Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women In Agriculture copertina

Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women In Agriculture

Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women In Agriculture

Di: Mary Lewis
Ascolta gratuitamente

3 mesi a soli 0,99 €/mese

Dopo 3 mesi, 9,99 €/mese. Si applicano termini e condizioni.

A proposito di questo titolo

Grit and Grace in the Heartland: Women in Agriculture is the podcast celebrating the strength, resilience, and wisdom of women who work the land and feed our communities. Through honest conversations and real-life stories, we explore the challenges, triumphs, and everyday realities of women in agriculture—from farms and ranches to policy and rural life. Rooted in the heartland, this podcast amplifies voices that blend hard-earned grit with enduring grace.

Copyright 2024 All rights reserved. Scienze sociali
Episodi
  • Unknotting the Mess: Labor, Immigration, and Hope in the Heartland

    Unknotting the Mess: Labor, Immigration, and Hope in the Heartland
    Jan 23 2026
    In this episode, Mary and Leah open with the familiar rhythms of Midwestern life, weather, winter wellness, and the importance of vitamin D, before moving into a deeply honest, timely conversation about immigration, agriculture, and the values shaping our food system. Sparked by recent events in Minnesota and the emotional weight they carry, the discussion explores why so many Americans are feeling frustrated, sad, and divided, and how those feelings connect to broken systems that affect us all. From labor shortages in agriculture to the human cost of immigration policy, Mary and Leah step back from sound bites and headlines to look at the bigger picture. This episode centers on one core idea: together matters. Together in community. Together in responsibility. Together in rebuilding systems that no longer work. Rather than arguing politics, Mary and Leah focus on people, the farmers, families, immigrants, and neighbors whose lives are intertwined with the food we eat and the values we hold. They discuss why cheap food has come at a high cost, why honorable work deserves fair pay, and why fear and misinformation are harming our ability to solve real problems. The conversation also touches on: Labor challenges in agriculture and the role of immigrant workers The cultural shift away from valuing hard, physical work Why “breaking even” isn’t sustainable for farms or communities How broken immigration systems create fear instead of solutions The growing impact of misinformation and AI-generated content Practical ways listeners can show up with grit, grace, and courage Mary and Leah close with hope, grounded in community, young people, and everyday acts of kindness, reminding listeners that change doesn’t start on social media or TV screens, but in how we treat one another. Takeaway We may not have all the answers, but we are capable of better. And it starts with choosing empathy, accountability, and connection, right where we live. Resources & Links Website: gritandgraceintheheartland.com Blog posts and episode player available for every episode 00:00 Mary and I'm Leah and welcome to Grit and Grace in the Heartland. Good morning, Leah. How are you? Good morning, Mary. A beautiful day in the neighborhood. Is it nice in Nebraska right now? It is again, this atypical, droughty, mild January, a 40 % chance of rain tonight. I'm hopeful for that. As odd as that sounds for rain in the middle of January, but we will take it. Yeah. 00:28 Absolutely. It's been so dry and not here in Minnesota, we still have snow on the ground and ice, but I know in Nebraska it's been really dry. Typical Midwesterners, we open up our conversations with discussions of weather and then possibly what we're eating and if we have recently bought anything on sale. I always try to open my podcast and my other podcast and this one with the weather because we're all affected by it. 00:57 100%. And I feel like it joins us all together. It is very bright and shiny here today. There's a light breeze. It was 40 degrees when I got up at 4 a.m. 40 degrees at 4 a.m. On January what 13th? I bought myself one three years ago. I bought myself one of those lights to use in the wintertime because my office is in the basement with no windows. 01:23 And it occurred to me that I haven't even pulled it out and used it one time this winter. That's because I've been able to be outdoors every day this winter for the most part. So that just speaks to what kind of winter it has been. And I put myself on a high quality vitamin D supplement as recommended by my doctor. But I'm a big advocate of those lights if you don't have them and taking time to sit in your south facing windows during the day, especially if you're a very pale midwesterner. But yes, I have not had to use my light at all. 01:52 Yeah, I just started taking vitamin D because I was at, I was below the lowest recommended number in my blood work. And my doctor said that most people who hail from a European descent, especially Northern European descent, sometimes carry a below average level year round, but especially in those darker, longer winter months and checking the vitamin D level is not on your typical panel for your annual 02:22 you sometimes have to ask for it. So while we're not talking necessarily about wellness today, I know it goes back to our conversations last week. Ask for your vitamin D to be checked and talk with your doctor about what level you should look for. Vitamin D levels are directly linked to so many things, one of them being your mental health and wellbeing. So definitely get that vitamin D level checked. 02:48 Oh, for sure. And if you can afford it, if you have good health insurance or if you just happen to have the money to pay for it, ask for every test you can get when they take your blood because they're going to take four vials anyway. They might as well test for everything. And a lot of those tests are becoming ...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    45 min
  • Grit, Grace, and the Lost Art of Reading & Speaking

    Grit, Grace, and the Lost Art of Reading & Speaking
    Jan 19 2026

    In this wide-ranging and deeply reflective episode, Mary and Leah kick off 2026 by talking weather, resilience, and the skills that truly prepare us for life, especially in agriculture. From drought conditions in Nebraska and icy chores in Minnesota to coaching high school speech, the conversation unfolds into a powerful exploration of public speaking, reading, family connection, and the unintended consequences of a screen-saturated world.

    The hosts share personal stories, some funny, some emotional, about learning to speak up, advocating for oneself, the lifelong impact of reading, and why libraries, librarians, and speech programs matter now more than ever. This episode is a heartfelt call to return to the basics: conversation, books, shared work, and real human connection.

