Beyond The Crops

By Mary Pat Sass + Jena OchsnerEducation

Beyond The Crops episodes

October 27171. Harvest Survival Guide: Little Things Getting Us Through
Harvest season is busy, exhausting, and sometimes a little chaotic, so we’re sharing the little things helping us get through it! From meal prepping and decluttering to favorite drinks, better routines, and finding small pockets of joy in the middle of a full season, these are the things making everyday life feel a little easier.
We talk homemade tortillas, fall crafts with the kids, five-minute makeup routines, favorite kitchen finds, and the importance of making time for what grounds us most. And we wrap things up with a reminder from Ecclesiastes about keeping our eyes on what really matters, even when life feels overwhelming.
In this episode:
Freezer meal prep to make busy harvest days easier
Small habits that help us manage stress and find gratitude
Favorite afternoon drinks, coffee alternatives, and tea finds
Decluttering and simplifying during a busy season
Sleep, breathing, and other wellness habits we’re exploring
The unexpected joy of making homemade tortillas
Fall crafts, outdoor lunches, and little adventures with the kids
Five-minute makeup routines and doing what makes you feel good
Favorite products, from honey and tallow lip balm to carbon steel cookware
Finding peace and perspective through time in God’s Word
🙌 Join the Conversation!
What’s helping you get through a busy or challenging season? We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message on Instagram at @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!
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46 min
October 20170. Feeding the Crew: Field Meals & Harvest Hacks
What’s for lunch in the field? During harvest, keeping everyone fed while juggling a million other things can be a job all on its own. Jena and Mary Pat chat about their field meal routines, prepping hot lunches, and the tools that make feeding their farmers a little easier—including a Milwaukee lunch warmer that’s become a harvest favorite.
They also share the reality of a challenging harvest, disappointing yields, and supporting your farmer when the season isn’t going as planned. Plus, they talk about homeschool co-ops, grocery delivery, and finding ways to take a few things off your plate when life gets busy.
In this episode:
Feeding the crew during the busy harvest season
Prepping and packing hot meals for the field
The Milwaukee lunch warmer: how it works and why they love it
Field meal inspiration from The Seed Life Cookbook
Supporting your farmer through a difficult harvest
Grocery delivery and other ways to lighten your workload
Finding a rhythm when your plate is already full
LINKS:
Seed Life CookBooks! Use code JENA for discount.
New episodes every Tuesday!
🙌 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!
50 min
October 13169. Listener Q & A: Finding Your Place on the Farm and Fighting Imposter Syndrome
Have you ever felt like you don’t quite belong on your own farm, or wondered if what you do really matters? This week, Jena and Mary Pat answer listener questions about imposter syndrome, finding your role in a family farming operation, and giving yourself credit for the work that happens behind the scenes.
They also talk about the transition into marriage and farm life, especially when you’re joining your spouse’s family farm. From communication and changing expectations to building trust and giving yourself grace, they share what they’ve learned along the way—and why you don’t have to have it all figured out right away.
In this episode:
Feeling like an imposter on your own farm
Why not all valuable farm work shows up on a balance sheet
Giving yourself credit for the work you do behind the scenes
Navigating the first year of marriage and changes in family life
Communicating with your spouse about your needs and expectations
Building trust with your spouse’s family
Giving yourself grace as your role changes
Choosing to grow through life’s inevitable changes
New episodes every Tuesday!
🙌 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!
40 min
October 06168. Holding Things With an Open Hand
Harvest is not going the way Jena and Mary Pat hoped this year. With weeks of rain, delayed harvest, crop disease, and plenty of uncertainty, they’re learning firsthand that sometimes the things you work hardest for are completely outside your control.
They talk about the pressure to have a record year, dealing with tar spot, and the reminder that not every year will be a record year—and that’s okay. Jena also shares about some of the difficult things happening behind the scenes in her family’s life and how faith, prayer, community, and past trials are helping them navigate this season.
In this episode:
A delayed and difficult harvest
Excessive rain and crop disease
Learning to hold things with an open hand
Why not every year can be a record year
Finding hope in hard seasons
Prayer, faith, and leaning on your people
Creating small, intentional spiritual habits
Giving ourselves and others grace
New episodes every Tuesday!
🙌 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!
34 min
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!
🙌 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!
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!
🙌 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!
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!
🙌 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!
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!
🙌 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!
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]
🙌 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
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
🙌 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!
43 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…