Beyond The Gate

What happens when you combine $1,000, a kitchen table, and a farm garage with a massive vision? 🚜 In this episode of  Beyond the Gate , Jamie sits down with Eric Schnelle of S&H Farm Supply to chart the incredible growth of a family business that started in 1969 and expanded into seven physical locations across rural Missouri. Eric shares behind-the-scenes family history—including...

What happens when the heavy loads we carry move past everyday stress into a silent crisis? In this essential episode of Beyond the Gate , Jamie sits down with Laclede County native and nationally recognized psychologist Dr. Jeff Brown to discuss mental health in rural America. With the agricultural community facing a suicide rate four times the national average, Dr. Brown breaks down the dang...

What actually happens when a neighbor's livestock crosses your line, or a handshake agreement from decades ago turns into a modern property dispute? In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Dallas County native, cattleman, and shareholder attorney Travis Elliott to unpack the complex (and often deeply emotional) world of agricultural and rural property law.   Travis brings a h...

What happens when you mix a century-farm upbringing with the fast-paced world of tech startups? In this episode of Beyond the Gate, we sit down with "idea man," entrepreneur, and cattleman Kevin Johansen—who also happens to be Jamie's husband. Kevin shares the journey of founding Ag Butler, an app that brought the gig economy to agriculture by connecting farmers with skilled labor....

What does it take to keep a multi-generational family business thriving for over 75 years? In this episode of Beyond the Gate, we go behind the scenes at Cloud’s Meats in Carthage, Missouri, with third-generation processor Chris Cloud. Chris shares his unique journey from high school agriculture teacher to leading the family plant, offering an inside look at how they balance 1950s-era f...

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott joins Beyond the Gate to discuss his nearly four-decade career in law enforcement, from his early days as a reserve deputy to his upcoming transition into the role of United States Marshal. Sheriff Arnott breaks down current crime trends in rural Missouri, including how modern technology like GPS tracking and neighborhood watch networks are essential tool...

Jay Shepherd is much more than an educator; he is a man with many hats. In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with the Lawrence County native to reflect on a 27-year career dedicated to the "three-circle model" of ag education combining classroom learning, FFA leadership, and hands-on projects. From teaching the FFA Creed in a neighbor’s kitchen to seeing a student be...

We are back with the second half of our conversation with Missouri’s 57th Governor, Mike Parson. In this episode, we move past the titles to hear the personal stories that defined his time in office, from the quintuple bypass surgery just days before his swearing-in to the "sobering" drive to Jefferson City after the call that changed everything. Now back home in Bolivar, he reflects on the...

Justin Raef is a fifth-generation dairyman and poultry producer from Lebanon, Missouri, whose family has been working the same land since 1916. He brings a collection of stories that define the grit of rural life, including the time he was only eight years old and sneaking out of the house at 4:00 AM to beat his grandpa to the milk barn. It's a raw and honest look at the kind of persistence it tak...

Agriculture doesn’t move without trucks... and most of us never think about that. In this episode, Jamie Johansen talks with Jared Flinn, co-founder of BulkLoads, about the side of agriculture that keeps everything running behind the scenes. Jared shares how working in grain logistics opened his eyes to a bigger opportunity: helping small, independent trucking companies s...

You’ve heard his name, but now it's time for his story. Jamie Johansen sits down with former Missouri Governor Mike Parson for his first in-depth interview like this since leaving office. In a wide-ranging, personal conversation, Governor Parson opens up about where he came from, growing up on a small farm in Hickory County, and the experiences that shaped him long before politics ever enter...

Farm succession planning isn’t just about land and paperwork. It’s about family. Jamie Johansen sits down with Wesley Tucker of University of Missouri Extension for a real, eye-opening conversation about what happens to a farm when the next generation isn’t prepared. Wesley breaks down why succession planning matters, why waiting too long causes the biggest family conflicts, and...

A quiet day fishing alone sparked something bigger. 🎣  Jamie Johansen talks with Ozarks native John Bledsoe, founder of Co-Angler, about how a simple idea turned into an app connecting people through fishing and the outdoors. John shares his path from growing up on Missouri waters to building a startup, taking risks, learning to code, and chasing a vision rooted in community.  They brea...

Jamie Johansen sits down with Heather Mincer, the founder of Yes Honey, and her story is one of those that starts simple and turns into something way bigger. Heather talks about moving her family to rural Missouri, wanting a slower pace of life, and how raising chickens and selling at farmers markets accidentally turned into a full-blown honey-sweetened soda and sauce business. Heather gets real a...

Jamie Johansen sits down with Randy Little for an honest, entertaining look at how a dairy farm kid built one of the most recognizable Western stores in America. Randy talks about his early days milking cows in Clever, Missouri, the unexpected break that launched him into business, and the moment he decided to take a gamble on a small feed store that eventually became PFI. He shares how bold ideas...

Jamie Johansen sits down with Margaret Cleveland of Ozark Fisheries for a deep dive into one of the most surprising corners of rural agriculture: ornamental fish farming. Margaret is a fourth-generation fish farmer who grew up on her family’s spring-fed operation, and she shares how a single idea in 1926 grew into a nationally recognized fish farm that raises goldfish and koi for customers a...

For the FIRST EPISODE of Beyond the Gate, Jamie Johansen sits down with Annette Alden, the Marketing Director for the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, for a fun dive into the stories, surprises, and history behind Missouri wine. Annette grew up on a farm, built a career in agriculture and marketing, and eventually found her passion in the wine world. She opens up about how Missouri’s wine root...