Friday's w/ Dan #15

This week on Friday’s w/ Dan, we start with family and legacy. I talk about my Uncle Jim, who passed in 2018 in a tragic accident near the farm he loved. In his honor, my family created the James R. Backes Memorial Scholarship, awarded each year to a hardworking FFA student at Westin High. We just had the ceremony Wednesday night — my dad presented, two of his brothers were there, and a close family friend joined us. It was one of those nights that reminds you how love and legacy carry forward.

From there, we shift gears into full‑on Wisconsin mode: cheese. America’s Dairyland did not disappoint. Fields of silos, cows everywhere, and more local creameries than you can count. I visited three, toured two, and learned how a few simple ingredients can turn into thousands of cheeses. And yes, I’m probably coming home with five pounds of it.

And finally, I talk about heading back to Omaha. Seeing my wife again after almost two weeks. Hoping my pets still remember me. Appreciating my parents but craving my own bed and my own setup. Plus, the nerves around my follow‑up doctor appointment Friday morning. It’s a mix of gratitude, anticipation, and a little bit of anxiety — all part of the journey.

Transcript

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Welcome back everyone to Fridays with Dan. I am finally back in the 402 Omaha, Nebraska. We're going to start with something close to the heart. The James R. Backus Memorial Scholarship. What began as a simple idea has turned into a way to honor a man whose laugh could fill a barn and whose kindness still echoes through the family. I talk about what it means to carry someone forward, not in a grand gesture, but in a way that helps someone else take a step they might not have taken. From there, we pivot, naturally, into all things cheese because it is Wisconsin, because it's me, and because somehow every story eventually circles back to a block of cheddar or a squeaky curd. It's part celebration, part nostalgia, part how did we get here again? And fully on brand. And then the quieter part of the week, heading home to Omaha. There's something grounding about pulling into your own driveway after everything life has thrown at you. Seeing your beautiful wife, seeing your pets, feeling that small exhale that only happens when you're back when you're with your people. It's a mix of heart, humor, and home. Exactly what a Friday should feel like. So as I said, I'm going to start today with my Uncle Jim. He passed away in 2018 in a tragic farming accident near the farm he worked on. The same land he poured his whole heart into. In honor of that, and in honor of the kind of man he was, my family established the James R. Backis Memorial Scholarship. It is awarded every year at Weston High, right near the farm. To apply, you have to be a member of FFA, right? And I say on the importance of being a farmer and a description of how farming has been and will be a part of the applicant's future. It's built for the kind of kid Uncle Jim would have rooted for. And this past Wednesday night was a ceremony where all the scholarships were handed out. My dad was the presenter for Uncle Jim's award. Two of his brothers were there, along with their wives, and along with a close family friend. Seeing them all together, standing there for Jim, standing there for the next generation. It truly was a special night. One of those moments where you feel the weight of legacy and the warmth of family at the same time. But we're carrying on your legacy through this scholarship and through the kids that'll help for years to come. So now we're going to shift gears to cheese. If you've ever set foot in Wisconsin, you know why they call it America's Dairyland. You can't drive 10 minutes without seeing fields absolutely dotted with dairy silos. Any cow you can think of is out there just roaming in the grass like it owns the place. It really is a beautiful sight. And you know what cows make? Milk. And you know what you make with milk? Cheese. It's insane how many local cream creameries and cheese factories are packed into that area. We stopped at three during my visit, and boy was not disappointed. That fresh Wisconsin milk makes all the difference. You can taste it. It just hits differently. I was able to get quick tours at two of them since I'd had the cheesemakers on the podcast, and it blows my mind how a few simple ingredients turn into thousands of different types of cheese. Curds, cheddars, goudas, colby, blue cheese, all from the same basic starting point. It's absolutely wild. I've probably come back with like five pounds minimum. My suitcase is basically a portable fridge at this point. As I'm outlining this, I'm still in Wisconsin, but by the time I'm recording, which is now, I'm back in Omaha, and coming home is really twofold for me. On one hand, I get to see my beautiful wife after nearly two weeks without her. I get to hold her, comfort her, spend time with her, and just be together again. And I honestly can't wait for that moment. She's been incredibly supportive and strong throughout this process. And I'm internally grateful. And now the pets. They might remember me, I mean they should, but you never know. They might give me that, where have you been, dude? Look before they tackle me. And don't get me wrong, I've appreciated everything my parents have done for me while I've been here. They've taken care of me in ways I didn't even know I needed. But man, my own bed, my own setup, my own space. It's going to feel really good. I have a follow-up doctor appointment Friday morning to see how my body is reacting. So there's a little bit of nervous energy mixed in with all the excitement. But that's part of the journey, one step at a time. So I'm going to read a verse from Psalms chapter 100, verse 5. For the Lord is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. So let us pray. God, thank you for the gift of legacy, for the people who shaped us, taught us, and loved us in ways we're still discovering. Today I lift up Uncle Jim and his wife Ellen. Thank you for his wife. Thank you for his life, his laugh, his heart, and the way his love for the land continues through the James R. Backus Memorial Scholarship. Bless every student who applied, every family who shows up, and every seed of goodness planted in his name. Thank you for the beauty of your creation, for fields, for animals, for the simple miracle of milk becoming cheese, for the way you show yourself, not just in the extraordinary, but in the everyday things that nourish us and remind us of your goodness. And God, thank you for home, for the people who wait for us, the pets who greet us, the beds that hold us, and the peace that comes when we return to the place we're loved. As I'm heading back to Omaha, steady my heart. Be with me in my follow-up appointment, and let the healing continue. Let fear quiet down and let your faithfulness meet me in every step. Your love endures, your goodness remains, and your faithfulness carries us through generations, through journeys, and through every place we call home. Amen. So this has been Fridays with Dan. A week of legacy, a week of dairy, and a week of heading home. Thanks for spending part of your Friday with me, and we'll see you next week on Fridays with Dan.