Ag State of Mind with Jason Medows

It's been a busy season for my family and I. I'm taking care of lots of cattle in addition to my full time job. I've not had a lot of time for anything extra this past week as Keri has been out of town and I've had lots of broken down vehicles. I think you can understand that it's been a little bit stressful for me and I've had to completely pause all the extra things in my life I've abstained from social media. I didn't release a podcast this week. I haven't really listened to anything besides church talks and my favorite music to help me turn down the dial on my stress. Whenever we find ourselves in these busy and stressful seasons, it's important to find techniques that help us dial down the stress. I found something that's a little silly and counterintuitive but it absolutely works! What is it? It's simple... I just smile! Whenever I find myself in a negative self talk pattern, I smile.,Every time I smile, It is a reminder that things will turn out ok. It reminds me that I have plenty to be grateful for and that I am beyond blessed.,Now I'm not sure if you're willing to look like a dufus and smile every time an intrusive thought or point of stress pops into your brain. Regardless, I believe everyone should find these turn down techniques to help them get through even their roughest times. I suggest you find that for yourself.

JIll Carr and I have been connected through social media for some time now. Recently, Jill has taken on a new business as a podcast manager/consultant, helping other entrepreneurs leverage themselves with podcasts. Jill and I talk about the challenges of podcasting and how we like to go about the ins and outs of podcasting. We then talk about some of our favorite resources. Jon Acuff's name comes up again as she recommended the book "Soundtracks." I love the work that Jill is doing. To find her work go to https://jillcarr.co/

There is so much talk about work/life balance in todays world. In fact, I gave a talk on this exact concept this past weekend at a Missouri Farm Bureau conference. Balance is something that always seems to be a moving target and it's a hard, even impossible thing to achieve. Shane Kinne has come up with a different term for this concept to help change the way we look at it. Shane runs a consultant and coaching business with his wife Whitney where there main focus is this concept called alignment. Alignment is a new way to frame the concept of balance where all that we do, whether that be farming, parenting, town job, hobbies, etc is all in alignment with each other. It's a value based system where you are looking at principles and how your actions reflect your principles. This was a great conversation with Shane and I'm so excited for you to hear it. Make sure you tune in to hear some of Shane's favorite personal development resources. I'm so glad we got to finally have this podcast as technology was definitely not working in our favor. The joys of podcasting with rural internet.

What does it take to get 4 ag podcasters together to record a podcast together? A lot of prep and planning and months of advance notice apparently. Jared Luhman, Bryan Alexander, and Clay Conry are hosts of the Herd Quitter, Ranching Reboot, and Working Cows podcasts, respectively. We had the idea of the 4 of us getting together and recording a podcast. It took several months for us to make it work but man am I glad we did. We started off chatting about our regenerative ag journeys. About how context matters so much in any operation. We then chat a bit about what podcasting looks like for us and the benefits and enjoyment and education we have obtained from podcasting. We also chat a bit about the state of the American food system and where we see it going. What a great episode. I hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording. We hope to have another episode together, this time all of us being in the same location, sometime soon.

Welcome to another episode of the Ranching Side Hustle podcast. For those of you who are new to the podcast, RSH is a subseries within ASOM where my buddy Tyler Keckley and I talk about the challlenges and day in day outs of running side hustle ranching businesses. Tyler and I both have town jobs (banker and pharmacist respectively) as well as our beef enterprises. Today, we chat about what has been going on with our ranch enterprises. We talk about what the next year may hold and a few of our new endeavors since we last talked. We chat about how we are doing a few things differently and how we are hoping they pan out for us in the next couple of months. We then shift gears completely and begin to talk about our half marathon trainings. We both have 13.1 we are scheduled to run in April. Talking about the grind that those sort of trainings can be and the challenges we have to fit it all in. Sign up for my newsletter and get a free PDF of my morning routine at https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmindmorningroutine

We are about 1 month into the new year. Lots of us are being put to the test on our New Year's Resolutions. Maybe some of you have committed to learning a new skill. Last week, I read an article in Horse & Rider magazine titled "Be A Good Beginner." It it, it listed 5 attributes of what it takes to be a good beginner. 1)Be a Learner 2) Ask For Help 3) Be Goal Oriented 4) Be Willing to Work 5) Know When to have fun. Using this as a framework can be very helpful in doing all the things it takes to be successful at learning a new skill. We are never too old to learn something new. We just have to be patient and humble. Sign up for my newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmindmorningroutine

