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In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, I sit down with Jay Setchell for a wide-ranging conversation shaped by farm life, service, perseverance, and the quiet grit required to keep moving forward when life gets hard.

Jay grew up on a working farm where responsibility came early and lessons were learned through doing. From dangerous chores around silos and augers to long days learning efficiency one acre at a time, those early experiences formed a deep respect for hard work, accountability, and the risks that come with producing food.

Our discussion moves through Jay’s reflections on community and small-town life, the importance of neighbors helping neighbors, and how those early examples of service shaped the way he views responsibility and leadership today. Jay shares stories that highlight both the strength and fragility of rural life, and the lasting impact of showing up for others when it matters most.

Later in the conversation, Jay opens up about facing serious illness, extended hospitalization, and moments when quitting would have been understandable. He reflects on the mindset that carried him through those seasons, the importance of attitude, and why persistence often matters more than circumstance.

This episode is a thoughtful reflection on resilience, responsibility, and the belief that it is always too soon to quit.

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Patio Pondering is a long-form podcast exploring the important and the obscure in agriculture through thoughtful conversation.

https://www.patiopondering.com/podcast

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In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, I sit down with longtime friend, mentor, and Iowa farmer Roy Bardole for a wide-ranging conversation about conservation farming, soil health, faith, and stewardship.

Roy grew up farming in Iowa’s prairie pothole region, shaped by parents and grandparents who lived through the Great Depression, drought, loss, and relentless hard work. Those early experiences instilled a deep respect for land and water — and a belief that soil is not something we own, but something we are entrusted to care for.

Our discussion moves through Roy’s early lessons in soil structure and water management, his adoption of no-till farming long before it became common, and the skepticism he faced for sticking with conservation practices even when they were unpopular. Roy explains how firsthand observation of erosion, runoff, and soil loss convinced him that long-term soil health requires patience, humility, and the willingness to stand apart from the crowd.

We also explore Roy’s decades of service beyond the farm, including leadership roles in his church and nearly 30 years serving the soybean industry at the state, national, and international levels. For Roy, service was never about prestige or power, but about responsibility: using the gifts you’re given and leaving institutions stronger than you found them.

Faith weaves quietly but firmly through the conversation. Roy reflects on how the teachings of Christ shaped his approach to leadership, conservation, and community; returning again and again to a simple but demanding principle at the heart of faith and farming: love your neighbor, live by example, and care for what you have been given.

This episode is a thoughtful reflection on stewardship, resilience, and the long view — of land, people, and purpose.

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Patio Pondering is a long-form podcast exploring the important and the obscure in agriculture through thoughtful conversation.
https://www.patiopondering.com/podcast

Send us a text

In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, I sit down with longtime friend and FarmHouse brother Jim Bishop for a conversation that took a different turn than originally planned — and ended up right where it needed to go.

Instead of focusing heavily on farm stories, Jim and I explore leadership, identity, burnout, and the human side of work. Drawing from Jim’s experience in executive leadership development and my own experiences navigating leadership in agriculture and business, we talk candidly about why work often “sucks,” how cultures drift away from humanity, and what it costs when leaders lose touch with themselves and the people they lead.

This conversation also serves as a natural companion to my recent episode with Mark Voors. Where that discussion explored leadership and growth from the bottom up, this episode continues the thread from the executive and C-suite perspective — together forming a broader reflection on leadership and personal development.

It’s a more reflective, philosophical episode than usual — a different rhythm — but an honest one. If you’ve ever wrestled with expectations, burnout, or what it really means to lead well, this conversation will likely hit close to home.