On Life and Land

What does it take to grow the flawless turf beneath a backyard, ballfield or stadium? Missouri turf farmer Shawn Helt takes us behind the scenes of sod farming and sports turf production, explaining how professional growers establish, maintain and harvest high-quality turf for residential landscapes and athletic fields. Along the way, we get to know the man behind the grass. Helt is also a former amateur race car driver and an avid collector of motorsports memorabilia, vintage signs and unusual pieces of Americana—including an old tour bus once used by country music legend Waylon Jennings. In this episode, discover how a turf farm works, what separates exceptional sod from ordinary grass, and how farming, craftsmanship and an eclectic collection of hobbies all come together in one Missouri operation. Based on "Grass Roots," originally published in the March 2026 issue of The Furrow. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.

Over the course of nearly 100 years, Future Farmers of America has given millions of members the tools they've used to build careers in agriculture and agribusiness, education, research, even sports and entertainment. In this episode of John Deere's On Life and Land podcast, FFA alum and Territory Manager Abrah Wright talks about her journey from FFA blue to John Deere green. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.

Steve Werblow, field editor for John Deere's The Furrow magazine and president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, has seen agriculture on six continents. In this episode, we chat with Steve about telling ag's story on a global scale, about foreign perceptions of U.S. agriculture, and about some of his favorite moments during his international travels. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.

What have we learned about soil health in the last 10 years? And wow do we even define soil health? Is it simply organic matter content? And what can farmers start doing right now to help boost the health of their own soils? Join us as we talk with Bill Spiegel, farmer and field editor for The Furrow, about everything happening in the ground underfoot. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.

If there were to be a Mount Rushmore of ag journalism, the face of Jim Patrico would occupy a position of honor. Jim spent a decades-long career telling ag's story, most notably for The Progressive Farmer magazine. Now he's a written a book, Dispatches from Farm Country, that more closely resembles an anthropological or sociological study of rural America than a collection of random rural reminiscings. In this episode, we talk with Jim about his book, his career, and his next project. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.

The decision of whether or not to stay on the family farm after graduation is a personal one, and can be difficult for those who have never known a life off the farm. But Travis, Trent, and Tyler Smeltzly of Port Byron, Illinois, are perfect examples of how well it can work when the 'farm children' are encouraged to seek their own paths, whether or not they lead back to the family operation. Today, Travis works the farm with his father and other family members, while Trent and Tyler both work for John Deere. Hear how they each came to their decisions - with bonus commentary from Grandma Darlene Smeltzly - in this episode. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.

California's Sonoma County prides itself on being a center of excellence for sustainable grape production; ninety-nine percent of of Sonoma County's vineyard acreage is third-party certified sustainable. In addition, Sonoma County has established itself as a proving ground for advanced equipment technologies and cultural practices, many of which promise to reduce inputs, reduce labor requirements, improve soil quality and, ultimately, boost production. In this episode, we speak with four experts in the field of wine grape production: Karissa Kruse, president and CEO of Sonoma County Winegrowers; her husband, Steve Dutton, co-owner of Dutton Ranch and co-founder of Dutton-Goldfield winery; Tyler Klick, co-owner of Redwood Empire Vineyard Management; and Bret Munselle, a fifth-generation Sonoma County grape grower. On Life & Land is produced for John Deere by Bader Rutter and is hosted by David Jones, former editor of John Deere's The Furrow magazine. Recording, mixing and mastering services are provided by RecWest Studio, and our music is by Dale May.