Michelle Bufkin Horton works for Arkansas Cattleman association and also is involved in her husband’s family’s cow calf operation. Michelle and I have been friends for sometime now but recently she reached out to me and wanted to record a podcast on the importance of hobbies. Especially in the cattle industry, we both felt like producers will say that their cattle are their hobbies. We both wanted to challenge that and say that there needs to be something outside of the industry that you can imm...
Jun 28, 2021•Season 1Ep. 104
Andrea Paquette is the founder of Stigma Free Society, A Canadian non profit based out of Vancouver. We chat about Andrea’s history and how her journey with mental health lead her to found SFS. We also chat about SFS and Andrea’s newest project, the Rural Mental Wellness toolkit. We chat about the needs of the rural and agriculture communities across North America and how they need better mental health resources. This is the reason Rural Mental Wellness was born. I had a great time chatting with...
Jun 20, 2021•Season 1Ep. 103
I feel like diversity is a word that gets thrown around a lot without really getting down to its core meaning. Diversity should come in all forms. We should be willing to surround ourselves with people who think a little bit differently than us so we are not living in an echo chamber. Within agriculture, there is so much nuance and subtle differneces in the way we practice and how we operate in our individual lives that it should be celebrated... not used as a point of contention. I chat also ab...
Jun 14, 2021•Season 1Ep. 102
Today We welcome back our friend Sam Goldberg of Silo The Film. If you are following along, we chatted with Sam last year about Silo and the impact it had made in the time since its release. As many of you know so much has changed in the past year and we chat to Sam about how Silo and Sam have been affected this year. We also chat a little bit about a new project that Sam and his team have in the works dealing with the mental health side of agriculture. So excited for Sam and for all the new thi...
Jun 06, 2021•Season 1Ep. 101
Back to interview podcasts today. A few months ago, Elizabeth Lewan from American Psychological Association reached out to me regarding the impact COVID has had on America’s farmers. She put me in contact with Dr. Holly Roberts from the Psychology Department at University of Nebraska Medical Center. Holly and I chatted about her background in a farming community and how getting mental health care treatment into farming communities is often a challenge. We discuss that although COVID is a challen...
May 30, 2021•Season 1Ep. 100
Today I chat about my journey of running and how it has improved my overall health. I talk about my first half marathon and how it was likely where the idea for this podcast came about.
May 23, 2021•Season 1Ep. 99
“Boundaries are rules you create for how other people can behave toward you” - @melrobbinsAn overarching theme in all of the content I have been consuming lately is talking about boundariesNow I’m not sure if it’s like when you get a new car and all of a sudden you see that new car everywhere... but it has been showing up significantly nonethelessI believe it is essential to set boundaries around what is most important to you.To have boundaries, you must first set priorities and then set core va...
May 16, 2021•Season 1Ep. 98
We always talk about how busy we are… but I do think this is the busiest season of my entire life. Right now we have calving, baseball x 4 kids, a new business, and highly demanding church callings… and this silly little podcast that I release every week. This is all in addition to a 40 hour/week job at the hospital.Just whenever you don’t think you can add anything in… something else comes up. Whenever this happens, it’s really easy to get overwhelmed and only see the bad in a situation. I had ...
May 09, 2021•Season 1Ep. 97
Have you ever had someone come on to one of your social media pages and make outrageous claims about you and what you do? Unfortunately I had a situation like this pop up a few weeks ago. An animal activist came to my Instagram page and made some ridiculous comments. I made a video and posted it across my social media telling about this. My friend Markie Hageman reached out to me afterward and offerred her support. That prompted me to have Markie back on the podcast to talk about how to handle t...
May 02, 2021•Season 1Ep. 96
Veterinarians have a special place in my heart for lots of reasons. What some may know is I planned for a lot of years to be a veterinarian. But more so is the fact that I have relied for years on the expertise of vets to aid me in my cattle operation. My guest today is one of the best spokespersons for vets everywhere. Marissa Hake aka Calf Vet is a great advocate for both agriculture and veterinary medicine. We chat today about her journey as a vet. We then spend a good time talking about the ...
