Forged in the Field

Stewardship, Mentorship, and Faith-Driven Investment Banking with Dusty ClevengerThe episode features Scott interviewing Dusty Clevenger of Ascendant Partners, contrasting ownership vs stewardship and a “reservoir vs river” approach to money and blessings. Dusty shares his journey from a multi-generational Nebraska farm family to Kansas City after living in seven states, studying at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with Air Force support, trading commodities and doing business development at ADM, traveling globally, and ultimately becoming a partner at the boutique ag and renewable-energy investment bank Ascendant. He describes integrating faith into business through Christ’s lordship, learned via solo 24-hour retreats (Bible, journal, prayer) and mentors, including lessons on fruitfulness vs productivity, harmony vs balance, and stewardship. He discusses mentorship as “Paul/Timothy/Barnabas,” stewardship-oriented giving, firm services (selling companies, raising capital, M&A, consulting), AI’s role in efficiency, and urges agribusinesses to adapt to market shifts like traceability, identity preservation, and carbon.00:00 Owner or Steward00:53 Dusty’s Nebraska Roots04:03 Career Plinko Journey06:58 Faith at Work12:41 Solo Retreat Practice17:43 Retreat Lessons Reset22:22 Mentors and Integrity25:34 Retreat Mentor Story26:02 Paul Timothy Barnabas Model28:45 Money Heart Stewardship31:34 River Versus Reservoir Giving34:49 Capital Raising Scenarios38:01 Boutique Bank Deal Sizes41:39 AI Tools And Bedside Manner45:54 Adapt Or Get Distressed49:09 Final Thanks And Wrap

From Iraq to Rebel Pastures: Justin Bajema on Truth, Service, and Clean MeatOn Forged in the Field, Scott interviews Justin Bajema of Rebel Pastures, a farm-to-table meat box company shipping to the lower 48 states. Justin shares how his Marine Corps service (two Iraq tours, near-death injuries, and disillusionment with “official narratives”) shaped his drive for growth, truth-seeking, and service. After building a West Michigan real estate and property management business, he joined a veterans PTSD treatment ranch venture in Texas, then returned to Michigan, spending years processing major life transitions. During COVID, he redirected his frustration into building Rebel Pastures, starting with pasture-raised chickens and expanding to hogs, lamb, and grass-fed/finished beef, now partnering with farms nationwide. He argues for fewer chemicals and drugs in food, criticizes misleading labels and industrial agriculture, and urges viewers to “inspect what you expect” and ask better questions.00:00 Wired for Growth00:37 Meet Justin Vama01:58 From Marines to Real Estate03:08 Restless Success Trap03:51 Warriors Heart Ranch04:47 Back to Michigan Reset05:44 Mountains and Transition07:01 COVID Sparks Rebel Pastures09:11 Scaling Pasture Raised Meat12:07 Partner Farms and Mission16:38 Defining Food Quality18:33 Chemicals and CAFO Reality22:45 Label Lies and Cheap Food27:13 Processed Food and Health31:34 Marine Corps Origins33:33 9/11 and Wanting War35:05 Norway Detour35:53 War Drums Rising36:15 Sailing to Kuwait38:08 Crossing Into Iraq39:31 Ambush Alley Chaos42:19 Cruelty After Survival43:14 Nation Collapse Lessons44:18 Second Tour IED Threats47:11 Canal Rollover Ordeal50:19 IED Blast And Evac55:56 Hospital Reckoning58:05 From Anger To Purpose01:01:16 Farming As Therapy01:03:50 Know Your Farmer01:06:13 Inspect What You Expect

