Laurel Ysebaert has cattle, but she doesn’t take bull - and as a mom, elder millennial and first generation rancher, she has a lot to say. In this podcast, she sits down with cool people doing cool shit, and doesn’t hold anything back. If you’re into authentic discussion, unfiltered honesty and a light dusting of sarcasm + spitfire, then crack one open and join the post-chore party. 

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the trailer

Welcome to the first-ever official episode of Chore Beer Chats! This intro epi is short + sweet - I'll give you a brief introduction to who I am and a little bit about what you can expect from the podcast.

Okay here we go - BUCKLE THE FUCK UP, BABIES. Season one starts now!

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INTRO // WELCOME TO THE SHIT SHOW

Nicki Straus joins me for a wonderfully chaotic conversation about our Tiktok-diagnosed ADHD, being a bad mom, copy-cat culture in a small town of makers (this one might be about you xo), and the potential problematic chokehold the boss-babe gendered-language has on our elder-millennial generation.
Nicki Straus is an entrepreneur who runs her successful candle-making business, Wick + Bear, out of her home in Camlachie, Ontario. Follow her on socials here.

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GIRLBOSSING TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN // WITH NICKI STRAUS

Today's episode of Chore Beer Chats involves a wickedly therapeutic discussion about my personal experience with PPA/PPD and how I navigated my way through the postpartum fog. We talk about intrusive thoughts, the literal SUPER POWER that is being a woman, "doing it all", being a horse girl sans horse, why I don't and won't share my kids on social media, and how I built my successes on top of a foundation of failure. OH YEAH, WE'RE GETTING INTO IT. 

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MEN *COULD NEVER* // SOLO

Margot Robbie ruins my marriage. Tim McGraw is too chiseled. Andy plans to play the field as a 60-year old widow. The list of icks. The age-old question: would you love me if I was a worm? A guest-appearance by Joe Rogan. The Chore Beer Chats Podcast was Andy's idea, I look exactly like Jennifer Anniston, and more lies. This is an episode from the vault - the first recording we ever did for Chore Beer Chats. It was meant only to be a practice run but now I'm sharing it with the internet because it's so ridiculous, it deserves to be seen.  

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BONUS EPISODE // WITH THE RANCH HAND, ANDY YSEBAERT

Mimosas. Blue-sky thinking. Organized chaos. The small moments. The experience of being a woman in a male-dominated field. Raising our kids to not be assholes. Dani and I reminisce on our time together at the Academy at the Farm retreat w/Jillian Harris, and I talk about the exact moment my brain birthed this podcast.

Dani Vonshweetz is a wife, mom, craftswomen, creativity chaser, and founder + solopreneur of North Soul Studios.

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CAMEL TOE, COSMIC INJUSTICE + NOT GIVING A SHIT // WITH DANI VONSHWEETZ

Bieber knows best: it's lonely at the top. Becoming friends with yourself. Turning a personal diary-entry vlog into over 1M subscribers on YouTube, and the double-edged sword of having a large social media presence. Sandi says bad words. Speaking up, or performatism? EVERYBODY ON THE INTERNET KNOWS BETTER than us and other musings about unsolicited cyber-advice. The messy middle. The power of story-telling. Stop talking and do the work. The comparison game. Starting a petition to make Sandi clear her inbox notifications. Follow Sandi on socials here. 

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BEEFEATER, BIEBER AND BUGGY RAMS // WITH SANDI BROCK

"I grew flowers, therefore I am a flower farmer". The reward of starting something from seed, in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Giving great advice but never taking it for ourselves. Showing up on social media as a business - authentically and sustainably. Learning to measure success + growth outside of money + followers. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE ALGORITHM WANTS and anyone who says they do is a liar. Being stupid + crazy, and other telltale benchmarks of success. Dopamine hits. Useless farm animals. Follow Ashley of Vail Family Farm on socials here. 

