Send us a text This week we're talking about the one thing every cattle producer knows they could do better or should do better or would do better if they had the time... but most put off: record keeping. I'm joined by Oaklee Trapp, rancher, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Smarter Cattle, to break down why better data leads to better decisions in today's cattle market. Oaklee grew up in the beef industry, interned with Producers Livestock Marketing Association, and now works with produc...

Send us a text This week Smoke and Aly sit down with Adam Prokash, a first-generation livestock producer whose path into agriculture looks nothing like the traditional one. Adam walks us through how he bought his first farm and learned to raise veal calves without the benefit of growing up in the industry, and how those early years shaped every decision that came after. His story spans multiple chapters: the rise and fall of the veal market, the stretch of years when feeder pigs kept his oper...

Send us a text In this episode, Aly sits down with Natallia Opalko, founder of Trucking Safety and author of Safety is the New Profit, to break down the systems and simple fixes that help small fleets improve safety, efficiency, and profitability. Natallia shares the most common compliance and safety hurdles she sees, the tools that make compliance less overwhelming, and how better processes can directly strengthen your bottom line. Whether you run one truck or one hundred, this conversation ...

Send us a text This week Aly and Smoke dive into a lesson on why winter preparation is important, a conversation about debt strategy and our mindset when financing equipment and managing growth without getting stretched too thin. We also chat about taking calculated risks in business and cattle feeding. Tune in for practical, honest insights for keeping a rural operation moving forward. Support the show BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO Facebook | Instagram | Ti...

Send us a text Hosts Aly and Smoke catch up on Smoke's time back behind the wheel - navigating sale barns, a few frustrations about how trucking has changed, and taking kids along for the ride. They also dig into the business side, from climbing insurance premiums and warranty headaches, to Trump's recent comments on beef prices and what they've really meant for beef producers. Back home, a leaky basement adds to the chaos. It's been one of those weeks at the Behrens homestead. If you need to...

Send us a text In this episode I'm joined by the rhinestone cowgirl herself, Olivia Harms. We chat about growing up on a 150-year-old ranch, running one today with her husband in Northern California, and chasing big dreams on the road. Olivia Harms has created her own “Rhinestone Cowgirl” sound, blending Texas, Bakersfield, and Nashville country. As the daughter of Western Music Hall of Fame member Joni Harms, Olivia debuted onstage at two days old. She was named in COWGIRL magazine’s 3...

Send us a text This week we’re talking trucking truths — who should buy their own truck, how driver pay really works, and what happens when trucks get ordered but never used. We also touch on getting started feeding cattle. This one is a real, no-filter look at the business side of hauling livestock. Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to make your job easier out on the road. Use referral code RURAL to sign up. ➤ Download the Beef Hub App | Google Play Supp...

Send us a text This week’s episode is a snapshot of life right now — the kind where life and business blur together in the best and busiest ways. We’re fresh off our wedding weekend, still soaking it in, and juggling everything that comes with it, because you have to make hay while the sun shines and that means they honeymoon can wait. Smoke and I talk through how things look when he’s on the road and the latest in the fat cattle trade and cow buying business. It’s a little bit of wedding tal...

Send us a text This week on The Rural Dispatch, we’re switching gears from hauling livestock to hauling a bar! Join me for a quick solo update on a busy week in trucking, Smoke getting back into cow buying, and the chaos of wedding week prep in our backyard. Plus, hear about our friends at Agar Transportation and PAR Repair driving a custom bar across the country — and how you could score some merch if you spot it on the road! A big thank you to our sponsor, Roll On Dispatch, for supporting t...

Send us a text This week on The Rural Dispatch, Smoke and Aly talk trucking, cattle, and life. We dig into what a “slow busy season” looks like in livestock trucking, how the cattle market is shaping both hauling and beef availability, and why trucking’s connection to so many industries is both a challenge and a blessing (hello, reefer division revival!). If you’re curious about cattle markets, livestock hauling, or just enjoy a good trucking story, this one’s for you. A big thank...

