Plain Values Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered

EP #55 - Joel Salatin on the World’s Narrative Vs. God’s Reality | Joel Salatin | Plain Values

In this episode of the Plain Values podcast, Marlin sits down a second time with Joel Salatin to discuss several cultural hot potatoes like Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big tech, and how Christians should think about these things. They also discuss several Christian mandates around business, animal care, the elderly, and how we should view death. They begin by discussing what Joel considers to be the biggest crisis in America–our tendency to accept without question the narratives that are fed to us. Joel shares his belief in the Christian mandate to question the given narrative and discover for ourselves the truth behind the lies. Continuing on, they also discuss the rise and danger of communism in America, how Joel thinks about money, and his philosophies for growing his business.Does God care about the happiness of farm animals? If you’re a Christian, the answer is of course, yes. Joel poses the question, “If God cares about the chicken, how should this affect the way we raise them?” Christians are the salt of the world and are meant to stand out. From the way we raise our animals, to how we run our business, and all the relationships in between, we should look different from the world. In issue 145 of Plain Values magazine, Joel wrote an article called “Postponing Heaven.” Marlin and Joel discuss this article and all the ways we ignore the realities of death in our culture. They close out the episode discussing life and death, and what Joel would like to do with his remaining time on earth. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🤝THIS EPISODE’S PREMIERE SPONSOR: Rustic StrengthRustic Strength is the real deal. This hardworking family-owned company in Missouri makes high-quality, non-toxic laundry, home, and body care products in small batches… completely free from harsh chemicals, dyes, and synthetic junk you don’t want around your family.Learn more: https://rusticstrength.com/🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🤝THIS EPISODE’S FEATURED SPONSOR: Azure StandardOur friends at Azure Standard have been quietly setting the standard for clean, wholesome food since the 1970s. Family-owned and values-driven, they make it simple to fill your pantry with organic, non-GMO groceries, bulk staples, and household essentials delivered straight to your door or a convenient local drop point.Learn more: https://www.azurestandard.com🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🤝THIS EPISODE’S FEATURED SPONSOR: Invited: Collection 001If you're craving stories that restore faith in hard times, Invited: Collection 001 is a handpicked "best of" from Plain Values magazine… uplifting accounts of triumph, simple joys, adoption beauty, homesteading wisdom, and gospel-centered living.Learn more: https://homesteadliving.com/invited-collection-001/🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷A great way to show support is to hit LIKE / SUBSCRIBE on this video, and most importantly, join the conversation in the COMMENTS below. We’d love to hear from you.👉We have a beautiful magazine called Plain Values, sent quarterly ($49/year): https://plainvalues.com/pv-magazine-yt👉To receive our FREE Plain Values emails: https://plainvalues.com/👉To find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plainvalues/👉To find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plainvalues/🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🔹🔷🎵 Hold My Hand - Sam BurchfieldRecorded Live - Plain Values - Winesburg, OHLearn more about Sam: https://www.samburchfield.com/🎵 Other music - Soundstripe318EAKWK3YLRWQIKXGP2ONZKO2TOQJQV#plainvalues #joelsalatin #lunaticfarmer

Relationships are Better Than Trophies | Minute with Marlin – EP #20

Marlin had never shot a deer before. His friend took him hunting for another chance at his luck. They were talking, laughing, and rattling some antlers to try to lure the deer in.They must have been doing more talking than hunting for they didn’t even notice when they had brought in a nice shooter buck. They only noticed when Marlin finally laughed a little too loud and the buck took notice of them. The buck spooked and ran away, and Marlin missed another chance at a nice buck.Marlin reflects on this story and realizes he has no regrets about losing out on that deer. He decides he treasures the memory of sitting in a tree stand with his cousin, laughing and losing a buck, more than he would antlers on a wall. He chooses relationships over trophies.Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

There’s Only One “You” | Minute with Marlin – EP #19

On Books and the Library of Congress - Minute with Marlin EP #18

A tech company is scanning millions of old, rare books and then destroying them in the name of technological advancement.What happens when we destroy real things and replace them with digital versions? We will never again know the originals.Marlin shares of his love of books and the libraries that hold them. The Library of Congress is the biggest library in the world with 164 million items preserved in its walls.Marlin hopes to walk amongst those pages one day and would love to know which of his listeners have already been.Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

