Ag, Ammo & Adventure

What does it take to build a championship wrestling program—and what happens when the pressure to win becomes part of the privilege?

In this episode of Ag Ammo & Adventure, Steve Larsen sits down with Iowa State wrestling coaches Derek St. John and Alli St. John for a conversation about wrestling, coaching, recruiting, marriage, and the rapidly changing world of college athletics.

Derek and Alli share their journeys from growing up around wrestling to competing at the highest levels and eventually finding themselves on the coaching side of the sport. They talk about Derek’s path from Iowa wrestler to assistant coach at North Dakota State, Virginia Tech, and ultimately Iowa State, along with Alli’s experience as a pioneer in women’s wrestling and her role in building Iowa State’s women’s program from the ground up.

The conversation gets into what coaches really look for when recruiting athletes, what life is like for a Division I wrestler, and why loving the sport, embracing hard work, and buying into a team culture can matter just as much as raw athletic ability.

They also discuss the changing landscape of college athletics, NIL, fundraising, recruiting, the growth of women’s wrestling, and the responsibility that comes with coaching at a program with Iowa State’s wrestling tradition.

And because this is Ag Ammo & Adventure, there’s plenty of humor along the way; including how two wrestling coaches handle marriage, why Alli is more comfortable helping butcher a deer than hunting one, and why Derek believes “pressure is a privilege.”

A behind-the-scenes look at the people, pressure, and passion helping shape the next generation of Cyclone wrestling.

Host: Steve Larsen

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey

What happens when you stop chasing bigger and start thinking about better?

In this episode of Ag Ammo Adventure, Steve Larsen and Jeff Caldwell sit down with Tucker Maxwell of Maxwell Custom Beef in Des Moines, Iowa, to talk about the changing landscape of the beef business. Tucker shares his unlikely path from growing up on an Iowa farm, to working in a meat locker as a kid, leaving Iowa for Florida, and eventually returning home to take over a historic Des Moines meat locker.

The conversation goes far beyond cutting steaks. Tucker explains why he believes small, local meat lockers could play a major role in the future of agriculture, how direct-to-consumer beef can create new opportunities for producers, and why the industry’s constant push toward bigger cattle and bigger operations may not always be the best answer.

And then there’s AI. Tucker talks about how Maxwell Custom Beef went from paper binders and hours of manual work to using AI to streamline operations and build new tools for producers to market their cattle directly to consumers.

It’s a conversation about beef, agriculture, technology, entrepreneurship, and the importance of staying connected to the people and communities that make agriculture work.

Because sometimes, bigger isn’t better. Sometimes, better is better.

Topics include: local beef • meat lockers • direct-to-consumer agriculture • cattle marketing • AI in agriculture • beef quality • cattle genetics • Iowa agriculture • small-town business • the future of the beef industry.

Hosts: Steve Larsen & Todd Coffelt

Guest Host: Jeff Caldwell

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey

From Farm Fire to 4,000 Deer: The Edgewood Locker Story

Join Steve Larsen as he interviews Jim and Payson from Edgewood Locker, exploring their rich history, meat processing expertise, and community involvement. Discover insights into deer season, product innovation, and the future of this iconic Iowa business.

Resources:

Edgewood Locker Website

Iowa Meat Processors Association

AMP (American Meat Processors)

Hosts:

Steve Larsen

Todd Coffelt

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey

What do beer caves, Bohemian immigrants, Prohibition-era riots, and one legendary corner grocery store have in common?

John’s Grocery.

In this episode of Ag, Ammo & Adventure, Steve sits down with Doug Alberhasky, third-generation owner of John’s Grocery in Iowa City. A place that’s been fueling Hawkeyes, hunters, tailgates, and craft beer lovers for decades. What started as a family-run corner store in 1948 has grown into one of the most iconic beer destinations in the Midwest.

Doug takes us deep into the history behind the store, from the old beer caves beneath Iowa City to the immigrant brewers who helped shape the region’s beer culture. Along the way, we hear stories about the “Beer Mafia” battles of the 1800s, surviving tornadoes and COVID, building one of the best craft beer selections in the country, and what it takes to keep a small family business thriving for three generations.

We also talk about Doug’s upcoming historical film Death of a Brewer, which dives into the real-life beer riots and temperance battles that once shook Iowa City.

This episode is about more than beer. It’s about community, history, resilience, and the traditions that keep places like John’s Grocery alive.