A very exciting episode today friends. I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with fellow podcaster Emily Reuschel. Emily is a full-time entrepreneur, passionately serving rural women through life coaching, speaking, masterminds, retreats, digital content, and my Podcast: Gather in Growth. We chat today about her journey from non ag girl to a woman fully immersed in the world of agriculture. We then talk about our personal development journeys and what directions they have taken us. We chat about how doing things in a different and niche way can be a special kind of challenge when running rural businesses. We finish up by talking about Emily's favorite personal development resources. Books listed are The Road Back to You, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done and Quitter by Jon Acuff. Find Emily online at https://emilyreuschel.com/

It's the new year so that means it's time for goals and resolutions. I know that so many people are talking about this right now and even more have their own opinions on it. Personally, I like New Year's Resolutions and love to try and keep myself accountable to a goal. I talk today about SMART goals and how to utilize them in achieving your goals. I also talk about a concept called Habit Stacking I learned from reading James Clear's Atomic Habits. I start off the podcast by talking about all the great guests we have lined up for the new year. Thanks for all of your support for the Ag State of Mind Podcast!

Happy New Year!! Today Keri and I record another podcast together talking about balance. There are a lot of self help gurus who tell you that there is no way to achieve balance. That balance is something that is a myth and if you are balancing then something isn't getting the proper attention. We push back on that notion a little because we can balance the most important things to us. We just have to be very intentional and mindful of what we are trying to do. We talk about that today and talk about how we get all the things we do done. About how having a core value list helps us make decisions on what we spend our time and money on. We close out the podcast talking about what 2023 has in store for Keri and our yoga business. Apologies for the poor audio quality on this episode. I recorded on the wrong mic and it shows. If anything, it shows me how important the investment of a good microphone is to a podcasting business! Find Keri on Instagram @kerimedows

Several years ago we had a guy that my dad was dealing with to ride some horses in exchange to buy some colts. My dad was trying to make a deal with him when the guy said that he wasn't sure he wanted to be taking on that kind of work because he was getting ready to turn 40. My dad instantly replied to him, "What I wouldn't give to be 40 years old again." This has stuck with me. Now that I'm nearing age 40, I see dad was right. I know that 40 is not old and that people so often use age as an excuse to abstain from things that scare them. I talk a bit about that here today. Go to www.patreon.com/agstateofmind to support us!

I remember when I was buying my first car, my dad offered the advice of "the excitement won't outlast the payments." I've carried that advice into my 15 or so years of true adulthood when making financial decisions that affect myself and my family in the long term. It has helped me be much more intentional with how and why I spend my money. Check us out on Patreon at www.patreon.com/agstateofmind

A little while back, I was listening to the John C Maxwell Podcast. On there, he had a 4 part series talking about lessons learned from his dad. I thought that was so cool. So now, I have decided to do the same. My dad is on the sunset years of his life and I wanted to put this out there. Today, I want to talk about how my dad and mom have had a successful marriage of almost 66 years. How a coffee shop conversation with my dad had one of the most profound effects on how I viewed what a successful marriage looks like.

City Slickers was a big movie for me growing up. My dad loved it, my brothers loved, I loved it. We quoted it all the time. Just the other day, I saw that it was on Netflix and watched it again. That movie hits just a little bit different when you're a dad with kids than before. I talk today about how it hit me and how the parallels with myself and the main character allowed me to reflect on the goings on in my life. Brought to you by mystiklubes.com

In 2018 I met Burke Teichert who is one of my personal heroes in the ranching industry. From that moment forward I began to think differently about ranching. I began to look at it from a more holistic point of view. This has led me to change many things within our business. Today, I talk about the why behind these changes. That why is better overall health for me and my family. We get into the practices that I have changed and how getting more in sync with nature has made for better health. Brought to you by Mystik Lubricants. For a look at their full range of top-quality products, visit mystiklubes.com

