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Cheat Codes Debrief – Moving Day, Barn Setup & What’s Next

The last few weeks have been a little chaotic behind the scenes.

After a lot of waiting and moving parts, we finally closed on our new place and are now in the middle of getting everything moved, cleaning up the show barn, and getting the animals settled in so we can get back into a normal routine.

Because of that, the podcast has been a little quiet recently. This time of year is packed with major shows, sales, and trade events, and many of the guests we’re lining up are running pretty hard right now.

The good news is we have three great guests in the pipeline — we’re just working through schedules to make it happen.

In the meantime, I’ll start sharing some of the show barn transformation as we get this place set up. If you want to follow along, look for those updates on TikTok and Facebook.

This podcast is all about helping beginner show stock families shorten the learning curve, and we want to build future interviews around the questions you actually want answered.

If you’ve got beginner questions about:

• Feeding
• Fitting
• Breeding
• Barn setup
• Daily routines
• Or anything else in the show stock world

Send them to the Cheat Codes Facebook page and we’ll start asking them to upcoming guests.

And if you’ve been enjoying the podcast, leaving a quick review or rating helps new listeners discover the show and helps us bring better guests onto the podcast.

Thanks for following along.

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What happens when a kid doesn’t start showing livestock at five years old?

In this episode of Cheat Codes: Show Stock Edition, Tom sits down with father–daughter duo John Lemley and Kaytlynn Lemley to talk about late starts, family pressure, entrepreneurship, and what the barn really builds in kids.

Kaytlynn didn’t grow up in the show ring. She tried dance, volleyball, band, and color guard before stepping into livestock in high school. What began with one Southdown sheep turned into a State Fair class win, years of hard lessons, and eventually the launch of her own business — Farm Fierce, a lamb leg wrap company now shipping across the country.

Now pursuing her Master’s in Agricultural Communications at Oklahoma State University, Kaytlynn reflects on:

• Starting “late” in the industry
• Learning resilience through losing
• Navigating pressure from a competitive dad
• Discovering that parents aren’t meant to be friends first — they’re meant to prepare you
• Turning a side idea during COVID into a real business

John shares the parent side of the journey — the balance between pushing and pulling back, the reality of breeding sheep (and losing them), and the hard-earned wisdom that success in this industry requires finding the right people and sticking with them.

This conversation isn’t about banners.
 It’s about identity shifts, work ethic, entrepreneurship, and raising kids who can handle pressure long after the show season ends.

If you’re a parent with a kid just starting — or a family trying to figure out how hard to push — this one’s for you.

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In this Weekly Debrief episode of Cheat Codes — Show Stock Edition, Tom shares another real-time update from the barn — the wins, setbacks, and lessons that come with learning livestock management alongside family.

This episode revisits a previous situation involving a ewe with a prolapse, walking through the treatment decisions, a follow-up vet visit, and the outcome after getting the issue corrected. It’s a practical look at navigating unfamiliar territory, learning as you go, and adjusting when things don’t go perfectly the first time.

Tom also discusses the unexpected loss of Sterling, the Highland steer that was being fed out for the freezer. What began as a routine feeding plan turned into a veterinary investigation, an early trip to the locker, and ultimately the discovery of a ruptured kidney that made the meat unusable. The conversation reflects on risk, emotional reality, financial decisions, and the unpredictable nature of working with animals.

As always, this debrief isn’t about presenting expertise — it’s about documenting the journey, sharing honest experiences, and letting others follow along as lessons unfold in real time.

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In this episode of Cheat Codes: Show Stock Edition, Tom sits down with Becky Drlik and Sadie McClung to break down the world of online livestock sales and auctions.

Together, they walk through how online sales actually work, what buyers should expect, and where families often get tripped up. From bidding and payment processes to understanding sale terms like flush rights, shared ownership, and leases, this conversation is designed to remove confusion and help parents make more informed decisions.

This episode is purely educational — not sponsored and not tied to any single platform. Whether you’re brand new to buying show stock or just trying to avoid costly mistakes, this episode will give you a clearer picture of what really matters when buying animals online.

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Cheat Codes: Weekly Debrief is a short, weekly mini-podcast documenting real-time lessons from the barn — the wins, the setbacks, and the decisions in between.

This isn’t a clinic or expert advice. It’s documentation.
 We share what we tried, why we tried it, what worked, and what didn’t as we learn in real time.

Each week we break down:

• What went well
• What didn’t
• What we learned
• How we’re adjusting going forward

From animal health and feeding to facilities, weather, mindset, and problem-solving — this is real life, not polished theory.

No gurus. No shortcuts.
 Just a guy with a microphone, failing forward in public.

Send a text

Cheat Codes: Weekly Debrief is a short, weekly mini-podcast documenting real-time lessons from the barn — the wins, the setbacks, and the decisions in between.

This isn’t a clinic or expert advice. It’s documentation.
 We share what we tried, why we tried it, what worked, and what didn’t as we learn in real time.

Each week we break down:

• What went well
• What didn’t
• What we learned
• How we’re adjusting going forward

From animal health and feeding to facilities, weather, mindset, and problem-solving — this is real life, not polished theory.

No gurus. No shortcuts.
 Just a guy with a microphone, failing forward in public.

Send a text

Buying your first show calf or show lamb can be the most intimidating part of the entire show stock journey — especially for parents who didn’t grow up in the industry or who feel overwhelmed by how much has changed.

In this episode of Cheat Codes — Show Stock Edition, I sit down with Philip Doty, a breeder to talk honestly about the buying process from the breeder’s side. We break down how private treaty and auction sales actually work, what breeders notice about first-time buyers, and which questions parents shouldn’t be afraid to ask.

We discuss:

• Why breeders choose private treaty vs auction sales
• What good buyers do differently than first-time buyers
• How parents should think about budgets and expectations
• The difference between price and fit — especially in year one
• What matters most for families just getting started

This isn’t a promotional conversation.
 It’s a parent-focused discussion designed to reduce intimidation, clarify the process, and help families move forward with confidence when buying their first show animal.

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Episode 1: Feeling Behind in the Show World? You’re Not Alone.

If you’re a parent stepping into show cattle or show lambs and thinking, “Everyone else seems to know what they’re doing but me,” this episode is for you.

In this first episode of Cheat Codes: Show Stock Edition, I share why the show stock world feels so confusing for parents — even those with past livestock experience — and how much the game has changed over time.

You’ll hear:

• How my own background (and my wife’s) shaped our expectations
• Why buying the animal is often more stressful than feeding or showing
• What it’s really like navigating breeders, online sales, and uncertainty
• Why overwhelm isn’t a failure — it’s a signal that the system isn’t explained

This podcast exists to help parents gain clarity, not perfection — and to make sure confusion doesn’t cost kids opportunities.