So grab a cold one, settle in, and join the Liar’s Club for a story that’s been brewing in Iowa City for generations.

Hosts:

Steve Larsen

Trevor Coffelt

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey

This week on Ag Ammo & Adventure, we’re telling a Liars Club love story.

Steve sits down with Pablo Rodriguez, the musical mastermind behind the show’s soundtrack, and his real-life partner in crime, Sara, for a conversation about music, marriage, and the moments that change everything.

From a Halloween party meet-cute and MySpace messages…
To bluegrass festivals, yacht rock influences, and indie Americana roots…
To rediscovering creativity during the pandemic with “Total Quarantine Live”…

Pablo shares how a lifelong love of music turned into recording a full-length album, stepping back into the spotlight after 40, and finally chasing a 30-year creative distraction. Sara brings the perspective of the ultimate duet partner — the steady harmony behind the melody.

It’s a story about:

• Finding your sound
• Finding your person
• Taking creative risks later in life
• And proving that sometimes the best decisions start as questionable ones

Whether you’re here for the music, the marriage wisdom, or just another tall tale from the Liars Club, this episode hits all the right notes.

Host: Steve Larsen

Music: Pablo and the Pour Decisions

Post Production: Rachel Yancey

In this episode of Ag, Ammo and Adventure, host Steve Larsen interviews Dr. Glynn Tonsor, an expert in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. They discuss Glynn's journey from growing up on a hog farm in Northeast Missouri to becoming a leading voice in the meat industry. The conversation covers various topics, including consumer behavior in the meat market, the impact of demand on beef prices, the challenges faced by the pork industry, and the rising consumption of poultry. They also touch on the new dietary guidelines emphasizing protein consumption and the evolving role of universities in providing unbiased information to the public. Throughout the episode, Glynn shares valuable insights from the Meat Demand Monitor, highlighting the importance of understanding consumer preferences and trends in the meat industry.

Hosts:

Steve Larsen & Todd Coffelt

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey

In this episode of Ag, Ammo and Adventure, host Steven Larsen welcomes the Wives, Lisa Coffelt and Susan Larsen, to discuss their experiences with hunting, family traditions, and the dynamics of relationships. The conversation flows from personal backgrounds to hunting stories, the importance of community, and the fun of sharing food and fellowship during hunting season. The guests share their insights on self-defense, the challenges of hunting, and the joy of being part of a close-knit group. 

Hosts:

Steve Larsen & Todd Coffelt

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey

In this episode of Ag Ammo Adventure, Steve sits down with Tyler Kirk, the chairman of Atlantic Bottling Company, the family-owned bottler responsible for putting Coca-Cola into coolers across the Midwest. From its humble beginnings in 1909 as a small-town ice cream and soda water company to becoming a major producer distributing over 7.4 million cases a year, this is the story of how a forgotten Coke franchise found in a safe sparked a multigenerational legacy.

We dive into the evolution of the business—from sorting bottles in a rural Iowa plant to advanced robotics, sustainability efforts, and zero-calorie product trends reshaping the industry. Along the way, we talk family tradition, leadership transitions, small-town roots, and philanthropy impacting rural healthcare. With a blend of humor, hunting-camp storytelling, and Midwestern pride, this episode uncovers what it truly means to be bottled in the heartland.

In this episode, Steven goes solo to sit down with Matt Halsrud, Marine Corps veteran and founder of Central Iowa Impact in Boone, Iowa. From humble farm roots to building a one-stop shop for shooters, archers, and outdoor enthusiasts, Matt shares how passion and persistence built a business that hits the mark.

They swap stories about bowhunting bucks, calling coyotes, and the joys (and headaches) of running an indoor range that keeps Iowans shooting straight. Even when it’s 10° and snowing sideways. Along the way, Matt proves that doing what you love sometimes just takes grit, guts, and a good sense of humor.

Host: Steve Larsen
Music: Pablo and the Pour Decisions
Audio Production: Rachel Yancey

In this episode of Ag, Ammo, and Adventure, Todd and Steve welcome Jeff Caldwell, an expert in agricultural strategy and storytelling. Jeff shares his journey from Western Kansas to Iowa, his experiences in agricultural media, and the evolution of marketing in the ag sector. The conversation delves into the importance of staying connected to the farming community and the changing landscape of agricultural media consumption.

Hosts:

Steve Larsen & Todd Coffelt

Music:
Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions

Audio & Post-Production:
Rachel Yancey