Farming on Purpose

Starting a farm from the ground up isn’t easy—but it’s possible. In this episode, I pulled together stories from beginning farmers who are doing just that. Some bought back family ground. Others started with just a few acres, raising food for their own families and learning as they went. A few had help, and many didn’t. But every single one had to work through doubts, learn from failure, and find their own way forward. These are th...

  ”A topic we talk about on the podcast or have talked about several times is the stories that we tell ourselves and how much they matter and shape our daily lives.” 

In this episode, I share why the Farming on Purpose podcast is shifting for summer and reflect on the stories we tell ourselves in agriculture. Inspired by The Psychology of Money, I explore how tail events—those rare, life-changing moments—shape our future, and why s...

 ”We're not six year olds anymore. We're not children anymore. We're adult children and we're trying to raise our families too and continue a legacy. So there has to be grace on both sides.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I visit with Paige Dulaney, a ranch wife and mom of three from northeast Colorado. We talk about balancing motherhood and ranching, the real-life challenges of farm transition, and raising kids to love th...

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 ”We're trying to create awareness to critical issues and food production that are important to consumers.” 

In this episode, I visit with Robby Sansom, CEO of Force of Nature, to explore what regenerative agriculture really means—and why more farmers and ranchers are starting to take a second look. We talk about his journey from corporate life to ...

 “  I think the biggest thing is just starting that conversation and thinking about it and like coming up with a plan that works for you and your family, and that's gonna look different for everybody based on how old your kids are, how much you trust your kids.” 

When ER nurse and farm wife Katie Hammock started seeing farm injuries too often in the trauma center, she knew more could be done. In this episode, Katie shares practical...

” Every little boy wants to be a cowboy when he grows up and so I think that's kind of kinda where it started.”  

First-generation rancher Zak Copeland shares how he built a goat grazing and cattle business from the ground up with no family background in ag. From hatching chicks in a basement to running 120 goats for targeted grazing jobs, Zak’s story is all about grit, creative income streams, and chasing freedom. He talks mentors...

” Just having the confidence and the know-how that, like if something were to happen like 2020 did we'd be good for a while. And I want other people to feel that way too.”  

Homesteader and homeschooling mom Emmaline Newton shares how her family transformed three wooded acres into a thriving homestead. From raising their own meat to growing a garden that feeds six, Emmaline dives into what it really takes to build a life rooted in ...

 ” No matter what, if you don't care for your animal, no matter what size of farm, if you don't care for it, it's not gonna produce milk. And if they don't produce milk, then we're out of a job.”  

Farming is in yo  

In this episode, I talk with Madi Skubal, a fourth-generation dairy farmer in Iowa, about raising kids and cows, returning to her roots, and building a raw milk business with her husband. From early mornings to big lif...

”I feel like it's my chance to tell my story because if I don't tell it, Netflix and Amazon and somebody else is gonna tell it for me. So it's my chance to tell the truth about how we do things here.”  

On this episode of Farming on Purpose, Taylor Moyer shares his journey from NASCAR to full-time ranching, proving that creativity and adaptability are key to making a farm thrive. From cattle sales and custom grazing to agritourism,...

 ”  That's why I always say things don't happen to you. They happen for you.” 

Erica Leubner grew up on a dairy farm, witnessing both the challenges and rewards of multi-generational agriculture. Now a farm business consultant, she helps families navigate farm transitions, communication struggles, and mental health challenges. In this episode, she shares insights on strengthening farm marriages, managing stress, and preparing the n...

 ” You have to bring value back to the family operation if you want it to be sustainable for future generations.” 

When Lettie Nickell moved back to her family’s ranch, she knew she had to create her own path. In this episode, she shares how she built a direct-to-consumer beef business, launched a successful Airbnb and wedding venue, and found balance between motherhood, marriage, and entrepreneurship. Her story is one of resilienc...

 ”The story that we believe is vastly more impactful than facts.”   

This episode is a fun, laid-back look at life on the farm, juggling motherhood, entrepreneurship, and daily challenges. From the satisfaction of milking a cow to the chaos of keeping a house with four kids clean, I’m sharing what’s working, what’s not, and what’s making life sweeter. Plus, a big investment in seeds for my first real vegetable garden—will it be a s...

”The other thing that really just brings joy to me is the little moments of farm life. So whether that's just like checking cows on pasture in the summer, that's some of my favorite memories growing up. And just holding on to those things when the ag economy or other things seem a little heavy, then it's those little moments that I think really grounds a person and why a lot of us are in agriculture.”   

Hannah Klitz, owner of Oak ...

 ” So what we're doing is just teaching farmers, ranchers, anybody really, how to utilize money correctly so that we can make the bank plan B instead of plan A.”  

Mary Jo Irmen joins the podcast to discuss how farmers and ranchers can take control of their finances, avoid reliance on traditional banks, and secure their farm’s future. She breaks down the infinite banking concept, estate planning, and strategies to keep family farms...

 “Just know that spring always follows winter. And sometimes that's the only thing we can hang on to.”  

DL Lautenbach shares his heartfelt journey on the Farming on Purpose Podcast, discussing the challenges and triumphs of balancing farming, family, and entrepreneurship. He highlights the power of small victories, embracing honesty, and redefining success on your own terms. From recalibrating his life after struggles to finding j...

“I get to pass on a legacy of skills, just like my parents did for me, and just like their, their family that taught them and I get to take it on to the next generation and I hope at the very least they'll teach their next generation.” 

Janelle Anderson shares her inspiring journey from rural Wisconsin to building a ranching life in North Dakota and starting fresh on raw land in Tennessee. Balancing family, motherhood, and entrepre...

“ I sometimes pinch myself. It's hard. Ranching isn't easy. It's not easy and I don't want to give that impression, but to get to do what you love so much and are so passionate about it…” 

Laura Hicks started ranching at 19, building from nothing alongside her husband Mike in South Dakota. They went from running others' cattle to developing their own herd while raising two sons who now ranch with them. Through health battles, tough...

A Note to Parents 

Dear listeners, 

Tonight's episode is something special - a departure from our usual conversations. As Christmas Eve approaches, I wanted to create something a little different.  

This episode is a bedtime story designed to help your little ones settle into sleep on Christmas Eve, beginning with a gentle relaxation exercise and flowing into a story that captures both the wonder of Christmas and the beauty o...

“ So yeah the balance of the family and the business and the farming and all that, just trying to get more systematic and efficient so that we can balance it all.” 

Abby and Brooks Bowser started farming conventionally at age 20, but after realizing their corn and soybean operation wasn't sustainable, they transformed their Southern Michigan farm into a regenerative cattle operation. Now they run Bowser Family Farms, raising cattle...