In this episode of On Life & Land, we speak with Bill Spiegel, field editor for John Deere's The Furrow magazine, about one of the most important — yet under-discussed — aspects of farming: succession planning. Along the way, Bill introduces us to two couples, Mark and Brenna Wulfkuhle and Bryan and Diane Fishburn, who have taken an unusual approach to planning for the future.

On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May. 

Join us for our first episode of the new season as we bring back one of our favorite guests, Neil Dahlstrom, Deere & Company Branded Properties and Heritage Manager. Neil tells us a bit about his current projects, and in honor of John Deere's birthday, lets us in on some of the lesser-known facts about the history of the company and of the man himself. 

On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May. 

On Life & Land is back for another season! Join host David Jones and guests as On Life & Land tracks down stories from the backroads and the turnrows. Our new season begins February 4, but you can get a quick preview now!

Happy holidays from On Life & Land! Join us for a quick look back at some of our favorite stories from Season One. 

When the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts decided they needed a new revenue stream, they turned to one of the oldest agricultural products known to man. "It has moments of really intense physical activity," says Father Isaac of St. Joseph's of the production process, "but it's an almost silent environment. It really fits in with our contemplative life."  

Organic. Natural. Certified. GMO-free. What do they mean, and what should you choose? In this episode, we moderate a 'food fight' between co-host Chrissy Taylor and our friend Jen Anderson as they discuss how they (and we) make the choices we do at the store or restaurant, which labels make them put an item back on the shelf or into the cart, and what ag is doing right...or could be doing better...when it comes to promoting the health and safety of our food supply. We're talking labeling, food-shaming, fear-based marketing, and more. 

Lucky Linda Cheddar. Little Lucy Brie. Tipsy Tilsiter. These are just a few of the “ridiculously good” cheeses on offer from Brooten, Minnesota’s Redhead Creamery. In this episode of “On Life & Land,” Alise Sjostrom (President, CEO, and resident redhead) and her mom, Linda Jennissen, talk about how the creamery came to be, the challenges facing kids who want to return to the farm...and about their love of all things cheese-related! 

Tucked away along the northern edge of Iowa is the town of Mason City...agricultural hub and home to the Historic Park Inn Hotel, the only remaining hotel designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Like so many buildings of its era, the Hotel fell into a state of disrepair before a massive renovation effort began in 2009; the Hotel reopened to the public in 2011. In this episode, we speak with designer Scott Borcherding, current president of Wright on the Park, Inc., partner at Bergland + Cram Architects, and member of the Historic Park Inn Hotel restoration team.

In our latest episode, we chat with Ben Harshyne, agent and land specialist with Whitetail Properties. Ben makes his living helping recreational and agricultural clients find the right piece of ground to fit their needs, whether it’s deer hunting or crop production. In this episode, Ben talks about land use, creating wildlife habitat, his love of maps, and his time with the National Counter-Terrorism Center.

Join us for our conversation with Patrick Montgomery, former U.S. Army Ranger and founder of KC Cattle Company in Weston, Missouri. KCCC is one of Missouri's largest producers of Wagyu and Wagyu-cross beef, and was recently honored by Food & Wine magazine for...wait for it...Best Hot Dog! In this episode, Patrick speaks openly about the challenges of running a start-up, niche-market business, and of transitioning to civilian life after serving in combat.