After a short break, Patrick and Amy saddle back up to talk life, cattle, and community. From the North Carolina State Fair to what’s really happening in the beef industry, they cover it all with honesty, humor, and heart.

Segments:
• The Reason for Disappearance
• State Fair Stories
• Cattle Industry Update
• Front Porch Talk on ST & RBI

Because sometimes you have to live the story before you can tell it—and the porch is still where truth sits down and takes its boots off.

Not every battle is worth fighting. In this episode, Patrick and Amy share why sometimes the wisest choice is to sit an argument out—and how that lesson shows up in classrooms, communities, policy, and even on the front porch.

From Amy’s trip to Boston, to Patrick’s meetings in Washington on beef inspection policy, to the challenges of rural health care, this conversation dives into what it means to choose your battles and be grateful for the tables you’re invited to.

Key takeaway: Being present where it matters is far more powerful than arguing everywhere at once.

From Yellowstone’s geysers to the porches of small-town America, we’re exploring legacy, growth, and what it means to live the good life.

In this episode:
- Reflections on Yellowstone with wisdom from Aldo Leopold & John Muir

- Rural growth — prosperity or invasion?
- Families, schools & Main Street as the heartbeat of community
- Front Porch Talk — neighbors, hope, and real solutions

“Yellowstone reminds us that wild places aren’t just a backdrop — they’re a teacher.”

Tune in now on Rural Roots and Cowboy Boots.

Zep’s recovery, back-to-school season with kids in grad school, and why education feels more about money than learning. From NC’s tourism-driven school calendar to rural schools where “equal” doesn’t mean “identical,” Patrick and Amy end on the porch asking what puzzle pieces we’re missing in raising kids today.

This week, the farm saw it all—Zeppelin’s unexpected accident that had us racing to the vet, a surprise “lovers’ lane” encounter on the front path, and the tough calls that come with life, love, and livestock. From heartache to hilarity, we’re unpacking the moments that remind us every decision—big or small—shapes our story.

Patrick’s fixing fence posts, Amy’s disinfecting everything in sight, and both are chasing a little screen-porch sanity. In this 45-minute roller-rodeo we:

• Celebrate National Day of the Cowboy with Patrick’s best wreck stories. Episode_5_Rural_Roots_a…

• Spotlight the unsung ranch women who keep cowboys upright—“Some heroes wear capes; ours show up in Carhartt and wield a cordless drill.”

• Compare anxiety styles in “Same Storm, Different Boats,”

• Get real on rural mental health—rural suicide rates are 64 % higher than urban and therapist deserts are real.

• Wrap it up with porch breezes, bug bites, and a call for listener stories.

Welcome back to Rural Roots and Cowboy Boots — where marriage, mayhem, and manure meet the moonlight!

In this episode, we reflect on the glow of recent late-night conversations, the beauty of owning our mistakes (even the big ones), and why some of the most legendary people in our lives never make the headlines. From small-town heroes to stories that hit home, we’re shining a light on the folks who’ve shaped us — even if you’ve never heard their names.

We’ll laugh, maybe squirm, and probably ruffle a few feathers… but that’s what front porch talk is all about.

Pull up a chair and pour a glass — this one’s got a little moonshine, a lot of heart, and a few famous friends you’ve never heard of.

Amy's trip to Africa, Patrick being stuck in the school car line, and their son moving to another house. Between takeoffs, tearful goodbyes, and USDA label drama, they're learning what it really means to let go- of kids, chaos, and control.