The Farmer's Greatest Asset Podcast
The Farmer's Greatest Asset podcast is dedicated to supporting and empowering farmers by recognizing that their greatest assets are the knowledge, experience, mind and health. Hosted by husband-and-wife duo Jesse and Dr. Leah, this podcast combines their unique backgrounds to provide valuable insights. Together, they explore topics that help farmers thrive both personally and professionally. Tune in for a blend of practical advice, real conversations, while having a little fun along the way as they talk about all thing's agriculture and family.
Episodes
31 episodes
Coffee on the Porch: Grain Bags & Better Halves
Fall harvest is in full swing as we navigate recent rains and explore grain bagging as a cost-effective storage solution to avoid excessive commercial storage fees. We're implementing this method to circumvent the 24 cents per bushel plus month...
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27:14
Coffee on the Porch: Harvest is a GO
Harvest season has officially begun in Southeast Iowa with unusually dry conditions causing corn to dry down faster than expected. We share our experiences with equipment preparations, plot tour takeaways, and our approach to maintaining balanc...
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14:35
Harvest Readiness and Farm Wives Club Reflections Part 1
We discuss final harvest preparations including our new grain cart scale app for improved inventory tracking, and reflect on insights from the Farm Wives Club event about finding joy beyond productivity.• Equipment preparations complete...
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26:14
Corn, Rust, and Deer With Expensive Taste
Southern rust is significantly impacting corn yields this season with up to 40 bushel differences between treated and untreated fields, making fungicide applications a solid ROI despite high input costs.• Corn prices remain similar to 1...
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21:00
A Wake-Up Call: Don't Leave Your Legacy to Chance
A medical emergency with Jesse's mother reveals an unsettling truth: most families don't know each other's wishes for end-of-life care or who's authorized to make decisions when someone can't speak for themselves.• Advanced directives a...
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20:44
Sweat, Showmanship, and Six-Horse Hitches: Our State Fair Adventure
The countdown to harvest begins as we return from a successful but scorching State Fair where our kids showed their home-raised cattle and Henry lived his fitting dream.• Kids earned reserve breed championships with their self-raised sh...
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23:31
Pork Chops And Pig Poop: Our State Fair Tradition
We're heading to the Iowa State Fair with 4-H cattle and breeding heifers, continuing a family tradition that spans generations for Jesse while creating new memories for our entire family.• Comparing state fair experiences: Jesse has at...
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20:19
Summer's Flying By: Why Family Matters Now More Than Ever
Family connections remain vital despite our busy lives, especially as older generations age and health challenges arise for loved ones.• Summer is flying by, with county fairs marking the end of the season and family reunions filling ou...
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19:12
Sun, Soil, and Supplements: Feed Your Body Like You Feed Your Crops
Jesse and Dr. Leah discuss farming conditions in Iowa after significant rainfall, then share insights about nutritional supplements and their role in maintaining optimal health.• Recent weather in Southeast Iowa has brought 2.5-4 inches...
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23:37
How To Eat For Health
After months on a modified ketogenic diet, we share our personal journeys with giving up sugar and carbohydrates, exploring both the challenges and life-changing health benefits we've experienced.• Sugar is the most addictive substance ...
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27:44
Growing Together: One Road Trip at a Time
Jesse and Leah reflect on how their relationship has evolved over 19 years of marriage, from surviving the chaos of early careers and parenthood to finding deeper connection through everyday moments.• Finding quality time together has t...
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16:56
All Things Fair: Hair Products & Heifery Attitudes
We reflect on our county fair memories while preparing for this year's Lee County Fair in Iowa, where our son will show a heifer he's raised from birth. Fair traditions have evolved over time, but the values of hard work, responsibility, and pe...
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30:59
Reimagining the Modern Family Farm
Summer on the farm brings a whirlwind of activity as we balance baling, spraying, fair preparation, and finding moments to connect as a family amid the busy season. The weight of sustaining our agricultural legacy weighs heavily as we navigate ...
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36:18
Coffee on the Porch: Copper and Sugar
In this hot and humid Iowa summer, we share updates on our hay making, crop conditions, and innovative approaches to foliar feeding crops with precise nutrient mixtures. We discuss how we're transitioning to drone technology for better applicat...
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21:22
Coffee on the Porch: Haymaking, Mindset, and Green Beans
Jesse and Dr. Leah share their "Coffee on the Porch" conversation covering farm updates, personal reflections, and practical health tips for agricultural families.• Discussing the satisfaction of haymaking season and the nostalgia of fr...
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24:31
Hay Bales and Life Tales: Dad Edition
Jesse and Leah reflect on the invaluable lessons learned from their fathers that have shaped who they are as farmers and as people. Despite being busy with hay baling during Father's Day weekend, they take time to honor the wisdom that's been p...
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12:55
The Rhythm of Rural Life: Planting and Growing Together
Jesse and Dr. Leah share updates from their farm life, discussing their new high tunnel greenhouse project and the seasonal transition from planting to summer maintenance. They explore the physical and mental health benefits of growing your own...
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24:08
The Work Will Always Be There, But Your Kids Will Not
Farm life means constantly juggling seasonal pressures with family needs while battling self-imposed time constraints. Jesse and Dr. Leah explore the mental and physical toll of the farming mindset that everything must be done immediately and p...
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24:58
Seven Simple Steps to Feel Better Today
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and today we discuss practical strategies for farmers, ranchers, and anyone who's been running on empty during busy seasons. We share our personal experiences with burnout and stress while offering seven si...
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17:48
When the land means more than dirt
We explore the deep emotional connection farmers have to their land and the importance of legacy planning to preserve family farms for future generations. • Farmland represents more than monetary value—it carries the blood, sweat, ...
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21:11
Buffalo Mentality: Facing Storms Head-On
We believe the farm's greatest asset is the farmer – their knowledge, experience, mind, and health. • Springtime on the farm means planting crops and loading fat cattle in Southeast Iowa• Unexpected challenges are inevitable on...
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19:01
Planting Seeds of Wellbeing
We explore the transformative impact of taking breaks during busy farming seasons and how it can rejuvenate your mindset and productivity. Our recent family getaway in the middle of planting season proved that stepping away from farm responsibi...
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25:20
Hydration and Sleep: Two Non-Negotiables for Health
We explore the fundamentals of health by focusing on two critical but often overlooked aspects: proper hydration and quality sleep. These two pillars form the foundation of success by ensuring farmers maintain their most valuable asset - their ...
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32:58
Beyond the Acres: Learning to Listen in Tough Times
Steve Boender returns to continue our heartfelt conversation about finding meaning through faith in farming and life's challenges. He shares wisdom about weathering economic cycles in agriculture, offering practical strategies for staying resil...
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35:20
Faith, Family, and Farming: How One Farmer Built a Multi-Generational Operation
We welcome Steve Boender, a farmer from Oskaloosa who shares his remarkable journey of faith, family, and farming over 50 years. Steve reveals how he and his wife Jan started with nothing but an FHA loan at ages 18 and 19, building a diverse ag...
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39:02