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HOW TO BECOME A FLOWER FARMER  // WITH ASHLEY VAIL

Sleeping when I’m dead. Decaf coffee + new rituals. Don’t wear sherpa in a hay barn. Time alone does NOT heal all. How I got the confidence to do whatever the fuck I want. Learning to get out of my own way.  ~~iF yOu cAn DrEaM iT yOu cAn dO iT~~~* and more bad advice. Reevaluating relationships, cutting out toxicity, and creating a healthier environment for my kids. The dangers of waiting for approval from people who don’t want to see you succeed. Setting boundaries + ruffling feathers. Daggers that changed the trajectory of my career (for the better).

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DON'T POKE THE BEAR, THIS BEAR BITES + OTHER LIFE LESSONS // SOLO

A Chore-Beer Chatline-led episode with *THE* Grampa Shane. The ultimate origin story. The honour and ultimate joy of raising the legend of Laurel. The horse that ate hotdogs. The Ontario Steer Assistance Program. Did Timmy ever get out of that well? Howdy Doody, spaghetti westerns + more baby boomer energy. Tim Horton's chicken noodle soup from Listowel, Ontario and other deep-rooted childhood trauma. I'll never be good enough for the WNBA (thanks, dad). The iconic Britney Spears ice-skating performance of 1999 that I have *zero* recollection of. Cowboy shit. The developed resentment from being put in organized sports as a kid and not the rodeo. 

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SHOULD'VE BEEN A COWBOY // WITH GRAMPA SHANE 

Kelly AKA Lazy Margaret Swayze AKA my on-call tattoo artist spends her Super Bowl Sunday with me. Go sports! That one time my dog died so I got a tattoo. Kelly admits I’m her favourite client. Traditional tattooing and what it means to her. Sailor Jerrissica. The inner labia tattoo story. El chupacabra. Job stoppers. Worm food. Spanish prison. Dick tattoos (CRINGE). Infinity symbols. The oyster innuendo (???). "What does your tattoo mean?" and other questions you should literally never ask somebody with tattoos. ALSO: we took a poll on IG and loser has to get tattooed on the show. Watch the video to find out who. No ragrats.

LIVE LAUGH LOVE + LABIA TATTOOS // WITH KEL SWAYZE

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Put up the for-sale sign, we're broke. In this season-one finale episode, we take a deeper-dive into the Ysebaert Acres origin story.

Risk-taking + the legacy we hope to leave. Jumping off the cliff together. Fifth gear or dead. The Rip Wheeler mentality. Just a couple of dreamers. Andy recaps and critiques Season One of the Chore Beer Chats podcast. 

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IT'S JUST THREE COWS: THE YSEBAERT ACRES ORIGIN STORY // WITH THE RANCH HAND

We are FINALLY back for season two of the Chore Beer Chats podcast: The Travel Season. I got a little bit out of my comfort zone for this one (like literally), and instead of inviting guests to my studio, I brought my studio to them. Hamilton, Guelph, outside in my pasture (???), the best restaurant in Sarnia, Ohio… We got around. For this one you can expect great conversations (with incredible guests), and a heavy dose of chaos - as always. 

the trailer

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Drug smuggling + a Columbian grandma. Invincibility + airport arrests. Emily O’Brien shares her story of being convicted of drug smuggling cocaine into Canada at age 26, and how she ended up starting her popcorn business, Comeback Snacks, behind bars. We talk about redemption and the power of a comeback, and what she’s doing now to help ensure others get the opportunity for a second chance, too. Follow along with Emily and her business, Comeback Snacks. 
⁠ ⁠

POPCORN PRISON BREAK // WITH EMILY O’BRIEN

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Turds in the tub. Bowl cuts. Boobs, bras + vasectomies. Cracking jokes and cracking beers, I have a casual conversation with Belinda Bowman - recorded amongst the cattle in the Ysebaert Acres pasture. We talk chaos, survival, and all the other beautiful moments of motherhood. Body image, breaking the cycle, and navigating conservatism in agriculture. The tone shifts to more of a serious one when Belinda shares a vulnerable story...  Moms + women from all walks of life: this one's for you. Follow along with Belinda on socials here.

