Beyond The Crops

Latest Episodes:

126. A Raw Talk on Harvest Pressure & Giving Yourself Grace Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Cops, where farm life meets real life! In this raw and relatable harvest season check-in, Jena and Mary Pat get real about what it's like to navigate the busiest time of year when life throws you curveballs. Mary Pat opens up about feeling defeated after another vertigo episode sidelines her from the field, leading to a heartfelt conversation about self-preservation, giving yourself grace, and the pressures we put on ourselves. From harvest updates and homeschool realities to field meal ideas and tips for staying sane, this episode is a perfect front-porch chat for anyone in the thick of it.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ Harvest Updates (and Breakdowns)
✅ The Pressure to Push Through
✅ Homeschooling Through Harvest
✅ Staying Organized Amid the Chaos
✅ Field Meal Favorites & Ideas

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Give yourself grace to rest. Your health and well-being are more important than one more pass in the field. Listening to your body isn't a weakness; it's a necessity for long-term endurance.
✨ Busy seasons require flexible routines. Whether it's homeschooling or a traditional school schedule, having a morning anchor point can bring calm to the chaos, but be prepared to adapt as the season demands.
✨ It's okay to not be okay. Harvest is a high-stress season. It's normal to feel defeated, overwhelmed, and emotional. Acknowledge your feelings and lean on your support system.
✨ Decluttering creates calm. An organized space can significantly reduce mental stress. If your house feels constantly chaotic, it might be a sign you still have too much stuff.
✨ You are your child's best teacher in perseverance. How you handle breakdowns, setbacks, and challenges on the farm is a powerful lesson for your kids on how to work hard and push through difficulties.

🙌 Join the Conversation!
We’d love to hear a cherished memory you have of your grandmother. Share a story with us on Instagram and tag @beyondthecrops_. And if you have a question or a story to share, don't forget you can leave us a message on our new voicemail line! The link is in our show notes.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Ready for Jena's secret weapons for rave-reviewed field meals? Grab the amazing, farm-grown 3 Farm Daughters pasta (use her code JENA for a discount!) and the Half Baked Harvest: Super Simple cookbook, which is a total steal on Amazon right now!

Ready to trade the comparison trap for a daily dose of gratitude? Grab The Five Minute Journal we both swear by!

This episode of Beyond the Crops is brought to you by Beck's Hybrids. As farmers, we pour so much trust into every decision. That's why we're proud to partner with Beck's Hybrids, a company built on faith, family, and a love for agriculture since 1937. Learn more at beckshybrids.com.

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125. Breaking Free from Comparison: Finding Alignment in Your Farm Life Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Cops, where farm life meets real life! In this insightful and highly relatable episode, Jena and Mary Pat are tackling a thief that steals joy and paralyzes progress: comparison. After a quick harvest update filled with rain delays and breakdowns, they dive deep into why we compare, how it shows up in the ag world, and the practical, powerful steps you can take to break free. From social media pressures to finding your unique role on the farm, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone ready to stop looking sideways and start moving forward.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ The Roots of Comparison in Ag
✅ Looking Beyond the Highlight Reel
✅ Finding Freedom in Your Role
✅ Practical Ways to Combat Comparison:
* Finding Your Alignment
* Keeping an Open Hand
* The Power of Gratitude
* Limiting Your Scroll
* Asking the Right Questions

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Comparison paralyzes you; it doesn't propel you forward. When you're constantly looking sideways at what others are doing, you can't see the path God has laid out right in front of you.
✨ If you're struggling with comparison, check your alignment. Often, intense feelings of comparison are a sign that you're not living in the role or season that truly fills your cup. Use it as a signal to reflect on what you really want.
✨ Gratitude is the antidote to comparison. Intentionally practicing gratitude, especially by physically writing it down, retrains your brain and guards your peace against the thief of comparison.
✨ Everyone has an unseen story. You never know the full picture of someone else's life, including the sacrifices, stress, and struggles behind their success. Focus on your own journey.
✨ God's plan for you is unique. He gave you specific gifts for your family and your farm for a reason. Embrace your unique role and trust the path He has for you (Galatians 6:4-5).

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Ready to trade the comparison trap for a daily dose of gratitude? Grab The Five Minute Journal we both swear by!

