Beyond The Crops

This week Jena and MP are answering a listener question about harvest! They talk about what actually happens during harvest season, from the combine to getting grain out of the field and into storage, and why this time of year can bring both excitement and a whole lot of stress. But harvest isn’t always the picture-perfect season we imagine. Weather, crop conditions, disappointing yields, and the...

Harvest season is busy, exhausting, and sometimes a little chaotic, so we’re sharing the little things helping us get through it! From meal prepping and decluttering to favorite drinks, better routines, and finding small pockets of joy in the middle of a full season, these are the things making everyday life feel a little easier. We talk homemade tortillas, fall crafts with the kids, five-minute m...

What’s for lunch in the field? During harvest, keeping everyone fed while juggling a million other things can be a job all on its own. Jena and Mary Pat chat about their field meal routines, prepping hot lunches, and the tools that make feeding their farmers a little easier—including a Milwaukee lunch warmer that’s become a harvest favorite. They also share the reality of a challenging harvest, di...

Have you ever felt like you don’t quite belong on your own farm, or wondered if what you do really matters? This week, Jena and Mary Pat answer listener questions about imposter syndrome, finding your role in a family farming operation, and giving yourself credit for the work that happens behind the scenes. They also talk about the transition into marriage and farm life, especially when you’re joi...

Harvest is not going the way Jena and Mary Pat hoped this year. With weeks of rain, delayed harvest, crop disease, and plenty of uncertainty, they’re learning firsthand that sometimes the things you work hardest for are completely outside your control. They talk about the pressure to have a record year, dealing with tar spot, and the reminder that not every year will be a record year—and that’s ok...

What does it look like to build a future on the family farm? This week, Jena and Mary Pat are joined by Hannah Borg , a sixth-generation Nebraska farmer who found her own path home through an unexpected opportunity: raising chickens for Costco. Hannah shares how her family diversified their farm to create opportunities for the next generation, what it’s like raising 65,000 chickens, and how the ch...

What happens when you’re new to farm life, working a job, raising kids, and trying to keep up with the demands of harvest? Jena and Mary Pat have been there—and in this episode, they’re sharing what they’ve learned along the way. They talk about over-communicating with your spouse and family, setting expectations before harvest, recognizing burnout, making room for rest, and asking for help when y...

Harvest has officially started for some farmers, and Jena and Mary Pat are talking about what that means—from getting equipment ready to having serious conversations with their kids about farm safety . They also recap their time at the Farm Progress Show , including a family rail bike adventure, Seed Life, Red Ants Pants, Case IH equipment, unpredictable weather, and plenty of farm-show fun. Plus,...

Harvest is right around the corner, but before the combines roll, Jena and Mary Pat are squeezing in a little fun, faith, and family time. This week, they recap Becknology Days and Farm Wives Club , talk about independent agricultural research and Beck’s incredible Root Reveal greenhouses, and share some of the women who inspired them along the way. They also get personal about adult baptism, moth...

What happens when a challenging crop year has you questioning every decision you made? In this episode of Beyond the Crops , Jena and Mary Pat welcome back Faith Pearson, agronomist, seed business owner, farm wife, and self-proclaimed “crunchy agronomist,” for a conversation that goes way beyond what’s happening in the field. The challenge this year has been a corn disease called Tar Spot. Faith b...

What started as a way to blow off some steam turned into half-marathons, early morning runs, sore muscles, and a whole lot of lessons about doing hard things. In this episode, Jena and Mary Pat talk about how running has challenged what they thought their bodies were capable of and what it has taught them about discipline, resilience, comparison, and making time for themselves in the middle of bus...

Traveling with kids can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to keep everyone fed, entertained, and happy without relying entirely on screens or fast food. In this episode of Beyond the Crops , Jena and Mary Pat are talking about their best healthy travel and road trip hacks for families . They share tips for packing food through airport security, traveling with kids, keeping road-trip...

In this episode of Beyond the Crops , Jena and Mary Pat catch up on the realities of late summer farm life, about starting a new homeschool year, choosing curriculum, creating routines, and finding flexibility when farm life, harvest, and family responsibilities don’t always go according to plan. Jena also shares an update on their tiny house project and the challenges of figuring out housing and...

This week we're diving into a trend that's been making the rounds online: What's actually worth spending your money on... and what's absolutely not? From Owala water bottles and running gear to health insurance, cleaning ladies, coffee, kids' toys, and seasonal décor, we're sharing our completely unfiltered opinions.  We also announce our latest giveaway winner, chat...

What’s your current Roman Empire —the thing you can't stop thinking about? This week, Jena and Mary Pat catch up on everything currently taking over their minds. Jena shares an update on their family's mold journey, designing a temporary 1,200-square-foot home, and what she's learning about building a healthier house. Mary Pat opens up about coming off hormonal birth control and her...

In this episode of Beyond the Crops , we're sharing everything that's been happening behind the scenes. From county fair adventures and first-year 4-H lessons to pregnancy updates and navigating one of the biggest challenges our family has ever faced, this conversation feels like catching up with friends on the front porch. Jena shares how her sons confidence is growing through 4-H, why...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops , where farm life meets real life! In this honest and relatable episode, Jena and Mary Pat take a walk down memory lane as they reflect on all the things they swore they'd never do as moms... only to find themselves doing exactly that. From homeschooling and reading every food label to becoming stay-at-home moms after planning ambitious careers, this conversat...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops , where farm life meets real life! In this episode, we're diving into one of the most requested topics we've ever covered: mold illness and the surprising ways our homes can impact our health. Joining us is functional medicine practitioner Keri Anania, who helps us unpack the connection between mold exposure, chronic inflammation, nervous system dysregula...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops , where farm life meets real life! In this heartfelt and high-energy episode, Jena and Mary Pat recap a weekend they’ll never forget—running a half-marathon together, hosting a big family birthday party, and reflecting on friendship, motherhood, faith, and what it means to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. From race-day nerves and matching patriotic outfits to th...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this episode, Jena and Mary Pat cover everything from 4-H projects and half marathon plans to summer hosting chaos—but the heart of this conversation is a major life update Jena shares about her family’s ongoing mold journey. After receiving a 316-page inspection report, Jena and Levi are facing some incredibly difficult decisio...

In this episode of Beyond the Crops , Jena and Mary Pat catch up on all things summer — from marathon training and recovery wins to building intentional family bucket lists for the season ahead. MP shares an encouraging update on her healing journey and Jena celebrates a huge milestone in her half-marathon training with her first pain-free eight-mile run, and together they dive into the realities...

This week on Beyond the Crops, we're catching up on life lately. Jenna shares highlights from her family's trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota, including Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Jewel Cave, and their experience staying at Under Canvas Mount Rushmore. From family road trip tips to underrated vacation destinations, this episode is packed with travel inspiration. Mary Pat...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this fun, start of summer episode, Jena and Mary Pat dive into the reality of balancing busy farm seasons with making intentional family memories. From summer travel plans and farm-life logistics to parenting reflections, boundaries around time off, and the bittersweet realization that we only get so many summers with our kids,...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops , where farm life meets real life! In this episode, Jena and Mary Pat sit down for a real conversation about homeschooling, motherhood, slowing down, and choosing a lifestyle that better aligns with their family values. From the chaos of rushed school mornings and planting season schedules to the freedom and challenges of creating a new normal, the two open up abou...

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this incredibly vulnerable and emotional episode, Jena and Mary Pat catch up on the realities of planting season before Jena shares the long-awaited, and heartbreaking, results of her home mold inspection. After a 12-hour inspection by a team of specialists from Florida, she walks through the devastating findings, the emotional...