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
What Farming Really Costs with Mike Burkhart
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What does farming really cost?
For Mike Burkhart, the answer goes far beyond machinery, land, and interest rates.
In this conversation, Mike reflects on beginning his farming career in the 1970s, surviving the 1980s Farm Crisis, the growing dependence on off-farm income, and the financial pressures that continue to reshape American agriculture. Along the way, we explore family succession, the realities of cash rent, why "it's just business" isn't always enough, and how one family's tragedy changed the course of their lives forever.
Today, Mike spends much of his time educating consumers through social media and serving others through the Travis Burkhart Foundation, proving that purpose doesn't end when a farming career does.
This is a conversation about resilience, stewardship, and discovering that some of life's greatest harvests happen long after the last crop is planted.
A few things we discuss:
- Growing up and farming through the 1970s and 1980s
- The Farm Crisis and its lasting lessons
- Why off-farm income shouldn't carry a stigma
- Cash rent, consolidation, and the changing structure of agriculture
- The impact of Travis Burkhart's accident on the family and farm
- Retirement, purpose, and serving others through the Travis Burkhart Foundation
- Lessons every generation of farmers can learn