In this episode I sit down with Ben Adams, owner and operator of 4T% Ranch in Soldotna, Alaska, to talk about the work, the cost, and the conviction behind one of the wildest modern ranching stories I have ever heard. 
Ben grew up poor in Canada with a legally blind father, learned responsibility early, and eventually "fluked" his way into a career as a criminal defense attorney. Years later, he walked away from the courtroom, carved a ranch out of the boreal forest on the central Kenai Peninsula, and has been grinding ever since to raise some of the most nutritionally dense beef in the country. Along the way, his body and spirit have taken a beating from brutal winters, dead calves,  broken equipment, borough taxes, skeptical farmers, and the foreboding task it is to build success in the ag industry. 

Through it all, Ben’s impenetrable work ethic, his love for cattle, and his belief that food should actually nourish people keep him going. His transparency on social media has turned 4T% Ranch into something like a live action docu series. Building quite the community of those that cheer him on, but not without those that remain skeptical and criticize his unconventional approach to life and ranching. 

In this episode we talk about: 

• Ben’s childhood in Canada and what it was like to be raised by a legally blind single dad while living in poverty
• How those early years shaped his work ethic and his decision to grind through university and law school
• The SWAT raid that flipped his view of the justice system and pushed him toward criminal defense work
• Going from broke public defender to successful private attorney and multimillionaire, then choosing a harder life anyway
• Why he always saw law as a way to someday become a farmer
• Buying land on the Kenai, building a massive timber frame home from his own trees, and the decision to ranch
• How a few cows turned into hundreds, and why ranching in the central Kenai Peninsula might be the toughest way to raise beef in Alaska
• The insane logistics of feeding and moving cattle when almost everything has to be trucked in or hauled for hours
• Losing money, losing cattle, and nearly breaking himself during long winters and calving seasons
• Why he feeds root crops like potatoes, beets, and carrots, and what the nutritional testing on his beef actually showed
• The lack of real support for agriculture in Alaska, from tax policy to local culture, and the pushback he has felt from some in the ag community
• Buying a USDA plant to keep local processing alive, and why he did it even though it cost him dearly
• The future of farming and food security in the United States as older producers age out and fewer young people step in

Follow 4T% Ranch on Facebook

Order beef from 4T% Ranch
Text: 907-394-5619 
He tracks orders by text. Reach out, tell him you heard the podcast, and he will walk you through what cuts are available and how pickup or delivery works.
 

 If this conversation hit home for you, the best way to support the show is to:
 

• Follow or subscribe to The State I Am In wherever you listen
• Leave a rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
• Share this episode with a friend who cares about Alaska, ranching, or where their food comes from
• Subscribe on YouTube and share a clip on your social media

Thank you for listening and for supporting Alaskan stories.

 Keep North, Alaska.
 

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In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Kontra, 3rd degree black belt, owner of Holdfast Grappling in Homer, AK, and co-owner of Southside Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Anchorage. Jordan shares his journey from early influences in wrestling to becoming a respected instructor and voice in Alaska’s Jiu-Jitsu community.

We explore how Jiu-Jitsu offers real-world self-defense skills, not just for athletes, but for everyday people—including healthcare workers, first responders, and those who routinely work in unpredictable environments. Jordan explains how Jiu-Jitsu teaches control, restraint, awareness, and the ability to stay calm under pressure—critical skills for de-escalation and safety.

Along the way, we discuss:

• The mental and physical benefits of regular training for adults and kids alike
• How community and accountability keep people coming back
• Jiu-Jitsu as a tool for mental health support and emotional grounding
• The importance of durability and longevity over ego
• The discussion between gi and no-gi training
• Alaska’s rapidly growing competition scene in BJJ and MMA
• The We Defy Foundation, which connects veterans to gyms and purpose through training

Jordan emphasizes that no matter your age, background, or fitness level, the mat is a place for growth, resilience, confidence, and human connection. If you’ve ever been curious about Jiu-Jitsu, this conversation is a genuine invitation.

Learn More:

Holdfast Grappling — Homer, AK
 www.holdfastgrappling.com

Southside Jiu-Jitsu Academy — Anchorage, AK
 www.southsidejiujitsuak.com

Instagram: 

@holdfastgrappling 

@southsidejiujitsuacademy

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 Alaska Day marks the moment the American flag replaced the Russian one in Sitka — a turning point in our state’s story. But over 150 years later, what does that really mean for those of us who call this place home? In this bonus episode, Manny looks back at the handoff between empires, the people who were here long before it, and how Alaska continues to define itself today. From the debate over Indigenous Peoples Day to jokes about “selling Alaska back to Russia,” it’s a reflection on what it means to take pride in where we live, to see it through many perspectives, and to recognize our shared belonging as Alaskans. 

Shoot me a text, what do you think?

 In this episode, Manny reflects on what it means to live and think in the middle — that quiet space between red and blue where real conversation still has a chance. 

After watching local elections play out across Alaska, Manny shares how social media and modern politics have made genuine dialogue harder than ever. The algorithm rewards outrage, the headlines crave reactions, and too often we arrive at every conversation already decided. But what if we started differently? 

Manny takes listeners on a thoughtful journey through the way online echo chambers shape our beliefs, the value of long-form conversations, and why empathy might be the most radical act left in today’s political climate. He draws on personal stories, Alaskan life, and even baseball rivalries to remind us that loving the “game” — our shared humanity and community — should matter more than loving any single team. 

From protecting free speech and condemning hate, to believing in environmental responsibility and economic opportunity, Manny shows that complex beliefs can coexist — and that humility, not hostility, is what leadership really looks like. 

