What does it take to navigate the complicated world of agriculture, and what challenges are facing the next generation of farmers and ranchers?

In this episode, Mary and Leah welcome Becky McTaggart of Agricultural Resources Consulting to talk about wetland and highly erodible land determinations, USDA programs, and the roles of the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Becky explains why the paperwork and requirements connected to agricultural assistance can be complicated, why land and water are such significant barriers for young people entering agriculture, and why stewardship matters to producers of every size.

The conversation also explores the growing disconnect between consumers and where their food comes from, the role of community gardens and urban agriculture, and some ideas for reconnecting people with the land and food production.

Along the way, Mary, Leah and Becky talk about the women who quietly help hold agricultural families and operations together.

It is a thoughtful conversation about agriculture, stewardship, food systems, and finding ways to keep the next generation connected to the land.

Find Becky: Visit growscorn.com to learn more about Agricultural Resources Consulting and get in touch with Becky.

What if an ordinary life is actually an extraordinary one?

In this episode of Grit and Grace in the Heartland, Mary and Leah sit down with author Gretchen A. Carlson, whose life has included farming, ministry, quilting, teaching, and writing historical fiction.

Gretchen shares the story behind her books More Than Grit and I Be Brave, both inspired by her family's history and the strength of ordinary people who step up to help others.

The conversation touches on farming, rural life, family stories, community, friendship, faith, aging, and the importance of passing skills and wisdom from one generation to the next.

Gretchen also talks about learning from the women who have shaped her life, why community matters so much, and why she believes there is no such thing as an ordinary person.

This is a heartfelt conversation about remembering where we came from, sharing what we know, building friendships, and recognizing the impact we can have simply by showing up.

In this episode:

• Gretchen's years farming in Colorado
• The women who taught her important skills
• The inspiration behind More Than Grit
• The story of rural electrification in 1939
• Her second book, I Be Brave
• Why ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference
• Preserving family stories and history
• Friendship and community at every stage of life
• Why women need one another
• The importance of sharing our own stories

Gretchen is generously giving one listener a copy of More Than Grit. Listen to the episode for details on how to enter.

Find Gretchen's books on Amazon and learn more about her work at GretchenCarlson.com.

And remember: there is no such thing as an ordinary person.

What happens when you combine pumpkins, livestock, family, and a whole lot of entrepreneurial spirit?

Mary and Leah welcome Crystal, owner of Pumpkins, Pets and Pals in southwest North Dakota. Now in its fourth year, Crystal's pumpkin patch has grown into a family-friendly destination where visitors can pick pumpkins, enjoy a petting zoo, explore a corn maze, ride the barrel train, play in the corn box, and even try a 250-foot zip line.

Crystal shares what it has been like to build the business from the ground up while also running a ranch with cattle and sheep and raising four daughters. She talks honestly about the challenges of growing pumpkins in a dry year, learning through experience, using social media to promote the business, and figuring out how to make an agritourism venture work alongside the rest of the family operation.

The conversation also highlights something especially important to Mary and Leah: giving children opportunities to experience agriculture firsthand.

Crystal welcomes school groups to the pumpkin patch and uses those visits to teach kids about pumpkins, corn, sheep, and where some of the things we use every day come from. She also talks about keeping the experience affordable for families.

It's a fun conversation about agriculture, entrepreneurship, family, community, and creating something special right where you live.

In this episode:

• Starting and growing a pumpkin patch
• Building an agritourism business on a family ranch
• Growing pumpkins in dry conditions
• Learning through trial and error
• School field trips and agricultural education
• Pumpkins, livestock, alpacas, goats and a petting zoo
• Creating affordable family experiences
• Social media and old-fashioned promotion
• The challenges of making a new business profitable
• Supporting locally owned businesses
• Crystal's plans for growing Pumpkins, Pets and Pals

Find Pumpkins, Pets and Pals on Facebook for seasonal updates and information about visiting the pumpkin patch.

Find Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women in Agriculture at gritandgraceintheheartland.com.