    Topics Covered

    • Warm winters, drought, and finding gratitude in hard conditions

    • Ice cleats, chores, and farm safety in winter

    • Coaching high school speech and why speech kids are “athletes”

    • The confidence-building power of speech classes and 4-H

    • Learning to advocate for yourself, especially as a young woman

    • Why reading aloud to children changes lives (and brains)

    • Attention spans, screens, and what research is showing

    • Libraries as one of America’s greatest public resources

    • Why “watching how” is not the same as “doing”

    • Grit, resilience, and what really prepares young people for adulthood

    • A New Year’s call to unplug, read, cook, and connect

    Memorable Moments

    • A childhood story about standing up to a librarian - with grace

    • Why speech classes should be required everywhere

    • How Stephen King, Dr. Seuss, and National Geographic shaped curious minds

    • The difference between information and true skill

    • Why “real always wins” over polished, filtered perfection

    Listener Takeaways

    • You don’t need perfection, just participation

    • Reading builds memory, empathy, and lifelong resilience

    • Speaking skills are survival skills

    • Libraries are free, powerful, and underused

    • Technology is a tool, not a replacement for connection

    • Grit begins with a strong foundation at home

    Call to Action

    • Get (or use) your library card

    • Read with your children - even 3–5 minutes matters

    • Volunteer to read in your community

    • Learn to cook from scratch

    • Check on your neighbors

    • Put the phone down and pick a book - or a board game - up

    Resources & Links

    Website: https://www.gritandgraceintheheartland.com Contact the show via the website contact page Support your local public library
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    56 min
  • Carrying On: New Year Reflections, Community, and Courage

    Carrying On: New Year Reflections, Community, and Courage
    Jan 12 2026
    Carrying On: New Year Reflections, Community, and Courage As 2025 comes to a close, Mary and Leah settle into a heartfelt, wide-ranging New Year’s Eve conversation about what it really means to carry on. From quiet family traditions and dive-bar burgers to the realities of agriculture, social media algorithms, and the courage it takes to speak hard truths, this episode is a reminder that most of life happens in the ordinary moments—and that those moments matter. Together, they reflect on how a year can feel both painfully long and impossibly fast, why New Year’s resolutions don’t always serve us, and how shifting our focus toward goodness, community, and accountability can shape a healthier year ahead. The conversation also explores the weight women often carry, the power of vulnerability, and why asking questions - rather than passing judgment - can change everything. This episode is honest, thoughtful, sometimes funny, and deeply grounded in lived experience from rural America. It’s an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and enter 2026 with grit, grace, and intention. In This Episode, We Talk About: What New Year’s Eve really looks like for most Americans Why quiet traditions and family time still matter Letting go of traditional New Year’s resolutions in favor of vision, intention, and focusing on the good How social media algorithms reward outrage—and how to take back control of what we consume The danger of comparison culture, especially for women Alcohol, accountability, and the responsibility we have to keep each other safe Vulnerability, wellness, and why sharing hard stories can save lives Women’s tendency to put themselves last—and why that has to change The realities of farming and ranching that most people never see Judgment within agriculture—and why curiosity is more productive than criticism Bridging rural and urban divides through storytelling and conversation Leah’s upcoming speaking engagements and her hopes for women in agriculture The importance of community problem-solving and civic engagement Why being bold, even when it’s uncomfortable, is part of being a good citizen Memorable Themes: “Carry on” as an act of resilience Choosing goodness over negativity The power of showing up honestly Community over algorithms Curiosity instead of judgment Shared humanity, even when our lives look different Where to Find Us: Facebook: Grit and Grace in the Heartland – Women in Agriculture Website coming soon Final Thought: As Mary and Leah remind us, people are people, no matter where we live or what we do. As we step into 2026, may we look out for one another, ask better questions, stay connected to our communities, and move forward with both grit and grace. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and help us continue telling the stories of women in agriculture. 00:00 Mary and I'm Leah and welcome to Grit and Grace in the Heartland. Hello, Leah. How are you? good afternoon. Happy almost new year. Yeah. Happy New Year's Eve. I can't believe it is the end of 2025, the year that is felt fast and slow, like a miserably long dentist appointment all at the same time. Uh huh. Yes. That's a very good way of describing it. 00:30 it's really remarkable because it's actually beginning the same way that it ended and it began as it began also because this weather we've had in Nebraska went in the same with this mild dry weather. So it's not really very remarkable. And yet I think about last January and the blissful ignorance going into a new year and then it wasn't even one month in and things just started going bonkers. 00:58 you know, in every direction, especially for those of us who with the government or in a nonprofit or something like that. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't think I said anything in the first two episodes recorded that we've recorded so far. I am in Minnesota and it is uh gently snow flurrying out there. It's really beautiful. Like a beautiful New Year's Eve of my childhood. Always was, it seems. Yes. So what are you guys doing this evening for fun? 01:28 Not a lot of excitement going on around here. New Year's Eve is typically pretty quiet for us. Of course, our eldest teenager has her set of fun plans. We're hanging out at home. We are playing in a bowl game today, I guess, for Nebraska. And our 10-year-old asked for waffles. And I thought that was really sweet because that is actually what my mom tended to fix for us on New Year's Eve, waffles or pancakes. 01:57 And so that's what we're doing for New Year's Eve tonight and probably play some card games or something with her and call it an early night. I learned that the New Year comes in whether I'm awake to see it turn or not. I'm not staying up till midnight. Rarely do. Sometimes I, you know, get curious about the events in the big city and I love good music. So I would try 02:23 I loved Dick Clark. I ...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    58 min
Ancora nessuna recensione