Beyond The Crops

Mary Pat Sass + Jena Ochsner

Jena & MP bring a unique perspective to the world of agriculture, offering a blend of humor, heart, and wisdom honed from their combined years on the farm. With a deep passion for their families, their farms, and the communities they call home, these two farmwives delve into the daily triumphs and tribulations that come from rural living. They discuss everything from the latest advancements in agriculture and the art of balancing family with farm duties to the time-honored traditions and recipes that make life on the farm so special. Their stories will make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings, and inspire you to see the beauty in the ordinary moments of life. "Beyond The Crops" is not just a podcast for farmers; it's for anyone who appreciates the enduring values of hard work, resilience, and the simple joys of living close to the land. Whether you're an urban dweller curious about rural life or a fellow farm enthusiast, you'll find something to love in the genuine and heartfelt conversations of Jena & MP.  Subscribe today and be a part of their journey as they cultivate a deeper appreciation for the remarkable world of agriculture.

  1. 1d ago

    164. Harvest Is Coming, Faith Is Growing & Making Time for Yourself

    Harvest is right around the corner, but before the combines roll, Jena and Mary Pat are squeezing in a little fun, faith, and family time. This week, they recap Becknology Days and Farm Wives Club, talk about independent agricultural research and Beck’s incredible Root Reveal greenhouses, and share some of the women who inspired them along the way. They also get personal about adult baptism, motherhood, mom guilt, and learning to make time for yourself—even when it feels like there’s always something else that needs to be done. Plus: House of Colour, women’s workwear from Red Ants Pants, a 20-mile run, and getting ready for Farm Progress! In this episode: Jena’s adult baptism and growing deeper in faithBecknology Days & Beck’s Practical Farm ResearchRoot Reveal technology and hybrid selectionFarm Wives Club and inspiring women in agricultureHouse of Colour and finding colors that work for youMom guilt and making time for yourselfRed Ants Pants women’s workwearGetting ready for harvest and Farm ProgressNew episodes every Tuesday! 🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  2. Sep 1

    163. Tar Spot, Farm Wife Roles & Finding Your Place in Agriculture with Faith Pearson

    What happens when a challenging crop year has you questioning every decision you made? In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat welcome back Faith Pearson, agronomist, seed business owner, farm wife, and self-proclaimed “crunchy agronomist,” for a conversation that goes way beyond what’s happening in the field. The challenge this year has been a corn disease called Tar Spot. Faith breaks down what tar spot is, the weather conditions that can contribute to its spread, and the reality that sometimes farmers can make the best decisions they can with the information they have—and Mother Nature still has the final say. The conversation quickly becomes about something bigger: the pressure farmers put on themselves. Jena shares how much Levi has been beating himself up over the tar spot situation, and the three women talk about the importance of checking in on the farmers in your life, learning from difficult seasons, and remembering that a crop that doesn't meet your expectations isn't necessarily a failure. From there, they dive into the very different roles women can have in agriculture. Whether you're working directly in the field, running a business, marketing grain, raising kids, managing the home, supporting the farm behind the scenes, or doing some combination of all of it—there is no one “right” way to be a farm wife or a woman in agriculture. And, as always, there's a little encouragement woven throughout: you don't have to have everything figured out. Your role can change. Your passions can change. And you can grow through those changes instead of fighting them. In this episode: What tar spot is and how it affects cornWhy weather and leaf wetness matter when it comes to diseaseHybrid selection and fungicide managementWhat this year's unusual weather has meant for cropsLearning from difficult farming seasons instead of beating yourself upThe importance of checking in on the farmers in your lifeWhy you can't have a record-breaking crop every yearThe many different roles women play in agricultureThe value of the work that happens behind the scenesMarketing grain with a different perspectiveFinding your own place in agricultureFollowing what fuels your passionEmbracing change through the different seasons of lifeConnect with Faith: 🎙️ Rhizometrics — available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📧 infinityagsolutions@gmail.com 🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  3. Aug 25