From Hog Barns to COO: Mindset, Faith, Leadership, and Building a Winning Culture at CFSIn this episode Scott talks with Al Watkins, COO at Crop Fertility Services, about his journey through hard work, failures, and lessons in mindset, coaching, and faith. Al shares his early years working hog barns, running a pressure washing business, building and operating pig facilities, then shifting into trucking, lime spreading, and eventually hauling for CFS starting in 2022. He explains how execution, self-talk, competitiveness for team success, and servant leadership helped improve customer service and operations. Al recounts two cancer diagnoses—a GIST tumor requiring removal of 13 inches of small intestine and later prostate cancer with surgery—both shaping his perspective, priorities, and decision to sell his business. The conversation highlights CFS culture, team growth, budgeting discipline, and their belief that sustainable, manure-based fertilizer will be increasingly important in agriculture.00:00 Unbreakable Mindset00:18 Meet Al Watkins01:06 Coaching Faith Leadership03:20 Grit and Competitive Drive05:02 Early Hog Barn Hustle07:54 Pressure Washing Scale Up09:41 Family First Farm Life12:10 Back to Entrepreneurship15:46 Trucking and Lime Pivot17:58 Joining CFS and Executing22:44 Health Scare and Scaling28:08 Second Cancer and Selling36:58 COO Role and Toughness39:06 Culture Over Blame39:58 Budgets Create Freedom40:47 Why Overtime Matters42:36 Servant Leadership Style44:56 Cancer Changed Perspective49:37 Marriage Priorities Framework51:40 Raising Independent Kids55:13 Youth Sports Parent Culture58:59 Building Team Excellence01:04:46 Department Leads Spotlight01:10:33 Sales Skills That Win01:12:14 Lunch And Solve Process Fixes01:13:40 Fix It Culture Wins01:14:13 Raising the Leadership Bar01:15:49 Self Taught Learning Mindset01:17:38 DIY Savings And Smart Buying01:20:42 Young Team And Tech Adoption01:22:06 Faith And Media Detox01:24:21 Sustainable Farming Vision01:28:04 Family Farming And Kids01:32:50 Coaching And Relationships01:33:32 Humility Self Control Awareness01:38:49 Helping Kids Early Wealth01:43:17 Time Priorities And Closing

On the Forged in the Field podcast, Scott sits down with Arlen Stark, CFO of Crop Fertility Services, to unpack the experiences that shaped his path to leadership.Arlen shares his upbringing rooted in humble beginnings, his early strengths in math and athletics, and how tools like StrengthsFinder helped him lean into a data-driven, intentional leadership style. He walks through key chapters of his career—from Big Four accounting to navigating a hedge fund during the 2008 financial crisis, leading within U.S. Bank’s development program, and helping scale FreightWaves through pivotal transitions.The conversation shifts deeper as Arlen reflects on returning to Minnesota, stepping into restaurant ownership, and navigating the sudden loss of his father—moments that reshaped his faith, perspective, and purpose. He speaks candidly about the role of coaching, vulnerability, and the ongoing commitment to investing in yourself.Arlen also shares his belief in improving soil health and nutrient density through regenerative practices, why culture is a true competitive advantage at Crop Fertility Services, and his vision for building a company that creates meaningful, shared success.00:00 Invest In Yourself00:22 Meet Arlen Stark01:53 Family Roots05:51 Forged In Business07:39 Math Mindset08:46 Strengths Over Weaknesses11:36 Sports And St Johns15:21 Name And Values16:22 Faith And Anger18:41 Signs And Surrender27:41 Grace And Forgiveness30:30 College Wake Up Call33:27 Finding The CFO Path36:47 Career Detours41:22 FreightWaves Pivot45:26 Coming Home Again47:40 Back Home After Loss48:29 Interim CFO Break50:05 Return CFO Opportunity53:11 Why Nutrient Density56:01 Culture Wins Growth01:11:23 Coaching Mindset Shift01:18:26 Future Legacy Goals01:23:09 AI Modern Finance01:31:07 Health Journey Focus01:33:07 Final Advice Signoff

Karyn Tomlinson (Myriel) on Hospitality, Local Sourcing, and Building Community After COVID | Forged in the FieldKaryn shares how time in Dassel with her grandparents—gardening, cooking, and inviting people in—shaped her view of hospitality as connection and love. After studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she worked in test kitchens, catering, restaurants, led a pastry program, staged in Sweden, and later became a chef at a farm-to-table restaurant that closed just before COVID, amid her grandmother’s death. Those events pushed her to clarify her purpose, build Myriel intentionally as a high-touch, community-centered space, and partner with a contractor/realtor to launch gradually via takeout. She discusses leadership, team culture, local farms and foraging, minimalist cooking that showcases ingredient quality, and future goals including a cookbook, show pitch, and broader local food-system work.00:00 Hospitality As Connection00:13 Meet Chef Karyn Tomlinson02:33 Growing Up In Dassel04:56 Gardening Sparks A Calling07:24 Designing A Cozy Myriel08:26 Post Covid Human Touch11:09 Choosing Le Cordon Bleu15:45 Faith And Kitchen Purpose18:46 From Paris To Restaurant Life21:06 Sweden And Finding Direction23:29 Myriel Born From Setbacks26:08 Forged In The Fire27:02 Loss and Fresh Start27:47 Dinner That Built Community30:55 Pandemic Partnership Launch34:11 Myriel Today After Beard36:06 Team Culture and Hospitality39:04 Leadership Letting Go43:02 Ingredient Integrity Matters48:25 Texture Flavor and Farming52:30 Telling the Sourcing Story53:31 Future Plans and Purpose55:41 Final Reflections and Farewell

