Beyond The Crops

By Mary Pat Sass + Jena OchsnerEducation

Beyond The Crops episodes

September 29167. Growing Chickens For Costco with Hannah Borg
What does it look like to build a future on the family farm? This week, Jena and Mary Pat are joined by Hannah Borg, a sixth-generation Nebraska farmer who found her own path home through an unexpected opportunity: raising chickens for Costco.
Hannah shares how her family diversified their farm to create opportunities for the next generation, what it’s like raising 65,000 chickens, and how the chicken operation fits alongside their crops and cattle. They also talk about the importance of manure management and soil health, entrepreneurship, working with family, and the value of finding your own place within a family operation.
Plus, Hannah shares her passion for farm photography and documenting the everyday moments that become family history, along with a personal health journey that led her to explore tongue and lip ties, breathing, and sleep.
In this episode:
Creating opportunities for the next generation on the family farm
Hannah’s family’s diversified chicken, cattle, and crop operation
Raising chickens for Costco
The chicken supply chain from farm to processing
Biosecurity and the challenges of avian influenza
Using livestock manure and chicken litter to build soil health
Entrepreneurship and the UNL Engler Entrepreneurship Program
Finding your own path and purpose on the farm
Working with parents and siblings
Farm photography and “finding the magic in the mundane”
Documenting family, farm, and agricultural history
Hannah’s personal health and wellness journey
The legacy of a multi-generation family farm
New episodes every Tuesday!
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59 min
September 22166. Making Farm Life Work for Your Family. You Don't Have To Do It All
What happens when you’re new to farm life, working a job, raising kids, and trying to keep up with the demands of harvest? Jena and Mary Pat have been there—and in this episode, they’re sharing what they’ve learned along the way.
They talk about over-communicating with your spouse and family, setting expectations before harvest, recognizing burnout, making room for rest, and asking for help when you need it. They also get real about motherhood, bringing a new baby into farm life, protecting time for yourself, and why taking a true day of rest can make busy seasons more sustainable.
Plus, Jena shares an update on her home build and the mold issues they’ve encountered, and the two friends talk about finding support through hard seasons, taking care of your mental health, and praying with your spouse.
In this episode:
Advice for new farm wives and farm moms
Communicating and setting expectations before harvest
Balancing an off-farm job with farm life
Recognizing burnout and knowing when to ask for help
Bringing a new baby into the farm lifestyle
Making time for yourself and protecting your rest
The importance of a true day of rest during harvest
Jena’s home build and mold challenges
Finding professional and community support
Prayer, faith, and getting through hard seasons together
New episodes every Tuesday!
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41 min
September 15165. Ready or Not, Harvest Is Here
Harvest has officially started for some farmers, and Jena and Mary Pat are talking about what that means—from getting equipment ready to having serious conversations with their kids about farm safety.
They also recap their time at the Farm Progress Show, including a family rail bike adventure, Seed Life, Red Ants Pants, Case IH equipment, unpredictable weather, and plenty of farm-show fun.
Plus, they talk about bringing kids to farm shows, making time for family, and learning to slow down and enjoy the experience—even when things don't go exactly as planned.
In this episode:
Harvest is starting earlier than expected
Farm safety and keeping kids safe during harvest
Family adventures at Farm Progress Show
Rail biking with the kids
Seed Life and Red Ants Pants
Case IH’s 2026 America 250 display
Farm show weather drama
Bringing kids to farm shows
Getting ready for the rhythm of harvest
New episodes every Tuesday!
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30 min
September 08164. Harvest Is Coming, Faith Is Growing & Making Time for Yourself
Harvest is right around the corner, but before the combines roll, Jena and Mary Pat are squeezing in a little fun, faith, and family time.
This week, they recap Becknology Days and Farm Wives Club, talk about independent agricultural research and Beck’s incredible Root Reveal greenhouses, and share some of the women who inspired them along the way.
They also get personal about adult baptism, motherhood, mom guilt, and learning to make time for yourself—even when it feels like there’s always something else that needs to be done.
Plus: House of Colour, women’s workwear from Red Ants Pants, a 20-mile run, and getting ready for Farm Progress!
In this episode:
Jena’s adult baptism and growing deeper in faith
Becknology Days & Beck’s Practical Farm Research
Root Reveal technology and hybrid selection
Farm Wives Club and inspiring women in agriculture
House of Colour and finding colors that work for you
Mom guilt and making time for yourself
Red Ants Pants women’s workwear
Getting ready for harvest and Farm Progress
New episodes every Tuesday!
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Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!
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46 min
September 01163. Tar Spot, Farm Wife Roles & Finding Your Place in Agriculture with Faith Pearson