    162. What Running Has Taught Us About Doing Hard Things

    What started as a way to blow off some steam turned into half-marathons, early morning runs, sore muscles, and a whole lot of lessons about doing hard things. In this episode, Jena and Mary Pat talk about how running has challenged what they thought their bodies were capable of and what it has taught them about discipline, resilience, comparison, and making time for themselves in the middle of busy seasons of life. They talk about starting from very different places, learning to embrace slow runs and recovery, fueling for longer distances, avoiding injury, and realizing that you don't have to be an athlete to become a runner. They also get very honest about the less glamorous side of running… including nervous bathroom emergencies, cornfields, and the surprising freedom of ditching your underwear.  Most importantly, they talk about how building physical resilience can help us carry the other hard things life throws at us and why sometimes the biggest victory is simply proving to yourself that you can do something you once thought was impossible. In this episode:  How Jena and Mary Pat accidentally became runners  Why you don't have to be an athlete to start running  Learning to slow down and embrace easy runs  Fueling, hydration, and what they wish they'd known sooner  Injuries, recovery, and the importance of not rushing the process  The mental game of running and pushing past what your brain tells you  Comparison and learning to run your own race  Finding time to run as a mom  The very real (and very funny) bathroom side of running  Building resilience through physical challenges  Learning that you're capable of more than you think  Keeping fitness in perspective and remembering what matters most🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  4. Aug 18

    161. Traveling With Kids Made Easier: Food, Road Trips & Screen-Free Activities

    Traveling with kids can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to keep everyone fed, entertained, and happy without relying entirely on screens or fast food. In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat are talking about their best healthy travel and road trip hacks for families. They share tips for packing food through airport security, traveling with kids, keeping road-trip meals simple, and finding ways to entertain kids without handing them an iPad for the entire trip. They also chat about 75 Hard, healthy eating, protein goals, canning salsa, farm life, and the realities of keeping up with healthy habits during a busy summer. Whether you're heading out for a family road trip, flying with kids, or just looking for easier ways to keep your family fed while traveling, this episode is full of practical ideas you can actually use. In this episode:  Healthy foods and snacks to pack when flying  TSA rules for traveling with food, ice packs, and breast milk  Easy road trip meals for families  Road trip organization and reducing car messes  Screen-free travel activities for kids  Travel scavenger hunts, books, podcasts, and Yoto players  How to keep kids entertained without constant screen time  75 Hard and creating healthier habits  Canning salsa and preparing for harvest season🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  5. Aug 11

    160. Prepping for Harvest and Picking Homeschool Curriculum

    In this episode of Beyond the Crops, Jena and Mary Pat catch up on the realities of late summer farm life, about starting a new homeschool year, choosing curriculum, creating routines, and finding flexibility when farm life, harvest, and family responsibilities don’t always go according to plan. Jena also shares an update on their tiny house project and the challenges of figuring out housing and homeschooling while preparing for harvest and a new baby. The conversation also covers drought, wildfires, farm stress, and the impact of weather on farmers and ranchers, along with a recent family trip to Idaho, hot springs, and making the most of time together before harvest. Plus, they dive into homesteading and food preservation, including canning salsa, marinara, tomato juice, applesauce, pickle relish, and beef. And finally, Mary Pat opens up about struggling with her mental health and ongoing dizziness, finding a new hobby in crochet, and the importance of giving ourselves grace when life feels overwhelming. In this episode: Homeschooling and choosing curriculumCreating routines around farm life and harvestBuilding a tiny house on the farmPregnancy, health, and family transitionsDrought, wildfires, and farming challengesFamily travel and making time for funCanning, gardening, and preserving foodSalsa, marinara, tomato juice, and canned beefFinding hobbies and coping with difficult seasonsMental health and giving yourself graceEncouragement for farm moms heading into a busy season🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  6. Aug 4

    159. Worth the Money... or Total Waste? Our Honest Opinions

    This week we're diving into a trend that's been making the rounds online: What's actually worth spending your money on... and what's absolutely not? From Owala water bottles and running gear to health insurance, cleaning ladies, coffee, kids' toys, and seasonal décor, we're sharing our completely unfiltered opinions.  We also announce our latest giveaway winner, chat about oral health, pregnancy, marathon training, functional medicine, family vacations, and why sometimes spending more upfront actually saves money—and stress—in the long run. Whether you agree with us or think we're completely wrong, we'd love to hear what makes your "worth it" and "not worth it" lists. In this episode: Announcing our Beyond the Crops giveaway winner 🎉Why we both love our Owala water bottlesThings we believe are absolutely worth the investmentThe purchases we regret (or would never buy again)Functional healthcare vs. traditional healthcare costsRunning gear, shoes, and marathon training updatesWhy experiences often matter more than thingsCleaning ladies, decluttering, and simplifying lifeKitchen gadgets, baby gadgets, and household clutterCoffee, protein, smoothies, and investing in quality ingredientsOral health, flossing, and small habits that make a big differenceOur thoughts on kids' toys, seasonal décor, and trendy purchasesIf you enjoyed this episode, we'd love if you left us a review! Every review helps more farm families discover the show, and we're planning to make our listener giveaways a regular thing. Thanks for spending part of your week with us—we're so grateful you're here! 🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  7. Jul 28

