I’m Jim Smith — swine nutritionist, farmer, writer, and podcaster. I’ve spent most of my life in production agriculture, planting my first crop and raising my first pigs in the late 1980s. For the past 25 years, I’ve helped producers improve animal nutrition and farm profitability while working alongside my family on our own farms raising crops and livestock.

My journey in agriculture has taken me from Northeast Indiana to Purdue University, then to Kansas State University where I earned my Doctorate in Animal Nutrition. From there, I moved to Iowa, where I gained experience with large-scale crop and livestock operations before returning to my roots in Northeast Indiana.

Throughout that journey across the Midwest, I’ve always been a storyteller, reflecting on the people, challenges, and victories that shape rural life.

Patio Pondering began as a way to share those reflections — first in writing, and now through a podcast. Whether I’m behind a microphone or at the keyboard, my goal is the same: to spark thought, share stories, and connect agriculture with everyday life.