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#Comparison #MentalHealth #FarmLife #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #Gratitude #ChristianPodcast #FarmWife #WomenInAg #Mindset #Sponsored

124. Wisdom from a Matriarch: A Conversation with Glendia Beck of Beck's Hybrids Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this truly special episode, Jena and Mary Pat are honored to sit down with a woman whose life is woven into the very fabric of agricultural legacy: Glendia Beck. As the wife of CEO Sonny Beck and a pivotal figure in the Beck's Hybrids story, Glendia shares a lifetime of wisdom, from the hilarious story of how she and Sonny really met (it started in the womb!) to the foundational principles that have guided their family and business for generations. This is a conversation brimming with heartfelt advice, timeless values, and inspiring stories you won't want to miss.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ Meet Glendia Beck
✅ The Early Days of Beck's Hybrids
✅ Foundational Philosophies
✅ The #1 Rule for Family Businesses
✅ Timeless Advice for Young Farm Wives
✅ Faith, Trials, and Perseverance
✅ The Heart of the Beck Family
✅ Letting Kids Learn the Hard Way

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Work for someone else first. This simple rule can be a game-changer for family businesses, teaching the next generation invaluable lessons about work ethic, perspective, and gratitude for their own family's operation.
✨ Support your spouse, especially when it's hard. In a farming marriage, your support during breakdowns, bad weather, and long hours is the glue that holds everything together. Choose encouragement over complaining.
✨ Your attitude is one of the few things you can control. You can't control the weather or equipment failures, but you can control your mindset. Trusting in God and focusing on the positive builds resilience through any trial.
✨ A legacy is built on service, not just sales. The Beck's philosophy of "helping farmers succeed" is a powerful reminder that when you pour into others, success will follow.

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123: The Grandmas We Lost This Summer: A Tribute to the Matriarchs Who Shaped Us Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life. In this special and deeply personal episode, Jena and Mary Pat take a moment to pause amidst the harvest rush to honor the incredible women who shaped them. Between the two of them, they lost three beloved grandmothers this past summer, all of whom had deep roots in agriculture. Join them for a heartfelt conversation as they share cherished memories, funny stories, and the timeless values passed down from their family matriarchs.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ A Prayer for Harvest
✅ Harvest Updates
✅ Honoring Three Grandmas
* Jena's Grandma Charlotte
* Mary Pat's Grandma Marilyn ("Mandy")
* Jena's Grandma Triva
✅ Cherished Memories & Funny Stories
✅ The Values They Passed Down
✅ Grieving with Hope

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Grandmothers are the keepers of legacy. They hold the family stories, the classic recipes, and the timeless wisdom that shapes future generations.
✨ The most cherished memories are often the simplest ones. A shared project in the kitchen, a special trip, or a funny, frugal habit can become a story told for years to come.
✨ Faith provides peace in loss. Grieving is a natural and necessary part of life, but having the hope of heaven provides a deep and abiding comfort.
✨ If your grandma is still with you, call her. Cherish the time you have with the matriarchs in your life. Their presence is a precious gift.

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#HonoringGrandmothers #FarmLegacy #FamilyHistory #GriefAndHope #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #FarmWife #Harvest #Matriarchs #Sponsored

122. The Long Road to Answers: Mary Pat's Vertigo Journey Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this deeply personal and highly-requested episode, Jena and Mary Pat get vulnerable about health. With Jena on the mend from a severe illness during the peak of harvest, the stage is set for a raw conversation about navigating health challenges during the busiest seasons. Mary Pat takes the lead, opening up in detail for the first time about her frustrating, months-long battle with vertigo. From the first dizzy spell in a Walmart aisle to a winding journey through different doctors and treatments, she shares the whole story—the setbacks, the surprising discoveries, and the small wins that are bringing her closer to finding answers.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ Harvest & Health Problems Don't Mix
✅ Mary Pat's Vertigo Journey
✅ The Search for Answers - A Winding Road
✅ Taking Action & Finding Relief
✅ Setbacks & Next Steps

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Be your own biggest advocate. If you feel like something is wrong and you aren't getting answers, don't stop searching. Seek second opinions, find functional medicine providers, and ask for comprehensive testing.
✨ Understand "optimal" vs. "normal." The standard "normal" range on a lab report reflects an often-unhealthy average population. Aim for optimal levels to truly thrive, not just survive.
✨ Healing is not linear. The path to wellness is full of twists, turns, progress, and setbacks. Don't get discouraged; every step, even the ones that don't "work," provides valuable information.
✨ Your body is a connected system. A mysterious issue like vertigo can be linked to seemingly unrelated things like gut health, hormones, neck tension, or even dental issues. Look at the whole picture.
✨ Don't underestimate the power of support. Whether it's a spouse doing dishes after a long day or a father-in-law folding laundry, having a village to lean on during health crises is invaluable.

