AGRIMINDS: Helping ag professionals overcome burnout, set boundaries, & lead with confidence in the field, at work, & at home

Strong leadership is rarely the result of a straight line. More often, it’s shaped by unexpected pivots, early influences, and mentors who create space for growth.

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS Podcast, Kacee Bohle is joined by Adam Walters of Tosh Farms for a thoughtful conversation on leadership development, culture, and what it takes to grow into responsibility over time.

Adam shares how a sports injury early in his career altered his original path—and how the discipline, structure, and team mindset developed through athletics became foundational to his leadership approach. What began as an unplanned role in agriculture evolved into a long-term calling, shaped by hands-on experience, strong mentorship, and leaders who allowed room to learn through doing—even when outcomes didn’t go according to plan.

Together, Kacee and Adam explore leadership principles that have guided his growth, including intentional training, clear expectations, strengths-based development, and accountability built on trust rather than control. The conversation also highlights the importance of mentorship—particularly leaders who give people the confidence to take ownership, learn from mistakes, and grow without fear of failure.

The episode also addresses self-leadership under pressure, including managing stress, maintaining perspective, and continuing personal growth while carrying significant responsibility.

This episode is especially relevant for leaders who:

• Have taken a non-traditional or unexpected path into leadership
• Want to develop people through experience, not just instruction
• Value mentorship, trust, and long-term growth over quick fixes
• Are committed to building strong cultures through clarity and consistency

About the Guest

Adam Walters leads wean-to-finish operations at Tosh Farms and brings nearly two decades of experience in leadership, team development, and operational excellence within agriculture.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Time management can feel like a moving target… especially in agriculture and rural life.

Some seasons are full throttle. Some are heavy. Some require a pivot you didn’t plan for. And even when you do plan, life still shows up—kids get sick, schedules get messy, equipment breaks, family needs change, and suddenly you’re just trying to keep up.

In this episode, Kacee sits down with Alex Lowery (founder of Lowery & Company and Rural Change Makers Co—and an upcoming AGRIMINDS Summit speaker) to talk about time mastery, prioritization, and finding margin in the middle.

This isn’t a “perfect schedule” conversation. It’s real life—how to be intentional with your time without turning your entire life into a to-do list.

You’ll hear:

• Why activity doesn’t equal productivity (and how that mindset shift changes everything)
• The difference between time management vs. time mastery—and why the language matters
• How to navigate the tension between rest vs. productivity without guilt
• Why “quiet time” can be restorative… and why it can also feel uncomfortable for some
• How priorities shift in different seasons: parenting, caregiving, business cycles, and ag life
• The power of awareness + check-ins to realign before you hit burnout
• What Alex is bringing to the AGRIMINDS Summit: part story, part workshop, with practical tools you can actually use

This conversation is honest, practical, and rooted in real rural life—where responsibility is high, seasons change fast, and “balance” is rarely a clean formula. If you’ve been craving more clarity, more margin, or a better way to approach your time… this one is for you.

Guest: Alex Lowery

Follow: @alexjlowery + @ruralchangemakersco

Websites :https://alexjlowery.com/

Learn more about the AGRIMINDS Summit: kaceebohle.com/summit

BONUS RESOURCE: Grab the Time Mastery Toolkit HERE

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

Therapy in agriculture can feel confusing… or even intimidating.

How do you know if you “need” it? What’s the difference between a therapist and a counselor? How does insurance work? And what if the person you talk to doesn’t understand ag life at all?

In this episode, Kacee sits down with Colleen Stegenga, a licensed social worker and therapist based in South Dakota, to answer the most common (and most honest) questions people in agriculture have about therapy.

Together, they break down what therapy actually is, who it’s for, and why it can be just as important as maintaining your equipment, your land, and your livestock—because the health of the operation starts with you.

You’ll hear:

• Signs it may be time to talk to someone (stress, sleep, irritability, isolation, coping habits, and more)
• The difference between therapy, counseling, and coaching—and how they can complement each other
• Types of therapy you may not realize exist (CBT, DBT, trauma therapies like ART/EMDR, and even equine-assisted work)
• What “ag-informed” therapy means and why it matters
• Practical, in-the-moment tools you can use today (like the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique and 4-7-8 breathing)
• How to start finding support—even if insurance, deductibles, or access feels overwhelming

This conversation is honest, practical, and rooted in the reality of agriculture: long hours, heavy responsibility, legacy pressure, and the tendency to carry it all alone. If you’ve ever wondered where therapy fits into your life—or how to start—this one is for you.

Guest: Colleen Stegenga, LSW

Website: embracingchangecs.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

Stress, burnout, anxiety, frustration, and even depression are things many of us feel on a day-to-day basis — often without realizing just how much they’re affecting us.

For a lot of people in agriculture, it can feel like you’re always “on.”

Always reacting.

Always carrying something.

And rarely fully relaxed.

In this episode, I’m joined by Greg Kruger, one of the speakers at the AGRIMINDS® Summit, to talk about where these feelings actually come from, how living in constant fight-or-flight impacts us mentally and physically, and what we can do to start retraining our brain and regulating our nervous system.