As summer winds down, Mary and Leah look ahead to fall, the holidays, and the importance of supporting small businesses and rural communities.

In this episode, they welcome Kara from Inspiration Acres Christmas Trees and Gift Market in Wisconsin. Kara shares the story of how she and her sister started their Christmas tree business during the pandemic, eventually purchasing an established Christmas tree farm.

They talk about what goes into growing a Christmas tree, why it can take seven to ten years to bring a tree to market, which varieties have the best fragrance, and why real Christmas trees continue to hold such a special place in family traditions.

Kara also shares practical tips for caring for a real Christmas tree, creative ways to reuse a tree after the holidays, and how Inspiration Acres is creating an experience around Christmas trees through wreath and porch pot classes.

Mary and Leah also talk about shopping locally, making meaningful Christmas memories without spending a fortune, and how our purchasing choices can help strengthen the communities around us.

It is a warm conversation about agriculture, entrepreneurship, tradition, family, and finding a little joy in a busy season.

Find Inspiration Acres: inspirationacreswi.com Facebook and Instagram: Inspiration Acres Christmas Trees and Gift Market

Find Grit and Grace in the Heartland: gritandgraceintheheartland.com

Have a woman in agriculture with a story to share? Mary and Leah are looking for guests!

In this episode of Grit and Grace in the Heartland, Mary and Leah reflect on the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001 and the lasting impact that day had on their lives and on America.

They share their very personal memories of 9/11, including where they were when they heard the news, their concerns for family and friends, and the uncertainty that followed. They also remember something they believe was especially meaningful in the days immediately afterward: Americans taking care of one another.

From farmers showing extraordinary kindness at a farm show to strangers stopping to help with a flat tire, Mary and Leah talk about the compassion, courage and sense of community they witnessed.

The conversation also explores how much has changed since 9/11, including airport security, technology, political division and the growing concern about desensitization to violence.

Their message is simple but powerful: practice empathy. Help your neighbor. Serve your community. Do something good.

As Mary and Leah say, the heart of the podcast is really about being the good you want to see in the world, one act at a time.

Find Mary and Leah at gritandgraceintheheartland.com.

Mary and Leah welcome Emily O'Byrne, also known as Housewife in the Good Life, from Southwest Nebraska.

Emily shares what life is like as a ranch wife, mom of five, writer, artist, and advocate for women. We talk about ranching through drought, the importance of rotational grazing, a frightening hay fire, and what it means to find your place in agriculture even when you are not the person driving the tractor or working cattle every day.

Emily also opens up about breastfeeding, food intolerances, motherhood, and the importance of women supporting other women through the challenges of raising babies.

And because Emily is an artist at heart, we talk about creativity, paint parties, canning, preserving, learning from older generations, and why having interests beyond your work is so important.

This conversation is a wonderful reminder that agriculture is about much more than a job. It is about family, partnership, community, creativity, resilience, and knowing that you have value in many different roles.

Find Emily: Housewife and the Good Life on Facebook

Find Grit and Grace in the Heartland: gritandgraceintheheartland.com Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women in Agriculture on Facebook

Thanks for listening, and until next time, have some grit and grace!

Mary and Leah talk about a big week of transitions, from sending a daughter off to college to getting the cattle home from pasture.

Then the conversation turns to beef, food prices, imports, and what consumers really know about where their food comes from. Leah shares her perspective from inside the cattle industry and explains why the current conversation around beef prices, Mexican cattle imports, labeling, and the shrinking American cattle herd is so complicated.

They also dig into food literacy, supporting local farmers and ranchers, and why relationships with the people who produce our food still matter.

And, as always, the conversation goes a little deeper. What do we actually need to live well? Maybe it is less stuff, more connection, good nutrition, rest, and a stronger connection to the people who help feed us.

This episode is a thoughtful conversation about food, agriculture, consumer choices, and what it means to take more responsibility for the food we put on our tables.

Find Mary and Leah at Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women in Agriculture.