Apr 25, 2021•Season 1Ep. 95
Solo Episode today. There was an Instagram post a few months back where I did an introduction to new followers. In that intro, I included that I worked 40 hours a week as a pharmacist. You wouldn't believe how surprised I was to find out that many people who I interacted with often did not know that about me. I decided that I should make it a priority to include some professional information in the podcast. Today, I'm talking about how medications can be a very valuable tool in our mental health...
Apr 18, 2021•Season 1Ep. 94
Tammy Thielman is the owner of Town and Country Counseling in British Columbia. Tammy is a Registered Masters-Level Social Worker and Certified EMDR Therapist (EMDR-CT) who offers client-centered, holistic, compassionate support to children, youth, adults, and families. We talk to day about her unique approach to mental health care. We chat a bit about how we never consider how important it is for the provider to be comfortable in their practice. That is what Town & Country is all about. Pro...
Apr 11, 2021•Season 1Ep. 93
I’ve mentioned in previous episodes about my fascination with the Enneagram. It’s been very helpful in me being more self aware and in helping my marriage. Terryn Drieling is a self proclaimed Enneagram Nerd. She and her family live and work on a large ranch in the Sandhills of Nebraska. We talk about the Enneagram and how it can be helpful in our own personal development and in how we interact in relationships. Terryn will soon be launching a podcast of her own which is diving even deeper into ...
Apr 04, 2021•Season 1Ep. 92
Happy Easter! Some may have noticed my absence from social media this past week. In honor of Holy Week, I wanted to take the opportunity to make sacrifice in my life. That sacrifice was social media. I talk today about why I made the decision, and how it has impacted me this week. I love social media and love all the friends I have made as a result of being active on social media. However, I believe that a break from it all can be a great reset in our lives and an excellent, simple tactic to bet...
Apr 02, 2021•Season 1Ep. 91
Pharmacists are among some of the most accessible health care professionals, especially in a rural community. They are the place where so many who cannot get into a doctor come to for immediate help. My guest today, Rebecca Henry, knows this connection all too well. Rebecca, like me, is a cattle producer and a pharmacist in a rural community. Her and her husband live outside of Moulton, Alabama. We talk about the health challenges that are facing rural America, and how a pharmacist can play an i...
Mar 28, 2021•Season 1Ep. 90
Over the past couple of years, lots of things have changed around our home operation. One of the biggest things to change is how we handle our cattle when it comes time to work them. By instilling a few different tactics and attitudes, we have made working cattle a more positive, less stressful event at our place.
Mar 26, 2021•Season 1Ep. 89
Earlier this month, I was asked by MOST Policy Initiative to share my perspective and personal story on rural and ag mental health on a briefing to those involved in policy decisions at the Missouri state level. I shared my perspective on the three big pillars which are inhibiting access to rural mental health care: stigma, lack of mental health care providers, and sub par internet access in rural areas. I also discuss solutions to each of these issues. I want to thank Dr. Rachel Owen and Dr. El...
Mar 21, 2021•Season 1Ep. 88
Today's episode is not necessarily related to my farm or cattle operation but my relationship with money. I watched stories from Megan Teerlink this week and she expounded on an experience she had at Costco this week. We are always chasing money just to spend it as fast as it comes to us. What if there was another option. What if we created a new energy around money that we don't have to spend it as soon as we get it. Becoming more intentional with our money will help us create a more abundant m...
Mar 18, 2021•Season 1Ep. 87
Susan Harris is an extension educator with the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She specializes in rural health wellness and safety. Susan was actually guest on episode number four of the podcast where at the end of that episode we talked a little bit about the importance of sleep. Today we take a bit of a deeper dive into sleep and how it is important for us to pay attention to our sleep. Sleep should no longer be seen as a luxury but as a necessity. One edit here that I wanted to make sure to...
Mar 14, 2021•Season 1Ep. 86
I often think of things as a purist. I think that if someone is giving me valuable information that I should take it 100 percent to heart. If I don't, then I view myself as a failure. I came to the realization just recently that this frame of thinking just isn't correct. We can take even small pieces of the good information that we hear and apply it to ourlives and view it as a success. If we define success for ourselves then success is inevitable. More at https://agstateofmind.com/?p=1556
Mar 13, 2021•Season 1Ep. 85
Today we welcome back Kiah Twisselman. If you’re following along with the podcast we were introduced to Kiah on episode 38 of ASOM. She shared there her remarkable journey of losing over 100 lbs with no fad diets, no gym membership and no surgery! Just plain ok’d determination and mindset!! She returns today to discuss diet culture and how it often falls flat. We also talk a little bit about goals and mindset around them. It was so great to chat with Kiah again! To find Kiah online check her web...
