Shelby, Rita, Ridge, and Joan pull up chairs in the barn studio for a deep, sometimes uncomfortable dive into flagellation: the ancient (and modern) practice of deliberately making ourselves suffer for spiritual reasons.

It’s four married people wrestling with guilt, grace, self-worth, and whether God actually wants us miserable or just thinks we’re hilarious when we try.

Raw, reverent, ridiculous, and real.

Rate 5 stars, subscribe, share with anyone who’s ever felt they had to bleed to be loved. On Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean. New episodes Wednesdays & Sundays; notifications on, because grace shows up whether we deserve it or not.

Shelby and Rita grab the mics for a no-holds-barred chat about the people who can’t stop trashing their spouses—in front of anybody who’ll listen. Look, every marriage has its moments (Lord knows Shelby and Rita’s does), but there’s a big difference between working through real issues and turning every gathering into your personal complaint department.

Shelby and Rita get into why some folks love airing dirty laundry, the couples who seem to thrive on arguing in public like it’s dinner theater, and where the line is between “I need to vent” and “please stop, we’re begging you.” Plus, a few stories from Shelby and Rita’s own marriage that prove they’re not above the occasional eye-roll… they just save it for the ride home.

Raw, relatable, and a little bit “preach-y” in the best way. If you’ve ever sat through someone’s 20-minute spouse-bash session, this one’s for you.

Rate 5 stars, subscribe, share with the friend who needs to hear it (or the one who really needs to stop talking). On Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean. New episodes Wednesdays & Sundays — notifications on, because some conversations save your next dinner party.

Philosophy from the barn. Real talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of common sense.

Rita and I kick Ridge out of the barn for a cozy, just-us Thanksgiving episode. We trade stories of childhood Thanksgivings: the mountains of food we hated, the relatives we barely survived, and the exact moment our adult palates betrayed us and decided jellied cranberry sauce from a can is… actually amazing.

We get into what makes Thanksgiving the best holiday nobody fights over: no gifts, no pressure, just food, football, and the rare day where showing up and passing the rolls is enough. It’s a laid-back love letter to a holiday that’s still about people instead of presents, plus a defense of the much-maligned cranberry cylinder (complete with the satisfying shlurp sound).

Grab leftovers and settle in. This one’s warm, nostalgic, and 100 % gift-free.

Rate 5 stars, subscribe, share with whoever always steals the crunchy edges of the stuffing. On Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean. New episodes Wednesdays & Sundays — notifications on so you don’t miss the next slice.

Philosophy from the barn. Real talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of common sense.

Grab your turkey and a stiff drink: this Thanksgiving episode is a double-date gone gloriously off-script. Ridge & Joan join Shelby & Rita in the barn studio for the most dangerous holiday tradition yet: we make each other say, out loud, what we’re actually thankful for about our spouses… and why we think the other is secretly awesome.

Expect genuine compliments, savage (but loving) ribbing, and four adults trying not to blush while admitting the other one is low-key a bada$$. We get real about why men almost never tell each other “good job,” how rare it is to hear honest praise without sarcasm, and why saying the nice stuff out loud feels weirder than arguing.

It’s equal parts heart-warming, hilarious, and mildly humiliating, exactly what Thanksgiving with people you love should be.

If you’ve ever wanted to tell your person what they’re killer at but chickened out, let us do the awkward part for you.

Rate 5 stars, subscribe, share with the spouse who deserves to hear this. On Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean. New episodes Wednesdays & Sundays — notifications on, because love and roasts don’t wait for leftovers.

Ridge and Shelby are back in the new barn studio, and Shelby’s already a few generous pours of whiskey ahead. Filter? Gone. Volume? Up. Topic? The one nobody wants to touch: pornography—how it’s hijacking brains, gutting relationships, and turning regular guys into numb, dopamine-chasing ghosts who can barely look their wives in the eye.

No sermons, no ivory-tower nonsense—just two regular dudes who’ve seen the fallout up close, asking the questions most people dodge: What does endless on-demand sex do to a man’s soul? To a marriage? To an entire society?

It’s messy, it’s loud, it’s occasionally slurred, and it’s probably the rawest hour we’ve ever dropped.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, disconnected, or wondered why this topic still gets laughed off, pour yourself something strong (or a coffee) and press play.

Rate 5 stars, subscribe, share with the guy who needs to hear he’s not alone. Find us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean. New episodes Wednesdays & Sundays—notifications on. Some conversations can’t wait ‘til morning.

Philosophy from the barn. Real talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of common sense.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the soft opening of the new barn studio—complete with actual walls, a door that closes, and (fingers crossed) fewer cats walking through. In this episode, I rope my ever-graceful wife Rita into the hot seat to expose my latest domestic offense: the slow, relentless invasion of her She, We Shed.