Send us a text On this episode, Aly is joined by Ashley Brincks, ag professional and leader specializing in cattle and conservation. In this episode, Ashley shares how her journey through both personal loss and professional opportunities has shaped her into the industry advocate she is today. She reflects on the ways resilience and hard work have guided her path, and we talk about the intersection of conservation and cattle production, the importance of producer’s voices in the industry, and ...

Send us a text This week Smoke and Aly are diving into a mix of trucking life, ag seasonality, and some good old-fashioned storytelling. We chat about whether the days of handshake deals are behind us, swap stories from Smoke’s time in the truck (including 5 Hour Energy, CB radios, CDs, and stacks of DVDs), and share some ideas for Truck Driver Appreciation Week. We also break down why fall is the busiest season for ranchers, farmers, and truckers, plus give a little update on wedding plannin...

Send us a text The countdown is on: we're one month out from a wedding and life is a mix of bottle calves, bin dust, broke down trucks and last-minute details. This week is a quick update plus we're asking for your best wedding/marriage advice. Send us your tips and I'll share them on the show! A big thank you to our sponsor, Roll On Dispatch, for supporting this episode. Their all-in-one trucking software makes managing livestock and commodity hauls easier, with tools for dispatching, ...

Send us a text This week on The Rural Dispatch, Bryan and Rochelle Heiman join Aly and Smoke to share how they came to be Heiman Farm: A Raw Milk Diary in Iowa. With five kids under eight, four (going on six) milk cows, plus pigs, chickens, and turkeys, the Heiman family is living the full farm life while serving their community with fresh raw milk through weekly drop-offs throughout west central Iowa. We talk about how Heiman Farm got its start, how it’s grown, and what’s next for this hardw...

Send us a text In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, it’s just Aly + Smoke catching up on life, work, and everything in between. We kick things off the way most summer conversations in the Midwest do, talking about the weather. From there, we shift gears into family life with a recap of our annual trip to Branson, a streak of Behrens bad luck, and business lately. It’s a mix of cows, chaos, and family updates... just a slice of what rural life looks like for us this summer. This episod...

Send us a text This week on The Rural Dispatch, I sit down with Maury Eickman, a 97-year-old lifelong farmer from Templeton, Iowa, to capture nearly a century of farming history and wisdom. Maury shares stories from growing up during the Great Depression, surviving the unforgettable “year from hell” in 1936, and building a life on the farm with his wife, Dottie, while raising seven children. He reflects on the 1980’s farm crisis, how rural families built wealth over time, and the dramatic cha...

Send us a text This week I'm joined by Brandon Roering, third generation dispatcher for his family's livestock transportation business, Lambrecht Livestock Trucking, and the creator of Beef Hub — a brand-new app created specifically for the needs in the livestock transportation world. Join us as we dive into Brandon's journey from growing up in trucking to managing logistics and developing tech, and how he turned his real-world experience into a digital tool to make life a little easier...

Send us a text This week, we're joined by both the founders of Agar Transportation, Matt and Debbie Agar, and the current owners of Agar Transportation, Paul and Kindra Radloff. Matt shares how he got started in trucking, and Debbie brings an honest look at what it's really like being married to, and raising kids with, an over-the-road truck driver and dispatcher. We hear about their journey through the trucking industry, all the way up to passing the torch over to Paul. Whether y...

Send us a text NEW: LEAVE US A MESSAGE Fresh off Day 1 of the Western Video Market’s biggest sale of the year, Rick Machado joins us for a boots-on-the-ground conversation in Reno. As an auctioneer, cattleman, and part owner of WVM, Rick shares how the video sale works, what makes it unique, and other industry insights. Plus, we’re joined by a couple of drop-in guests, the Nuttall boys of Susanville, CA and Glenn Benjamin of Simla, CO, to talk about how day 1 of the sale went for them. ...

Send us a text Catch up with us on the road this week. From behind the scenes of podcasting to the current cattle market and life lately, this episode is short and sweet and packed with a little bit of everything from our corner of the world. Need livestock hauled? Give us a call: 712-790-3359 Suggestions for a podcast guest? Email Aly: behrensandco@gmail.com Mentions: Western Video Market Cattle Drive Video Market Beef Hub App – Built by cattle haulers, for cattle haulers. Tools to mak...