Beyond The Bushels
Beyond The Bushels is where real farm stories and practical strategies come together. This isn’t just another ag podcast—it’s a place where we get past the surface to hear the heart of farming. From generational transitions and growing pains to new tech and old tractors, each episode puts the spotlight on the people behind the work—their values, their challenges, and the wisdom they’ve earned along the way.
Some are just getting started. Others have weathered decades of droughts, markets, and midnight repairs. But they all have one thing in common: a deep-rooted commitment to doing it right, passing it on, and building something that lasts.
Powered by Traction—the farm management software that connects your numbers to your acres—Beyond The Bushels is more than acres and yields. It’s about legacy, resilience, and the everyday moments that define life on the farm.
Beyond The Bushels
Big Sky Barley and Resilience with Mitch Konen (Montana)
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Third-generation farmer Mitch Konen works just east of the Rocky Mountains near Fairfield, Montana—about 35 miles northwest of Great Falls. On 1,100 irrigated acres and 500 dryland, he raises malt barley and wheat on the century-old Greenfield Irrigation Project. Mitch also serves as president of the National Barley Growers Association, representing producers across the U.S. and advocating for fair policy in Washington.
He shares the story of how this federal irrigation project came to life in 1926, how 12 pivots now replace the old flood ditches, and why water management and canal maintenance drive his daily routine. Mitch describes the shift from hand-kept ledgers to digital platforms, the reality of paying for 24 inches of water while receiving only 12, and the quiet faith behind each crop cycle. He also opens up about family succession, the weight of business decisions, and what it means to keep a farm alive in a nine-month Montana winter.
For Mitch, stewardship comes down to endurance and perspective: “You’ve got to learn to work with what you’ve got—and still have faith it’ll grow.”
🎙️ Pass the Mic
- Kyle’s question to Mitchel: “When you make business decisions, are you planning for the next generation—or just keeping things steady for now?”
- Mitchel’s question for the next guest: “Is the farm your first job or your second? If it’s your second, are you farming the ground—or farming the programs?”
Thanks for listening to Beyond the Bushels, where farm stories go deeper than yield.
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