J & K Smith Family Farms

05/12/2026

Spring planting season is approaching across northeast Indiana, and the focus on our farm is shifting from winter preparation to ex*****on.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been finishing planter maintenance, finalizing fertility plans, preparing fields, and getting ready for the narrow planting windows that spring often provides. Stewardship, discipline, and long-term thinking continue to guide the decisions we make across every acre we farm.

Our Spring 2026 Newsletter is now available on our website and includes updates on:
• Planting preparation and equipment readiness
• Soil health and conservation efforts
• Field maintenance and stewardship
• Market conditions and management approach
• Spring weather and operational flexibility

Read the full newsletter here:

04/28/2026

We were lucky with the past two storms, we only received 0.85" of rain this past week. Unfortunately, that puts us at 7.5" for the month with another storm system on the horizon.

We continue to finish minor repairs on the planters so we will be ready to Rock 'n Roll when we dry out.

04/28/2026

Shaun Haney has a talent for presenting challenging Ag Topics and News that is educational, invigorating, and not boring. Take a listen to get insight about his view on Ag Media and how he uses lessons from the farm and seed sales to keep velocity with his team at Real Agriculture.

New Patio Pondering Podcast Episode Live

A different kind of conversation this week with Shaun Haney of RealAgriculture.

We talk about how the story of agriculture gets told—and why that matters.

🎧 Listen here: https://www.patiopondering.com/podcast

04/23/2026

We did a survey of our fields this morning. Conditions range from wet to muddy to sloppy to mater covered.

With rain expected six of the next seven days we are not expecting to start planting the 2026 until May. Mother Nature continues to show us she is in charge.

We have a few minor repairs to finish on the planters so we will be ready when ground conditions are fit.

More updates as conditions change.

02/26/2026

I had a great conversation with Clint Gorden from Central Illinois about his path as a Skip-Generation farmer and a bit about his farm near Decatur.

Take a listen for a perspective from a differetn part of the Cornbelt.

Skip-Generation Farming: Clint Gorden’s Path Back to the Land

Clint Gorden, a farmer from central Illinois, joins me for a great conversation about building a farming career as a skip-generation farmer, the realities of modern agriculture, and how relationships and community shape the journey.

Give it a listen 👇

https://www.patiopondering.com/podcast

02/10/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞

𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 71: 𝑩𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑾𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑭𝒐𝒓

We spend a lot of time talking about the cost of disease in pork production.

In this solo episode, I explore a harder question:

What happens if we actually succeed?

Drawing on industry history, personal memories from the late 1990s, and the physical limits of our system, this episode looks at how improved pig survivability can create unintended pressure when markets, packing capacity, and demand don’t move fast enough.

This is a thoughtful, honest conversation not a hot take.

🎧 Listen here: https://www.patiopondering.com/podcast

02/03/2026

Some cool things happening over on our sister site as the Patio Pondering Podcast continues to grow.

This morning we shared a behind-the-scenes update about adding a podcast scheduler to help keep conversations, scheduling, and logistics running smoothly.

If you haven’t listened yet, head over to the Patio Pondering page or check out the podcast here:
https://www.patiopondering.com/podcast

Behind-the-scenes update for the Patio Pondering Podcast 👇

As the podcast continues to grow, I’ve brought on some help—and I’m excited to welcome Madalyn Molnar to the Patio Pondering team as our Podcast Scheduler.

Madalyn is a senior at Purdue University from Hebron, Indiana, studying Animal Sciences with an Animal Agribusiness concentration, along with a minor in Communications and an Industrial Selling Certificate. She’s also an Animal Sciences Ambassador and a member of the Purdue Western Equestrian Team.

What this means in practical terms:
• Clearer communication
• Fewer back-and-forth emails
• Smoother scheduling and logistics

And for me, it means more time focused on preparing for conversations and showing up fully present for guests.

Most listeners will never see this kind of change—but it matters. Quiet improvements like this are what make growth sustainable.

Sometimes growth isn’t about doing more yourself.
Sometimes it’s about trusting the right people to help you do it better.

02/02/2026

https://www.jksmithfamilyfarms.com/news-and-updates/winter-2026-newsletter-planning-preparation-and-stewardship Winter 2026 Newsletter – Planning, Preparation, and Stewardship

Winter settles in across northeast Indiana, but the work on our farm continues—just in a different form. While the fields rest, our focus shifts indoors to preparation, evaluation, and thoughtful planning that quietly sets the foundation for the 2026 growing season.

01/17/2026

🌾 Fall Newsletter: Harvest Lessons & Looking Ahead

This season taught us some valuable lessons. A soggy spring that delayed planting. Spotty summer rains that helped some fields while missing others. And variable yields that reflect the challenges Mother Nature threw our way.

But through it all, we stayed committed to careful stewardship - protecting soil structure, making data-driven decisions, and thinking long-term.

Our Fall newsletter covers:
✅ Complete harvest results
✅ How weather shaped the season
✅ Why we don't burn crop residue
✅ Current market realities
✅ Already preparing for 2026

Read the full story and download the PDF on our website 👇

https://www.jksmithfamilyfarms.com/news-and-updates/fall-2025-newsletter-harvest-update-amp-looking-ahead

Here are highlights from our Fall newsletter that we recently shared with landowners and farming partners. This season brought both challenges and valuable lessons as we worked through variable weather conditions and prepared for the year ahead. What's Inside This Newsletter: Harvest Results Ou

01/03/2026

A summer flashback from the farm.

This is our custom drone applicator coming in to refill between passes. Precision, efficiency, and a pretty cool view of modern ag in action.

Drew Dafforn and Aiden Rietdorf at
SoarTech LLC did a great job for us this year. 🚜🌾💨👍💥

01/01/2026

2025 Farm Update: Closing the Year

As the year closed, we made choices aimed at stability rather than perfection, including having our combine serviced at the dealership to avoid further breakdowns during harvest. It did not change the outcome of the crop, but it did bring some peace of mind in a year that had already delivered its s