🙌 Join the Conversation!
We’d love to hear from you! Have you ever had to navigate a frustrating health journey? What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone who feels like they aren't being heard by their doctor? Share your thoughts, or leave a question for Mary Pat, on our new voicemail line! The link is in our show notes. Tag us @beyondthecrops_.

#Vertigo #HealthJourney #FunctionalMedicine #WomensHealth #HormoneHealth #MTHFR #AdvocateForYourself #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #FarmWife #Harvest #Sponsored

🙌 Join the Conversation!
We're so excited to launch our new voicemail line! Have a question, a story to share, or a topic suggestion for a future episode? Leave us a message and you might hear it on the show! The link is in our show notes and on our Instagram profile. And, as always, you can connect with us by tagging @beyondthecrops_.

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121. Finding Calm in the Harvest Chaos Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Harvest is officially underway, and your hosts Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass are diving into the beautiful chaos of the season. This episode is a classic catch-up, blending real-time harvest updates with life-at-home adventures, listener voicemails, and some heartfelt encouragement for navigating heavy times with grace.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ Harvest Has Begun!
✅ Homeschooling Update
✅ School Life & Potty Training
✅ Listener Voicemails!
✅ Harvest Meals & Treats
✅ Things We're Loving Lately
✅ A Dose of Encouragement

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Harvest is predictably unpredictable. Breakdowns, weather threats, and schedule shifts are part of the deal. The key is to roll with it and find your rhythm.
✨ Lean into what works for your family. Whether it's pivoting your homeschool curriculum or finding ways to be present at your child's school, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting.
✨ Simple things bring the most joy. A good meal, a quick workout, a funny kid moment, or a healthy treat can be the small wins that get you through a demanding season.
✨ Everyone is fighting an unseen battle. Leading with kindness, grace, and compassion is more important than ever.
✨ Take it one step at a time. When life feels overwhelming, focus on the next small step. God is close to the brokenhearted and will give you the strength you need for each moment.

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#Harvest22 #FarmLife #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #FarmWife #HarvestMeals #HomeschoolingLife #PottyTraining #FarmKids #PelotonMoms #ListenerMail #KindnessMatters #Sponsored

120. Revival is Here: Finding Boldness When the World is Broken Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life. In this somber but hopeful episode, Jena and Mary Pat set aside their planned topic to speak from the heart about what’s been weighing on them. Opening with a heartfelt prayer, they dive into a candid conversation about navigating a world heavy with tragedy, the spiritual battles we all face, and the unwavering hope found in the Gospel. This isn't just a podcast episode; it's a front-porch chat about faith, conviction, and the urgent call for Christians to be a light in the darkness.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ A Prayer for a Heavy World
✅ Processing Tragedy in a Digital Age
✅ The Gospel is Simple
✅ Finding Hope Amidst Grief
✅ A Wake-Up Call for Lukewarm Christians
✅ Starting Revival at Home
✅ The ABCs of Christianity

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ In a dark world, the Gospel is our hope. While we grieve tragedy, as Christians, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Our focus is not just on life and death, but on eternity.
✨ Be a discerning consumer of media. The devil thrives on division. Seek the full context, check your heart, and don't fall for out-of-context narratives designed to make you hate others.
✨ Salvation is a gift, not a wage. The message of the Gospel is that the work is "done." It's not about what we do to earn our way to heaven, but about accepting the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
✨ This is a wake-up call to be bold. The world needs the light of Jesus now more than ever. This is not the time for lukewarm faith; it is a time to stand firm and share the truth with love and conviction.
✨ Revival starts in your home. The most powerful way to change the world is by discipling your children, praying with them, and building a foundation of unwavering faith within your family.

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#FaithAndFarming #ChristianPodcast #TheGospel #Revival #HopeInDarkness #BeBold #LukewarmChristianity #SpiritualWarfare #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #FarmWife #Sponsored

119. More Than an Event: Why Community Matters for Farm Wives + Case IH Interview Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life. In this heartfelt and candid episode, Jena and Mary Pat take a moment to pause and reflect. Jena opens with a powerful prayer for a world heavy with tragedy, setting the stage for a conversation about finding hope, controlling what we can, and the immense value of community. Then, they dive into a full recap of their inspiring and cup-filling weekend at Kylie's Farm Wives Club, an event that couldn't have come at a better time.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ A Prayer for Heavy Hearts
✅ Navigating Hard News
✅ The "Can't Change It" Mindset
✅ Farm Wives Club Recap - A First-Timer's Perspective
✅ Inspiring Speakers & Workshops
✅ Community, Connection & Full-Circle Moments