Greg explains why our bodies often stay stuck in survival mode, even when there’s no immediate threat — and how simple, intentional practices like breath, awareness, and language can help us slow down, respond differently, and feel more grounded.

This conversation isn’t about fixing yourself or pushing harder.

It’s about understanding what’s happening beneath the surface — and learning how to create days that feel calmer, clearer, more energized, and more peaceful.

If you’re tired of feeling on edge and ready to actually enjoy your life again, this episode is a powerful place to start.

• Why stress and burnout don’t just “go away” on their own
• How fight-or-flight shows up as anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, and reactivity
• The mental and physical toll of staying in survival mode
• Why nervous system regulation matters more than willpower
• Simple ways to begin retraining your brain and body
• How small daily practices can lead to feeling calmer, more present, and more at peace

Greg Kruger is the founder of Forgotten Truth Coaching, where he works with leaders, first responders, and high-performing professionals to help them understand how physiology, breath, awareness, and language shape behavior and overall well-being.

Connect with Greg:

• Website: ForgottenTruthCoaching.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @meditationjunkie
• Facebook: Greg Kruger

Greg will be leading live, experiential nervous system and breathwork sessions at the AGRIMINDS® Summit in March 2026.

Hearing about this work is helpful.

Experiencing it in real time is where real change happens.

👉 Learn more and save your seat here

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS Podcast, I’m joined by Natalie McFarland, Founder + President of McFarland Productions (and their film arm, Off Your Rocker Films)—a marketing + creative agency serving Western agriculture and the outdoor industry.

Natalie shares the leadership mindset and behind-the-scenes culture that’s helped her build a fully remote team across multiple time zones—without losing connection, clarity, or accountability. We dig into the reality of remote work (what actually makes it succeed), how to avoid siloed teams, and why hiring the right people matters even more than hiring the “perfect resume.”

We also get honest about labor, expectations, and what both employers and employees can do to build workplaces that don’t burn people out—especially in industries where seasonal intensity is the norm.

If you’re leading a team, building a business, or trying to create a healthier work culture in agriculture, this conversation will give you both practical ideas and a perspective that’s hard to ignore.

• Building a strong culture in a fully remote company
• Why video-on communication and intentional systems matter
• Hiring: “right people over right skill” (and why)
• How leaders can reduce burnout by caring about the human part of work
• The danger of silos—and how to break them down
• What’s really happening with labor (and what both sides can own)
• Why vacation culture can either restore people… or wreck them

McFarland Productions: https://mcfarlandproductions.com/

• AGRIMINDS: www.kaceebohle.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agcoachkacee/
• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaceebohle/

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS Podcast, Kacee sits down with Thomas Eisenbarth—a fifth-generation Kansas producer, ag educator, and mental health advocate—who is doing the hard, necessary work of translating mental health concepts into language that actually makes sense for agriculture.

Thomas shares his personal story of growing up in a cow-calf operation, navigating generational silence around emotions, and how therapy helped him reconnect with his nervous system after decades of “just pushing through.” Together, they unpack why so many mental health conversations in ag jump straight from stress to crisis—and what’s missing in between.

This is a practical, honest conversation about:

• Why sleep, self-awareness, and thought patterns matter more than we realize
• How “autopilot mode” keeps ag professionals stuck—and how to pause it
• Cognitive distortions farmers experience (like catastrophizing) and how to interrupt them
• Why boundaries are bridges, not walls
• How to talk about struggling without feeling like a burden
• What it actually looks like to support someone who opens up
• Bridging the generational gap in agriculture—between grandparents, producers, and the next generation

Thomas also shares the work he’s doing through Grounded Ag, including supporting farmers, ranchers, and young people in rural communities where access to mental health resources is limited.

If you’re in agriculture and feel like the “grind it out” mindset isn’t working anymore—but don’t resonate with traditional mental health messaging—this episode is for you.

🎧 And if this conversation resonates, you’ll be able to hear more from Thomas in person at the AGRIMINDS® Summit, where he’ll be joining a panel focused on real-life tools, conversations, and support for ag professionals.

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

What if burnout isn’t coming from “too much”… but from trying to prove something that was never meant to be proved?

In this episode, I’m joined by Lauren Bondy—rural mom of three, community builder, speaker, and one of our featured speakers at the AGRIMINDS® Summit. Lauren shares the moment that changed everything for her, why “worth” isn’t a finish line (it’s a starting line), and how leaders in agriculture—men and women alike—can shift from hustle + survival mode into alignment without losing their drive.

You’ll hear why support matters, how self-talk shapes leadership, and a sneak peek of Lauren’s rooted identity “tree” exercise she’ll be guiding at the Summit.

• Why “doing more” won’t fix feeling less-than
• How the agriculture mindset of grit can quietly turn into over-functioning
• A practical way to evaluate your self-talk (and what it’s costing you)
• Why you can’t lead yourself well in isolation—and what to do instead
• How to stay productive without attaching your worth to your output

• Word before world: starting the day grounded before the noise hits
• Lauren’s Roots + Branches exercise (the foundation she’s bringing to the Summit)

• Instagram: @laurenjbondy Instagram
• Learn more about the Made for More Community: Lauren J. Bondy

If this conversation hit home, don’t just “think about it”—come experience it in person.

