Grit and Grace with Tracy

Why do so many farm projects get pushed to next year? In this episode of the Seeding Series, Tracy Schira-Parker discusses a simple project management approach that can help farm families move projects from the idea stage to completion. Whether it's fencing, building bins, fixing infrastructure, or tackling long-overdue improvements, successful projects rarely happen by accident. They happen becau...

Seeding season doesn't just test your equipment. It tests your mind. In this episode of the Seeding Series, Tracy Schira-Parker discusses the mental load farmers carry during one of the most demanding times of the year. From financial pressure and uncertainty to long hours alone with your thoughts, farming can create a level of stress that often goes unspoken. Tracy shares practical strategies for...

Welcome to the first episode of the Seeding Series, a short-form series focused on the challenges and opportunities that show up throughout the farming season. In this episode, Tracy Schira-Parker discusses the value of having a written production plan and why it should be more than something stored in your memory. A production plan isn't about creating complicated systems or expensive spreadsheet...

Have we forgotten how to have a real conversation? In this episode of The Rural Way, Tracy Schira-Parker reflects on the growing decline of meaningful communication and why curiosity may be one of the most underrated skills in business and life. Drawing from personal experiences, leadership lessons, and research on trust and connection, Tracy explores what happens when conversations become one-sid...

What happens when AI starts replacing the people behind the content? In this episode of The Rural Way, Tracy Schira-Parker shares her honest thoughts on AI, authenticity, and the growing pressure for creators and business owners to automate everything. This conversation explores the balance between using AI as a helpful business tool versus allowing it to replace real human connection. Tracy break...

"Manic May" is what Tracy Schira-Parker used to call the season where everything collided at once — kids' sports, long drives, farm life, business responsibilities, housework, exhaustion, and the constant mental load of trying to keep everything running. In this episode of The Rural Way, Tracy shares the lessons she learned raising four kids through years of competitive sports while balancing rura...

Why rural—and why build something around it when most people tell you to go broader? In Episode 3 of The Rural Way, Tracy Schira-Parker shares the real reason she chose to focus on rural communities. This isn't about limiting yourself—it's about speaking to people whose reality is often overlooked. From access and opportunity to isolation and lifestyle, this episode highlights what makes rural bus...

What kind of conversations are we really having here? In Episode 2 of The Rural Way, Tracy Schira-Parker sets the foundation for the podcast outlining the boundaries, expectations, and principles behind the platform. This episode is all about clarity defining how conversations will be approached, what values guide the space, and why growth requires open-minded thinking. This episode explores: - Th...

What does it really take to build a business in a rural community? In this first episode of The Rural Way, Tracy Schira-Parker introduces a new podcast dedicated to rural entrepreneurs, small-town businesses, and life outside the city. She shares her personal journey into consulting and business, and why she believes rural communities need their own space for real conversations. This episode explo...

This is the very last episode of Grit and Grace with Tracy.  Inside this episode I share why this show had to come to an end, and I give you a bit of a peak about what is coming next.  Thank you so much to everyone who has tuned in over the years.  I have learned so much, and it's been such a great experience.    

Have you ever met someone wise beyond their years and wondered how they got there? If you are the kind of person that likes to extract the lessons learned and wisdom from the circumstances in your life, then you will appreciate this episode.  If someone you know is going through a hard season, this might also be a good episode to pass on.    

Being a leader can be hard.  It's impossible to keep everyone happy, and often women don't own their roles.  They will diminish thier roles, and not own their position.   In this conversation I explore the difference and what differenciates being a leader vs a control freak. 

Life for many right now feels like you are in the middle of the storm.  Your nervous system is in fight or flight, your hope molecules are dwindling, and you struggle to see the positive.   In this episode you will take a look at how we are impacted by the storms that are within our control and the storms that are a perception driven by your focus.   

In this episode I share how I went from a promise is a promise to no episodes for 6 months.  I share the impact of making changes in our lives and how sometimes our new habits and patterns create conflict and our promises we make to ourselves compete with one another.   If you have ever promised to get more sleep and get more exercise at the same time, you will enjoy this episode.   See you on the...

This is a short episode that I recorded on the fly, because I promised myself I would.  When we keep our promises to ourselves for the small things, it builds self-trust and confidence as we navigate the bigger things.   At the end of the day it's about doing the reps - showing up when we don't want to.    

Life is about change, and most of the time change requires us to show up in a different way.  Our habits, patterns, and priorities shape who we are, what we do and how we show up.  When we have big goals and dreams we have to transform our thoughts, beliefs, habits, and priorities.   There is someone out there that has something calling her to change.  To go after her biggest dreams or desires, bu...

In this first health and wellness episode, I am happy to share how we use colloidal silver.   This is not medical advice, I am simply sharing how and when/why I use this with my family.  Colloidal silver is one of those things that I always have around because it's so vertsitile.  If you have any recipes or methods you use with colloidal silver, I would love if you shared with me.   As promised, I...

In recent weeks we have heard of a number of big companies that have abruptly announced that they will be closing their doors.   After working with businesses that are navigating challenging financial situations for the last 20+ years, I wanted to share some facts and myths around bankruptcy and insolvency and some potential considerations that business owners need to think about when there are mo...

In this episode I share my 'why' behind adding health and wellness information into the podcast.  It's a short one, but will help you understand the shifts in this show.   

One of the greatest regrets of the dying is that they didn't live life on their terms because they were afraid of what others would think.   Detaching from the opinion of others is an action item, not a 'one and done' scenario.  We must detach and align over and over again so we stay on course to live the life we want.   In this episode I share the 4 strategies I use when other's opinions creep in...

Do you approach a year with with a hope and a prayer that the year will be better?  Or do you invest the time to design your year?  In this episode we explore the 5 aspects to designing your year so that it is what you wanted it to be.   You deserve to have the life you are proud to call yours.  This episode asks simple questions to help you design your year in a way that it supports your wildest...

If you prioritize goal setting and personal development, you will also want to start implementing a book end or summary to your year.   Capturing your lessons learned and other aspects of the year helps you to extract the wisdom from even the most challenging experiences.  If you are looking to transform how you transition into a new year, you will find these 5 reflective questions helpful.   

Showing up with consistency is a challenge most of us face.  It is the one thing that holds most people back from getting the results they want and making the changes they desire in their lives.   What will it take for you to remain consistent in busy seasons? Have a listen and see if it helps you shift your mindset about showing up consistently.  

If you are an entrepreneur in small town, chances are you don't have direct access to your customers via an email list.   In this episode I share how and why you need an email list and how it will impact your business an relationships with your customers.  

This podcast has been active and dormant so many times.  I was ready to say that's it - I'm done with it.  I needed some time to decide what to do.  In this episode I share what I have decided and why.  Sometimes, we just need to step back to see it all clearly.   Hope you enjoy