    158. Our Current Roman Empires: Healthy Homes, Hormones & Letting Go

    What’s your current Roman Empire—the thing you can't stop thinking about? This week, Jena and Mary Pat catch up on everything currently taking over their minds. Jena shares an update on their family's mold journey, designing a temporary 1,200-square-foot home, and what she's learning about building a healthier house. Mary Pat opens up about coming off hormonal birth control and her growing fascination with women's health and hormone balance. They also chat about drought conditions, gardens that don't quite go as planned, homeschooling in a tiny space, and finding peace in seasons that feel anything but simple. In This Episode  Crop and weather updates from Nebraska and Minnesota  Building a temporary home after mold damage  Letting go of belongings and starting fresh  Healthy home building tips and lessons learned  Solar power, HVAC systems, and moisture prevention  Hormone health and life after birth control  Supporting your body through your monthly cycle  Gardens, motherhood, and embracing imperfect seasonsKey Takeaways  Sometimes the hardest seasons become the ones that shape us the most.  Building a healthy home is about thoughtful decisions, not perfection.  Our bodies are designed to work together, and supporting overall health often matters more than chasing individual symptoms.  Motherhood often means choosing progress over perfection.  God can still use your story while you're living through it—not just after you've overcome it. 🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

  8. Jul 21

    157. County Fairs, Baby Talk & Tiny House Dreams

    In this episode of Beyond the Crops, we're sharing everything that's been happening behind the scenes. From county fair adventures and first-year 4-H lessons to pregnancy updates and navigating one of the biggest challenges our family has ever faced, this conversation feels like catching up with friends on the front porch. Jena shares how her sons confidence is growing through 4-H, why county fairs teach so much more than showing animals, and where things currently stand with their family's unexpected home situation. We also talk about building a temporary home, learning to let go of possessions, and the ways God continues to teach us about contentment in difficult seasons. Plus, we debate one very important question: Should you find out your baby's gender before birth—or wait for the surprise? If you've ever felt like life took a turn you didn't expect, this episode is a reminder that even in uncertain seasons, God is still writing the story. In this episode, we discuss:  Summer updates from the farm  Jena's first "real" year as a 4-H mom  Lessons learned from county fair week  Bucket calves, showmanship, and raising farm kids  Pregnancy updates and whether to find out baby's gender  An update on Jena's home and building plans  Learning contentment through unexpected loss  Why slowing down before making big decisions matters  Trusting God through uncertainty  Finding hope while you're still in the middle of the story Whether you're hauling kids to the county fair, checking cattle, or enjoying a quiet drive down a gravel road, we're so glad you're here. If today's conversation encouraged you, we'd love for you to leave a review and share this episode with another farm wife who could use a little encouragement. 🙌 Join the Conversation! Tag us or send us a DM @beyondthecrops_. And don't forget to leave us a message on our new voicemail line!  Leave us a Voice Message! We love hearing from you and continuing the conversation off the podcast. Click here to leave us a voice note!

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4.9
out of 5
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About

Jena & MP bring a unique perspective to the world of agriculture, offering a blend of humor, heart, and wisdom honed from their combined years on the farm. With a deep passion for their families, their farms, and the communities they call home, these two farmwives delve into the daily triumphs and tribulations that come from rural living. They discuss everything from the latest advancements in agriculture and the art of balancing family with farm duties to the time-honored traditions and recipes that make life on the farm so special. Their stories will make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings, and inspire you to see the beauty in the ordinary moments of life. "Beyond The Crops" is not just a podcast for farmers; it's for anyone who appreciates the enduring values of hard work, resilience, and the simple joys of living close to the land. Whether you're an urban dweller curious about rural life or a fellow farm enthusiast, you'll find something to love in the genuine and heartfelt conversations of Jena & MP.  Subscribe today and be a part of their journey as they cultivate a deeper appreciation for the remarkable world of agriculture.

Information

  • Creator
    Mary Pat Sass + Jena Ochsner
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    164
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Beyond The Crops
  • Show Website
    Beyond The Crops

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