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This week on The Rural Dispatch, I sit down with Maury Eickman, a 97-year-old lifelong farmer from Templeton, Iowa, to capture nearly a century of farming history and wisdom. Maury shares stories from growing up during the Great Depression, surviving the unforgettable “year from hell” in 1936, and building a life on the farm with his wife, Dottie, while raising seven children. He reflects on the 1980’s farm crisis, how rural families built wealth over time, and the dramatic changes he has witnessed in the hog industry. Maury speaks with deep respect for the role women play not only in farming and family life, but also in politics, and explains why estate planning was so important to him and Dottie. He also shares his thoughts on the challenges Iowa farmers may face in the next decade. This conversation is a rare opportunity to hear from someone whose sharp mind and generous spirit make his nearly 100 years of experience both captivating and inspiring.

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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This week I'm joined by Brandon Roering, third generation dispatcher for his family's livestock transportation business, Lambrecht Livestock Trucking, and the creator of Beef Hub — a brand-new app created specifically for the needs in the livestock transportation world. 

Join us as we dive into Brandon's journey from growing up in trucking to managing logistics and developing tech, and how he turned his real-world experience into a digital tool to make life a little easier for the ones out on the road. Beef Hub combines a load board, forum, radius tool, and map for washouts, sale barns and packing plants all in one easy-to-use platform. 

PLUS, listeners of The Rural Dispatch get a free month of Beef Hub when you use code RURAL at checkout. 

Whether you're in a truck every day, on the phones, or just like hearing stories from the people who keep the livestock world moving, this episode is for you. 

Follow Beef Hub on Facebook | Download Beef Hub on the App Store or Google Play

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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This week, we're joined by both the founders of Agar Transportation, Matt and Debbie Agar, and the current owners of Agar Transportation, Paul and Kindra Radloff. 

Matt shares how he got started in trucking, and Debbie brings an honest look at what it's really like being married to, and raising kids with, an over-the-road truck driver and dispatcher. We hear about their journey through the trucking industry, all the way up to passing the torch over to Paul. 

Whether you're in the trucking industry, part of a family business, or just love stories from rural America, you'll get some laughs, lessons and a real look at life from behind the wheel and holding down the fort at home. 

Tune in to Episode 13 to hear Paul's story. 

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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Fresh off Day 1 of the Western Video Market’s biggest sale of the year, Rick Machado joins us for a boots-on-the-ground conversation in Reno. As an auctioneer, cattleman, and part owner of WVM, Rick shares how the video sale works, what makes it unique, and other industry insights. Plus, we’re joined by a couple of drop-in guests, the Nuttall boys of Susanville, CA and Glenn Benjamin of Simla, CO, to talk about how day 1 of the sale went for them. 

This episode delivers a true behind-the-scenes look at WVM, with insights straight from the horse's mouth. 

Links:

Western Video Market

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!

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Catch up with us on the road this week. From behind the scenes of podcasting to the current cattle market and life lately, this episode is short and sweet and packed with a little bit of everything from our corner of the world. 

Need livestock hauled? Give us a call: 712-790-3359

Suggestions for a podcast guest? Email Aly: [email protected]

Mentions:

Western Video Market

Cattle Drive Video Market

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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Ryan and Ryam Nelson joined us for a real, down-to-earth conversation about building their concrete business from absolutely nothing - literally. In this episode they share about the early days of Concrete Creators, how they figured it out as they went, and what drove them to start a business and work together. The two of them now also own Jefferson Monument Works and talk about what it means to take on another business, and how it fits into their lifestyle. 

Get ready for some laugh-out-loud stories from Ryan and Smoke, as they share about the questionable decisions they made in their younger years. We cover everything from wrecked trucks and driving without a license to underage drinking and the kinds of things you'd only get away with before camera phones. 

It's all part of the story and might make you wonder how two ornery teenagers turned out to be successful business owners raising families. This one is all about small-town roots, having the right people in your corner, and busting your butt to get where you want to be.  

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!

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In this episode, we are honored to have Mark Handlos on to share his story — a farm kid turned medical warrior whose life is rooted in resilience, hope, and an unshakable sense of humor. Mark opens up about what it was like growing up in rural Iowa and then facing a mysterious illness that began at age 15. With no diagnosis and no treatment that worked for more than a decade, he battled episodes that left him unable to walk, urinate on his own, or even see.