💡 Key Takeaways:
✨ In times of tragedy, faith is an anchor. Focusing on prayer and the light of Jesus provides hope when the world feels dark.
✨ You cannot control world events, but you can control your home, your mindset, and how you show up for your family and community.
✨ Vulnerability is the key to connection. Sharing our hard stories helps others feel seen and reminds us that we are never truly alone.
✨ Community is essential. Events like Farm Wives Club are a powerful reminder of the strength and encouragement that comes from being surrounded by women who just "get it."
✨ Your greatest trials can become your greatest testimony. Much like the origin of Farm Wives Club itself, beauty and purpose can be born from the darkest moments.

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#FarmWivesClub #FaithAndFarming #CommunityOverCompetition #WomenInAg #FarmLife #RuralLife #GriefAndHope #FarmWife #Mindset #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #Sponsored

118. The Ultimate Farm Show Recap: Beck's Tech Days & Farm Progress Show + Case IH Interview Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Fresh off a whirlwind month of travel, your hosts Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass are here to recap their adventures at two major farm shows. From the incredible culture and cutting-edge research at Beck's Technology Days to the hustle and bustle of the Farm Progress Show, they're sharing the behind-the-scenes stories, coolest tech, and most inspiring moments. Plus, stick around to the end for a special live interview they recorded from the Case IH podcast studio at Farm Progress with tillage expert CJ Parker!

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ Listener Love on the Road
✅ Beck's Technology Days Recap
✅ Farm Progress Show Recap
✅ LIVE from the Case IH Booth: A Conversation with CJ Parker
✅ BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Mary Pat and Jena launch a brand-new way for you to interact with the show – a voicemail line!

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Farm shows are invaluable for connecting with people, discovering new ideas, and seeing the future of agriculture firsthand.
✨ Company culture and values matter. The success of a family-owned, faith-driven company like Beck's Hybrids is a testament to their commitment to farmers and research.
✨ The future of ag tech is here, with innovations in autonomy, precision spraying, and smart tillage poised to change how we farm.
✨ "Every pass of the field needs to complement the planter." This simple but powerful mantra highlights the importance of a systems approach to every job on the farm.
✨ Tillage is a crucial and nuanced tool for residue management, soil health, and setting the crop up for success.

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#FarmShow #FarmProgressShow #BecksHybrids #CaseIH #AgTech #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #FarmLife #Tillage #PrecisionAg #SoilCommand #WomenInAg #FarmWife #Sponsored

117. Pivot Bio's Next Chapter: New Products, Carbon Opportunities, and a Global Vision Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

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 Lori Reese, the Director of Commercial Sustainability at Pivot Bio. This conversation is a fascinating deep dive into the future of farming, from cutting-edge microbial nitrogen products to the often-confusing world of carbon credits. Lori, who comes from a seventh-generation farm family on both sides, shares her unique perspective on innovation, sustainability, and leaving a lasting legacy.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ Pivot Bio 101.
✅ Jena's Pivot Bio Story
✅ The Next Generation: Proven G3
✅ New Horizons: More Crops & Global Expansion
✅ Demystifying Carbon Credits & The Innovator Program
✅ Career Advice & A Legacy of Sustainability

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Innovation is key. Pivot Bio is a prime example of a company disrupting a 100-year-old industry (synthetic fertilizer) to provide farmers with new, more efficient, and sustainable tools.
✨ Proven G3 represents a significant leap forward. The new four-microbe blend offers farmers even more consistency and plant health benefits, building on the success of previous products.
✨ Carbon programs can be a valuable opportunity. While complex, programs like Pivot Bio's Innovator Program offer a straightforward, low-commitment way for farmers to get paid for sustainable practice changes they're already making.
✨ Sustainability is about legacy. At its core, adopting sustainable practices is about ensuring the health and viability of the land for future generations, a value deeply held by farmers.
✨ Ask questions and find trusted partners. Whether you're trying a new product or exploring a carbon program, find good people to work with and resources you can trust to help you make the best decisions for your operation.

🙌 Join the Conversation!
We’d love to hear from you! Are you exploring microbial nitrogen or carbon programs on your farm? What questions do you still have about these new technologies? Share your thoughts and tag us @beyondthecrops_.

To learn more about Pivot Bio's products and programs, visit pivotbio.com.
#PivotBio #Sustainability #CarbonCredits #FarmTech #Sponsored #ProvenG3 #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #Farming #AgTech #WomenInAg #RegenerativeAg #NitrogenFixing

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