Picture it: one half of the shed was supposed to be her sanctuary—easels, paint tubes, canvases, zero podcast cables. The other half? My domain. Except my “temporary” mic stand became permanent, my notes colonized her workbench, and suddenly her glitter glue is sharing shelf space with XLR cables. She’s rightfully thrilled to finally claim a legit art corner with good light and zero sawdust. I’m over the moon that The Barn Philosopher now has a real home base—no more recording in the tractor seat.

We dig into the universal marriage struggle: personal space vs. shared chaos. Why “I’ll just put this here for now” is the gateway drug to full territorial conquest. The art of negotiation when one partner’s vision board meets the other’s soundboard. And the quiet power moves—like Rita casually hanging a “No Mics Beyond This Point” sign while I pretend not to notice.

It’s funny, it’s real, it’s a little tense (in the best way), and it’s peak barn philosophy: love isn’t about equal square footage—it’s about knowing when to push, when to back off, and when to just hand over the good paintbrush.

Grab a coffee, a tape measure, or a compromise—this one’s for every couple who’s ever drawn a chalk line down the middle of a room (or a heart).

Rate us 5 stars, follow or subscribe, and share with the partner who definitely doesn’t steal your side of the garage.

Find The Barn Philosopher on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean—wherever great pods roam. New episodes drop Wednesdays and Sundays. Hit that notification bell—next one lands faster than my stuff spreads across a workbench!

Philosophy from the barn. Real talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of common sense.

What happens when a jolly community-center Christmas party turns into an impromptu men’s-rights rally? In this episode, I bring my incredible wife Rita back to the barn mic (Ridge is off the hook this time) to relive the night a frustrated guy decided the cookie table was the perfect spot to demand more resources for struggling men.

We agree 100%—men do need more support. But in the middle of “Jingle Bells” and awkward small talk? Probably not the moment. I was locked, loaded, and ready to throw hands; Rita, as usual, diffused the whole thing with a smile and a few perfectly placed words. We unpack the bigger picture: toxic masculinity, knowing when to fight and when to listen, and why timing might just be the ultimate common sense.

Then, because heavy talks always need a bailout, we veer straight into a ridiculous debate about salt water taffy—texture crimes, flavor rankings, and why it’s the undisputed champion of chaotic holiday candy bowls.

Raw, real, and unexpectedly sweet—like marriage, like barn life. Grab a coffee (or a piece of taffy) and settle in.

If this episode made you laugh, think, or nod along, do us a solid: rate us 5 stars, follow or subscribe, and share it with someone who needs a little barn wisdom this week.

Find The Barn Philosopher wherever great podcasts live—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean, or your favorite player. New episodes drop twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. Turn on notifications—you won’t want to miss the next one!

Ever wonder why nobody trusts anybody anymore? Shelby and Ridge saddle up in the barn to figure out why society’s turned into a bunch of side-eye skeptics who’d rather triple-lock the tractor than lend a neighbor a wrench. We spill the hay: sometimes you gotta let faith take the first awkward step before trust will even peek out of its stall. From shattered handshakes to “I’ll believe it when I see it” becoming the national motto.

Grab a stool, crack a cold one, and join two guys who still (mostly) trust each other not to steal the last chicken wing. The Barn Philosopher—where deep thoughts wear muddy boots and faith still answers the door.

Rate, follow, and share this episode wherever you find great podcasts (because trust us, your buddies need this one). New episodes drop faster than Shelby drops tools. 🛠️✝️

In this episode, Shelby sits down with the lovely Rita for a heartwarming (and slightly hilarious) chat about love, labor, and leadership. He’s the heavy lifter, she’s the captain of the ship—together, they’re navigating life one barn project at a time. Between stubborn streaks, shared dreams, and who’s really in charge, this conversation is equal parts endearing and relatable.

Find “The Barn Philosopher” on all fine podcast platforms!

In this fruity installment of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby introduces Ridge to the strange, spiky delight known as Rambutan—an exotic fruit that has Ridge channeling his inner fruit sommelier as he picks out delicate flavor notes like a pro. Rita makes a quick but memorable cameo, expertly rolling her R’s and correcting everyone’s pronunciation. The conversation ripens into a chat about Paw-Paws, Ohio’s own native fruit, and the woodland adventure where Rita and Shelby stumbled upon some while mushroom hunting. Ridge gets genuinely curious about these backyard treasures, and Shelby dreams of one day growing Rambutans right outside the barn.

Sweet, curious, and just the right amount of weird—this one’s a juicy listen.