E116 | The Most Overlooked Metric on Your Farm

E116 | The Most Overlooked Metric on Your Farm

From Pioneer Mindset by Garrett Ruskamp

April 28, 2026 · 37 min · Episode 116

About this episode

Garrett Ruskamp discusses the importance of return on time (ROT) as a crucial yet often overlooked metric in farming operations.

Episode Summary Last week I traded one hour of my time for $7,900. Not from some big investment or a lucky break but just by showing up to my annual farm insurance renewal meeting and being willing to ask a few questions. In this episode, I talk about return on time (ROT) and why it might be the most overlooked metric in your operation. We grind through long days, early mornings, and late nights, but most of us have never stopped to ask: what is my time actually worth? And more importantly, am I spending it on the things that matter most? I share a few examples from our own operation, including signing up for an NRCS program and the decision we made to sell our cow herd, and how return on time played into both of those. I also get honest about the fact that I'm still very much in the middle of figuring this out myself. This episode isn't about optimizing every minute. It's about being more intentional with the hours you have and remembering that not every return shows up in your bank account. Key takeaways: Track Your Time Prioritize Your Tasks Plan Your Day Delegate to Protect Your Operation Schedule Quiet Time, It's More Valuable Than You Think Resources & Links: To learn more…

People in this episode

Host: Garrett Ruskamp

Topics covered

  • return on time
  • farm insurance
  • time management
  • entrepreneurship
  • decision making

Keywords

  • return on time
  • farm insurance
  • time management
  • prioritization
  • delegation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NRCS

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