THE OUTSPOKEN FARMERS OF ONTARIO // WITH BELINDA BOWMAN

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Gisele Bundchen. Tyra Banks + America's Next Top Model. The Victoria's Secret fashion show. Thinspo. Triggered yet? Same. Danielle + I sip crispy DC's at our favourite brew pub in Sarnia, The Tin Fiddler - and talk about how damaging it was to grow up through the body-image toxicity of the 2000's. Did any of us millennials make it out unscathed? Fatphobia + the social conditioning of the 2000's. Body image trends + the evolution of beauty norms. Unlearning + grace, and redefining beauty narratives. Beyond Barbie. Raising empowered daughters + holding hope for positive change. This was one of my most favourite conversations on the pod. Follow Danielle here. And check out the Tin Fiddler here.

SURVIVING THE SUPERMODEL ERA // WITH DANIELLE CATTON

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Sean Paul. Pigtails. Battling Brett in the octagon. Babywearing cats. The *American Tour* leg of season 2 brought me all the way out to Ohio to visit my friend Lacie (aka the Feral Cow Bitch) and her internet-famous cows.  We talk about balancing lighthearted content with social advocacy. Fostering inclusivity to create a safe online space. Abortion rights in Ohio. Selective empathy + the hypocrisy of pro-life positions. Just a couple liberal feminist cowgirls discussing the joy of genuine human connection, and the pressures of being an heiress to the Bob Evans restaurant-chain empire (that last part may not be entirely truthful but you'll have to listen to find out).  Follow along with Lacie and her business, Heifer Please Co - AND check out her podcast, The Feral Cow Bitch here. ⁠

NOT KNOWING SHIT ABOUT FUCK  // WITH LACIE EVANS

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Growing crops + growing a following. Childhood chores + an early entrepreneurial spirit. Negotiation + knowing your shit. Where the fuck is purdue? As part two of the *American Tour* leg (again, literally just two stops in Ohio lol), I headed to Kent Farms, to meet up with my friend, Zoe! We talk gender roles + expectations (in an 8th generation family-farming operation). Buying out the farm business at 26 and what that transition looked like. The significance of family support (Mickey + Susan 4EVER). Plus, Zoe tries to explain to me the cultural phenomenon that is American cheer (cheerleading? cheering? omg I don't know) and ALL the details on her surprise engagement! S'go Bucks? Follow Zoe on socials here. 

FROM CROPS TO CONTENT - BUILDING A BRAND + A LEGACY // WITH ZOE KENT

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Tijuana. Warm beer + noise complaints. Hidden talents, skinny tea + Kevin. A cozy pillow-talk special to wrap up season 2, with my podcast daddy and very good friend, Katelyn Duban. Whilst snuggled up in a queen-sized bed at a hotel in Guelph, Katelyn talks about the identity shift from "Farm Wifey" to THE Wildrose Farmer. She touches on sustainable ag. Local food movements. Farm-to-table practices. Educating consumers. THE AUDACITY MINDSET and embracing discomfort for growth. Authenticity vs perfection. Lazy entrepreneurship. 5 year plan? Never heard of her.  And finally: nobody gives a flying fuck about you (stitch that on a pillow). Follow Katelyn here, and go listen to The Rural Woman Podcast here.

THE BONUS EPISODE // IN BED WITH KATELYN DUBAN

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What was supposed to be just a quick intro to the third season of Chore Beer Chats, becomes a bit of a chaotic gab session (shocking, I know).  
Listen in and get caught up on the BTS of some of the biggest changes to the ranch so far in 2024... including why we decided to shut down our in-person farm store shopping (and the incident that ultimately put us over the edge).

rotten apples  and no regrets

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3.27.24

In this really special 2-hour episode, I sit down with Sandi + Jessica Brock, who talk me through what it was like when Jess (who was 20 at the time) received a cancer diagnosis. Jess was very transparent about her journey while it was happening - sharing most of it through her social media channels. But today, we get the full timeline in one go. She starts at the very beginning and gives us her entire story. Like all of it. The bad, the ugly, and the really really ugly. Dealing with chemo, fertility treatments and university finals all at the same time. Exactly how *that hair cut* really felt. How she was able to stay so positive and strong. We also get an insight into what this was like for Sandi, as a mother, and also as a content creator and visual story teller - who had to attempt to mask her pain online, and hide what was really going on behind the scenes in the beginning… because “it wasn’t her story to tell”. Two different perspectives. One episode. A gritty, real and (somehow???) humorous behind-the-scenes recount of some of the Brock family’s difficult recent life events… as told by two of the most incredibly inspirational women I’ve ever met.

jess's story

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4.3.24

In this really special 2-hour episode, I sit down with Sandi + Jessica Brock, who talk me through what it was like when Jess (who was 20 at the time) received a cancer diagnosis.

