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Episode Summary This week I'm bringing on a guy I've been wanting to get on ever since we crossed paths at a friend's field day. Zach Smith, known across the ag world as The Stock Cropper, is a fifth generation Iowa farmer who has spent the last decade doing things most people in his area thought were flat out crazy. If you've been thinking about trying something new, this one's for you. And if you're already in it and just keep getting knocked down, this one's really for you. In part one, we cover Zach's background from ag retail to taking over the family farm to stumbling into strip intercropping and eventually co-creating what became the Stock Cropper system. We talk about how the unconventional path has almost always led to the best outcomes in his life, how a conversation on Twitter in February 2020 led to the Cluster Cluck 5000 and why the number one return from the Stock Cropper experiment wasn't the yield records at Precision Planting. It was the people. Come back for part two that drops next week! In this week's episode with Zach: The unconventional path is usually where the best opportunities are hiding Going out into the world before coming back to the farm gave Zach a perspective and network he couldn't have built any other way Take chances relative to where you're at in life so you don't out-kick your coverage What other people are doing is not the only truth in the world Finding one other person willing to try something different can completely change your trajectory The closer you get to where you're supposed to go, the stronger the resistance gets Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Zach: Follow on X here Follow on Instagram here Follow on Facebook here Follow on TikTok here Follow on YouTube here Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary Is bigger better? Or does bigger just mean more risk? That question showed up on X a while back wrapped in a phrase that got a lot of pushback: the only way out of debt is to grow your way out of it. I've got thoughts on that. Strong ones. Because we lived it. In this episode I get honest about our own expansion story. Building the hoop building in 2016, doubling the cow herd, then adding a third group of cattle when we were already under financial pressure. We thought we could spread those fixed costs across more units and somehow come out ahead. We couldn't. And it actually sped up some of the hardest decisions we've ever had to make. I'm not anti-growth. I want to be clear about that. But I am very much for being intentional about how you grow, when you grow and why. Because that farmer mindset of just add more, divide the costs over more units and everything pencils out. That's not a business plan. That's a feeling. This episode is about knowing the difference between direct and indirect costs, understanding where your operation actually stands before you take on something new and asking the hard questions before you sign anything. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary Would your future self recommend the circles you're currently in or think you could do better? This episode came straight from a weekend in Kansas City at the Singular Agronomics dealer conference. Being in a room full of the right people who are genuinely curious, open-minded and willing to try new things was a good reminder of just how much the circles you're in shape who you become. Not just the five closest people to you, but the outer circles too. The rooms you put yourself in. The conversations you choose to have. I talk about the difference between being present in a room and actually showing up for the people in it. I share a quality I deeply admire in someone I got to spend time with, the ability to make you feel like the conversation you're having is the most important one in the room. And I challenge myself and you to be that person more often. This one is a little shorter, but there's a lot of take home value, especially if you tend to stick to yourself at events or if you've ever walked out of a networking opportunity wondering if it was worth your time. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary I'm back with Doug Ferguson, Mr. Cattlemaster, for part two of this conversation. If you haven't heard part one yet, go back and listen. Doug shares his background, how sell-buy marketing works and more. This week we get into what actually keeps people from implementing sell-buy marketing after the school. We talk about the difference between being interested and being committed, and what it really takes to push through when motivation fades. Doug opens up about his sobriety journey and how quitting drinking created a quantum leap in his business, his relationships and his ability to focus. We swap some stories about the pens from hell that you never forget and why those hard years are actually the ones that made the most impression. Doug also shares some practical advice for anyone sitting on the fence about attending a sell-buy school: start tracking your costs right now, before anything else. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Doug: Follow on Facebook - Mr. Cattlemaster  Follow on Youtube - Mrcattlemaster1  Learn more about Mr. Cattlemaster on his website here!  Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary This week I'm Doug Ferguson, Mr. Cattlemaster, to the podcast! He is one of the most unique thinkers in the cattle industry and this conversation did not disappoint. Doug teaches sell-buy marketing, a strategy that flips the traditional buy-sell approach. Instead of buying cattle and hoping the market cooperates on the back end, you capture your profit on the buy and that one shift changes everything about how you operate, how you make decisions and how you handle the emotional rollercoaster of the cattle market. In part one of this two-part episode, we talk about how Doug got started, including the $7,000 he spent on 18 calves nobody wanted and how sell-buy marketing has allowed him to build a seven-figure cattle business over time. We also get into the double-binding messages the cattle industry sends itself, why knowing your numbers is the foundation of everything and what it actually looks like to stay disciplined in the sale barn when the auctioneer is doing their job and your hands are shaking. Part two drops next week. Don't miss it. In this week's episode with Doug Ferguson: Sell-buy marketing flips the script: you capture your profit on the buy, not the sell Revenue feeds the ego, profits feed the family: focus on what actually goes home Most cattle producers aren't tracking their true expenses and their guesses are way off Build a fudge factor into your cost calculations so unexpected problems don't become crises A hyper mind cannot control a hyper body, emotions cost you money in the