If you’ve ever felt caught between extremes or just tired of the noise, this episode invites you to slow down, reflect before reacting, and rediscover the common ground that still exists right here in the state we call home. 

Keep North, Alaska.

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In this episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with Alaskan author, veteran, and homesteader Bob Stark. Bob’s story takes us from the wide-open beaches of Nome, to life in Eagle River and Seward, to the battlefields of Iraq as an airborne infantry soldier, and finally to his family homestead in Happy Valley. Along the way, he shares how identity, family, and faith were shaped through experiences of hardship, loss, and resilience. 

We talk about what it was like growing up in a home marked by addiction and incarceration, and how those early years influenced the way Bob saw himself. He opens up about his service in Iraq, the adrenaline and fear of combat, the brotherhood of the infantry, and the challenges of reintegration when he returned home at just 22 years old. We also explore his struggles with addiction, the role of spirituality in his life, and how writing his books Warflower and Just Like a Soldier helped him process what he had been through. 

Today, Bob is raising a family and working his land in Happy Valley, proof that healing and growth are possible even after walking through the darkest chapters. His reflections on service, sacrifice, and fatherhood offer a perspective that is raw, human, and deeply Alaskan. 

Follow the links below to connect with Bob, explore his website, and find his books Warflower and Just Like a Soldier. 

Website: www.secretgardenalaska.org

Facebook: Robert Stark

Youtube: @SecretGardenAlaska

Purchase Books on Amazon

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In this solo episode of The State I Am In, I dive into the meaning behind a phrase I’ve recently started using to close out every show: Keep North. At first, it seemed like the perfect tagline for an Alaska-based podcast, but the more I sat with it, the more layers of meaning it revealed.

Keep North is about honoring Alaska’s past while protecting its future — from preserving its culture and resources, to standing firm in our values and the way of life that makes this place unique. It’s about direction too: orienting ourselves toward faith, family, and community, no matter where life takes us. 

Duck-In Documentary Link:

https://www.isuma.tv/uncivilized-films/the-duck-in

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In this episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with Bridgett Watkins — Alaskan musher, ER nurse, wife, mother, and author of Marker to Marker. Bridgett takes us deep into her journey from childhood races in Fairbanks to surviving a brutal moose attack just weeks before her first Iditarod. We talk about grit, faith, and family — how she balanced chasing dreams with the realities of motherhood, and how failure 50 miles from the finish line fueled her return to the trail. From long training runs in Alaska’s backcountry to her motivation to press through fear that carried her through setbacks, Bridgett’s story is one of resilience and relentless pursuit of a dream. 

Whether you’re a parent, athlete, or anyone chasing a goal, this conversation will leave you inspired to keep moving forward one step at a time, and marker to marker. 

Purchase Marker to Marker on Amazon

Follow Bridgett on Facebook & Instagram

www.bridgettwatkins.com 

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In this episode of The State I Am In, I talk with Dr. Bretwood “Hig” Higman—geologist, lifelong Alaskan, and founder of Ground Truth Alaska—about life, land, and the very real risks facing our coastal communities. 

We explore Hig’s life in Seldovia and his adventures with wife Erin McKittrick, author of A Long Trek Home. Together, they’ve traveled thousands of miles across Alaska by foot and packraft, raising their kids along the way in one of the most remote corners of the state. Their unconventional approach to life and career is not only refreshing—it’s inspiring, and chalk full of lessons about resilience, curiosity, and the land we call home. 

We also dig into something more urgent: the growing threat of landslides in coastal Alaska. Hig explains what’s happening, risk vs consequence, where science and culture collide, and what Alaskans need to know—from potential warning signs to what communities can actually do. 

This is a conversation about living close to the land, understanding the risks, and staying grounded—literally and figuratively—in a rapidly changing Alaska. 

Visit www.groundtruthalaska.org to learn more.

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In this eye-opening episode of The State I Am In, I’m joined by Ryan Astalos and Jackie Boyer from SalmonState to break down one of the most urgent issues facing Alaska today: industrial trawling and the devastating impact of bycatch. We unpack what trawling actually is, who profits from it, and who pays the price—especially the Alaskan communities relying on the return of wild salmon. 

Why do Seattle-based factory trawlers get a pass while sportfishers and subsistence users face tight limits? Why are millions of pounds of wasted fish ignored while rural families are told to do more with less? 

But we don’t stop there. We dig into what Alaska’s representatives are (and aren’t) saying, who really has the power to change this, and how everyday Alaskans can, and must—raise their voices. This is a conversation that cuts across party lines and strikes at the heart of what it means to live here. 

The time to act is now. If we want a future with fish, it’s going to take all of us. 

Visit www.salmonstate.org to learn more

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In this special virtual episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with Amanda Bowles, the driving force behind Landmark Collective—a powerful community of women entrepreneurs based in the Mat-Su Valley. We dive into how these women are shaping the business landscape in Palmer, Wasilla, and beyond through collaboration, creativity, and a deep commitment to their communities. 

Amanda shares insight into the unique challenges women face—especially the balancing act of running a business while wearing many hats as mothers, partners, community leaders, and more. We also talk about how men can be better allies and supporters of the women in their lives who are building something meaningful. 

From practical social media strategies to the power of showing up authentically in an AI-driven world, this episode offers honest conversation and actionable advice. Whether you're already running a business or just starting to dream, this is a must-listen for any woman in Alaska—and for anyone who wants to help build a stronger, more supportive business community. 

Shoot me a text, what do you think?