Legacy Farmer The Podcast

Hosted by Jace D. Young

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Join your host, Jace D. Young, as he leads you through the truth about being a Modern Day Farmer, Rancher, Entrepreneur, Married Spouse, and Parent.

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60 recent

November 2, 2026Episode 17543 min

E175 | Two Plus Two Doesn't Equal Minus $100,000: How Casey Tebos Built an Eye for the Money

Casey Tebos grew up on a Michigan dairy, but with an older brother already back home, he had to find his own way in. In 2023 he took over a retiring dairyman's equipment and rented ground near Battle Creek, raising forage for the dairy that bought the cows and hauling all of its manure. He shares how he lost $100,000 in his first year without a real balance sheet or cash flow, how rebuilding his crew changed the business, why he now runs every bill through his operating line, and how clear numbers changed the conversation with his loan officer, even in a losing year. Farming is death by a thousand cuts. Knowing your numbers is how you stop the bleeding. If you want total control over your finances and your farm's future, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 30, 2026Episode 17437 min

E174 | Tired of Being Bullied by the Bank: How Aaron Wetzel Saved the Family Ground

Aaron Wetzel farms ground in northern Illinois that his family has owned since 1878, running cattle, hogs, row crops, and Pioneer seed corn. After losing his grandfather and uncle and taking on thousands of new acres and a large hog facility in a short time, the bank sent them to special assets the week before Thanksgiving and told them to start selling land. He shares how eight straight weeks at the kitchen table rebuilt their balance sheet and cash flow, the old credit line they never knew they owed, and how they got operating money for the next crop year without selling another acre. Banks will always want their money. Make sure you have someone on your side. If you want total control over your numbers and your farm's future, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 28, 2026Episode 17338 min

E173 | Starting From Scratch: How a Skip-Generation Farmer Rebuilt the Family Farm With James Pieper

James Pieper grew up in the suburbs of Fargo, but he never lost the dream of farming his grandparents' Minnesota ground. With no machinery and only 360 acres, the credit analyst and skip-generation farmer shares how he saved through college, eased into equipment instead of buying it all at once, protected his working capital, and made it through the tough 2023 and 2024 seasons by staying off-farm and never getting overextended. Starting or growing an operation takes more than grit. It takes knowing your numbers. If you want a clear plan for your farm's finances, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 26, 2026Episode 17234 min

E172 | Working Harder Isn't the Answer: How Aaron Wilson Found the Cash Flow Leaks in His Hog, Turkey, and Row Crop Operation

Aaron Wilson started farming in 2012 while hauling hogs at night and sleeping in his truck. Since then he's built a wean-to-finish hog barn, a full grain system, a field tile business, and a turkey farm 100 miles away, growing to 2,300 acres with three kids at home. But after going through a restructure, he realized he'd never tracked cash flow, and that he was working his tail off for nothing on the row crop side. He shares what his numbers revealed, how small changes like buying LP in bulk can cut a $90,000 cost in half, why he's looking at taking his row crops organic, and why it's okay to ask for help. Working harder isn't the answer. Knowing your numbers is. If you want less stress and more clarity this fall, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 23, 2026Episode 17142 min

E171 | What Your Lender Wants to See: Ag Lending, Input Shocks, and Building Net Worth With Luke Schultz

Luke Schultz has spent 25 years in ag lending while helping run his family's 5th-generation Kansas cattle ranch. Now with Conterra Ag Capital, he breaks down how input price shocks can make an operation unbankable fast, why cow-calf producers are in the driver's seat right now, and exactly what impresses a lender: a verified balance sheet, a borrowing base, budgets tracked against actuals, monthly income and expense records, and a 1–5 year plan. Your lender is going to look at your numbers either way. If you want to walk in with a clear budget and a plan, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 21, 2026Episode 17040 min

E170 | Mind Your Melon: Why Farmers Need to Talk About Stress Before It's Too Late

After a crop failure and the loss of his father on their 5th-generation Florida farm, Marshall and his family started the Mind Your Melon Foundation to get farmers talking about stress and mental health. He shares what their University of Florida research revealed about the biggest pressures in ag, why peer support and community matter before things reach a crisis, and how a budget and a succession plan can take real weight off your shoulders. Stress doesn't have to be something you carry alone. If you want clarity on your numbers and a plan for what's next, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 19, 2026Episode 16948 min

E169 | How This 8th-Gen Farmer Executed Farm Transition

"Hope is not a grain marketing strategy." 8th-generation farmer Zoe breaks down navigating land buyouts, overcoming farm labor bottlenecks, and implementing structured grain marketing plans to keep her operation profitable in volatile markets. Harvest isn't an excuse to ignore the business side of your operation. If you want to talk strategy and get total control over your numbers, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 16, 2026Episode 16845 min

E168 | Navigating High Cattle Markets, Screwworm Threats, and 6th-Gen Succession With Tucker Brown

Returning to a 130-year-old family operation comes with a heavy weight of history and a demand for real business growth. Tucker Brown, a 6th-generation rancher from Throckmorton, Texas, sits down to discuss expanding their registered Angus bull program, scaling a direct-to-consumer beef business through social media, and proactively shifting management practices ahead of the screwworm threat. We dive deep into why historical high cattle prices demand strict risk management (LRP, puts, hedges) and how third-party facilitation helps families execute multi-generational succession without blowing up the ranch. Harvest isn't an excuse to ignore the business side of your operation. If you want to talk strategy and get total control over your numbers, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 14, 202632 min

E167 | His Farm Was on the Fast Track to Failure: JC's Ag Journey

Rapid expansion, grain bin failures, and brutal weather can quickly push a family farm to the edge. JC shares his candid journey of operating 3,900 acres on gut instinct and annual shoe-box accounting, the toll it took on his family life, and how shifting to a month-to-month cash flow model completely turned his mindset around. We break down why cash flow statements beat annual balance sheets every time, how to manage lease debt, and how to negotiate better terms with bankers and input suppliers. Harvest isn't an excuse to ignore the business side of your operation. If you want to talk strategy and get total control over your numbers, call us at (785) 498-8184 today

October 12, 2026Episode 16649 min

E166 | Lost Pasture, High Risks, and the Hustle to Save a 4th-Gen Ranch

When summer pasture leases disappear overnight in the middle of a massive drought, young producers face a sink-or-swim moment. Trent and Kaylee Ramsey of Ramsey Cattle Co. join the show to share how they navigated a sudden loss of grazing land, built a 150-head cow-calf operation with zero college debt, and leveraged social media to diversify revenue. We dive into the harsh reality of Western land prices, why sweat equity must be accounted for in succession planning, and how young cattle producers can position their balance sheets to survive market volatility. Harvest isn't an excuse to ignore the business side of your operation. If you want to talk strategy and get total control over your numbers, call us at (785) 498-8184 today