In today’s episode, Kacee sits down with Melissa Nelson—a crop research scientist in Kansas and the force behind Performance Crop Research and South Bend Industrial Hemp.

But this conversation isn’t just about business… it’s about what it takes to keep moving forward when the path isn’t clear, when the industry isn’t caught up yet, and when life (or leadership) demands more from you than you feel ready to give.

Melissa shares the behind-the-scenes reality of building in a “niche within a niche” industry, how their team made a hard left or hard right decision to become the solution to their biggest bottleneck, and why personal development isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s foundational.

Kacee also shares a full-circle story: Melissa was the person who helped land Kacee’s first legitimate speaking engagement—a moment that sparked the chain reaction that led to AGRIMINDS as it exists today.

This episode is packed with practical mindset shifts, leadership reminders, and the kind of encouragement that makes you want to raise your standards—and help someone else rise too.

• Melissa’s background in crop research and how ag data becomes real-world product labels
• Why they launched South Bend Industrial Hemp—and what happened when processing became the bottleneck
• The mindset required to innovate, execute, and lead through uncertainty
• Support systems vs. personal accountability (and why both matter)
• “If I’m the smartest person in the room, I’m in the wrong room”
• Building discipline through routines, standards, and doing hard things consistently
• Leadership lessons learned through seasons of change—entrepreneurship, family, grief, and growth
• The power of mentorship, coaching, and sending the elevator back down
• How Melissa approaches employee development: “A better you makes a better us.”
• Advocacy and education: bridging gaps between different ag perspectives through tours and conversations

• Follow Melissa on Instagram: @MLNelson13
• South Bend Industrial Hemp: southbendindustrialhemp.com
• Performance Crop Research: performancecropresearch.org
• Find Melissa on LinkedIn: Melissa Nelson
• Books mentioned: Can’t Hurt Me (David Goggins), Relentless + Winning (Tim Grover)

• Subscribe to the AGRIMINDS Podcast
• Learn more about AGRIMINDS
• Follow Kacee/AGRIMINDS on social: LinkedIn Instagram

Some setbacks don’t come with warning signs. They don’t unfold gradually or allow time to adjust the plan. They stop you cold—and force you to figure out who you are and how you move forward when everything you expected suddenly changes.

In this episode of the AGRIMINDS Podcast, Kacee Bohle sits down with Cassie Yontz, an agriculture professional and working mom from Bloomington, Illinois, to talk about one of those moments: a breast cancer diagnosis at 31 years old, in the middle of early motherhood and a full, demanding career.

Cassie shares what it was like to have life abruptly interrupted—and the mindset required to keep moving forward when the path ahead looked nothing like the one she had prepared for. This conversation isn’t about giving up or losing control; it’s about strength, perseverance, and learning how to lead yourself through something no one trains you for.

Together, Kacee and Cassie explore:

• What happens when life delivers a setback you didn’t see coming
• Why some leadership lessons can only be learned through lived experience
• The mental strength required to face uncertainty and keep showing up
• How identity shifts when productivity and plans are no longer the anchor
• Leading with perspective, empathy, and grit after life forces a pause
• Why mindset, faith, and support systems matter when the road gets hard

This episode is for leaders, professionals, parents, and anyone who’s been knocked off course by a setback they never anticipated—and is figuring out how to move forward with strength and intention.

About the Guest
Cassie Yontz is an agriculture professional and the voice behind Life After the Lump, where she shares her experience navigating cancer, recovery, and life after a major health disruption with honesty and hope.

Learn more about Cassie’s story: lifeafterthelump.com

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.

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

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

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

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/

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.

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

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