Hey there Reader,

I have to share something that made me so happy I literally could not sleep the night it happened.

A while back, I had the great joy of recording a podcast with my high school art teacher—now professor of art at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato—Jason Jasperson, on Whistle the Feast.

Walking back onto campus brought a flood of memories. I wandered through the gardens I once tended, feeling the same paths under my feet that I used to nurture as a student groundskeeper. Touring the studio art rooms Jason now oversees—sculpture, painting, drawing—was inspiring. How wonderful to see Christian creativity, care, and faith alive in the work of so many people.

Jason invited me to speak on his podcast after visiting our farm, which surprised me. I had assumed it was strictly an arts podcast—and, as you know, I’m a farmer. But in his words:

“The origin story of why you are here comes from that moment when I am walking around your farm…and you are beaming. The way that you live is interesting. The way that you communicate is interesting. We have history… I just think it’s going to be great.”

And it truly was.

We laughed. We talked about regenerative farming—how the choices we make at our tables shape the land, the animals, and the future of food. We talked about family, school, surviving the weeds in life, the joy of being a parent, the gift of growing older, community, and the people who shape us. We even spontaneously sang a lullaby I used to sing to my kids before bed:
​“If I had words to make a day for you, I’d sing you a moment golden and true…”

The episode is titled All The Time It Takes, drawn from something I shared during our conversation: in farming—and in life—you must give things all the time it takes to do them well. Care, patience, and dedication are how we create results worth having. Art and land both ask for attention and love without rushing.

I wanted to share this recording with you for a few reasons.

It’s encouraging to hear young people express their Christian faith and their unique way of seeing the world. College students Claire and Annika joined us and were wonderful—thoughtful, joyful, and grounded in faith. One moment I’ll always carry with me is hearing them recall a memory of singing Amazing Grace in four-part harmony with friends under a bridge while swimming downriver.

It’s also humbling to have my own voice shared by a Christian mentor who helped shape me—someone who has said he’s come to terms with not seeing the full impact of his work in his lifetime.

And finally, this podcast is an unusually long, unhurried conversation in a world that rushes by. Much of it is filled with shared memories—literally a conversation between friends. Come be a fly on the wall.

It reminded me that joy and meaning are often tucked beneath the ordinary (listen to the end to hear Claire's enthusiastic take on that)—the work, the routines, the daily care we give to what we love. And it’s a glimpse into why I do what I do, and why the food we serve and the people we share them with can ripple far beyond what we see.

If you’d like to listen, you can find the full conversation here: Whistle The Feast: All The Time it Takes​

With gratitude,
Leah

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