Beyond The Crops
Jena & MP bring a unique perspective to the world of agriculture, offering a blend of humor, heart, and wisdom honed from their combined years on the farm. With a deep passion for their families, their farms, and the communities they call home, these two farmwives delve into the daily triumphs and tribulations that come from rural living.
They discuss everything from the latest advancements in agriculture and the art of balancing family with farm duties to the time-honored traditions and recipes that make life on the farm so special. Their stories will make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings, and inspire you to see the beauty in the ordinary moments of life.
"Beyond The Crops" is not just a podcast for farmers; it's for anyone who appreciates the enduring values of hard work, resilience, and the simple joys of living close to the land. Whether you're an urban dweller curious about rural life or a fellow farm enthusiast, you'll find something to love in the genuine and heartfelt conversations of Jena & MP.
Subscribe today and be a part of their journey as they cultivate a deeper appreciation for the remarkable world of agriculture.
Episodes
116 episodes
116. Tackling Back-to-School Chaos, Farm Wife Style
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this episode, your hosts Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass are tackling a topic on every parent's mind: heading back to school. With a fantastic listener question, they dive int...
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29:18
115. Everything You Didn't Know About Peanuts with Dena Malsom of the National Peanut Board
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops! In this episode, Jena and Mary Pat are joined by Dena Malsom, Chief Marketing Officer at the National Peanut Board, for a fascinating conversation that busts myths, shares surprising facts, and explores the sto...
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40:01
114. Unpacking Our Dense Summer: Health Deep Dives, Family Memories, and Farm Updates
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops! Summer is in full swing, and for Jena and Mary Pat, it's been... dense. In this candid catch-up, they share the highs, lows, and hilarious chaos of a summer packed with family, travel, and unexpected health dee...
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51:58
113. When Funerals Make You Rethink Everything: Phones, Family & What Matters Most
In this deeply personal and reflective episode, Jena and Mary Pat share a conversation sparked by recent life events that have them thinking about legacy, the passage of time, and the ever-present challenge of managing screen time in a hyper-co...
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37:00
112. How to Actually Retire from Farming: Financial Planning & Estate Essentials with Jessica Groff
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Did you know a staggering 80% of farmers don't plan to fully retire, creating huge risks for the farm and family. In this crucial succession episode, we're tackling the tough qu...
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53:51
111. Thinking Outside the Box: How a "Crunchy" Approach to Agronomy Can Boost Your Farm's ROI with Faith Pierson
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they "think outside the box" with special guest and agronomist, Faith Pearson. In this eye-opening conversation, Faith Pierso...
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57:39
110. Booty Slaps, Beef & Balance: A Candid Chat with Mary Pat's Husband, Josh
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this special episode, Mary Pat takes the host chair and brings on her husband, Josh, for a fun and lighthearted Q&A session. They pulled questions directly from listeners...
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52:22
109. How to Find Family Time When the Work is Never Done
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they dive into a conversation that’s close to the heart of every farm family: prioritizing family time amidst the never-endin...
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40:09
108. The Conversations That Will Save Your Farm Family's Future with Elaine Froese
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this powerful episode, hosts Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass are welcoming back a trusted expert in farm family dynamics, Elaine Froese. Elaine is a certified farm family coac...
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56:32
107. Weathering the Storms: Finding Faith & Resilience When Weather Rules the Farm
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, for an intentional conversation about a topic every farmer knows intimately: the weather. But this isn't just another weather re...
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44:35
106. The Safest Energy You're Scared Of: Unpacking Nuclear Power with Jena's Brother Joe
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this unique and enlightening episode, Jena is joined by a very special guest: her brother, Joe! Joe is a Navy veteran who served as a nuclear operator on an aircraft carrier ...
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1:18:28
105. So You Married a Farmer... Now What? Wisdom for New Wives (From Two Who've Been There)
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they take a candid look back at their very different journeys into becoming farm wives. From big city dreams to growing up on...
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50:32
104. Reducing the Chaos: Big Farm & Family Shifts for a Simpler Life
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, for a candid and inspiring conversation about making big, intentional changes to remove chaos and prioritize what truly matters....
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37:10
103. Summer Kick-Off: Navigating School's Out, Schedules, and Tips for Farm Wives with Kids at Home
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they officially kick off summer! With the kids now out of school, they dive into the joys and challenges of shifting family r...
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52:27
102. Post-Planting Pep Talk: Healing, Homeopathy & Finding Our Rhythm Again
Planting season is over! - Or is it?!?! In this candid and relatable episode, Jena and MP are keeping it real about feeling a bit under the weather, the shift in seasonal rhythms, and some interesting health and parenting nuggets they've ...
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42:00
101. The Power of Precision: How FieldView is Shaping Modern Farming with Tom Verseman (Sponsored by FieldView)
This episode of Beyond the Crops is brought to you by Climate FieldView. Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they sit down with Tom Verseman, ...
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58:35
100. It's Our 100th Episode! Celebrate With a Look Back
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they celebrate a huge milestone – the 100th episode of the podcast! It's also (nearly) their two-year anniversary, and...
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49:53
99. Planting Season Kick-Off: Farm Updates, Faith Reflections & Tallow News!
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, for a heartfelt chat recorded in a rare "sliver of time" just before Easter, as the planting season looms large. This episode bl...
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50:25
98. On-Farm Seed Treating with Ryan Sass
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they bring in a special guest – MP's husband Josh and brother in law, Ryan Sass. With planting season just around...
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45:26
97. Mindset Shifts To Help You Thrive During Planting Season
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where we bridge the gap between farm life and real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they gear up for the busy planting season. With spring break wrapping up and tractors potentially rol...
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35:16
96. Crunchy Agronomy for Healthier Soils and a Healthier You: A Beyond the Crops Special Interview with Crop Cast by BW Fusion
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where we bridge the gap between farm life and real life. Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, for a fun collaboration with the CropCast team from BW Fusion live from Commodity Classic 2025 in Denver...
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1:07:40
95. Surviving Storms, Power Outages, and Sketchy Facebook Marketplace Meet-ups
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, we're coming to you in survival mode....literally. Jena is recording in the dark on day 3 of a power outage from an intense midwest spring snowstorm. We cover what it looks like when the unexpected ...
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48:51
94. Beyond the Crops LIVE from Commodity Classic: The Evolution of Precision Ag
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Mary Pat and Jena are live from the Commodity Classic, interviewing Kendall from Case IH, and talking about new technology and the evolution of precision technology, followed by Alex from Case IH to discuss ...
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48:26
93. Our Commodity Classic Experience: New Tech, Insights, & More!
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Mary Pat and Jena give a recap of the Commodity Classic! Listen along and hear them talk about their experience and takeaways from the event.📌 What We Cover in This Episode:✅What each of the girls...
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38:43
Family Farm Succession: Navigating Sibling Dynamics, Land Transfer & Estate Planning ( Ep 91)
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat dive back into the important topic of succession planning with succession expert Ashlee Westerhold. They discuss what to consider when planning for the future of the farm, whether passing i...
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1:04:36