The Rural Dispatch

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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.  

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

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Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

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.

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support the show

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

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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.

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support the show

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

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Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

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

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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! 

Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

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.

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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! 

Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, Smoke and I sit down for a real-time check-in — no guest, just us. Following up last week’s episode with Rich Pudenz felt like a tall order, but we wanted to bring it back home and share what’s going on behind the mic.

We talk about what it means to build a life and business together — especially when your past doesn’t look picture-perfect. From marriage and faith to cattle markets, networking, and finances, this episode covers everything happening behind the scenes.

Links & Resources:

JBS USA to Invest $135 Million in New Sausage Plant in Perry, Iowa — JBS Foods

Daisy Brand dairy plant coming to Boone in 2028 | weareiowa.com

Point Reyes lawsuits to force closures after decade-long battles | AGDAILY

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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! 

Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, we sit down with Rich Pudenz—a cattle feeder now in his 90s—who shares what it was like growing up in rural America during the Great Depression, feeding cattle alongside his brothers, and watching the livestock industry evolve over the past century.

From early mornings in the feedlot to navigating tough market years, Rich reflects on what went well, what didn’t, and how much has changed in both agriculture and life. His stories are full of perspective that only time can offer.

Whether you’ve been in ag your whole life or you’re just curious about the roots of rural business, this conversation is one you won’t forget.

What You’ll Hear:

• Growing up in the 1930s and ‘40s in rural America
• How Rich and his brothers got into cattle feeding
• Lessons from decades of running cattle 
• What’s changed (and what hasn’t) in livestock production
• His advice to young people entering ag today

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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! 

Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

Sit down with us as we talk with Howard Curry, owner of Howard Curry Transport Inc, a brokerage business with deep roots in hauling livestock. 

Howard takes us all the way back to 1953, when his dad first got into hauling livestock. Born into the business in 1962, Howard's been a part of the livestock world ever since. At 16 years old, he quit school, moved out and went to work on his own -- building a life through trucking, livestock, dispatching, selling cars, and investing in real estate in Liberty, Indiana. 

Tune in to find out how the livestock and trucking industries have evolved over the years, why keeping your word matters, how good drivers in this industry are undervalued, and what makes someone stand out in trucking today. Howard reminds us that success in business comes down to trust, commitment, and surrounding yourself with good people. 

Whether you're behind the wheel, in an office, or just love a good American business story, Howard's journey is one worth listening to. 

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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! 

Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, we sit down with Paul Radloff and Brittany Fenstemacher from Agar Transportation to talk about what it means to buy "blue sky" in the trucking industry. Paul bought the company with just $300 to his name but a whole lot of ambition to make it work. Brittany, the brains behind the scenes, helped bring structure to the transition and continues to play a vital role in operations.

We also talk openly about the current slowdown in the livestock transportation industry, how the weight of this season is affecting business owners and drivers alike, and why mental health awareness in this industry matters now more than ever. 

This episode is full of real talk, laughs and insight. 

Tune in to hear:

• Paul's background in trucking
• How he came to own Agar Transportation
• Brittany's role in the company and what makes a great team
• PAR Repair and other ventures they've started
• Why dispatching is harder than ever right now
• The mental toll of slow seasons, and the importance of talking about it
• Advice for others navigating transition, ownership, and burnout in rural industries

Links & Resources:

Agar Transportation | Fruitland, ID | Facebook | Paul Radloff (@agar.transportation) • Instagram photos and videos

PAR Repair Inc. | Facebook

Roll On Dispatch | Facebook

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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! 

Send us a text or leave a voicemail - we’d love to hear from you!

In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, we’re sitting down with James and Megan Holz—farmers, livestock producers, entrepreneurs, and one of the husband-and-wife duos behind Iowa Cover Crop. James and Megan share the story of how they ventured into feeding hogs and the lessons they’ve learned navigating that world, and how it differs from cattle feeding. We dig into the unexpected origin of Iowa Cover Crop — a business that began over beers in a garage between friends, and how it’s grown into a trusted seed provider serving farmers across the Midwest and beyond. James also shares what it was like feeding cattle for the first time on his own and how his approach has evolved over the years. Both James and Megan open up about their professional backgrounds, James as a grain merchandiser and Megan as a CPA, and what it took to transition into running their own ag-focused businesses full-time. From restoring Iowa farmland back to pasture to graze cattle, to growing organic corn with long-term goals in mind, the Holz family is committed to making smart, sustainable moves in agriculture. This is a candid and practical conversation packed with insights for anyone balancing family, business, and a love of the land.

Resources & Links:

Iowa Cover Crop - Seed Dealer and Cover Crop - Central Iowa, Des Moines, Ames

Follow along on ICC's socials: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Running a trucking, cattle, farming, or other rural business? Ambrook makes it easier to manage accounting, payments, receipts, invoices, and cash flow all in one place. Track different parts of your operation separately while keeping your books together. Start your 30-day free trial at ambrook.com/ruraldispatch.

Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up.

➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play

Support 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!