{"podcast":{"title":"The Heart of Rural America","slug":"the-heart-of-rural-america-6476790","podcast_index_feed_id":6476790,"rss_url":"https://media.rss.com/theheartofruralamerica/feed.xml","website_url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/theheartofruralamerica","image_url":"https://media.rss.com/theheartofruralamerica/20260420_070435_abc42de39bc9d34c653b896c5a811ac2.jpg","author":"Amanda Radke","episode_count":157,"summary":"Welcome to the Heart of Rural America podcast. I’m your host, Amanda Radke ​-- a South Dakota cattle rancher, wife, mom of four, children’s book author, and motivational speaker. I started this show with a simple goal in mind -- to share the untold stories of the often-overlooked independent farmer and rancher. On this program, We’ll discuss the challenges that face rural America and the anti-animal agriculture agenda that seeks to eliminate our way of life. But in the face of these ongoing battles, we’ll explore impactful solutions and meaningful pathways to profitability in order to keep producers on the land, to safeguard our private property rights, and to keep meat, dairy, and eggs on the dinner table. And in stark contrast to the ugly, divisive headlines in today’s mainstream media, \"The Heart of Rural America\" will celebrate the faith, family values, patriotism, and work ethic of the incredible people I meet in my travels as an agricultural speaker. I hope you’ll be inspired by these agricultural entrepreneurs and rural families, just as I am. Now let’s hit the dusty trail together as we uncover The Heart of Rural America. - Amanda","last_synced_at":"2026-07-02T00:18:45.633684+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-heart-of-rural-america-6476790"},"episode":{"title":"Homesteading for Beginners: How to Raise Food, Teach Kids, and Build a Self-Sufficient Life","slug":"homesteading-for-beginners-how-to-raise-food-teach-kids-and-build-a-self-sufficient-life","published_at":"2026-07-01T11:01:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-heart-of-rural-america-6476790/homesteading-for-beginners-how-to-raise-food-teach-kids-and-build-a-self-sufficient-life","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-heart-of-rural-america-6476790","url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/theheartofruralamerica/2943997","audio_url":"https://content.rss.com/episodes/220552/2943997/theheartofruralamerica/2026_06_25_23_20_05_5f3af9ed-4883-43ce-9bab-b9a75b599829.mp3","summary":"Takeaways Why learning to grow food and understand agriculture builds stronger families and communities. How homesteading teaches resilience, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and practical life skills. Simple first steps anyone can take toward becoming more self-sufficient without changing their entire lifestyle. Summary of the Episode What happens when a food safety expert, homesteader, and educator decides to reinvent the way families learn about agriculture? In this inspiring conversation, Amanda sits down with Kody Hanner , founder of Homestead Education, to discuss the growing movement toward self-sufficiency, homeschooling, and reconnecting families with where their food comes from. Kody shares the personal story that transformed her family's life after her husband was diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, leading them to embrace a healthier lifestyle centered around raising their own food, homeschooling their six children, and building a thriving homestead in North Idaho. Together, Amanda and Kody explore why practical life skills matter now more than ever, how agriculture education can shape future generations, and why entrepreneurship is key to keeping rural America strong. They also discuss the importance of work ethic, raising resilient children, supporting local farmers, and creating new opportunities for family farms through direct-to-consumer agriculture. Whether you're raising kids on a ranch, living on a small acreage, or simply looking for ways to become more self-sufficient, this episode is filled with practical advice and encouragement to take the first step. Key Topics Covered Kody Hanner's journey into homesteading and homeschooling Lessons learned from building a self-sufficient family lifestyle Why COVID changed the conversation around food…","meta_description":"Takeaways Why learning to grow food and understand agriculture builds stronger families and communities. How homesteading teaches resilience, critical thi…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2493,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-heart-of-rural-america-6476790/episodes/homesteading-for-beginners-how-to-raise-food-teach-kids-and-build-a-self-sufficient-life/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-heart-of-rural-america-6476790/homesteading-for-beginners-how-to-raise-food-teach-kids-and-build-a-self-sufficient-life.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}