I used to get super annoyed when podcasts would re release old episodes. That was before I was a podcaster. I know realize there is value in circling back to revisit old episodes. Dr Temple Grandin has one of the most special and brightest minds that has lent itself to the ranching industry. Through her groundbreaking work and research, she has revolutionized cattle handling. In a talk with a friend, I realize that this recording would be valuable to revisit due to the fact of our in depth discussion into the food supply chain. Enjoy this week's Thanksgiving episode with the great Dr. Temple Grandin. Brought to you by Mystik Lubricants. For a look at their full range of top-quality products, visit mystiklubes.com

Hello friends. I'm back again with another solo episode. In this week's episode I'm going to let you know what the podcast is going to look like going forward for a little while. I had a very clear impression that something needed to change with the podcast. I have been experiencing some severe stress in regards to scheduling podcast interviews. In an effort to keep the podcast going but still be mindful of my own mental health, you're going to see a bit of a change. Take a listen to the episode to see what these changes are going to look like. Brought to you by Mystik Lubricants. For a look at their full range of top-quality products, visit mystiklubes.com

Solo episode this week talking about some of my on the farm trials and how having patience and faith through these trials has helped me gain some appreciation and gratitude. This week's episode is brought to you by BASF

Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are two remarkable ladies. They have done so much to advance the true side of agriculture online in a time where there is so much misinformation spread about ag. They reached out to me to have a conversation about what they have learned and how they came together to start a course called Elevate Ag to help individuals navigate the difficult landscape of social media to tell their story of agriculture. Go to https://www.elevateyouragstory.com/ to sign up for this course

Another return podcast guest this week. We had the fortune of hearing from Whitney Kinne first on episode 72 of the podcast. Today, Whitney returns and we discuss how to incorporate her framework of R.E.S.T. into our daily lives. We talk a lot about burnout and how we can try and get proactive to avoid it. Giving ourselves a little bit of margin so we can back up when we do get overwhelmed. Check out Whitney at https://www.whitneykinne.com/

Macey Hurst has been a friend of mine for quite sometime now. She was guest way back on Episode 25 of the podcast. So much has changed for Macey since then. Her and I have actually had many chances to work together in her time with Missouri Cattlemen's Association. We chat today with Macey about how her mental health journey has evolved since we last chatted. We talk about her life transitions and how an unexpected source gave her the encouragement to take the next step on the road to better mental health. Find Macey on Instagram

Ganel-Lyn Condie is one of my favorite people on Earth. She is one of the hosts of the weekly podcast "Come Follow Me Real Talk." She is also a speaker, author, mental health advocate, and faith warrior. We chat today about how faith impacts our mental health. We also get into her 'why' around being an advocate for mental health and addiction. I'm going to be up front and honest, today's podcast was for me gang. I love Ganel-Lyn and all that she does. She is a huge influence on the way I advocate and speak about mental health. Find out more about Ganel-Lyn at https://ganellyn.com/. “This episode is brought to you by Farmingtheweb.ca Create your first listing today and receive a $15 Tim Hortons Gift Card!”

John Sachse and I connected over the summer at a Kansas Beef Council Event. John had invited me to speak at a Stockmanship event in Leavenworth, Kansas and at the event we got to visit and know one another a bit. Since then, John has moved on from Kansas Beef Council and has returned close to home to his family's seedstock operation in Eastern Kansas. Today, we talk all about how mindset matters in our daily lives. How having proper mindset can help us on our mental health journeys. John has also started his own coaching business. To reach out to John, go to jsachsecoaching@outlook.com

This episode brought to you by Performance Livestock Analytics. Shannon Ferrell is currently an Associate Professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics, where he specializes in Agricultural Law. He grew up on a cattle and wheat operation in Western Oklahoma, and obtained his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Agricultural Economics from OSU before obtaining his Juris Doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Shannon reached out to me after I put out a tweet about talking about our faith journeys and how it applies to mental health. I appreciate Shannon so much and was so happy when he reached out! Reach out to Shannon at shannon.l.ferrell@okstate.edu

