Pioneer Mindset

ตอน

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  E137 | When Expansion Makes Things Worse: Our Farm's Story 22.09.2026 30นาที

  Episode Summary Is bigger better? Or does bigger just mean more risk? That question showed up on X a while back wrapped in a phrase that got a lot of pushback: the only way out of debt is to grow your way out of it. I've got thoughts on that. Strong ones. Because we lived it. In this episode I get honest about our own expansion story. Building the hoop building in 2016, doubling the cow herd, then adding a third group of cattle when we were already under financial pressure. We thought we could spread those fixed costs across more units and somehow come out ahead. We couldn't. And it actually sped up some of the hardest decisions we've ever had to make. I'm not anti-growth. I want to be clear about that. But I am very much for being intentional about how you grow, when you grow and why. Because that farmer mindset of just add more, divide the costs over more units and everything pencils out. That's not a business plan. That's a feeling. This episode is about knowing the difference between direct and indirect costs, understanding where your operation actually stands before you take on something new and asking the hard questions before you sign anything. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E136 | The Power of Putting Yourself in the Right Rooms 15.09.2026 17นาที

  Episode Summary Would your future self recommend the circles you're currently in or think you could do better? This episode came straight from a weekend in Kansas City at the Singular Agronomics dealer conference. Being in a room full of the right people who are genuinely curious, open-minded and willing to try new things was a good reminder of just how much the circles you're in shape who you become. Not just the five closest people to you, but the outer circles too. The rooms you put yourself in. The conversations you choose to have. I talk about the difference between being present in a room and actually showing up for the people in it. I share a quality I deeply admire in someone I got to spend time with, the ability to make you feel like the conversation you're having is the most important one in the room. And I challenge myself and you to be that person more often. This one is a little shorter, but there's a lot of take home value, especially if you tend to stick to yourself at events or if you've ever walked out of a networking opportunity wondering if it was worth your time. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E135 | Sell Buy Marketing and Taking Back Control: Part 2 with Doug Ferguson 08.09.2026 42นาที

  Episode Summary I'm back with Doug Ferguson, Mr. Cattlemaster, for part two of this conversation. If you haven't heard part one yet, go back and listen. Doug shares his background, how sell-buy marketing works and more. This week we get into what actually keeps people from implementing sell-buy marketing after the school. We talk about the difference between being interested and being committed, and what it really takes to push through when motivation fades. Doug opens up about his sobriety journey and how quitting drinking created a quantum leap in his business, his relationships and his ability to focus. We swap some stories about the pens from hell that you never forget and why those hard years are actually the ones that made the most impression. Doug also shares some practical advice for anyone sitting on the fence about attending a sell-buy school: start tracking your costs right now, before anything else. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Doug: Follow on Facebook - Mr. Cattlemaster  Follow on Youtube - Mrcattlemaster1  Learn more about Mr. Cattlemaster on his website here!  Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E134 | Sell Buy Marketing and Taking Back Control: Part 1 with Doug Ferguson 01.09.2026 34นาที

  Episode Summary This week I'm Doug Ferguson, Mr. Cattlemaster, to the podcast! He is one of the most unique thinkers in the cattle industry and this conversation did not disappoint. Doug teaches sell-buy marketing, a strategy that flips the traditional buy-sell approach. Instead of buying cattle and hoping the market cooperates on the back end, you capture your profit on the buy and that one shift changes everything about how you operate, how you make decisions and how you handle the emotional rollercoaster of the cattle market. In part one of this two-part episode, we talk about how Doug got started, including the $7,000 he spent on 18 calves nobody wanted and how sell-buy marketing has allowed him to build a seven-figure cattle business over time. We also get into the double-binding messages the cattle industry sends itself, why knowing your numbers is the foundation of everything and what it actually looks like to stay disciplined in the sale barn when the auctioneer is doing their job and your hands are shaking. Part two drops next week. Don't miss it. In this week's episode with Doug Ferguson: Sell-buy marketing flips the script: you capture your profit on the buy, not the sell Revenue feeds the ego, profits feed the family: focus on what actually goes home Most cattle producers aren't tracking their true expenses and their guesses are way off Build a fudge factor into your cost calculations so unexpected problems don't become crises A hyper mind cannot control a hyper body, emotions cost you money in the sale barn Know your numbers, build your barn card, stick to it There's tuition to be paid in any business, the goal is to learn from it and keep going Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Doug: Follow on Facebook - Mr. Cattlemaster Follow on Youtube - Mrcattlemaster1 Learn more about Mr. Cattlemaster on his website here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E133 | Audio Field Day, Part 2: Small Grains, Non-GMO Corn and Nitrogen Trials 25.08.2026 32นาที