From Farm Poverty to BulkLoads: Jared Flinn on Building a Trucking Marketplace, Faith, and LeadershipOn the Forge in the Field podcast, Jared Flinn, co-founder of BulkLoads, shares how growing up in rural northeast Missouri—working from age eight in his family’s sawmill and experiencing serious injuries—shaped his drive to find new opportunities. After studying agriculture at the University of Missouri and working in truck logistics at Bartlett Grain, he recognized how fragmented bulk trucking was and began using texting and internal systems to streamline sourcing trucks. He left Bartlett in 2011 to build BulkLoads, facing early financial strain and doubt before launching a subscription-based marketplace that grew to thousands of paying members. Flinn explains how the company expanded into Smart Freight Funding (factoring), a TMS, insurance, permitting/compliance, and a fuel card, now totaling about 80 employees, and discusses leadership lessons, mentoring, faith in the workplace, his devotional and children’s books, and future goals to further impact trucking and rural America.00:00 Basement Breaking Point00:33 Farm Roots And Scarcity02:41 Sawmill Life And Danger06:35 Searching For More07:06 Learning Grain And Trucking08:31 Spotting A Fragmented Market10:44 Texting Loads And Tech Shift12:55 Old School Dispatch Days16:21 Building Toward Bulkloads18:30 Leaving The Safe Job23:16 Turning On Paid Subscriptions25:13 Scaling With Relationships27:43 Mentors And Humility29:24 Smart Freight Funding Launch31:47 Ecosystem Of Services33:47 Leading Under Pressure35:30 Hiring for Adversity37:17 Faith Origins and Accident40:09 Men’s Group Breakthrough42:02 Praying at Work44:14 God Uses the Broken46:07 Letting Jesus Love You48:20 Quieting the Noise51:12 Vision for What’s Next55:51 Know Your Numbers57:26 Diversify to Survive01:00:04 Devotional for Truckers01:02:12 Self Publishing Lessons01:02:19 Semi Sam Kids Books01:04:52 Trailer Backdrop Story01:05:50 Final Thoughts and Connect

Forged the Field Podcast Episode 2: Leadership and Innovation in Agronomy with BrandonIn this episode of the Forged the Field Podcast, host Scott welcomes Brandon, the Director of Agronomy at Midwestern Bio Ag. The conversation dives deep into leadership, the challenges and triumphs of running an independent agronomy business, and the impacts of effective management on both personal and professional levels. Brandon shares his journey from running a family business to taking on a leadership role at Midwestern Bio Ag, emphasizing the importance of transparent and vulnerable leadership. The talk also touches on the importance of nutrient dense food, sustainable farming practices, and how small modifications in farming strategies can lead to significant improvements in both soil health and profitability. Tune in for insightful discussions on leadership, agronomy, and the future of sustainable farming.00:00 Introduction and Welcome01:02 Current Projects and Career Background02:22 Leadership Philosophy and Challenges13:08 Personal Journey and Family Business25:35 Joining Midwestern Bio Ag28:47 Impact and Future Goals35:13 Innovative Soil Transformation Techniques36:06 The Birth of Terra Nu Dry Fertilizer37:48 Nutrient Density in Foods and Fertilizers38:55 Balancing Minerals for Optimal Plant Health40:25 The Role of Soil Microbiome in Agriculture44:59 Challenges in Modern Agriculture46:29 The Future of Sustainable Farming51:38 The Importance of Nutrient Dense Crops58:30 Success Stories in Organic Dairy Farming01:05:29 Concluding Thoughts and Future Conversations

In this episode, Jessi, a key team member at Crop Fertility Services, shares her personal story of resilience and growth. She discusses her family life, including her passion for indoor plants and her challenging experiences related to her son's severe health issues. Jessi recounts the emotional turmoil of her son's seizures, hospital stays, and a critical heart condition. These experiences pushed her to become a strong advocate for her children, overcoming her initial timidity. She also reflects on her upbringing and how it shaped her current parenting and life principles. Jessi emphasizes the importance of leaning on loved ones for support and the power of visualizing a positive future to navigate through life's toughest moments.