{"podcast":{"title":"Rooted Agritourism","slug":"rooted-agritourism-6069338","podcast_index_feed_id":6069338,"rss_url":"https://media.rss.com/sunnymarymeadow/feed.xml","website_url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/sunnymarymeadow","image_url":"https://media.rss.com/sunnymarymeadow/20250829_020827_937b273e6cf8369c49b5b4e524a703f7.jpg","author":"Liz Fiedler","episode_count":186,"summary":"Rooted Agritourism is the go-to podcast for rural entrepreneurs building diversified, sustainable, and story-driven farm businesses. Hosted by Dr. Liz Fiedler Mergen—flower farmer, educator, and founder of Sunny Mary Meadow cut flower farm—this show goes beyond blooms to explore the full spectrum of agritourism and value-added agriculture. Whether you're launching a U-pick field, hosting farm events, bottling your own products, or dreaming up the next big rural business idea, you'll find honest insights, real-world strategies, and a whole lot of encouragement here. Each episode blends personal experience, practical tools, and conversations with innovative ag-based business owners who are redefining what it means to grow on your own terms. From marketing perishable products to navigating burnout, building memberships, and scaling farm income streams— Rooted Agritourism is your weekly companion for building a life and business deeply rooted in purpose, place, and profitability. Podcast Website: https://www.sunnymarymeadowcoaching.com/rootedagritourism Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedagritourism/ Business Coaching: https://www.sunnymarymeadowcoaching.com/ Farm Webs…","last_synced_at":"2026-06-24T00:18:07.444370+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rooted-agritourism-6069338"},"episode":{"title":"Club Calves, Cattle Auctions & Agritourism: A Conversation with JT Weber","slug":"club-calves-cattle-auctions-agritourism-a-conversation-with-jt-weber","published_at":"2025-09-15T11:10:09+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rooted-agritourism-6069338/club-calves-cattle-auctions-agritourism-a-conversation-with-jt-weber","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rooted-agritourism-6069338","url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/sunnymarymeadow/2204335","audio_url":"https://content.rss.com/episodes/185131/2204335/sunnymarymeadow/2025_09_09_14_05_06_da09d773-4ca6-4ef7-ae69-6c4ed524e25b.mp3","summary":"In this episode of the Rooted Agritourism Podcast, host Dr. Liz Fiedler Mergen speaks with her father, JT Weber, about their experiences in value-added agriculture and the beef industry. They discuss the evolution of their family business, from dairy farming to focusing on elite genetics in Angus and Sim Angus cattle. JT shares insights on the intricacies of raising club calves for show, the importance of muscle, skeletal width, and other attributes in cattle, and his journey from South Dakota State University to becoming a successful cattle buyer and auctioneer. They also touch on topics such as the impact of drought on cattle supply, the controversy around grass-fed versus grain-fed beef, and the vital role of family support in achieving their business goals. The episode provides a deep dive into rural entrepreneurship and agritourism, emphasizing direct-to-consumer sales and adding value to agricultural products. 00:00 Introduction to Rotted Agritourism 00:19 Meet the Special Guest: My Dad 01:28 Dad's Journey in Agriculture 03:48 The Beef Industry and Club Calf Business 08:40 The Evolution of Our Business 17:15 Connecting with Ranchers and Seed Stock 19:34 Understanding the Beef Industry: Ranchers vs. Feeders 20:15 The Process of Finishing Cattle 22:06 The Debate on Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef 24:39 Pricing and Market Trends in the Beef Industry 27:12 Challenges and Opportunities in Cattle Ranching 28:54 Order Buying and Building Customer Relationships 31:18 Rapid Fire Round: Insights and Personal Reflections 34:25 Conclusion and Acknowledgements Podcast Website: https://www.sunnymarymeadowcoaching.com/rootedagritourism Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedagritourism/ Business Coaching: https://www.sunnymarymeadowcoaching.com/ Farm Website: www.sunny…","meta_description":"In this episode of the Rooted Agritourism Podcast, host Dr. Liz Fiedler Mergen speaks with her father, JT Weber, about their experiences in value-added ag…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2018,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rooted-agritourism-6069338/episodes/club-calves-cattle-auctions-agritourism-a-conversation-with-jt-weber/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rooted-agritourism-6069338/club-calves-cattle-auctions-agritourism-a-conversation-with-jt-weber.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}