What really happens behind the scenes when 450+ vendors, 70+ concessionaires, and thousands of hungry fairgoers descend on Sedalia? 🌭🎡

In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Missouri State Fair Concessions and Vendor Manager Steven Sims to pull back the curtain on the chaotic, high-stakes world of fair planning! 🎟️✨

Steve shares the reality of curating iconic fair foods (including a live taste test of Dubai chocolate-covered strawberries on "Snackin' with Steve"!), handling late-night emergencies like runaway raccoons and rogue pop-up stands, and why 65 vendors have returned every single year since 1995 🍓🤯. Plus, Steve gets personal about burning out, discovering his "Leadership on a Stick" philosophy, finding true purpose under pressure, and falling in love right on the fairgrounds! 💍❤️

What really happens behind the scenes when 450+ vendors, 70+ concessionaires, and thousands of hungry fairgoers descend on Sedalia? 🌭🎡
In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Missouri State Fair Concessions and Vendor Manager Steven Sims to pull back the curtain on the chaotic, high-stakes world of fair planning! 🎟️✨
Steve shares the reality of curating iconic fair foods (including a live taste test of Dubai chocolate-covered strawberries on "Snackin' with Steve"!), handling late-night emergencies like runaway raccoons and rogue pop-up stands, and why 65 vendors have returned every single year since 1995 🍓🤯. Plus, Steve gets personal about burning out, discovering his "Leadership on a Stick" philosophy, finding true purpose under pressure, and falling in love right on the fairgrounds! 💍❤️

Join host Jamie Johansen for Beyond The Gate, a podcast sharing the grit, growth, and spirit of rural life. From fields to front porches, this is where the heart of agriculture comes alive as we celebrate the people, challenges, and triumphs that define rural life.

Whether you’re in the tractor, at the kitchen table, or on the road, we’re bringing the heart of agriculture straight to you. The gate’s open… are you ready to step through?

Join host Jamie Johansen for&nbsp;Beyond The Gate, a podcast sharing the grit, growth, and spirit of rural life. From fields to front porches, this is where the heart of agriculture comes alive as we celebrate the people, challenges, and triumphs that define rural life.
Whether you&rsquo;re in the tractor, at the kitchen table, or on the road, we&rsquo;re bringing the heart of agriculture straight to you. The gate&rsquo;s open&hellip; are you ready to step through?

Beyond The Gate

Join host Jamie Johansen for Beyond The Gate, a podcast sharing the grit, growth, and spirit of rural life. From fields to front porches, this is where the heart of agriculture comes alive as we celebrate the people, challenges, and triumphs that define rural life.

Whether you’re in the tractor, at the kitchen table, or on the road, we’re bringing the heart of agriculture straight to you. The gate’s open… are you ready to step through?

Episodes drop every other Wednesday, starting TOMORROW, on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Join host Jamie Johansen for Beyond The Gate, a podcast sharing the grit, growth, and spirit of rural life. From fields to front porches, this is where the heart of agriculture comes alive as we celebrate the people, challenges, and triumphs that define rural life.
Whether you&rsquo;re in the tractor, at the kitchen table, or on the road, we&rsquo;re bringing the heart of agriculture straight to you. The gate&rsquo;s open&hellip; are you ready to step through?
Episodes drop every other Wednesday, starting TOMORROW, on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Corn Dogs, Raccoons & Dubai Chocolate: Inside the Missouri State Fair with Steven Sims

What does it take to transform 600 acres of historic fairgrounds for the next century of agriculture? 🎡🚜

In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down inside the brand-new Michael L. Parson Arena with engineer, lifelong cattleman, and Missouri State Fair Foundation Chairman Chad Sayre! 🎙️🐄

Chad pulls back the curtain on the multi-million dollar master plan reshaping the Sedalia fairgrounds—from replacing 22-year-old barn sand to expanding across 600 acres, relocating Clarendon Road, and building a massive 600-site campground! He also shares why community feedback from all 114 Missouri counties is shaping the future, and why the state fair remains the ultimate "front porch" of Missouri agriculture.

What does it take to transform 600 acres of historic fairgrounds for the next century of agriculture? 🎡🚜
In this episode of&nbsp;Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down inside the brand-new Michael L. Parson Arena with engineer, lifelong cattleman, and Missouri State Fair Foundation Chairman Chad Sayre! 🎙️🐄
Chad pulls back the curtain on the multi-million dollar master plan reshaping the Sedalia fairgrounds&mdash;from replacing 22-year-old barn sand to expanding across 600 acres, relocating Clarendon Road, and building a massive 600-site campground! He also shares why community feedback from all 114 Missouri counties is shaping the future, and why the state fair remains the ultimate "front porch" of Missouri agriculture.

Preserving 125+ Years: The Future of the Missouri State Fair

How did a 12-page catalog printed by a 17-year-old launch a global movement to save rare seeds?


In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Michelle and Andrew from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in Mansfield, Missouri. They take us inside one of the most biodiverse farms in the Midwest to explore how founder Jere Gettle built a seed empire, why Y2K supercharged the heirloom movement, and what it takes to trial 1,300+ rare plant varieties. Plus, get practical, stress-free advice on soil health, seed saving, and picking the right crops for your garden!

How did a 12-page catalog printed by a 17-year-old launch a global movement to save rare seeds?
 In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Michelle and Andrew from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in Mansfield, Missouri. They take us inside one of the most biodiverse farms in the Midwest to explore how founder Jere Gettle built a seed empire, why Y2K supercharged the heirloom movement, and what it takes to trial 1,300+ rare plant varieties. Plus, get practical, stress-free advice on soil health, seed saving, and picking the right crops for your garden!

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company: How a 17-Year-Old Started a Global Gardening Movement

How do you bridge the gap between 42 million consumers and the 3,600 dairy farm families who feed them? 🐄🥛

In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Stacy Dohle, a dairy advocate who literally wears two hats: one in corporate communications for Midwest Dairy and one in the barn at Ol' Rock Barn Creamery.

Stacy breaks down how the dairy industry has transformed over her 26-year career, the inner workings of the dairy checkoff, and why consumer trust relies on authentic storytelling. She also shares the terrifying yet rewarding leap her family took to diversify their farm by bottling their own cream line and A2 Jersey milk right near Pleasant Hope, Missouri. 

Plus, Stacy busts common consumer myths around raw milk, antibiotics, and homogenized milk, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at running the fan-favorite Gerken Dairy Center at the Missouri State Fair! 🎡

How do you bridge the gap between 42 million consumers and the 3,600 dairy farm families who feed them? 🐄🥛
In this episode of Beyond the Gate, Jamie sits down with Stacy Dohle, a dairy advocate who literally wears two hats: one in corporate communications for Midwest Dairy and one in the barn at Ol' Rock Barn Creamery.
Stacy breaks down how the dairy industry has transformed over her 26-year career, the inner workings of the dairy checkoff, and why consumer trust relies on authentic storytelling. She also shares the terrifying yet rewarding leap her family took to diversify their farm by bottling their own cream line and A2 Jersey milk right near Pleasant Hope, Missouri.&nbsp;
Plus, Stacy busts common consumer myths around raw milk, antibiotics, and homogenized milk, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at running the fan-favorite Gerken Dairy Center at the Missouri State Fair! 🎡

Corn Dogs, Raccoons & Dubai Chocolate: Inside the Missouri State Fair with Steven Sims

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