  Episode Summary This is part two of my audio field day series. Last week we walked through the strip crop trial. This week I'm taking you through the rest of what we've been doing on our farm this year: small grains, non-GMO corn, twin row cover crops, cover crop management in front of corn and beans and our reduced nitrogen trial. As I said last episode, I'm not a researcher. I'm a farmer trying things, watching what happens and sharing what I see. Some of it's working great. Some of it's a work in progress. And a few things flat out surprised me when I went back and looked at the numbers. But that's the whole point, learning as we go and hoping the conversation goes both directions. If you're considering any of these practices on your own operation or you've got thoughts on what we could be doing differently, I genuinely want to hear from you. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!
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  E132 | Audio Field Day, Part 1: The Strip Crop Trial 18.08.2026 33นาที

  Episode Summary When's the last time you went to somebody else's farm and just tried to learn something? Field days are one of the most underrated things in agriculture and this episode is my version of one. Nothing fancy or formal, just me walking you through what we're actually doing on our farm this year and what we've learned along the way. Before we get into it, I share a thought that's been on my mind heading into field day season: we tend to over-expect what we're going to get out of events like these. We walk in expecting to be blown away and walk out disappointed. The reality is if you pick up just one thing, one idea that makes you curious enough to learn more, that's a high ROT on your time. That's the bar. This episode is part one of an ongoing audio field day series. Today I'm walking through our strip crop trial: eight rows of corn, eight rows of beans, 20-foot strips, lots of trial and error and a few things I'd do differently next time. I talk through how we set up the planter, how we handled weed control and fertility across two different crops in the same field, and what harvest is going to look like this fall. Thanks for tagging along for this one and be sure to listen in on part 2 in the next episode! Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E131 | 8 Business Lessons From a Fishing Trip 11.08.2026 30นาที

  Episode Summary We took our family for a little staycation last weekend and somewhere between baiting hooks, untangling fishing lines and watching the boys get excited every time they got a bite, I started thinking about some things a little differently. Turns out fishing is basically a masterclass in business and life. And in this episode, I share eight lessons that hit me while I was out there on the water with the kids. Things that are simple on the surface but run a lot deeper when you start thinking about where you are right now, what you're chasing and whether you're even watching your own bobber. There's a lot in this one worth sitting with, especially if you've been out there casting lines day after day without catching much lately. Key takeaways from this week's episode: The right time and place matters but chasing it can become its own distraction Passion doesn't equal success but it does build the resilience to keep going when things get hard You're not always going to catch something, that's life but it's not a reason to quit When the line gets tangled, untangle it: problem solvers stay in the game longer Watch your own bobber: stop focusing on what everyone else is catching so you don't miss your own bites Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E130 | Here's How to Take Back Control of Your Day 04.08.2026 20นาที

  Episode Summary If you're struggling with feeling like things are constantly out of your control, it might be because your day is filled with things that are literally out of your control. For most of us, our days are stacked top to bottom with chaos, fires to put out and things that are just out of our hands. And when that's all your day is made of, it's no wonder we end up burned out, run down and losing the enjoyment of the life we've worked so hard to build. I share a story from a season when my dad was laid up post-harvest and everything fell on my shoulders and what that kind of running and gunning eventually costs you. I also share what I've found actually works to take back some control, even in the busiest seasons. It just requires five minutes you give to yourself instead of five minutes the day takes from you. In this week's episode on control: Body and being are the two areas you can actually control: start there You don't need a slower season to start, you need five minutes for yourself Starting the day with something in your control sets the tone for everything that follows What's the alternative if you don't take something back for yourself? Small habits compound: a five-minute walk can grow into something that genuinely changes your days Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E129 | Revenue Feeds the Ego. Profits Feed the Family. 28.07.2026 38นาที