sale barn Know your numbers, build your barn card, stick to it There's tuition to be paid in any business, the goal is to learn from it and keep going Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Doug: Follow on Facebook - Mr. Cattlemaster Follow on Youtube - Mrcattlemaster1 Learn more about Mr. Cattlemaster on his website here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary This is part two of my audio field day series. Last week we walked through the strip crop trial. This week I'm taking you through the rest of what we've been doing on our farm this year: small grains, non-GMO corn, twin row cover crops, cover crop management in front of corn and beans and our reduced nitrogen trial. As I said last episode, I'm not a researcher. I'm a farmer trying things, watching what happens and sharing what I see. Some of it's working great. Some of it's a work in progress. And a few things flat out surprised me when I went back and looked at the numbers. But that's the whole point, learning as we go and hoping the conversation goes both directions. If you're considering any of these practices on your own operation or you've got thoughts on what we could be doing differently, I genuinely want to hear from you. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary When's the last time you went to somebody else's farm and just tried to learn something? Field days are one of the most underrated things in agriculture and this episode is my version of one. Nothing fancy or formal, just me walking you through what we're actually doing on our farm this year and what we've learned along the way. Before we get into it, I share a thought that's been on my mind heading into field day season: we tend to over-expect what we're going to get out of events like these. We walk in expecting to be blown away and walk out disappointed. The reality is if you pick up just one thing, one idea that makes you curious enough to learn more, that's a high ROT on your time. That's the bar. This episode is part one of an ongoing audio field day series. Today I'm walking through our strip crop trial: eight rows of corn, eight rows of beans, 20-foot strips, lots of trial and error and a few things I'd do differently next time. I talk through how we set up the planter, how we handled weed control and fertility across two different crops in the same field, and what harvest is going to look like this fall. Thanks for tagging along for this one and be sure to listen in on part 2 in the next episode! Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary We took our family for a little staycation last weekend and somewhere between baiting hooks, untangling fishing lines and watching the boys get excited every time they got a bite, I started thinking about some things a little differently. Turns out fishing is basically a masterclass in business and life. And in this episode, I share eight lessons that hit me while I was out there on the water with the kids. Things that are simple on the surface but run a lot deeper when you start thinking about where you are right now, what you're chasing and whether you're even watching your own bobber. There's a lot in this one worth sitting with, especially if you've been out there casting lines day after day without catching much lately. Key takeaways from this week's episode: The right time and place matters but chasing it can become its own distraction Passion doesn't equal success but it does build the resilience to keep going when things get hard You're not always going to catch something, that's life but it's not a reason to quit When the line gets tangled, untangle it: problem solvers stay in the game longer Watch your own bobber: stop focusing on what everyone else is catching so you don't miss your own bites Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary If you're struggling with feeling like things are constantly out of your control, it might be because your day is filled with things that are literally out of your control. For most of us, our days are stacked top to bottom with chaos, fires to put out and things that are just out of our hands. And when that's all your day is made of, it's no wonder we end up burned out, run down and losing the enjoyment of the life we've worked so hard to build. I share a story from a season when my dad was laid up post-harvest and everything fell on my shoulders and what that kind of running and gunning eventually costs you. I also share what I've found actually works to take back some control, even in the busiest seasons. It just requires five minutes you give to yourself instead of five minutes the day takes from you. In this week's episode on control: Body and being are the two areas you can actually control: start there You don't need a slower season to start, you need five minutes for yourself Starting the day with something in your control sets the tone for everything that follows What's the alternative if you don't take something back for yourself? Small habits compound: a five-minute walk can grow into something that genuinely changes your days Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary Unless you change the mind, you won't change the results. The the phrase that sets the tone for this episode came straight from a cattle marketing school I attended with Doug Ferguson, Mr. Cattlemaster. I went to learn sell-buy marketing. What I didn't expect was to spend the first half of a two-day class talking about paradigms, commitment, fear of success and why most of us wish positive but expect negative. I share my honest takeaways from the school: the mindset principles underneath the marketing tactics that apply whether you're running cows, raising row crops or just trying to build a better business. I talk about how our current paradigms shape everything we do, how I came to terms with my own paradigm around the cow-calf sector and why revenue feeds the ego while profit feeds the family. This one is part mindset, part business fundamentals and entirely worth your time in the tractor. Key mindset takeaways from the marketing school I attended: Your paradigm is the lens you see the world through and it's dictating the results you're getting right now Commitment means deciding the price is worth paying for the goal to be achieved, not just being interested New levels bring new devils: accept that and you build a resilient mindset Revenue feeds the ego, profits feed the family: which one are you chasing? Know your costs, deal with today and control what you can Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary We're over halfway through the year, halfway through the growing season and right about at that point where things feel just a little less chaotic than they did a month ago. And that moment, the pocket between the busy seasons, is exactly what this episode is about. As business