Patio Ponderings
Exploring the Expected and the Obscure in Agriculture
From a lifetime in agriculture to deep dives into leadership, rural life, and the evolving food system, Patio Pondering is a podcast where thoughtful conversations meet the open air. Hosted by Jim Smith, Ph.D., a seasoned Swine Nutritionist, agricultural thinker, and storyteller, this podcast explores the connections between our agricultural roots and the broader world.
What started as daily reflections—scribbled with a morning coffee in hand—has grown into a podcast that uncovers the insights, challenges, and sometimes-forgotten history of the industry that feeds us all. Whether solo pondering or engaging in candid discussions with guests, this show digs into everything from livestock production to food trends, rural business shifts, and the personal stories that shape agricultural life.
Now available in both audio and video formats, Patio Pondering brings these discussions to life on YouTube and podcast platforms alike. Whether you prefer to listen on the go or watch the conversation unfold, you’ll find fresh perspectives, candid storytelling, and the kind of conversations that make you think twice.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because agriculture is more than just dirt and livestock. It’s a story worth telling.
Patio Ponderings
Hope Is Not a Marketing Plan — Episode 75 with Ryan Moe
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this milestone episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim sits down with Ryan Moe of StoneX for a conversation that moves beyond farm roots and into the harder questions of discipline, risk, and decision-making.
At what point does being good at production stop being enough?
Ryan shares how his early experience in energy hedging and commodity markets reshaped his thinking: raising crops or livestock well does not automatically mean managing risk well.
Together, they unpack:
- Why most producers avoid structured risk management
- The emotional trap of waiting for higher prices
- The disconnect between hedge accounts and checking accounts
- Why portfolio management beats home-run marketing
- The illusion of small-scale commodity profitability
- How AI and algorithmic trading are already shaping markets
- And why personal discipline may be agriculture’s greatest competitive edge
This episode challenges romantic narratives about farming and replaces them with something sturdier: clear thinking for complex agriculture.
If you produce commodities, manage market risk, or wrestle with marketing decisions each season, this conversation will sharpen your perspective.