Land & Everything Else

Three years. More than 60 guests. Countless conversations about land, agriculture, alternative investments, and the people shaping those industries. In this final episode of Land & Everything Else, producer Presley Fee turns the microphone around and interviews Dr. Craig Lemoine about the journey behind the podcast. Together, they reflect on how the show evolved from an educational initiative...

What pushes a tenured associate professor of agricultural engineering to "eject from the aircraft" and start a software company? For Kaustubh Bhalerao, it wasn't a singular moment, but a persistent drive to move beyond journal articles and into the field where his work could solve real-world problems for farmers and soil labs. In this episode, Dr. Craig Lemoine sits down with Dr. Ka...

Agricultural lending doesn't make headlines the way Wall Street does. But behind every farm mortgage is a system designed to keep capital moving, lenders solvent, and farmers farming. That system nearly broke in the 1980s. Congress responded by creating Farmer Mac, and the market has never been the same. In this conversation, Dr. Craig Lemoine sits down with Jackson Takach, Chief Economist at...

Markets now react to headlines in milliseconds. Algorithms scan reports, execute trades, and flood exchanges with activity before most humans finish reading the news. Yet agriculture still moves on a different clock. Crops grow over months, risk builds across seasons, and farmers face decisions that affect an entire year’s income. In this conversation, Dr. Craig Lemoine sits down with commodity tr...

Farmland is no longer a purely local conversation. As global capital looks for stability, diversification, and long-term value, agriculture continues to draw interest from investors who may have never stepped foot on a farm. That shift brings opportunity, complexity, and new questions about how land is owned, managed, and passed on across generations. In this episode, Ed Blundy of Brown & Co....

Money shows up in nearly every major life decision, but it almost never comes with clear guidance on how to use it in a way that actually supports our long-term satisfaction. In this episode, Dr. Craig Lemoine sits down with Professor Donovan Sanchez to explore how financial education is evolving and why happiness deserves a place in the conversation alongside returns, income, and planning models....

Some opportunities only reveal themselves to people who pay attention, and that’s exactly what makes this conversation with Peter Lehman so interesting. From the strength of Midwest farmland to the global forces fueling demand for protein, Peter shares how he and his team have repeatedly found value where others weren’t looking. The stories behind those decisions are surprising, thoughtful, and fu...

Welcome back! We’re kicking off season 3 of Land and Everything Else with a conversation that bridges technology, trust, and transformation in wealth management. Dr. Craig Lemoine welcomes back Ilya Zlotnik, Partner and Managing Director at Vivaldi Capital Management, to explore how AI is changing the way advisors work and why it’s making the human element more valuable than ever. Together, they u...

It’s the end of Season 2, and for the first time, Dr. Craig Lemoine takes the mic solo to reflect on how far Land and Everything Else has come. What started as a simple idea to connect agriculture and alternative investing in the classroom has grown into a full-scale learning platform with thousands of students, nine courses, and fifty-one guests who helped shape the conversation along the way. Tw...

Artificial intelligence may change how we work, but it won’t replace what makes advisors invaluable: empathy, perspective, and real human connection. In this episode, Dr. Matt Goren, Chief Strategy Officer at Brett Danko Educational Center, joins Craig Lemoine to explore the intersection of AI, education, and financial planning. From calculators to ChatGPT, they discuss what’s worth keeping, what...

Behind every innovation in land and agriculture, there’s a story of persistence, feedback, and people. In this episode, Acres.com co-founders Carter Malloy and Ben Maddox sit down with Brodrick Lothringer, our host for this episode, at the Land Investment Expo to share how their platform is reshaping the way professionals access and understand land data. They reflect on the scrappy beginnings of A...

Financial conferences can be game-changers for advisors, but they can also be overwhelming. In this episode, PodPony founder Brodrick Lothringer talks about what makes these gatherings valuable, where they fall short, and why showing up ready to learn matters. This conversation covers the mix of association, custodial, and newer conferences like Future Proof and T3, while also digging into the cul...