Mark shares how he navigated some of his darkest days with humor, the importance of the people he keeps close, and the mindset that’s carried him through. We talk about how his experience shaped the way he shows up in the world today and what he’s learned through the years.

For all the heaviness of what he’s faced, this conversation is surprisingly light-hearted. I hope it leaves you with a deeper appreciation for the little things and serves as a reminder that even in the unknown, we can choose to live forward.

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!

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If the words “hedging,” “options,” or “basis” make your eyes glaze over — this episode is for you.

Today I’m joined by Zach Tindall, a commodity broker with Producers Livestock and a farmer feeder himself, to break down price protection tools in plain English. We talk about the real-world side of managing market risk — not just the theory, but how it actually works when you’ve got cattle on feed and money on the line.

We cover:

• What “hedging” really means 
• Pros and cons of futures, options, LRP, and packer contracts
• What basis is and why it matters
• A unique hedge contract offered only to Producers customers that removes the stress of margin calls

Zach also shares stories from the farm and how working alongside his dad shapes the way he serves producers today.

Whether you've got 50 head or 5,000, this episode gives you the tools — and confidence — to start protecting your bottom line.

Links & Resources:

Learn more about Producers Livestock | Livestock Marketing, Commodities & Credit

Sign up for Zach's Weekly Market Commentary

June 30 is the last day to switch LRP agents for the 2026 insurance year. Give Zach a call to discuss switching LRP agents to Producers Livestock: 712-274-0539

Like what you heard? Share with someone who could use a little less guesswork and a little more piece of mind.

 Follow along for more stories from the road, the farm, and everywhere in between.

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

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Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!

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In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, Aly sits down with farmer and cattle feeder Justin Heiman, a Carroll County native who built his own farming operation from the ground up. Justin shares how he got started with nothing but work ethic, a love for agriculture, and mentors who were willing to show him the ropes.

We talk about the highs and lows of getting into farming on your own, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and why serving on the Carroll County Cattlemen’s Association board matters to him. You’ll also hear some light-hearted stories from the farm and a few things only folks in ag will truly understand.

Whether you’re a young producer, a rural community supporter, or just someone who loves a good “made it happen” story, this episode is for you.

What We Cover:

• Justin’s early years working on the farm and in feedyards
• What it took to start his own operation from scratch
• The value of learning from others in the ag industry
• How local leadership and board involvement impacts the cattle industry
• Farm stories and quick hits: favorite season, best cut of meat, and advice for the next generation

Connect with the Carroll County Cattlemen’s Association on Facebook | Carroll County Cattlemen Beef Builder Program

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!

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This episode is for the dads — the ones who hauled cattle before sunup, made you work when you got in trouble, and taught you how to let things roll off your back like water on a duck.

For this Father’s Day edition of The Rural Dispatch, we’ve pulled clips from past episodes where guests told stories about their dads — the things they said, the lessons they passed down, and the work ethic they demanded. You’ll hear about trucks, cattle, and the quiet wisdom rural dads are known for.

And at the end? Our boys, Ridge (4) and Royce (2.5), share a few thoughts on their own dad. 

Whether you’re a dad, miss your dad, or are raising the next generation of hard-working kids, this one’s for you.

Listen in for:

• Classic dad sayings like “It’ll be fine” and “If you’re not doing anything this weekend…”
• Why so many got into trucking and livestock because of their dads
• Stories that will make you laugh, nod along, and maybe tear up
• An interview with Ridge & Royce to wrap it all up

Tag your dad or someone who’s been like a dad to you — and thanks for listening.

This episode is sponsored by Jefferson Monument Works in Jefferson, Iowa.

Crafting custom granite memorials, markers, vases, and more — all designed and engraved in-house with care and craftsmanship since 1947.

Learn more at jeffersonmonumentworks.com or call 515-386-2652. 

Because some stories are meant to be set in stone.

LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL - just tap the link, hit record and send us your questions, stories, or whatever's on your mind! You might even hear yourself featured on the show. 

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!