  Episode Summary Unless you change the mind, you won't change the results. The the phrase that sets the tone for this episode came straight from a cattle marketing school I attended with Doug Ferguson, Mr. Cattlemaster. I went to learn sell-buy marketing. What I didn't expect was to spend the first half of a two-day class talking about paradigms, commitment, fear of success and why most of us wish positive but expect negative. I share my honest takeaways from the school: the mindset principles underneath the marketing tactics that apply whether you're running cows, raising row crops or just trying to build a better business. I talk about how our current paradigms shape everything we do, how I came to terms with my own paradigm around the cow-calf sector and why revenue feeds the ego while profit feeds the family. This one is part mindset, part business fundamentals and entirely worth your time in the tractor. Key mindset takeaways from the marketing school I attended: Your paradigm is the lens you see the world through and it's dictating the results you're getting right now Commitment means deciding the price is worth paying for the goal to be achieved, not just being interested New levels bring new devils: accept that and you build a resilient mindset Revenue feeds the ego, profits feed the family: which one are you chasing? Know your costs, deal with today and control what you can Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E128 | Don't Put Off These Important Things 21.07.2026 39นาที

  Episode Summary We're over halfway through the year, halfway through the growing season and right about at that point where things feel just a little less chaotic than they did a month ago. And that moment, the pocket between the busy seasons, is exactly what this episode is about. As business owners, farmers and parents, we spend a lot of time just trying to figure out where our time is best spent. This episode gives you a framework for that. Three buckets: the day-to-day tasks that keep everything alive, the catching up on things that fell through the cracks, and the proactive work that actually gets you ahead. Most of us live in bucket one. Some of us occasionally make it to bucket two. Very few of us spend enough time in bucket three and that's where the real difference is made. Key takeaways from this week's episode: There are three buckets for your time: day-to-day, catching up, and preparing ahead. Know which one you're in. Important versus urgent is still the most useful framework for deciding where your time goes Catching billing errors, updating books and checking in with key relationships doesn't always seem like a priority but they're worth your time A smooth busy season isn't luck, it's preparation Comparison is the thief of peace and joy, stop measuring yourself against others What's important almost always aligns with your long-term goals, what's urgent almost never does Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E127 | Optimistic vs. Oblivious — There's a Big Difference 14.07.2026 30นาที

  Episode Summary Last week I talked about scarcity. What it is, what it steals from you and why it hits hardest when you're already vulnerable. This week, we flip it. This episode is about what becomes possible when you shift from a never enough mindset to one that actually believes there is enough. Not by ignoring reality. Not by pretending the challenges aren't real. But by choosing to see them differently. I talk about the difference between being optimistic and being oblivious because those aren't the same thing. The input costs are real. The weather is real. The bills are real. We're not pretending otherwise. But we can choose to see every problem as an opportunity to win instead of just another thing beating us down. I also get into some practical ways to actually live in that abundance mindset, including a phrase I come back to almost every day that has brought me more peace than just about anything else. Because at the end of the day, the mindset is one of the few things we can actually control. And if we don't like the results we're getting, that's where we start. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E126 | Truck Tires, Target Boxes and the Scarcity Trap 07.07.2026 35นาที

  Episode Summary The truck needs tires again. You just got done taking the sprayer to the shop. The wife wants to go on vacation. Five Target boxes showed up. And somehow it all hits at once. Those little things have a way of compounding fast. And when they do, it's easy to get sucked into a spiral that's a lot harder to climb out of than it was to fall into. In this episode, I get into the scarcity mindset, what it actually is, what it steals from you, and why it tends to hit the hardest right when you're already the most vulnerable. I also talk about the patterns we don't recognize until we're already at the bottom of the wave, why we never give ourselves enough credit for the seasons we've already made it through, and what it actually takes to break the cycle and get back to abundance. In this week's episode on scarcity: Scarcity steals two things above everything else: peace and progress It always hits hardest when you're already vulnerable Comparing yourself to others while you're already in a scarcity spiral makes it worse Pattern recognition is the key to not staying trapped at the bottom of the wave Action kills scarcity: even one small thing moves the needle Define what success actually looks like for you, or you'll never feel like you have enough Your thoughts dictate the results you get, if you don't like the results, change the thoughts Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E125 | The #1 Question in Your Marketing Plan 30.06.2026 19นาที