Jess was very transparent about her journey while it was happening - sharing most of it through her social media channels. But today, we get the full timeline in one go. She starts at the very beginning and gives us her entire story. Like all of it. The bad, the ugly, and the really really ugly. Dealing with chemo, fertility treatments and university finals all at the same time. Exactly how *that hair cut* really felt. How she was able to stay so positive and strong. 

We also get an insight into what this was like for Sandi, as a mother, and also as a content creator and visual story teller - who had to attempt to mask her pain online, and hide what was really going on behind the scenes in the beginning… because “it wasn’t her story to tell”. Two different perspectives. One episode. A gritty, real and (somehow???) humorous behind-the-scenes recount of some of the Brock family’s difficult recent life events… as told by two of the most incredibly inspirational women I’ve ever met.

ASHLEY HILL ENTERS THE CHAT.

Sitting down with one of my oldest friends, who only recently shared a secret that she kept from me for 20 YEARS.

Alter egos, underage drinking + much music school dances in 2005 (yikes). Schweddy balls and the horrific scene that is the current dating landscape for women in their 30's. 

That one time she almost got on a reality dating show, and why we are officially starting our own Chore Beer Dating Show instead. Blue collar and beards only.

#LICEGATE // WITH ASHLEY HILL

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4.10.24

ASHLEY HILL ENTERS THE CHAT.

Sitting down with one of my oldest friends, who only recently shared a secret that she kept from me for 20 YEARS.

Alter egos, underage drinking + much music school dances in 2005 (yikes). Schweddy balls and the horrific scene that is the current dating landscape for women in their 30's. 

That one time she almost got on a reality dating show, and why we are officially starting our own Chore Beer Dating Show instead. Blue collar and beards only.

You've heard me talk a little bit about why I decided to shut down the in-person shopping aspect of our farm store, but now Andy gets behind the mic to share his take (and why he thinks it made me a better mom 🥹).

THE RANCH HAND SPEAKS // with ANDY

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4.17.24

You've heard me talk a little bit about why I decided to shut down the in-person shopping aspect of our farm store, but now Andy gets behind the mic to share his take (and why he thinks it made me a better mom 🥹).

Ash is back on CBC and we go on a bit of a tangent in this one: Hate clubs, clickbait, how to find a sugar daddy, and Ash becomes an influencer. The social experiment behind going viral + getting the ick from Taylor (swifties do not come for us, we are your elders). Going out tops, tanning beds, and a shoutout to Hugh Hefner. Going to concerts in your thirties, responding to trolls, A1 sauce + vasectomies. Just a little bit of everything for ya today. *wink*

THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY // with ASHLEY

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4.24.24

Ash is back on CBC and we go on a bit of a tangent in this one: Hate clubs, clickbait, how to find a sugar daddy, and Ash becomes an influencer. The social experiment behind going viral + getting the ick from Taylor (swifties do not come for us, we are your elders). Going out tops, tanning beds, and a shoutout to Hugh Hefner. Going to concerts in your thirties, responding to trolls, A1 sauce + vasectomies. Just a little bit of everything for ya today. *wink*

AKA "the parenting episode", today my ranch hand, Andy, opens up (and gets really heated) about the classic Canadian sport of hockey and how the culture can get a little bit toxic when it comes to kids in the sport. Everybody wants their kid to go to the show (the NHL) but does your kid actually want that? Orrrrrr are you just projecting...

A really fresh conversation about young kids entering the world of sports from the perspective of two ex-athletes (and recovering people-pleasers).