owners, farmers and parents, we spend a lot of time just trying to figure out where our time is best spent. This episode gives you a framework for that. Three buckets: the day-to-day tasks that keep everything alive, the catching up on things that fell through the cracks, and the proactive work that actually gets you ahead. Most of us live in bucket one. Some of us occasionally make it to bucket two. Very few of us spend enough time in bucket three and that's where the real difference is made. Key takeaways from this week's episode: There are three buckets for your time: day-to-day, catching up, and preparing ahead. Know which one you're in. Important versus urgent is still the most useful framework for deciding where your time goes Catching billing errors, updating books and checking in with key relationships doesn't always seem like a priority but they're worth your time A smooth busy season isn't luck, it's preparation Comparison is the thief of peace and joy, stop measuring yourself against others What's important almost always aligns with your long-term goals, what's urgent almost never does Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary Last week I talked about scarcity. What it is, what it steals from you and why it hits hardest when you're already vulnerable. This week, we flip it. This episode is about what becomes possible when you shift from a never enough mindset to one that actually believes there is enough. Not by ignoring reality. Not by pretending the challenges aren't real. But by choosing to see them differently. I talk about the difference between being optimistic and being oblivious because those aren't the same thing. The input costs are real. The weather is real. The bills are real. We're not pretending otherwise. But we can choose to see every problem as an opportunity to win instead of just another thing beating us down. I also get into some practical ways to actually live in that abundance mindset, including a phrase I come back to almost every day that has brought me more peace than just about anything else. Because at the end of the day, the mindset is one of the few things we can actually control. And if we don't like the results we're getting, that's where we start. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary The truck needs tires again. You just got done taking the sprayer to the shop. The wife wants to go on vacation. Five Target boxes showed up. And somehow it all hits at once. Those little things have a way of compounding fast. And when they do, it's easy to get sucked into a spiral that's a lot harder to climb out of than it was to fall into. In this episode, I get into the scarcity mindset, what it actually is, what it steals from you, and why it tends to hit the hardest right when you're already the most vulnerable. I also talk about the patterns we don't recognize until we're already at the bottom of the wave, why we never give ourselves enough credit for the seasons we've already made it through, and what it actually takes to break the cycle and get back to abundance. In this week's episode on scarcity: Scarcity steals two things above everything else: peace and progress It always hits hardest when you're already vulnerable Comparing yourself to others while you're already in a scarcity spiral makes it worse Pattern recognition is the key to not staying trapped at the bottom of the wave Action kills scarcity: even one small thing moves the needle Define what success actually looks like for you, or you'll never feel like you have enough Your thoughts dictate the results you get, if you don't like the results, change the thoughts Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary You pull up the marketing app and there it is again, corn down another six cents. Fifty cents off the highs in just a couple of weeks. That sinking feeling sets in and all the coulda shoulda woulda stories start running through your head. This episode came straight from a text I got from a client: "Corn really took a hit. It makes it a really big challenge to create new crop sales." I felt that one. So instead of trying to give him an answer I don't have, I started asking questions. The same ones I had to ask myself. Have you sold any? Why or why not? And the big one we always come back to with our marketing advisor: what scares you more, locking it in and missing the top or not selling and staying exposed to the bottom? This episode isn't about predicting where corn is headed. It's about understanding how you make decisions in the first place so you can make better ones when the next opportunity comes around. Because there's no universal right answer here, just the one that fits your risk tolerance, your operation and the decision that's actually going to let you sleep at night. In this week's episode on making marketing decisions: Ask yourself the real reason why you haven't sold? What scares you more: missing the top, or being exposed to the bottom? There's no right or wrong risk tolerance, just the one that's actually yours Better decisions come from understanding how you decide, not from predicting the market Removing emotion is the first step to building a real marketing plan Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary Are you treating your cost of money like every other input on your farm? Because that's the question I had to ask myself recently. We're in the middle of a land deal and I had to decide whether or not to tell our banker we were shopping around with FSA and Farm Credit for a better rate. Sounds simple but it wasn't. All the usual stories ran through my head, what if he takes it personally, what if it damages the relationship, what if there's repercussions down the road? In this episode, I walk through it.The resistance I felt, the conversation I actually had with my banker, and what happened when I just told him the truth. I also get into why most farmers never shop around for interest, even though we'll spend hours chasing a better deal on seed or fertilizer. The short answer: it's uncomfortable, and we feel powerless to the bank. But here's the reframe: interest is deductible, just like every other input. And your banker is a salesman. The bank sells loans. If you don't treat your cost of money the way you treat every other expense on your operation, you're leaving real dollars on the table. In this week's episode on interest rates: Interest is just another input, treat it like seed, fertilizer, or equipment Most farmers settle for "take what we can get" instead of asking what's actually possible Feeling powerless to the bank is common but it's not the full picture Being honest about shopping around didn't damage the relationship, it led to a better deal Good business owners keep their financial info organized so opportunities are easy to act on Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!