Mar 07, 2021•Season 1Ep. 84
I had an experience changing out a busted pipe at one of my farms last weekend. I traditionally have not been a very good DIY guy. When something like this happens, I usually hire someone to come out and fix whatever issue I have. But something has changed in me over the last several years. I have found that I owe it to myself to take some responsibility and do the things that may scare me a bit. Being a lifelong learner is about humbling yourself and swallowing your pride. When you make a commi...
Mar 04, 2021•Season 1Ep. 83
Greetings and welcome to the Diamond episode of the Ag State of Mind Podcast. Thanks to everyone for an incredible run of episodes. Going Solo today to chat about Internal Vs. External validation. We worry so much about the validation from people outside of ourselves, but do we worry about the opinion we have of ourselves enough? If we aren't happy with ourselves, then no one else's opinions will matter. Special shout out to my coach Marinda Burt for the inspiration behind this message. Go check...
Feb 28, 2021•Season 1Ep. 82
It's February so that means it's time for our county fair steer projects to begin. This year is a bit different for us because we have 2 kids showing steers instead of just one. I talk today about what the county fair means to us and a little bit about the process.
Feb 25, 2021•Season 1Ep. 81
Pain is something that nearly everyone has experienced. Being involved in agriculture, often times this pain can be amplified. We are often times taught to hide or mask the pain when we instead should be taking measures to do something about it. Today we welcome back Tara Haskins from Agrisafe. We were introduced to Tara on episode 44 of the podcast. Agrisafe has an upcoming webinar that is focusing on talking to farmers about their pain. We then talk more in depth about pain and specifically ab...
Feb 21, 2021•Season 1Ep. 80
Greetings. Welcome to Beef Tips Volume 1. This is a new venture that I am trying out to hopefully reach a different audience with Ag State of Mind. I'm going to be focusing on the lessons I have learned on my cattle operation. Today, I'm focusing on my decision to move my calving season back until April. It has been a huge help in managing stress on our farm. I hope you all enjoy this. Please send me a DM on my social media pages to let me know what you think.
Feb 18, 2021•Season 1Ep. 79
Happy Valentines today. I've made it no secret how I am interested and trying to be involved in regenerative ranching. I've found that it is the most enjoyable and economical way for me to raise my cattle and for me to be kind to the Earth. My guest today is a huge influence in my regenerative journey. Brian Alexander, The Red Hills Rancher, does some incredible, influential things on his ranch in Kansas. We talk to him today about his journey and how regenerative grazing has benefited his opera...
Feb 14, 2021•Season 1Ep. 78
n our lives and our businesses, we often find ourselves making decisions based on emotion when we should be making those decisions based on hard evidence. What if there was someone out there who could help you work through those emotions to help you make the best decision. Whitney Kinne is a leadership and career coach who helps her clients do just that. We chat today about all of the hard decisions that need to be made in our careers and how having a neutral party in these aforementioned situat...
Feb 07, 2021•Season 1Ep. 77
Extreme focus on fitness and being involved in agriculture have not always gone hand in hand. I find that odd. However, there are several in the agriculture world who are doing their best to break that. Sami Bolen is a wife, mother, rancher, MU extension agent, among other things living in Southwest Missouri. She has an incredible passion for fitness that goes hand in hand with her passion for farming. We chat a bit about her journey and how she has taken steps to keep herself as fit as possible...
Jan 31, 2021•Season 1Ep. 76
Leah McGrath is a Registered Dietician currently employed in retail (supermarket) dietetics. We chat today about her journey and the interesting role she plays as a supermarket dietitian. This is something I didn’t really know existed until Leah and I chatted on the podcast. We then shift to talk about the important role advocacy plays in connecting producers and consumers. About how the disruption of the supply chain helped us see how important it is to understand where the products we use orig...
Jan 24, 2021•Season 1Ep. 75
