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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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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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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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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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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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!

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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.

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In this episode of Beyond the Crops, we're sharing everything that's been happening behind the scenes. From county fair adventures and first-year 4-H lessons to pregnancy updates and navigating one of the biggest challenges our family has ever faced, this conversation feels like catching up with friends on the front porch.

Jena shares how her sons confidence is growing through 4-H, why county fairs teach so much more than showing animals, and where things currently stand with their family's unexpected home situation. We also talk about building a temporary home, learning to let go of possessions, and the ways God continues to teach us about contentment in difficult seasons.

Plus, we debate one very important question: Should you find out your baby's gender before birth—or wait for the surprise?

If you've ever felt like life took a turn you didn't expect, this episode is a reminder that even in uncertain seasons, God is still writing the story.

In this episode, we discuss:

•  Summer updates from the farm 
•  Jena's first "real" year as a 4-H mom 
•  Lessons learned from county fair week 
•  Bucket calves, showmanship, and raising farm kids 
•  Pregnancy updates and whether to find out baby's gender 
•  An update on Jena's home and building plans 
•  Learning contentment through unexpected loss 
•  Why slowing down before making big decisions matters 
•  Trusting God through uncertainty 
•  Finding hope while you're still in the middle of the story 

Whether you're hauling kids to the county fair, checking cattle, or enjoying a quiet drive down a gravel road, we're so glad you're here.

If today's conversation encouraged you, we'd love for you to leave a review and share this episode with another farm wife who could use a little encouragement.

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Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this honest and relatable episode, Jena and Mary Pat take a walk down memory lane as they reflect on all the things they swore they'd never do as moms... only to find themselves doing exactly that.

From homeschooling and reading every food label to becoming stay-at-home moms after planning ambitious careers, this conversation is full of laughter, humility, and reminders that motherhood has a way of changing us in the very best ways. They also reflect on the sacrifices their own parents made, the wisdom they now understand as adults, and how becoming mothers has given them a whole new appreciation for family, faith, and raising the next generation.

If you've ever caught yourself saying, "I sound just like my mom," this episode is for you.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ The biggest "I'll never..." moments that motherhood completely changed

✅ Why both Jena and Mary Pat took unexpected paths into homeschooling

✅ How becoming parents changed their views on health, food, and raising children

✅ Career dreams vs. the reality of motherhood

✅ Learning to appreciate the sacrifices our own parents made

✅ Funny moments when they realized they had become their mothers

✅ Parenting firstborns versus younger siblings

✅ The importance of giving yourself grace as a mom

✅ What they would tell their younger, pre-mom selves today

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Motherhood has a way of reshaping your priorities in ways you never expect.

✨ Never say never—life has a funny way of changing your perspective.

✨ You don't fully understand your parents' sacrifices until you become one yourself.

✨ Every family looks different, and there isn't one "right" way to raise children.

✨ Motherhood is both deeply refining and incredibly rewarding.

✨ Grace—for yourself, your kids, and your journey—is one of the greatest gifts you can give.

✨ Sometimes the life you never planned becomes the one you wouldn't trade for anything.

Whether you're raising toddlers, teenagers, or somewhere in between, we hope this episode reminds you that you're not alone. Motherhood is messy, beautiful, humbling, and constantly teaching us lessons we never saw coming. We'd love to hear what you once swore you'd never do... only to find yourself doing today!

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Come share your own "I said I'd never..." moments with us! 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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Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! In this episode, we're diving into one of the most requested topics we've ever covered: mold illness and the surprising ways our homes can impact our health.

Joining us is functional medicine practitioner Keri Anania, who helps us unpack the connection between mold exposure, chronic inflammation, nervous system dysregulation, and the symptoms so many people struggle to explain. Along the way, we share pieces of Jena's family's ongoing mold journey, what we've learned, and why finding answers—while overwhelming—can also be incredibly empowering.

If you've been dealing with unexplained fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, recurring illness, hormone imbalances, or simply feel like something is "off," this conversation will give you practical tools, hope, and a reminder that healing is possible.

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

✅ What mold illness and mycotoxins actually are

✅ The signs and symptoms of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)

✅ Why some people are more sensitive to mold than others

✅ How chronic stress and an overwhelmed nervous system can keep the body stuck in survival mode

✅ The connection between mold, gut health, hormones, acne, candida, and chronic inflammation

✅ Why slowing down, prioritizing sleep, and helping your body feel safe are essential parts of healing

✅ The difference between dust testing, urine testing, and when each may (or may not) be necessary

✅ What to know before remediating mold—and why rushing the process can create bigger problems

✅ Why not every positive mold test means you have to leave your home

✅ Practical first steps if you suspect mold could be affecting your family's health

💡 Key Takeaways:

✨ Healing is rarely about finding one "magic fix"—it's about addressing the whole picture.

✨ Your nervous system needs to feel safe before your body can fully heal.

✨ Small daily habits like quality sleep, time outside, deep breathing, gratitude, and slowing down can have a profound impact on your health.

✨ Knowledge is power. Test, don't guess.

✨ Every mold situation is different, and there is hope—even if the journey feels overwhelming.

✨ Investing in your health today can change the trajectory of your future.

Whether mold ends up being part of your story or not, we hope this conversation encourages you to listen to your body, ask questions, and remember that healing is often a journey of small, faithful steps—not overnight transformation.

Connect With Keri: 

• Nebraska Functional Medicine 
• Find her on Instagram

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