Forged in the Field

00:00 CFS Marketing Shift01:06 Filtering Bad Leads01:57 Bulk Only Ad Strategy04:57 Google vs Social Ads06:29 AI and SEO Reality09:06 Website Cleanup Mobile UX12:12 Marketing Team Roles13:00 Reporting and Tracking15:57 Sales Process Buildout16:30 Quote Form Data Capture20:35 Pipelines and Follow Up27:32 Relationship Over Transaction33:07 Soil Testing Education35:10 Marketing Funnel Trust38:43 Atten...

00:00 Lobbying Basics Explained01:30 Why Lobbyists Matter03:22 Grassroots Advocacy Work07:23 From Farm to DC10:12 Internships Shaping Career14:54 Starting a Lobbying Firm17:03 Types of Lobbying Styles19:23 Trust and Credibility24:02 Staffer Life and One Pagers35:43 Finding Champions in Congress37:18 Building USDA Programs39:38 Manure Benchmarking Idea47:08 Cover Crops and Incentives49:48 Manure St...

From Truck Driver to Head of OpsScott interviews Jeremy, CFS’s head of operations, about his rapid growth from truck driver to leading a growing ops team. Jeremy shares his trucking background, goal of visiting all 48 mainland states, and the challenge of giving up “his” truck to move into office leadership. He explains how CFS’s ops culture shifted from saying “no” to a “yes” mindset, improving v...

Stewardship, Mentorship, and Faith-Driven Investment Banking with Dusty ClevengerThe episode features Scott interviewing Dusty Clevenger of Ascendant Partners, contrasting ownership vs stewardship and a “reservoir vs river” approach to money and blessings. Dusty shares his journey from a multi-generational Nebraska farm family to Kansas City after living in seven states, studying at the University...

From Iraq to Rebel Pastures: Justin Bajema on Truth, Service, and Clean MeatOn Forged in the Field, Scott interviews Justin Bajema of Rebel Pastures, a farm-to-table meat box company shipping to the lower 48 states. Justin shares how his Marine Corps service (two Iraq tours, near-death injuries, and disillusionment with “official narratives”) shaped his drive for growth, truth-seeking, and service...

From Hog Barns to COO: Mindset, Faith, Leadership, and Building a Winning Culture at CFSIn this episode Scott talks with Al Watkins, COO at Crop Fertility Services, about his journey through hard work, failures, and lessons in mindset, coaching, and faith. Al shares his early years working hog barns, running a pressure washing business, building and operating pig facilities, then shifting into tru...

On the Forged in the Field podcast, Scott sits down with Arlen Stark, CFO of Crop Fertility Services, to unpack the experiences that shaped his path to leadership. Arlen shares his upbringing rooted in humble beginnings, his early strengths in math and athletics, and how tools like StrengthsFinder helped him lean into a data-driven, intentional leadership style. He walks through key chapters of hi...

Karyn Tomlinson (Myriel) on Hospitality, Local Sourcing, and Building Community After COVID | Forged in the FieldKaryn shares how time in Dassel with her grandparents—gardening, cooking, and inviting people in—shaped her view of hospitality as connection and love. After studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she worked in test kitchens, catering, restaurants, led a pastry program, staged in Sweden,...

From Farm Poverty to BulkLoads: Jared Flinn on Building a Trucking Marketplace, Faith, and LeadershipOn the Forge in the Field podcast, Jared Flinn, co-founder of BulkLoads, shares how growing up in rural northeast Missouri—working from age eight in his family’s sawmill and experiencing serious injuries—shaped his drive to find new opportunities. After studying agriculture at the University of Mis...

Forged the Field Podcast Episode 2: Leadership and Innovation in Agronomy with BrandonIn this episode of the Forged the Field Podcast, host Scott welcomes Brandon, the Director of Agronomy at Midwestern Bio Ag. The conversation dives deep into leadership, the challenges and triumphs of running an independent agronomy business, and the impacts of effective management on both personal and profession...

In this episode, Jessi, a key team member at Crop Fertility Services, shares her personal story of resilience and growth. She discusses her family life, including her passion for indoor plants and her challenging experiences related to her son's severe health issues. Jessi recounts the emotional turmoil of her son's seizures, hospital stays, and a critical heart condition. These experience...