We talk all the time about being there for those closest to us. I have a story this week about a friend of mine who did exactly that. Listen to me describe an interaction I had with one of my oldest and closest friends in the world about the goings on in my life. How this friend recognized a potential issue with me and addressed it. I'm so proud of this friend and proud to have them as a friend. I encourage you all to share this episode with those closest to you about how to reach out to those who you care about. Sign up for my email list at https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmind

Today I go solo to talk about our two brains. I talk about reading a book by Mark Manson where he discusses our two brains... our Thinking Brain and our Feeling Brain. How all of life's decisions are a constant negotiation between these two parts of our brain. Sign up for my newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmind Check out the link to this book in my latest newsletter https://preview.mailerlite.com/b3f2e4y6b7

We are back with another Ranching Side Hustle episode. Today, Tyler and I chat about the cattle market and how we feel that today's trends are mirroring those of the 2014 cattle market boom. We chat about our possible strategies for how to mitigate this market. Most importantly, we talk about how these cattle operations are just a part of who we are, not our complete identity. Today's podcast brought to you by Douglas Plant Health. Visit DPHBIO.com to reclaim soil fertility.

Amber Jones is founder of GraceStory Ministries. She is a peer psychoeducator and considers herself blessed to be an advocate for families and individuals who are in need of hope. Amber authors GraceStory's Instagram blog, My_Grace_Story, where she draws from her own story of childhood trauma and her journey to wholeness in order to inspire others to take their own first, intentional steps towards healing. Amber's other favorite job titles include homeschooling momma to four precious kiddos, wife to her high school sweetheart, and beef rancher at their family-owned Devon Valley Farms. Amber and I talk this week about how faith and mental health go hand in hand. Find more about Amber and GraceStory at https://www.gracestoryministries.com/

Today I discuss how some perceived weaknesses of mine are actually strengths. How I have changed my mindset around a lot of my own personality traits. Today's episode is Brought to you by Mystik Lubricants. For a look at their full range of top-quality products, visit mystiklubes.com.

In an effort to be fully transparent on this podcast, I'm going to share with you all a little about my personal struggle with anxious attachment. It is something that I have struggled with my entire life, but didn't really understand until the last 2 weeks. In today's episode, I'm going to talk a bit about that and how a weekend trip to the lake with Keri helped me to exercise a bit of newfound autonomy. To schedule a call with me go to https://agstateofmind.com/contact-2/

Nik and Karen Fitch have an incredible story. In November 2019, Karen woke up paralyzed from the neck down. While facing their own challenges and battle, Nik and Karen launced Cuddle Cow Company. They sell blankets inspired by their love of the farm and their cattle. Part of the proceeds from their company go directly to fund Spinal Cord Research.

Alexis Johnson from Farm Tee Company joins me to day to talk about her business and how she started her mission to make high quality apparel that farmers and ranchers could wear and show their pride for where they live. We talk about the pride in loving where you farm as well as the challenges that come with building a brand. Find Alexis at https://farmteeco.com/

Guess who's back! It's me. Sorry for the long abscence in recording. I made myself a promise when I started the podcast that it would not interfere with the other things in my life. These past two weeks I've had to put my money where my mouth was. The fair and family vacation was more important than podcasting. We returned from vacation yesterday and I was back to normal today. It made me reflect on how important vacations are for the sustainability of our operation. That without breaks, we begin to spin ourselves in circles. That we are running a poor business if we cannot set it down for a bit.

Over the past week, I've become really intentional about leaving time and space for quiet and still. I feel like I have become where I always need some sort of stimulation. Keri helped me see that leaving space and quiet time in my day is essential to being my best self. I share a bit about that here today.

Happy Independence Day. This weekend I had the fortune to set down with Debby DeSpain and chat about mindfulness. We talked about how she came across my article in Progressive Cattleman by accident, but decided she needed to reach out anyway. We chat about how busy and crazy the lives of folks in agriculture can be and how implementing a bit of mindfulness into daily practice can help us be our better selves. To reach out to Debbie... email her at debdespain@yahoo.com

Sorry for getting this out a day late. We had an emergency at our house yesterday that resulted in Carter breaking his collar bone. Let's just say the podcast sort of slipped my mind. Today, I'm giving an update on the podcast and some speaking events I have had the opportunity to be involved in. Then I chat a bit about the craze that is social media in the wake of the Roe v. Wade reversal. Although we may disagree with one another, we may still be civil. Lastly, I speak about a new # on Instagram, #AgLetsTalk that allows for folks to share their mental health journey

