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In this solo episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, host Jim Smith reflects on one year of living alcohol-free — not from rock bottom or rehab, but from a quiet decision to reclaim clarity, creativity, and control.

Jim shares the real story behind his turning point — the morning-after moment that made him realize alcohol had become more ritual than reward. From there, he talks about how quitting drinking changed his focus, relationships, and mental clarity without judgment or preachiness.

If you’ve ever thought about cutting back, rethinking your relationship with alcohol, or just wondering what life feels like on the other side, this episode is an honest look at how one year sober can reshape your perspective — and your peace.

Key topics:

• Why I quit drinking after my son’s birthday party
• How the ritual of drinking was harder to break than the alcohol
• What changed in 365 days without alcohol
• How clarity, creativity, and calm replaced my nightly pour
• Why quitting drinking was the best decision I made for myself

Keywords: sobriety podcast, quit drinking story, one year without alcohol, sober living, recovery podcast, self-improvement, mental clarity, bourbon habit, lifestyle change, personal growth, motivation, mindfulness, sober curious.

☕ “Sometimes the biggest change isn’t giving something up — it’s gaining yourself back.”

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Chloe Buchanan grew up in Leo, Indiana, found her footing in 4-H, and now manages a Great Lakes team at Trans Ova Genetics as a professional services embryologist—doing on-farm IVF collections, embryo transfer (fresh & frozen), and supporting cattle and small-ruminant programs. We talk about what an embryologist actually does, the difference between lab IVF roles and field PSE work, and how advanced reproductive technologies accelerate genetic progress on both seedstock and commercial operations. Chloe shares her path through Southern Illinois University (SIU), the mentors who opened doors, and how she leads a remote, multi-state team at 28—covering one-on-ones, staying connected on the road, and “leading without a title.” We also touch on Temple Grandin, why friendships and community matter in ag, and how to bring more non-traditional students into animal agriculture. If you’re curious about practical IVF, ET, and day-to-day leadership in production ag, this one’s for you.

Keywords: Trans Ova Genetics, embryologist, IVF cattle, embryo transfer, ET, small ruminants, cloning, 4-H, SIU, Leo Indiana, Great Lakes region, remote team management, Temple Grandin, advanced reproductive technologies.

Guest: Chloe Buchanan — Professional Services Embryologist Manager, Trans Ova Genetics
Host: Jim Smith, Ph.D. — Farmer, Swine Nutritionist, and Storyteller of Agriculture & Life

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Former Market to Market host and Ag News Daily co-founder Delaney Howell shares why her motto is “Progress Over Perfection.” From farming in Tama County to running a boutique marketing agency and launching her new initiative She Creates Rural, Delaney reveals how to start before you’re ready, build momentum, and trust yourself in business.

We cover:

• Progress Over Perfection: why action beats polish every time
• Permission vs. knowledge — finding the confidence to start
• Designing She Creates Rural: marketing, finance, and biz-dev tracks
• Partnerships, mentors, and balancing five businesses + a farm
• Succession planning and picking one authentic platform for your brand
• How Delaney uses AI as a practical accelerator for small teams

👉 Learn more about Delaney’s new conference here: She Creates Rural

Connect with Delaney:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/delaneyhowell
  
  
• X (Twitter): @DelaneyHowell07
  
  
• Instagram: @delaney_howell
  
  

Guest: Delaney Howell — marketer, podcaster, farmer, founder of She Creates Rural.
Host: Jim Smith, Ph.D. — farmer, swine nutritionist, storyteller of agriculture & life.

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In this solo episode of Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim reflects on the art of interviewing after listening to Patrick Bet-David’s podcast conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The experience sparked a key question for every podcast host: who’s really the star of an interview — the host or the guest?

Drawing on stories from his own podcasting journey, Jim shares practical podcast interview tips and lessons for hosts. He explains why the best role of a podcaster is to step back, ask simple inquisitive questions, and let the guest shine. From the power of silence to moments when guests offered surprising stories, this episode explores why less host and more guest often leads to better interviews.

Whether you’re new to podcasting, an experienced podcast host, or a leader who wants to ask better questions, these reflections offer actionable insights you can apply today.

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Farmers often say, “My land is my retirement plan.” But what happens when that plan never gets cashed in?

In this solo Patio Pondering episode, Jim Smith, Ph.D. dives into the hard realities of retirement planning in agriculture. From the trap of buying equipment at year’s end to minimize taxes, to the risks of relying on farmland as a “retirement plan” that never gets sold, Jim explores why so many farmers find themselves still running combines into their 80s.

He contrasts the lack of young farmers entering the industry with ag media celebrating 86-year-olds still harvesting, raising the question: is this passion — or poor retirement planning?

Key points in this episode:

• Why minimizing income can hurt your Social Security eligibility
• How off-farm income and retirement accounts (401k, IRA) provide real security
• The Platte River problem: wide retirement talk, but shallow planning
• Why farmland and machinery aren’t true retirement plans without a plan to liquidate

👉 Whether you’re a farmer, an ag lender, or anyone thinking about succession planning, this episode will challenge how you see farming as both a lifestyle and a business.

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In this solo episode, Jim shares his perspective on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, crop yield estimates, and how farmers can cut through the “black box” of USDA reports. Drawing on his 2020 scout experience, he recounts fields that ranged from 300-bushel corn in Illinois to derecho-flattened zeros in Iowa—showing the extremes of U.S. agriculture.

Along the way, Jim addresses common criticisms of the tour (trespassing, cherry-picking fields), explains why transparency matters, and connects the lessons to everyday farming and business decisions.

The bigger theme: in agriculture and in life, information is king, but action is the edge.

👉 Listen for insights on the Crop Tour, yield projections, and decision-making in today’s information-heavy farm economy.

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Every business has a “70%” — the single biggest cost or effort that quietly drives success or failure. In pig production, that 70% is feed. It’s not flashy, it’s not exciting, but it makes or breaks profitability.

In this solo episode, Jim Smith shares why focusing on the fundamentals often delivers bigger results than chasing the newest, shiniest ideas. Drawing on decades of swine nutrition experience and a recent cost analysis, he shows how small improvements in the largest expense category — whether it’s feed in agriculture or something else in your own business — can lead to major gains.

From feed budgets and efficiency to broader lessons about avoiding distractions, Jim asks the question: What’s your 70%, and are you giving it the attention it deserves?

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For our 50th episode, we’re not pulling any punches.

Jim sits down with Jerod McDaniel, a farmer, cattleman, and unapologetic contrarian from Texhoma, Oklahoma, who’s made a name for himself by doing what most in agriculture won’t: calling out the broken systems, the lazy thinking, and the comfortable lies.

Jerod took over his family’s operation at 18 and has spent the last three decades doing things differently because the mainstream often gets it wrong. From planting low-pop corn in the dust-blown Oklahoma Panhandle to challenging the way we manage herds (and people), Jerod brings real-world wisdom and the kind of honesty that makes people squirm and think.

In this episode:

• Why he thinks most ag narratives are theater and how to spot the lies
• How learning by failure built his bullshit radar
• What cattle management taught him about human behavior during COVID
• The problem with breeding for docility livestock and in society
• How he raises kids who can think, act, and challenge the status quo

This isn’t just a conversation. It’s a wake-up call wrapped in cowboy grit.

If you’re tired of corporate-sanitized ag talk, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.