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
105 episodes
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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49:07
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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35:44
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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51:01
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Faith Over Fear: Focusing on What We Can Control ( Ep 90)
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, we’re tackling something that every farmer, rancher, and family faces—uncertainty. With markets, policies, weather, and world events constantly shifting, it’s easy to feel like everything is out of ...
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45:03
Harvest, Hogs & Hindsight: A Farm Couple’s Recap (Ep 89)
We’re bringing our husbands back to the podcast for a no-holds-barred conversation about the highs, lows, and lessons of the 2024 farming season. From harvest takeaways to hard-earned wisdom, we’re diving into what worked, what didn’t, and what...
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57:11
It's Us Again! Post-Holiday Farm Life on Beyond the Crops - (Ep 88)
We're BACK after a much-needed break, and we're ready to tell you all about it and what's been going on behind the scenes! On this episode of Beyond The Crops we're catching you up on ALL the things. recapping holiday stomach bugs, ...
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50:21
Our Testimonies and the True Meaning of Christmas (Ep 87)
In the midst of the holiday hustle, it’s easy to get swept up in the busyness and lose sight of what Christmas is truly about. In this episode, we’re pausing to refocus on the heart of the season—our Savior, Jesus Christ. Join us as we share ou...
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40:12
Jena's Health Journey and Dental Surgery Update (Ep 86)
Today on Beyond The Crops we are getting all the nitty gritty details of Jena's recent dental surgery and an update on her health journey. We cover everything from what led her down this path, to parasite cleanses, to cost, recovery, and more.<...
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1:00:48
How We Keep The Holidays Intentional + Holiday Gift Guide! (Ep 85)
Are you ready to transform your holiday season into a time of intention, connection, and joy? In this episode, we’re diving into meaningful gift-giving ideas that go beyond the material, focusing on thoughtful presents that foster connection, s...
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59:10
Harvest Highlights: Highs, Lows, and Lessons from the Field (Ep 84)
Harvest season is wrapping up, and we’re sitting down to share our reflections, wins, and lessons learned from the fields. And of course our favorite field meals of the season—think crockpot ribs, homemade rye bread Rubens, and Friday night ste...
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46:03
Best Advice From Our Farm Safety Series (Ep 83)
Welcome back to Beyond the Crops. Today we want to take a moment to thank each and every one of our guests who came on during our farm safety series. We've compiled the advice from each of our interviewees to share with you today.
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20:30
How to Get Through Tough Times on the Farm: Income Diversification Ways To Stay Resilient (Ep 82)
Join us for a special live episode of Beyond the Crops, recorded at Husker Harvest Days with FP Next podcast hosts Kurt Ahrens and Sarah McNaughton. In this live conversation, we dive into strategies for preparing farms for economic shifts, exp...
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33:05
Practical, Often Overlooked Farm Safety Tips from ER Nurse Katie Hammock (Ep 81)
Today, we’re bringing you a special interview sparked from a listener connection made in our DMs. Katie Hammock, an ER nurse and dairy farmer’s wife, reached out after tuning into our farm safety series, offering her insights as a farm safety e...
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57:47
80. Farm Safety is More Than Just a Checklist: Why Open Conversations About Complacency, Awareness, and Community Matter
Farm safety is more than just a checklist—it’s about protecting lives and fostering a culture of awareness in our communities. In this episode, Taylor Sjogren shares her personal story of her dad’s farm accident and why it’s so important to tal...
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55:11