I've long said that the thing I'm most honored and humbled by as a podcast host is when someone reaches out to me to be on the podcast. This is yet another conversation that started out that way. Camden Calloway is a sophomore at Purdue who is majoring in Agronomy. We sat down today to chat about some of the work he has been doing to advocate for mental health for the next generation of ag professionals. To get in contact with Camden, go to CamdenCalloway460@gmail.com or call him at 765-432-5063

Jake Renner and I have been connected for sometime now via social media and actually had the good fortune to meet in person at CattleCon in San Antonio 2020. Since the early days of the podcast, I have wanted to have Jake on the podcast to discuss his experience in the ag industry and how it has affected him. Jake is currently Member and Youth Activities Coordinator for the American Gelbvieh association. Jake also happens to be an openly gay man. We talk about his experiences as a gay man in agriculture and having to overcome all that can come with that. We also talk about how important it is that we focus on the things we agree on instead of what we disagree on. I consider Jake a friend and am proud and honored to have him on the podcast. Find Jake on Facebook here

"If you want to determine the nature of anything, entrust it to time: when the sea is stormy, you can see nothing clearly." If studying Stoicism has taught me anything it has taught me that it is for the best to take emotions out of decisionsI'm deeply saddened by the events that have unfolded in Uvalde this week. I think it's important for all us to take the time to let the emotions process from this tragedy. Being a father, I empathize with the families of these children and the loss they have endured.We see so many talking about this event and now is the time for action. Now is the time to put in reforms to make sure the next school shooting does not happen.

Amelia Cottle is an educator and advocate for patients and caregivers battling Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases. We talk today about her work with this and how dementia affects so many people. We talk about the risk factors for dementia and how to possibly mitigate those. This is a very special episode for me as I have had real life experience being a family member of someone with dementia. To reach out to Ameila email her at ameliacottle@gmail.com

eff Siewicki (pronounced suh-wick-E) is a farmer and coach. Jeff started Vital Mission Farm in 2017 to grow food that is healthy for people, animals, land and environment. His mission was to innovate and develop new agricultural techniques that act as a solution to climate change while supporting farmer stability. Through a lot of hard work, trial and error, he figured out the key elements to being successful financially, mentally, and environmentally while farming on small acreage. In addition, to raising pastured poultry and perennial crops, Jeff teaches other farmers how to start and scale up a successful regenerative farm so they too can become profitable doing what they love. He is passionate about regenerative agriculture and believes that small regenerative farms are the key to improving human health, farmer success, and environmental sustainabilyFind Jeff Online at https://regenerativesuccess.com/

Today's podcast is a theme that I have been kicking around for awhile. I'm very concerned about the climate in today's world. I wanted to voice my opinions across my many platforms of how we need to pay attention in society to the things that truly matter. Go sign up for my newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmind

Jeff Siewicki (pronounced suh-wick-E) is a farmer and coach. Jeff started Vital Mission Farm in 2017 to grow food that is healthy for people, animals, land and environment. His mission was to innovate and develop new agricultural techniques that act as a solution to climate change while supporting farmer stability. We talk today about his story and how he was able to build his business and the trials that came with that. We also talk about farming at any size and how they are needed. Find Jeff Online at https://regenerativesuccess.com/

There's honestly not much I can say that can adequately describe Brooke Taylor and her story. It's a story of grit, determination, and love. Brooke is currently battling cancer AND raising a family. Her story is too inspirational for me to describe so i'm going to just let the podcast speak for itself. Find Brooke online at www.RuralGoneUrban.com

Today is a solo episode where I'm sharing with you my incredibly stressful day this past Saturday. In an effort to be completely transparent and vulnerable on this podcast, I want to give you a little snapshot of what a stressful day is like for me. I don't do this for you to feel sorry for me or to pity me. Instead, I want to help others know that it's ok to have those rough days. However, it is very important to bounce back from them and not let them keep you down. I referenced a quote that my friend Clay Conry mentioned on one of his recent podcasts. His wife, Miranda, likes to say “It's ok, we have all day!” I kept repeating that mantra all day on Saturday to keep me pushing through all the turmoil that was thrown my way. And guess what, it took all day… which was fine because “I had all day!” Show notes at https://agstateofmind.com/?p=2269