  Episode Summary You pull up the marketing app and there it is again, corn down another six cents. Fifty cents off the highs in just a couple of weeks. That sinking feeling sets in and all the coulda shoulda woulda stories start running through your head. This episode came straight from a text I got from a client: "Corn really took a hit. It makes it a really big challenge to create new crop sales." I felt that one. So instead of trying to give him an answer I don't have, I started asking questions. The same ones I had to ask myself. Have you sold any? Why or why not? And the big one we always come back to with our marketing advisor: what scares you more, locking it in and missing the top or not selling and staying exposed to the bottom? This episode isn't about predicting where corn is headed. It's about understanding how you make decisions in the first place so you can make better ones when the next opportunity comes around. Because there's no universal right answer here, just the one that fits your risk tolerance, your operation and the decision that's actually going to let you sleep at night. In this week's episode on making marketing decisions: Ask yourself the real reason why you haven't sold? What scares you more: missing the top, or being exposed to the bottom? There's no right or wrong risk tolerance, just the one that's actually yours Better decisions come from understanding how you decide, not from predicting the market Removing emotion is the first step to building a real marketing plan Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E124 | Should You Tell Your Banker You're Shopping Around? 23.06.2026 25นาที

  Episode Summary Are you treating your cost of money like every other input on your farm? Because that's the question I had to ask myself recently. We're in the middle of a land deal and I had to decide whether or not to tell our banker we were shopping around with FSA and Farm Credit for a better rate. Sounds simple but it wasn't. All the usual stories ran through my head, what if he takes it personally, what if it damages the relationship, what if there's repercussions down the road? In this episode, I walk through it.The resistance I felt, the conversation I actually had with my banker, and what happened when I just told him the truth. I also get into why most farmers never shop around for interest, even though we'll spend hours chasing a better deal on seed or fertilizer. The short answer: it's uncomfortable, and we feel powerless to the bank. But here's the reframe: interest is deductible, just like every other input. And your banker is a salesman. The bank sells loans. If you don't treat your cost of money the way you treat every other expense on your operation, you're leaving real dollars on the table. In this week's episode on interest rates: Interest is just another input, treat it like seed, fertilizer, or equipment Most farmers settle for "take what we can get" instead of asking what's actually possible Feeling powerless to the bank is common but it's not the full picture Being honest about shopping around didn't damage the relationship, it led to a better deal Good business owners keep their financial info organized so opportunities are easy to act on Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E123 | The Hard Truth About Bringing the Next Generation Back to the Operation 16.06.2026 34นาที

  Episode Summary Coming from the son of the father who tried to get his son back to the operation, it's a tough thing to wrap your head around that if it wasn't for me, the farm would not have had to endure such hardships. But also, if it wasn't for me, the farm would not have survived. In this episode, I take you back through the full story of our operation.Where we were before I came back to the farm, the expansion that changed everything, the debt that piled up, and the rooms I sat in that I never want to sit in again. The attorney. The banker. The farm crisis hotline. My wife. My parents. All of us trying to figure out if the Ruskamp legacy was going to make it to the fifth generation. I'm not sharing this to point fingers or earn sympathy. I'm sharing it because somebody listening to this right now is in the same room I was in. And they need to hear that no one is coming to save them and that's actually okay. Because life happens for you, not to you. Key points from this week's episode: Know your numbers before you bring the next generation back, not after The workload conversation and the financial conversation are not the same thing Expanding too fast without the right structure can snowball in ways you don't see coming No one is coming to save you. Ownership is what turns things around. Life happens for you, not to you. That mindset shift changes everything. The hardships are what make you, don't waste them Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E122 | How Much Equipment Do You Actually Need? 09.06.2026 36นาที

  Episode Summary Here's a question most farmers never stop to ask: how much equipment do you actually need? If you can reduce your overhead, you're giving yourself a raise. So why do we keep signing up for the opposite? This episode is a direct challenge to one of the most deeply ingrained habits in agriculture, the automatic reinvestment of profits back into equipment. I dive into why we do it, how we justify it and what it's actually costing us. Not just in payments, but in the capital we could be putting to work somewhere else. I share some honest thoughts from our own operation, including a tractor we bought with cash that may not have been the best use of capital, a ranch out west that looked rough on the surface but was one of the best-run operations around and the phrase that's been on repeat in my head: those that win are able to figure out what they can do without. This isn't anti-equipment. It's pro-business. And there's a difference. In this week's episode: Reducing overhead is the closest thing to a guaranteed raise in farming We're often reinvesting into assets that depreciate and calling it building equity The justification game is one farmers always win but we're asking the wrong question Better question: is this the best use of capital? It's hard to look around in lean times and not see the cost of past good times Take off the farmer hat and put on the business owner hat Those that win figure out what they can do without Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E121 | Should Farmers Share Equipment? My Honest Hot Take 02.06.2026 36นาที

