The Back 40 is where I share thoughts on leadership, communication, and the real conversations shaping agriculture today.

Just like the back 40 acres of a farm is often where the real work happens, this space is meant for honest perspective, lessons learned, and practical insights for those navigating leadership in agriculture.

My hope is that what you find here encourages thoughtful dialogue, stronger teams, and more confident voices across our industry. And if something you read sparks an idea, a question, or a conversation you’ve been meaning to have, I’d love to hear from you.

All Posts

Hiring and Retention in Agriculture: Key Takeaways From Our Employer of Choice Conversation

Last fall, I had the opportunity to be a part of a follow-up conversation hosted by Dairy Girl Network, continuing the discussion we started at World Dairy Expo around what it means to become an employer of choice. The questions were thoughtful. The panelists were honest. And while the conversation focused on agriculture, the lessons apply to nearly any organization trying to attract, retain, and develop great people. As I reflected, a few themes continued to stand out. Cultu

Laura Daniels

18 hours ago4 min read

3 Tools to Tackle Any Tough Talk: What Leaders Need to Know

Leading difficult conversations is one of the most common challenges I see across agriculture, business, and community leadership. Whether it involves addressing performance, resolving conflict, or clarifying expectations, many of us carry stress and uncertainty into these moments. Effective Communication for Teams My recent Enhance webinar with Dairy Girl Network, “3 Tools to Tackle Any Tough Talk (and Actually Feel Good About It)”, was designed to help leaders approach the

Laura Daniels

Jun 42 min read

Resiliency in the Midst of Change Series, Curiosity: The Trait That Keeps Farmers Moving Forward

Change is a constant in agriculture. Markets shift. Technology evolves. Operations grow and adapt. The farmers who navigate those changes best often share one trait. Curiosity. "Curiosity keeps farmers moving forward." A Hard Transition A few years ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my farming career. I sold my herd of four hundred Jersey cattle. I loved being a dairy farmer. Letting those cows go was not just a business decision. It felt personal. For a while, if I

Laura Daniels

May 182 min read

Resiliency in the Midst of Change Series: Why Connections Matter in Agriculture

Resilience rarely happens alone. Agriculture has always valued independence. Many of us run our own businesses. We solve problems quickly. We make decisions that affect our families, our employees, and our land for years to come. From the outside, resilience can look like something we carry on our own shoulders. But the most resilient farmers and leaders I know are not doing it alone. They are deeply connected. "The most resilient leaders are deeply connected." Your Inner Cir

Laura Daniels

May 112 min read

Resiliency in the Midst of Change: Grit - Passion and Perseverance in Agriculture

Resilience in agriculture often starts with grit. The times, they are a-changin’. That has never been truer in agriculture than it is right now. As a family business advisor, I spend a lot of time with farm families across the Midwest and Northeast. I sit at kitchen tables. I walk through barns. I listen carefully as families talk about their businesses, their relationships, and the decisions before them. One thing becomes clear very quickly. The farms that weather change bes

Laura Daniels

Apr 272 min read

Balancing Structure, Creativity, and Collaboration for Farm Teams

From time to time, I share video blogs like this, reflecting on key themes from my coaching with farm businesses. Today, I’m focusing on how to balance structure with creativity and collaboration for stronger teamwork and results. First, preparation matters. Before any meeting, have three key points ready. This keeps discussions on track and ensures everyone contributes meaningfully. Second, focus on action. Numbers are important, but the real impact comes from the steps you

Laura Daniels

Mar 251 min read

Fire in the Belly vs. Burnout: What gritty leaders need to know

What’s a common theme I see? I’m glad you asked. The people who care the most, push the hardest, and stay committed the longest are often the ones who reach burnout first. Passion and perseverance are strengths, but without awareness and boundaries, they can become liabilities. When Grit Turns To Grind In agriculture and rural leadership especially, grit is almost a requirement. We work long hours, shoulder heavy responsibility, and feel loyal to our teams, families, and com

Laura Daniels

Mar 122 min read

Ask what makes you come alive

Find Laura on Instagram @ hitch.pin

Laura Daniels

Sep 6, 20181 min read

The first step

The first step in growing your business and yourself is the hardest. Maybe you are one of those creative ideas people. Some of those ideas would fall into the now trendy category of ‘side hustle’. Maybe you dream of adding value to the high-quality milk you produce, or using that old barn for something cool. Maybe you dream of starting your own company because you can paint, or are really great at accounting, or the town really needs a good café, and you can cook! New ideas r

Laura Daniels

Sep 3, 20182 min read

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin: The risk and the reward

Laura Daniels and her family put it all on the line to pursue their dreams of being Wisconsin dairy farmers.

Laura Daniels

Aug 31, 20181 min read

Have the courage to find greener pastures

Find Laura on Instagram @ hitch.pin

Laura Daniels

Aug 23, 20181 min read

What does leadership mean to you?

People think leaders should be at the front of the room. That a leader needs to be smarter than the rest or be very persuasive. But what I have learned is that the greatest leaders listen more than they speak. They put their own best interest aside to think about what will be best for everyone, or at least those who the topic impacts the most. Great leaders ask questions and more questions, and then follow up with yet another round of questions . Through those questions other

Laura Daniels

Aug 19, 20181 min read