What happens when a challenging crop year has you questioning every decision you made? In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat welcome back Faith Pearson, agronomist, seed business owner, farm wife, and self-proclaimed “crunchy agronomist,” for a conversation that goes way beyond what’s happening in the field.
The challenge this year has been a corn disease called Tar Spot. Faith breaks down what tar spot is, the weather conditions that can contribute to its spread, and the reality that sometimes farmers can make the best decisions they can with the information they have—and Mother Nature still has the final say.
The conversation quickly becomes about something bigger: the pressure farmers put on themselves. Jena shares how much Levi has been beating himself up over the tar spot situation, and the three women talk about the importance of checking in on the farmers in your life, learning from difficult seasons, and remembering that a crop that doesn't meet your expectations isn't necessarily a failure.
From there, they dive into the very different roles women can have in agriculture. Whether you're working directly in the field, running a business, marketing grain, raising kids, managing the home, supporting the farm behind the scenes, or doing some combination of all of it—there is no one “right” way to be a farm wife or a woman in agriculture.
And, as always, there's a little encouragement woven throughout: you don't have to have everything figured out. Your role can change. Your passions can change. And you can grow through those changes instead of fighting them.
In this episode:
What tar spot is and how it affects corn
Why weather and leaf wetness matter when it comes to disease
Hybrid selection and fungicide management
What this year's unusual weather has meant for crops
Learning from difficult farming seasons instead of beating yourself up
The importance of checking in on the farmers in your life
Why you can't have a record-breaking crop every year
The many different roles women play in agriculture
The value of the work that happens behind the scenes
Marketing grain with a different perspective
Finding your own place in agriculture
Following what fuels your passion
Embracing change through the different seasons of life
Connect with Faith:
🎙️ Rhizometrics — available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
📧 [email protected]
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45 min
August 25162. What Running Has Taught Us About Doing Hard Things
What started as a way to blow off some steam turned into half-marathons, early morning runs, sore muscles, and a whole lot of lessons about doing hard things. In this episode, Jena and Mary Pat talk about how running has challenged what they thought their bodies were capable of and what it has taught them about discipline, resilience, comparison, and making time for themselves in the middle of busy seasons of life.
They talk about starting from very different places, learning to embrace slow runs and recovery, fueling for longer distances, avoiding injury, and realizing that you don't have to be an athlete to become a runner. They also get very honest about the less glamorous side of running… including nervous bathroom emergencies, cornfields, and the surprising freedom of ditching your underwear.
Most importantly, they talk about how building physical resilience can help us carry the other hard things life throws at us and why sometimes the biggest victory is simply proving to yourself that you can do something you once thought was impossible.
In this episode:
How Jena and Mary Pat accidentally became runners
Why you don't have to be an athlete to start running
Learning to slow down and embrace easy runs
Fueling, hydration, and what they wish they'd known sooner
Injuries, recovery, and the importance of not rushing the process
The mental game of running and pushing past what your brain tells you
Comparison and learning to run your own race
Finding time to run as a mom
The very real (and very funny) bathroom side of running
Building resilience through physical challenges
Learning that you're capable of more than you think
Keeping fitness in perspective and remembering what matters most
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43 min
August 18161. Traveling With Kids Made Easier: Food, Road Trips & Screen-Free Activities
Traveling with kids can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to keep everyone fed, entertained, and happy without relying entirely on screens or fast food.
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat are talking about their best healthy travel and road trip hacks for families. They share tips for packing food through airport security, traveling with kids, keeping road-trip meals simple, and finding ways to entertain kids without handing them an iPad for the entire trip.
They also chat about 75 Hard, healthy eating, protein goals, canning salsa, farm life, and the realities of keeping up with healthy habits during a busy summer.
Whether you're heading out for a family road trip, flying with kids, or just looking for easier ways to keep your family fed while traveling, this episode is full of practical ideas you can actually use.
In this episode:
Healthy foods and snacks to pack when flying
TSA rules for traveling with food, ice packs, and breast milk
Easy road trip meals for families
Road trip organization and reducing car messes
Screen-free travel activities for kids
Travel scavenger hunts, books, podcasts, and Yoto players