  Episode Summary I was in the sprayer the other day and a thought hit me: should farmers actually be sharing equipment? So I took the question to social media and the responses came flying in. Some people swore by it. Some said it had blown up in their faces. Others said it depends entirely on who you're doing it with. In this episode, I dive into that question head on and talk about the real economics behind equipment ownership and why the math doesn't always work the way we want it to. We get into the different ways sharing can actually look on a farm, the struggles that almost always come up and what it actually takes to make it work long term. I also share our own experience co-owning a sprayer: the good, the hard, and what changed when the dynamic shifted. Because here's the honest truth: sharing equipment works until it doesn't. And knowing the difference ahead of time is everything. This one is practical and worth a listen if you've ever thought about whether there's a smarter way to manage your equipment costs without giving up control of your operation. Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E120 | The Freedoms We Take for Granted: A Memorial Day Conversation with Tyler Sharp 26.05.2026 56นาที

  Episode Summary Happy Memorial Day and what better way to honor it than by sitting down with someone who actually lived it. This week I brought on my good friend Tyler Sharp, Southwest Kansas native, former private security contractor, 22-year fire department veteran, and owner of Sharp Shooting Supply. In this episode, Tyler opens up about going overseas to Kandahar, Afghanistan as a precision overwatch contractor in his early twenties, the firefight that sent him home and the long road back to faith and purpose. He also talks about what he's built since, a thriving gun store, a deep commitment to his community, and a perspective on gratitude that stops you in your tracks. This one is raw, real, and a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy on a holiday weekend came at a cost most of us will never fully understand. In this week's Memorial Day episode with Tyler Sharp: Sacrifice looks different for everyone and it deserves our respect Asking for help isn't weakness, bottling it up doesn't work The change that pulls you out of a dark place often comes through the people closest to you Faith, community, and purpose are powerful tools for putting the pieces back together Building a business on relationships and customer service will always stand apart Gratitude for the sunrise is a practice, not a feeling Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Tyler: Follow Tyler on Facebook Follow Tyler on YouTube Sharps Shooting Supply Website  Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E119 | Don't Let the Farm Win at the Expense of Everything Else 19.05.2026 40นาที

  Episode Summary This is part three of our series on the real stressors of the busy season. We talked about the weight of the workload. We talked about keeping the business from falling apart. Now we're getting into the one thing most farmers won't admit is suffering until it's already broken: the work and family life balance. In this episode, I get honest about the realities of trying to be a good farmer, a good husband, and a good father all at the same time. I talk about why we work the way we do, where that comes from, and why "we'll do it later" is one of the most dangerous things we can say to the people we love most. I also share a different way to think about balance, not as a scale that needs to be perfectly even, but as a checking account. Are you making more deposits than withdrawals? Because the busy season has a way of draining that account fast, and most of us don't notice until we're already in the red. At the end of the day, we say this is all for our kids and our family. But if we're never around to build something they actually want to be a part of, what's it really all for? Key Takeaways: Balance isn't a scale, think of it like a checking account Make deposits before the busy season starts making withdrawals It's the change in your presence that hits hardest, not the absence itself Be aware, communicate, and build your non-negotiables as a family Allow yourself to quit, the work will always be there None of it gets better by accident, it takes intention Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 
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  E118 | You Wouldn't Not Check Your Crops, Why Wouldn't You Do The Same With Your Business? 12.05.2026 31นาที

  Episode Summary The farm will take every minute you have and every dollar you own. And right now, in the middle of the busy season, it's doing exactly that. This is part two of a three-part series on the stressors we're all carrying this time of year. Last week, I talked about the weight of the workload. This week, I want to talk about what quietly happens to your farm business when you're only focused on the fields. The bills that pile up. The marketing move you meant to make. The invoice you forgot to send. The crop plan you threw out the window because you just needed to keep moving. These things don't feel urgent when the sun is shining and your neighbor's planter is already rolling but they add up fast, and they can cost you more than you realize. In this episode, I get honest about the emotional decisions we make in the middle of the season, why the business side is always the first thing to slide, and what you can actually do about it without pulling yourself out of the tractor on a good day. Because if you wouldn't go a month without checking on the crop, you can't afford to go a month without checking on the business either. Key points from this week's episode: The small things slip first: don't let them Markets, bills, and decisions don't stop because you're busy Pause, detach, and don't make quick emotional decisions Build a plan and know what's important versus what's urgent Think back to your goals, are your actions actually aligned? Resources & Links: To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here! Connect with Garrett: Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here! Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!