Today is a very powerful episode of Ag State of Mind. We talk to Maddie Caldwell who is a farm girl from Elmwood, Illinois. We chat with Maddie today about her battle with her mental health. In 2019, Maddie made an attempt on her life. She recovered from that, only to make another attempt in 2020. Thankfully, Maddie was resilient through her moments of mental weakness and survived both incidents. She realized that she had a story to tell to help others like herself who seem to have idyllic lives but still suffer in silence. Maddie's story resonated with me so much because I too feel like I have an idyllic life but still struggle mightily at times with anxiety. It's stories like Maddie's that inspire me to be open about my own mental health journey. Like Maddie says, it is in NO WAY for personal gain. It's to help others who are silent and seemingly alone in their struggles feel heard and seen. To reach out to Maddie, her phone number (with her permission of course) is 309-253-7142. Today's episode is brought to you by Magnetic Aghttps://magnetic-ag.com/

Today is a solo episode to give my editor, my 17 year old son Levi, an Easter break from work. Several years ago, I was introduced to a book by Dr Robert Glover called No More Mr Nice Guy. That book changed my life. It helped me to be more assertive in my relationships. Recently, I have found myself applying the principles within that book to my presence online. I no longer want to hold back the truth for the sake of being liked. "In order to think, you have to risk being offensive." - Dr. Jordan Peterson Today's episode is brought to you by Kubota. Visit them at www.kubotausa.com

Jaden Maze is a high school student from Indiana. She is doing so many remarkable things in regards to mental health in agriculture. Jaden and I were connected by our mutual friend Michele Payn and I am so thankful for the connection. As you can tell from this interivew, Jaden is ahead of the curve in talking about mental health in ag. She has a very bright future and I can't wait to see what it has in store for her. Reach out to Jaden at Jaden.Maze@weboschools.org .Todays episode brought to you by AgXplore.com

Welcome to April 2022's installment of the Ranching Side Hustle Podcast. Today, Tyler and I welcome friend Bobby Lee Hanks. Bobby Lee, like Tyler and I, has a "town job" by day. He is a small animal veterinarian in a community 45 minutes outside of Memphis, Tennessee. But when he isn't tending to people's pets, he runs Hurricane Creek Farms. HCF is a grazing operation incorporating Cow/calf, stocker, and finished cattle operations. We talk to Bobby Lee about the challenges of running a ranching side-hustle in a place where cattle are not prevalent... a challenge I myself have never experienced living in the Ozarks. We also talk about the integral part our families, namely our wives, play in our operations. Find Bobby Lee on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCneJWSzqwrwBxF4x-jyuqmw?app=desktop.Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmind

Today we talk to Ashley Messing-Kennedy who is dairy farmer with her family in Bad Axe, Michigan. We talk today about her journey with her mental health, namely ADHD. We talk about breaking the stigma associated with medications. We also talk about the importance of starting the mental health conversation with our children and in their schools. Find Ashley online at https://www.instagram.com/messykennedy/Sign up for our newsletter at www.agstateofmind.com

Today's podcast is brought to you by Douglas Plant Health. To unharness your soil's fertility and to maximize yield, consider Douglas Plant Health. Visit DPHBio.com . Today's episode features the return of our friend Michele Payn. Michele was our guest way back on Episode 6 . Today, we talk about Michele's project of Agriculture's Growth Calendar, a resource that is an easy way to give ag connected folks weekly tips on being their best selves. Check out Michele online at https://causematters.com/. To sign up for the Ag State of Mind email list, go to https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmind

Alright I know that the title of this podcast seems all over the place. Tyler and I actually had zero agenda going into this episode. We just started talking about our operations and how we schedule our feeding and grazing. It then it went into our mineral programs and how those have evolved. We finish the podcast by chatting about how important it is to have a spouse who is supportive of our ranching side hustles. How they do so many things for us so we can explore our passion. One of the biggest keys to a successful ranching side hustle is to first have a successful marriage. Sign up for my email list here