Parenting styles that clash just a little bit. Work ethic vs "quitting". The ugly comparison game new parents always get sucked into. 

Plus Andy touches on toxic masculinity (go Andy!) and how he hopes to raise our kids to actually want to talk to us in their teenage years. 

tickets to the show // with andy

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5.1.24

AKA "the parenting episode", today my ranch hand, Andy, opens up (and gets really heated) about the classic Canadian sport of hockey and how the culture can get a little bit toxic when it comes to kids in the sport. Everybody wants their kid to go to the show (the NHL) but does your kid actually want that? Orrrrrr are you just projecting...

A really fresh conversation about young kids entering the world of sports from the perspective of two ex-athletes (and recovering people-pleasers).

Parenting styles that clash just a little bit. Work ethic vs "quitting". The ugly comparison game new parents always get sucked into. 

Plus Andy touches on toxic masculinity (go Andy!) and how he hopes to raise our kids to actually want to talk to us in their teenage years. 

Naked spray tans. Clam chowder. Irish exits. String bikinis. Sergio. Influencers in the wild of Mexico. 

WE DON’T UNDERSTAND TIME ZONES.

Ash and I *unpack* our recent trip to Cabo with Knix. All the BTS you didn't know you needed (and more). Plus, I talk a little more in depth about how imposter syndrome almost sent me home on night one, and how I ended up turning things around for the better.

the CABO recap // with ASHLEY HILL

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5.15.24

Naked spray tans. Clam chowder. Irish exits. String bikinis. Sergio. Influencers in the wild of Mexico. 

WE DON’T UNDERSTAND TIME ZONES.

Ash and I *unpack* our recent trip to Cabo with Knix. All the BTS you didn't know you needed (and more). Plus, I talk a little more in depth about how imposter syndrome almost sent me home on night one, and how I ended up turning things around for the better.

Andy + I dissect the origin story of my Laurel Lumber era and all the online backlash that came with it. (??????) The ranch hand reacts to some of the wildly misogynistic comments (not just from men!) on some of my viral videos from earlier this year, and blesses us all with a PSA to the insecure men who don't know how to appreciate a strong, independant woman (*king energy*). He also gives his official public statement on my Carhartt peepaw pants.

More juicy nuggets include: default parenting. The decline of give-a-fuck's as we've gotten older. How much sexism still exists IRL. Thor Bradley is a talking point in YET ANOTHER one of my podcast episodes... And finally, @rancherandy is an influencer who enjoys a good comic sans font and he's not afraid to show it. 

THE LUMBER LAUREL ERA // with ANDY

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5.22.24

Andy + I dissect the origin story of my Laurel Lumber era and all the online backlash that came with it. (??????) The ranch hand reacts to some of the wildly misogynistic comments (not just from men!) on some of my viral videos from earlier this year, and blesses us all with a PSA to the insecure men who don't know how to appreciate a strong, independant woman (*king energy*). He also gives his official public statement on my Carhartt peepaw pants.

More juicy nuggets include: default parenting. The decline of give-a-fuck's as we've gotten older. How much sexism still exists IRL. Thor Bradley is a talking point in YET ANOTHER one of my podcast episodes... And finally, @rancherandy is an influencer who enjoys a good comic sans font and he's not afraid to show it. 

This week, on *what's chapping Laurel's ass*:

Comments on a viral video about her dead cow make Laurel want to light things on fire.
Compassion? Common sense? Not in her comment sections. (I don't know why I started writing this in the third person but it does allow for a more dramatic feel.)

Peepaw and meemaw's crispy remains. A lot of swear words. Why advocating for ag online can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Reading a few chosen favourites from the comments, and *matching* their energy. 

LAUREL TROLLS BACK

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5.29.24

This week, on *what's chapping Laurel's ass*:

Comments on a viral video about her dead cow make Laurel want to light things on fire. Compassion? Common sense? Not in her comment sections.

(I don't know why I started writing this in the third person but it does allow for a more dramatic feel.)

Peepaw and meemaw's crispy remains. A lot of swear words. Why advocating for ag online can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Reading a few chosen favourites from the comments, and *matching* their energy.