Episode Summary

Welcome back to Pioneer Mindset this week where I reflect on the 1980s farm crisis and how its lessons still echo in agriculture today. While history doesn't always repeat itself, today's farmers face many of the same pressures: rising debt, uncertain markets, and the tension between tradition and change. I dive into the similarities between then and now, what's different in 2025, and how we can respond with a mindset that's focused on clarity, adaptability, and long-term sustainability.

Whether it's diversification, knowing your numbers, or letting go of the belief that hard work alone is enough, this episode is about honoring past lessons while forging a new path forward—so we don't repeat the same mistakes.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

In this special episode, I sit down with my dad, Tom, to talk through the history of our family farm—where it started, how it's evolved, and the values that have carried it forward. We dig into some of his earliest memories of farming, the challenges he faced early on, and the key lessons he's learned along the way. It's a personal conversation packed with perspective, laughter, and a few hard-earned insights that have shaped how we both approach life and business on the farm today.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

This week on Pioneer Mindset, I dive into how you can be practical about staying financially sharp in the middle of the busy season. Whether you're wrapping up spraying, running hay, or livestock, the farm work never stops—but that doesn't mean the business side should get left behind.In this episode, I walk through a checklist of what to focus on financially, how to stay updated on your numbers, and why clear communication with your banker and landlords can go a long way.

This episode is packed with insights to help you stay proactive, profitable, and positioned for opportunity—even when the days are packed full and fast paced.

In this week's episode I share practical advice on keeping your finances up to date in the busy season:

• You can't take advantage of opportunities if you don't know your numbers.
• Updating your cost of production mid-season helps you market smarter.
• Don't wait until winter to analyze and improve—do it while it's fresh.
• Sending crop updates builds strong relationships with landlords and lenders.
• Staying intentional with finances means you're owning the business, not letting it own you.

Resources & Links:

• If you want to stay ahead both strategically and financially, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

This week's episode focuses on the challenge of setting and maintaining boundaries in both personal and business life.Boundaries are essential to protecting your priorities, preserving your energy, and enabling you to lead with integrity and purpose.

Whether you're a business owner, a parent, or a leader in your community, this episode will equip you with tools to say "no" effectively, avoid burnout, and create space for what truly matters.

In this week's episode I share some of my own thoughts on boundaries:

• Boundaries reflect your values and priorities: They help you focus on what's truly important in both family and business.
• Consistency is crucial: Moving the line on boundaries undermines your integrity and confuses those around you.
• Saying "no" protects your capacity: Saying no isn't rude or selfish—it's necessary to preserve your energy and say yes to the right opportunities.
• Reflection leads to improvement: Regularly assess which boundaries work, which don't, and how communication can be clearer.
• Leadership starts with you: Whether at home or work, be the leader who models and enforces boundaries to create trust, clarity, and focus.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

This week's podcast episode is one that affects every farmer, rancher, and ag business owner—energy management.During the busy season, the pressure piles on.Whether it's the stress of planting delays, lack of rain, or just long, demanding days, it's easy to let that pressure bleed into your relationships and mindset.And the truth is your energy is contagious. Tune in to hear more about how some of the ways that I have found beneficial to help manage my energy during the busy season.

When we show up differently, we lead differently.

In this week's episode on managing your energy during the busy season:

• Awareness is half the battle: You can't fix what you don't recognize.
• Your energy trickles down to those around you—good or bad.
• Boundaries matter: protect your time, conversations, and mental bandwidth.
• Prioritize high-impact tasks over busywork.
• Stay grounded in your "why" to help get through the harder times.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

Diversification vs. Specialization.Which makes sense for your operation?This week I dive into the pros and cons of both.Cash flow in ag can be tight but knowing which option is best for operation comes down to knowing where the true profitability lies within your operation.Tune in for some actionable steps to get your operation moving in the right direction.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Use tools like an enterprise analysis to break down profitability by crop or livestock sector.
• Consider multiple sets of books or accounts to clarify income and expenses.
• You can't manage what you don't measure. Know your numbers.
• Personal enjoyment doesn't always align with profitability—own your decisions.
• Whether you diversify or specialize, do it intentionally and with clarity.

Resources & Links:

• To learn how you can use tools like an enterprise analysis to break down the profitability in your operation, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This week I'm excited to welcome Logan Hanks to Pioneer Mindest! Logan is a row crop farmer and host of the Talk Dirt to Me podcast. He shares a transparent and grounded look into the realities of modern farming. From battling a tough 2023 crop year to navigating the mental weight of the business, Logan speaks about faith, family, financial pressure, and why diversification and discipline matter more than ever. He shares how his experiences with both loss and growth shaped his mindset and decisions. He talks about the importance of not just surviving in agriculture but finding a way to thrive through intentional living, good stewardship, and keeping priorities in order.

Whether it's making hard marketing calls or leading his family, Logan's message is clear: know your numbers, keep your faith, and never forget why you started.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Logan:

• Check out his podcast, Talk Dirt to Me here!
• Follow Logan on Instagram

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

This week I reflect on some tough lessons I learned through mistakes and financial stress from our farm operation. Drawing from my personal experiences and from conversations with other farmers, this episode emphasizes that pain without reflection can lead to repeating costly mistakes.

You'll hear about refinancing, farm financial strain, and how past hardship can either shape better decisions or become tuition paid twice. Learn how to capture lessons before they repeat, build resilience, and create practical systems to move forward with clarity and confidence.

In this week's episode I share lessons learned from our farming operation:

• The only real mistake is one you don't learn from
• The pain of change vs. the pain of staying the same
• Lessons learned from refinancing and financial hardship on the farm
• Practical mindset shifts for avoiding repeat challenges
• The importance of implementing changes before we're in crisis—not after.

Resources & Links:

• Take action and quit hitting the same roadblocks over and over again, check out my free training here where you can learn how you can break the cycle of repeat mistakes and move your operation forward with clarity and confidence!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

This week on Pioneer Mindset, I discuss how we go about grain marketing for our operation.This episode reinforces that smart grain marketing isn't about complexity, but about clarity, consistency, and intentional decision-making that safeguards both family legacies and farm finances.

In this week's episode I share about grain marketing:

• Farmers often face the temptation of delayed decisions — thinking they'll have more time later — but proactive planning creates confidence and better results.
• Taking advantage of different marketing tools are key to strategizing and taking advantage of different opportunities.
• The best farmers — don't just hope for high prices; they use a mix of strategies to manage risk and profit intentionally.
• The emotional weight of grain marketing can lead to missed opportunities or risky decisions; removing emotion is key.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Episode Summary

Welcome back to part 2 of my conversation with Josh Pretzer!In this episode, Josh talks about redefining value in agriculture — from planter setup and data-driven decisions to the mindset farmers need to lead well. He shares insights from his work with Singular Agronomics, emphasizing that price isn't the same as value and that true ROI comes from clarity, not just cutting costs. We explore why relationships matter more than transactions, how comparison and judgment hold us back, and why generosity, gratitude, and grounded leadership are key for the next generation of farm decision-makers.

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Josh at Singular Agronomics:

• Check out their website: www.singularagronomics.com
• Follow Singular Agronomics on Facebook
• Follow Singular Agronomics on Instagram
• The Singular Ag Podcast: Tune in here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!