📍 March 24–25, 2026

Grab your ticket + see all Summit details here: AGRIMINDS Summit

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS® Podcast, Kacee sits down with former dairy farmer and leadership coach David Jones to talk about what happens when the life you’ve built… quietly stops working for you.

Together, they dig into the messy, honest middle ground between “this is fine” and “something has to change”—especially for those in agriculture, family businesses, or roles that were “laid out” for them long before they ever chose them.

You’ll hear them explore:

• What it feels like to realize the life you’re in doesn’t quite fit anymore
• The guilt, pressure, and responsibility that come with leaving a family business or long-held identity
• Why so many of us stay in a “C-minus life” because it’s familiar and “good enough”
• How pivots don’t have to be 180°—they can be a one-degree shift that still honors your roots
• How awareness (through writing or talking it out) becomes a bridge to real choice
• The difference between mentors, therapists, consultants, and coaches when you’re trying to figure out your next step
• What it means to hold two truths at once: you’re perfect as you are and you’re allowed to want something different

This is a grounded, hopeful conversation for anyone who’s ever thought, “I should be grateful… but I can’t shake the feeling there’s something more aligned for me.”

Connect with David:

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Instagram: ⁠@winesandbovines⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/david-jones-devello⁠

Website: ⁠www.devellosolutions.com⁠

Join us at the AGRIMINDS® Summit—March 24–25, 2026—where we’ll be talking about pivots, awareness, burnout, boundaries, and building a life that actually works for you.

👉 www.kaceebohle.com/summit

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

Burnout isn’t just about doing too much, it’s about the weight of doing all the things at once.

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS® Podcast, Kacee sits down with Scout Foster, Director of Strategic Storytelling at McFarland Productions, to unpack her 11-month research study on burnout in marketing and how those lessons apply to agriculture, leadership, and everyday life.

Together, they explore:

• The real signs and symptoms of burnout (it’s more than just being tired).
• Why even the work you love can leave you drained if you don’t pause and reset.
• The overlap between home and work life—and why separating them isn’t always realistic.
• Boundaries, delegation, and small shifts that can help you reclaim your energy.
• Practical solutions like rotating on-call schedules, unplugging from work apps, and taking true breaks that restore—not drain—you.

You’ll also hear stories that bring this research to life, from hosting family holidays to raising kids and running a business, and why creating space to recharge is essential no matter your role.

• Burnout can stem from overwork, but also from doing the wrong work at the wrong time.
• Loving what you do doesn’t make you immune—without breaks, even passions can exhaust you.
• Boundaries are only effective if you stick to them (and drop the guilt).
• Small changes—like shifting routines, delegating chores, or shutting off email notifications—add up to big impact.
• LinkedIn: Scout Foster
• Website: scoutfoster.com
• You can expect more conversations around this topic at the AGRIMINDS Summit. Lear more here: https://www.kaceebohle.com/summit/

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE

What if understanding why people do what they do could change the way you lead, work, and connect?

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS® Podcast, Kacee sits down with Jacki Langlois, an Illinois farm girl turned global agriculture professional and founder of Gen D Consulting.

Together, they dive into the concept of cultural intelligence (CQ)—what it is, why it matters, and how it shows up both across borders and right here at home.

From adjusting to new regions in the U.S. to navigating two-hour lunches in France, Jacki shares powerful stories of how cultural awareness can shape relationships, leadership, and even business success. You’ll hear how she helps clients bridge generational gaps, overcome burnout, and communicate with confidence.

Whether you’re leading a farm crew, running an ag business, or working across global teams, this conversation will challenge you to pause, pay attention, and consider how cultural intelligence can transform your work and life.

• The difference between IQ, EQ, and CQ (cultural intelligence)
• Why cultural intelligence isn’t just about traveling abroad—it matters from county to county, farm to farm
• Stories of adapting to different work cultures in France, the Netherlands, and the U.S.
• How awareness, communication, and the “power of the pause” can strengthen leadership in agriculture
• Practical strategies for setting the tone (Jacki’s “thermostat mindset”) and avoiding reactive leadership

Jacki Langlois is the founder of Gen D Consulting, where she equips leaders and teams with the tools to improve communication, set boundaries, and increase cultural and generational awareness in the workplace. With roots on a family farm in Illinois and global experience in sales, marketing, and agronomy, Jacki brings a unique perspective on what it takes to thrive in today’s connected (and often digital) world. She’s also a keynote speaker and coach, passionate about helping people rediscover their spark.

🌐 Learn more about Jacki: gendconsulting.com

📱 Connect with her on LinkedIn or Instagram

• Learn more about AGRIMINDS®, the mastermind and coaching program for ag professionals: AGRIMINDS®
• Join the waitlist for the upcoming AGRIMINDS® Summit
• Connect with Kacee on Instagram: @agcoachkacee

Mentioned in this episode:

Jump on a call with Kacee:

BOOK HERE