Big iron, am I right? Little Iron, or in this case, wood? In this episode (DT204), Aaron is joined by Ryan Haasen, an estimator/PM at Blue-Con Excavation Ltd. You might recognize Ryan for his incredible to-scale models of construction machinery.
Ryan's journey into woodworking started at a young age, and growing up around the construction industry naturally led him to merge his two passions. Despite working full-time at Blue-Con, Ryan's love for construction and the scale model community gained widespread attention on Instagram. After crafting an entire replica of a job site within a table, requests started pouring in for Ryan to create similar masterpieces for others. Don't miss out—check out @ryan_haasen_woodworks on Instagram.
If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.
Stay Dirty!

Little Big Iron with Ryan Haasen – DT 204

Welcome to the self-proclaimed top podcast in the Dirt World (totally made up)! Listen weekly as host Aaron talks Dirt World issues, answers listener questions, and interviews some of our favorite people, from executives to operators we've met along our travels.

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In this episode Aaron is Joined by Nick, Matt  and Marty Coppock (President, Vice President, and Vice President of operations) at Rock n Dirt excavating. As you might have guessed, Rock n Dirt is a family company. Although it’s awesome to see a family working together, as some may know it's not always the easiest to work with people you’ve known your whole life.
In this episode Aaron and the Coppocks dig into what life is like at Rock n Dirt excavating. They talk about the tricky nature of emergency work and hiring. They Also talk about machine utilization and what it takes to run everything off site too. If you ever wonder what it would be like to work alongside your family stay tuned. 
**UPDATE**
Dirt Talk is STOKED to announce Ariat as our first official sponsor for the year!
They make world-class footwear and workwear that we see on every job site we visit, and their folks are just as great as their products.
Dirt Talk listeners can receive 10% off their first order with Ariat by clicking here or visiting Ariat.com/dirttalk.

If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.
Stay Dirty!

A Family Occasion Featuring Rock n Dirt Excavating – DT 238

In this episode, Aaron is on his own to bring you another book report. He’s picking up where he left off in the Persistence Creates Opportunity: Building America for 50 Years, a book made for Ames Construction that periodically details their history. 
In this episode, Aaron reads from the 1960’s to the 1980’s which was a pivotal time in the history of Ames. They talk about the changing business and personal life of Dick Ames and some of the most important contracts that the company ever won. To learn more stay tuned for this week's book report. 
**UPDATE**
Dirt Talk is STOKED to announce Ariat as our first official sponsor for the year!
They make world-class footwear and workwear that we see on every job site we visit, and their folks are just as great as their products.
Dirt Talk listeners can receive 10% off their first order with Ariat by clicking here or visiting Ariat.com/dirttalk.
If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.
Stay Dirty!

Monday Book Report: The Story of Ames Continued – DT 237

In this episode Aaron is joined by Immanuel Martinez, Public Works Division Manager at Sunland Asphalt & Construction,LLC. Although Sunland does some pretty awesome work all throughout Arizona and other parts of the southwest, in this episode Aaron focuses on a project of sunland’s that he saw personally last year in the southeast.  Without giving too much away, it's in Miami and features some very fast vehicles.
Aaron and Immanuel discuss the intricacies of such specialized asphalt paving. Working with unique materials, tight tolerances and other contractors on site all while being a nation's distance away from the company's HQ, makes for some pretty interesting circumstances. To learn more about Immanuel and Sunland stay tuned for this fascinating episode all about asphalt. 
**UPDATE**
Dirt Talk is STOKED to announce Ariat as our first official sponsor for the year!
They make world-class footwear and workwear that we see on every job site we visit, and their folks are just as great as their products.
Dirt Talk listeners can receive 10% off their first order with Ariat by clicking here or visiting Ariat.com/dirttalk.

If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.
Stay Dirty!

Paving in Echelon for High Speed Circuits Featuring Immanuel Martinez – DT 236

As the title suggests Jay Collup, President of Collup Enterprises, is an expert in the Dirt World and has plenty of experience in the seat and as a leader. In this episode, Aaron and Him sat down to catch up and talk about training and how folks can improve efficiencies on a site. 
Along with a small two-person excavating and grading business, Jay’s main goal is to train the next generation of expert operators. He’s achieving this by offering his unique simulator service. Jay and his team offer simulator rental and training via a mobile trailer with several different machine simulators. This provides a way for contractors to train new operators while their production machines keep running. Jay's approach is progressive and backed up by years of experience, so tune in if you want a piece of his dirt world knowledge.
**UPDATE**
Dirt Talk is STOKED to announce Ariat as our first official sponsor for the year!
They make world-class footwear and workwear that we see on every job site we visit, and their folks are just as great as their products.
Dirt Talk listeners can receive 10% off their first order with Ariat by clicking here or visiting Ariat.com/dirttalk.
If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.
Stay Dirty!

Training Advice From an Ace Operator Featuring Jay Collup – DT 235

In this episode, Aaron is joined by Chad Abernethy CEO of Abernethy Contracting. Abernethy is a Dirt World staple in their home state of North Carolina doing everything from utilities and site prep to concrete and asphalt paving. 
Chad being the CEO gives personal insight into what it means to be a leader in the industry and balance the want and need to be in the field versus behind the scenes. He shared the lessons learned and the success he’s had buying back the family business and leading the company into the future. Chad has a great message for all leaders in the industry so if you are hungry to learn how to lead this episode is for you!
If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.

Stay Dirty!

Little Big Iron with Ryan Haasen – DT 204

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