebody will find a connection.”  Every farm has a story worth telling, but finding the confidence to share it isn't always easy. In this episode, third-generation cattle woman Ashlynn Jones shares her journey of returning to the family...

“This is what I describe simple living as, it’s figuring out what you want to focus on and doing more of that while figuring out what you want to focus less on or there’s a distraction and eliminating those things.”  Creating a life that aligns with your values is important. That's why I was thrilled to chat with Ryan Mitchell on the Farming on Purpose podcast. Ryan's journey from city living to h...

“If you trust the process, the process will reward you back.”  As a sixth-generation cattle farmer in Southern Minnesota, Haley Ammann-Ekstrom knows a thing or two about juggling responsibilities. She farms alongside her husband and father, manages a cow-calf herd, and has recently ventured into selling beef directly to consumers. But what makes Haley's story truly inspiring is her passion for edu...

“What is so understood to you is not understood to the average person. And I know that sounds really silly as especially multiple generations. Like it's just. It's so ingrained in everything, that outside perspective, like you're missing it. And that's one of the things that I will say as coming in from a total outside perspective, what I didn't know, I realized somebody else didn't know too. So I...

“This idea of how all the different sizes of farms co-exist in agriculture today is one of the biggest problems that we have the opportunity to solve.”  I often find myself thinking about the future of agriculture and where family farms fit into the bigger picture. With fewer small farms and more large operations, it's a topic that's close to my heart and crucial for our industry.  The Numbers Tel...

“If you don’t send it out, if you don’t publish it, it doesn’t happen. You can’t learn from it. You have to push “go” to learn from it.”  As a farmer's wife, mother, and business owner, I understand the challenges of juggling multiple responsibilities while trying to grow your farm or ranch. Marketing often falls to the bottom of our to-do lists, but it's crucial for our success. Today, I want to...

“I continuously am impressed with young producers and beginning producers alike of their determination and their resiliency. If they want to be a part of this industry and they want to live in rural America, and they want to find a way to help be on the farm, they have to come up with very innovative things.”  As a farmer and podcast host, I'm always eager to learn from experts in our field. Recen...