John Heneghan, founder of Servant Financial and longtime partner in the Promise Land Opportunity Zone Fund, joins us live from the Land Investment Expo. With decades of experience in wealth management and alternative investments, John shares how his journey took him from CFO work to founding Servant Financial, and why faith and purpose guided the name of his firm. We dive into his investment philo...

Jonathan Shively’s career started in the high-pressure world of institutional equity brokerage, working with global funds and billion-dollar portfolios. But a personal leap into farmland ownership reshaped how he thought about investing. Now, as Director of Capital Partnerships at Peoples Company, he helps connect farmers and landowners with the capital they need—while giving investors access to o...

Garrett Jackson never imagined a career in finance when he was growing up in rural Kansas. In fact, his dream was always to become a doctor. However, some science courses made him realize that might not be his thing, even though the desire for helping others was unchanged. That desire, alongside some life twists, led him to discover personal financial planning. Today, Garrett leads a trust office...

Tax law changes, corn yields, and non-correlated assets might sound like a random jumble of words, but they all point to one thing: farmland. On this episode, we’re talking with Dr. Bruce Sherrick and Steve Bruere from Peoples Company to dive into the "Big Beautiful Bill", that newly passed legislation that's shaking things up for both agriculture and investors. They break down poli...

California’s agriculture is just different. There’s an incredible diversity of products, it’s very exposed to changes in policies, and it suffers from water constraints almost every year. It really deserves special treatment. In this episode, live from the 2025 Land Investment Expo, we talk with Curtis Buono from Peoples Company to talk about all the things that make California’s farmland market s...

Estate planning is not always about “who gets what”. In fact, most of the time, it’s about the complications that arise when a family tries to decide it. In this episode of Land and Everything Else, Dr. Craig Lemoine welcomes Chicago attorney Tim Ritchey to talk through it all. They go from farmland and rental properties to blended families and sibling drama, and warn you about what can happen whe...

One of the best ways of standing out as a financial advisor is connection. In this episode, Shana Orczyk Sissel—founder and CEO of Banríon Capital Management—shares how alternative investments can deepen client relationships while offering invaluable portfolio diversification. From private equity in sports teams to impact-driven funds, we explore how alts open the door to meaningful conversations...

In this episode, we unpack the emotional baggage, regulatory blind spots, and real-world complexity that make alternative investments both fascinating and frustrating. From farmland and fractional art to NFTs and Opportunity Zones, Dr. Craig Lemoine, Ailie Elmore, and Brodrick Lothringer explore what it takes to move beyond the standard portfolio. They explain why liquidity isn't always your...

What if your investments could fight food insecurity, improve air quality, and revitalize communities—all at once?  JaQ Campbell and Hope Lovell of Alexander Legacy Private Wealth share how they use real estate and agriculture to create “triple win” outcomes for investors, neighborhoods, and the environment. They unpack the “big RIA” approach (Real Estate, Insurance, and Alternatives), explain how...

Retirement planning has come a long way, and Income Lab is leading the charge with a smarter, adaptive approach. On this episode of “Land & Everything Else,” we bring on Dr. Michael Kothakota, Dr. Derek Tharp, and Dr. Justin Fitzpatrick. Instead of outdated "probability of failure" metrics, their software helps advisors create flexible, personalized spending plans that adjust to life...

How resilient is American agriculture in the face of escalating trade tensions? In this episode, we’re joined by Steve Bruere of Peoples Company and returning guest Dr. Bruce Sherrick for a thought-provoking conversation on the stability of farmland investments—especially when compared to the volatility of traditional stock markets. From global pressures to local impacts, we explore how current tr...

Farmland prices are soaring, turning family farms into multi-million dollar estates—but without the cash to cover the taxes. In this must-listen episode, attorney JR Glenn helps break down how estate taxes, especially in states like Illinois, can force farm sales and tear families apart. Learn how to: - Navigate the $4M state vs. $13.9M federal estate tax gap - Use gifting, titling, and trusts to...

Commodities play a big role in investing, but many people overlook them. Alan Hutchison from Dimensional Fund Advisors explains what they are, how they work, and why they can help strengthen your portfolio. Key Takeaways: Why investors are starting to pay more attention to commodities How today’s market trends affect commodity prices The importance of knowing supply and demand in commodity markets...