Patio Ponderings
Exploring the Expected and the Obscure in Agriculture
From a lifetime in agriculture to deep dives into leadership, rural life, and the evolving food system, Patio Pondering is a podcast where thoughtful conversations meet the open air. Hosted by Jim Smith, Ph.D., a seasoned Swine Nutritionist, agricultural thinker, and storyteller, this podcast explores the connections between our agricultural roots and the broader world.
What started as daily reflections—scribbled with a morning coffee in hand—has grown into a podcast that uncovers the insights, challenges, and sometimes-forgotten history of the industry that feeds us all. Whether solo pondering or engaging in candid discussions with guests, this show digs into everything from livestock production to food trends, rural business shifts, and the personal stories that shape agricultural life.
Now available in both audio and video formats, Patio Pondering brings these discussions to life on YouTube and podcast platforms alike. Whether you prefer to listen on the go or watch the conversation unfold, you’ll find fresh perspectives, candid storytelling, and the kind of conversations that make you think twice.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because agriculture is more than just dirt and livestock. It’s a story worth telling.
- Update frequency
- every 3 days
- Average duration
- 49 minutes
- Episodes
- 55
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
Episode 55: Delaney Howell — Progress Over Perfection, Ship It, Then Get Better!
Former Market to Market host and Ag News Daily co-founder Delaney Howell shares why her motto is “Progress Over Perfection.” From farming in Tama County to running a boutique marketing …
Episode 54: Let Them Talk!
In this solo episode of Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim reflects on the art of interviewing after listening to Patrick Bet-David’s podcast conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…
Episode 53: Farming, Retirement, and the Iron Trap
Farmers often say, “My land is my retirement plan.” But what happens when that plan never gets cashed in?
In this solo Patio Pondering episode, Jim Smith, Ph.D. dives into the hard real…
Episode 52: Solo Thoughts on the Crop Tour and the Black Box
In this solo episode, Jim shares his perspective on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, crop yield estimates, and how farmers can cut through the “black box” of USDA reports. Drawing on his 2020 …
Episode 51 - Feed: The Unsexy 70 Percent
Every business has a “70%” — the single biggest cost or effort that quietly drives success or failure. In pig production, that 70% is feed. It’s not flashy, it’s not exciting, but it m…
Episode 50: Against the Grain: Jerod McDaniel on Bullshit, Big Ag, and the Power of Speaking Up
For our 50th episode, we’re not pulling any punches.
Jim sits down with Jerod McDaniel, a farmer, cattleman, and unapologetic contrarian from Texhoma, Oklahoma, who’s made a name for him…
Episode 49: The Silence That Stuck With Me
In this solo episode of Patio Pondering, Jim reflects on a moment at the Indiana State Fair that left him unsettled when he witnessed something wrong and didn’t speak up. What started a…
Episode 48: Not About Markets – Chip Flory on Family, Faith, and Finding His Voice
You know him as the voice of AgriTalk, delivering market insights with clarity and conviction. But in this episode, Chip Flory sits on the other side of the microphone to share the pers…
Episode 47 – The Harvest Dance: From Overalls to Organized Farm Crews
In this solo episode of Patio Ponderings Podcast, host Jim Smith, Ph.D.—farmer, swine nutritionist, and ag communicator—reflects on the evolving face of modern agriculture.
Over the past…
Episode 46: Emily Flory Carolan — From Grain Carts to Cold Calls
In this episode of Patio Pondering, I sit down with longtime Ag Twitter friend and powerhouse Corteva territory manager Emily Flory Carolan. From cold calls in cornfields to designing h…
Episode 45: From Livestock to Leadership - How 4-H and Farm Life Shaped Band Director Colby Stackhouse
What do show pigs and school bands have in common? According to Colby Stackhouse, a whole lot more than you'd expect.
In this episode of Patio Pondering, I talk with Colby—band director …
Episode 44: Jim Smith - Uneven Corn Emergence, Soil Compaction, and the Hard Truths We Avoid
In this solo episode of Patio Pondering, host Jim Smith, Ph.D., a swine nutritionist and farmer from Northeast Indiana, digs into the agronomic and personal lessons behind uneven corn e…
Episode 43: Mark Johnson - Feed, Faith, and Finding Purpose After the Fall
What happens when a swine industry veteran opens up about the real cost of leadership, sobriety, and finding purpose after decades in feed sales?
In this powerful episode of Patio Ponder…
Episode 42: Jen Campbell — The Double-Edged Sword of ‘Tell Your Story’
In this episode of Patio Pondering, host Jim Smith, Ph.D., sits down with writer and farmwife Jen Campbell to tackle a topic close to every ag communicator’s heart — and frustration: th…
Episode 41 – Kaylee Keppy-McDonnell: Communication, Boundaries, and Foundations in Ag
In this episode of Patio Pondering, host Jim Smith, Ph.D., sits down with Kaylee Keppy-McDonnell to explore the themes that have defined her journey through agriculture: communication, …
Episode 40: Amber Hoopengardner: Reinvention, Resilience, and the Power of Connections
“AT Amber would not be AT Amber if she had not been Miss Allen County.”
In this episode of Patio Ponderings, host Jim Smith, Ph.D. sits down with Amber Hoopengardner to explore her journ…
Episode 39 - From the Ranch to Bougie Backyard Chickens: Exploring Ag Innovation (and a Few Surprises) with Tracey Snider
In today’s episode of Patio Pondering, I’m joined by Tracey Snider, an agricultural leader whose career path has taken her from life on the Ranch to helping farmers and food companies …
Episode 38 – From Setback to Starting Over: First Patio Pondering from the Patio
In this special episode of Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim shares his personal story of overcoming career loss, finding new purpose, and building a new life after a job setback — all recor…
Episode 37: Karen Corrigan - Honest Insights on Life that Lead to Good Agronomy and Life Skills
Karen Corrigan joins Patio Ponderings to talk agronomy, opportunity, and saying "yes" to success—plus a few laughs with friends along the way.
In this episode of Patio Ponderings, Jim Sm…
Episode 36: Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should
In this solo episode of Patio Pondering, I explore the increasingly urgent topic of farmland preservation and rural land use through the lens of personal experience and regional change…