How to keep kids entertained without constant screen time
75 Hard and creating healthier habits
Canning salsa and preparing for harvest season
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44 min
August 11160. Prepping for Harvest and Picking Homeschool Curriculum
In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat catch up on the realities of late summer farm life, about starting a new homeschool year, choosing curriculum, creating routines, and finding flexibility when farm life, harvest, and family responsibilities don’t always go according to plan. Jena also shares an update on their tiny house project and the challenges of figuring out housing and homeschooling while preparing for harvest and a new baby.
The conversation also covers drought, wildfires, farm stress, and the impact of weather on farmers and ranchers, along with a recent family trip to Idaho, hot springs, and making the most of time together before harvest.
Plus, they dive into homesteading and food preservation, including canning salsa, marinara, tomato juice, applesauce, pickle relish, and beef.
And finally, Mary Pat opens up about struggling with her mental health and ongoing dizziness, finding a new hobby in crochet, and the importance of giving ourselves grace when life feels overwhelming.
In this episode:
Homeschooling and choosing curriculum
Creating routines around farm life and harvest
Building a tiny house on the farm
Pregnancy, health, and family transitions
Drought, wildfires, and farming challenges
Family travel and making time for fun
Canning, gardening, and preserving food
Salsa, marinara, tomato juice, and canned beef
Finding hobbies and coping with difficult seasons
Mental health and giving yourself grace
Encouragement for farm moms heading into a busy season
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39 min
August 04159. Worth the Money... or Total Waste? Our Honest Opinions
This week we're diving into a trend that's been making the rounds online: What's actually worth spending your money on... and what's absolutely not?
From Owala water bottles and running gear to health insurance, cleaning ladies, coffee, kids' toys, and seasonal décor, we're sharing our completely unfiltered opinions.
We also announce our latest giveaway winner, chat about oral health, pregnancy, marathon training, functional medicine, family vacations, and why sometimes spending more upfront actually saves money—and stress—in the long run.
Whether you agree with us or think we're completely wrong, we'd love to hear what makes your "worth it" and "not worth it" lists.
In this episode:
Announcing our Beyond the Crops giveaway winner 🎉
Why we both love our Owala water bottles
Things we believe are absolutely worth the investment
The purchases we regret (or would never buy again)
Functional healthcare vs. traditional healthcare costs
Running gear, shoes, and marathon training updates
Why experiences often matter more than things
Cleaning ladies, decluttering, and simplifying life
Kitchen gadgets, baby gadgets, and household clutter
Coffee, protein, smoothies, and investing in quality ingredients
Oral health, flossing, and small habits that make a big difference
Our thoughts on kids' toys, seasonal décor, and trendy purchases
If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love if you left us a review! Every review helps more farm families discover the show, and we're planning to make our listener giveaways a regular thing.
Thanks for spending part of your week with us—we're so grateful you're here!
🙌 Join the Conversation!
Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!
Leave us a Voice Message!
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46 min
July 28158. Our Current Roman Empires: Healthy Homes, Hormones & Letting Go
What’s your current Roman Empire—the thing you can't stop thinking about?
This week, Jena and Mary Pat catch up on everything currently taking over their minds. Jena shares an update on their family's mold journey, designing a temporary 1,200-square-foot home, and what she's learning about building a healthier house. Mary Pat opens up about coming off hormonal birth control and her growing fascination with women's health and hormone balance.
They also chat about drought conditions, gardens that don't quite go as planned, homeschooling in a tiny space, and finding peace in seasons that feel anything but simple.
In This Episode
Crop and weather updates from Nebraska and Minnesota
Building a temporary home after mold damage
Letting go of belongings and starting fresh
Healthy home building tips and lessons learned
Solar power, HVAC systems, and moisture prevention
Hormone health and life after birth control
Supporting your body through your monthly cycle
Gardens, motherhood, and embracing imperfect seasons
Key Takeaways
Sometimes the hardest seasons become the ones that shape us the most.
Building a healthy home is about thoughtful decisions, not perfection.
Our bodies are designed to work together, and supporting overall health often matters more than chasing individual symptoms.
Motherhood often means choosing progress over perfection.
God can still use your story while you're living through it—not just after you've overcome it.

🙌 Join the Conversation!
Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!
Leave us a Voice Message!
We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!
45 min

About Beyond The Crops

From the publisher's feed

Jena & MP bring a unique perspective to the world of agriculture, offering a blend of humor, heart, and wisdom honed from their combined years on the farm. With a deep passion for their…