EP #54 - The Long and Beautiful Arc of Adoption Support with Larry Yoder | Plain Values

In this episode of the Plain Values Podcast, Marlin continues his conversation with Larry from Pure Gift of God. What began as a simple fundraising and mentoring effort in 2013 has grown into something far deeper… therapy services, TBRI training, family support groups, and practical help for adoptive and foster families who refuse to walk alone.Larry shares how the hard parts of adoption rarely end when the paperwork is signed. Ongoing struggles surface, and Pure Gift responded by building a therapy center and bringing in trusted practitioners.Larry explains how trauma rewires a child’s brain and why traditional discipline often fails. The work is not about fixing kids with a magic tool. It is about helping parents understand the need behind the behavior, lower unrealistic expectations, and raise their acceptance. He is honest: even those who know the principles still only get it right part of the time. Grace is required on every side.They talk about the loneliness many families feel, the weight on marriages, and the simple ways the wider community can show up (meals, respite, laundry, presence) without waiting to be asked. Larry’s dream is larger still: more space, educator training, and a community strong enough that fewer children age out without a family.The work is hard. The timeline is long. But the God who provides is still working on our behalf.Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.comTimestamps: 0:00 - Introduction3:55 - Relying on God's Provision12:26 - Funding the Mission16:27 - What is TBRI?23:50 - All Behavior is Explained With Enough Information36:54 - Larry's Favorite Story50:55 - Finding Healing by Lowering the Mask1:03:07 - Remove the Pedestal1:09:37 - The Fall Festival at Walnut Creek🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🤝THIS EPISODE’S PREMIERE SPONSOR: Rustic StrengthRustic Strength is the real deal. This hardworking family-owned company in Missouri makes high-quality, non-toxic laundry, home, and body care products in small batches… completely free from harsh chemicals, dyes, and synthetic junk you don’t want around your family.Learn more: https://rusticstrength.com/🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🤝THIS EPISODE’S FEATURED SPONSOR: Azure StandardOur friends at Azure Standard have been quietly setting the standard for clean, wholesome food since the 1970s. Family-owned and values-driven, they make it simple to fill your pantry with organic, non-GMO groceries, bulk staples, and household essentials delivered straight to your door or a convenient local drop point.Learn more: https://www.azurestandard.com🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🤝THIS EPISODE’S FEATURED SPONSOR: Invited: Collection 001If you're craving stories that restore faith in hard times, Invited: Collection 001 is a handpicked "best of" from Plain Values magazine… uplifting accounts of triumph, simple joys, adoption beauty, homesteading wisdom, and gospel-centered living.Learn more: https://homesteadliving.com/invited-collection-001/🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹A great way to show support is to hit LIKE / SUBSCRIBE on this video, and most importantly, join the conversation in the COMMENTS below. We’d love to hear from you.👉We have a beautiful magazine called Plain Values, sent quarterly ($49/year): https://plainvalues.com/pv-magazine-yt👉To receive our FREE Plain Values emails: https://plainvalues.com/👉To find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plainvalues/👉To find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plainvalues/🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹In 2023, we joined forces with Homestead Living. There’s some pretty cool stuff going on there, as well.👉To subscribe to our stunning Homestead Living magazine ($49/year): https://hmln.co/hlm-pvp-yt👉To receive our FREE Homestead Living emails: https://homesteadliving.com/👉To find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homesteadlivingmagazine/👉To find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homesteadlivingmagazine🎵All music by Sam Burchfield (intro)Sam Burchfield - Hold My HandRecorded Live - Plain Values - Winesburg, OHLearn more about Sam: https://www.samburchfield.com/T0ZPMSFJ7VLMSCN8

House Concert Series: Chris Slaten (Son of Laughter) | Plain Values

On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, friends and neighbors gathered at Plain Values HQ in Winesburg for an intimate house concert with singer-songwriter Chris Slaten, known as “Son of Laughter.”The evening was intentionally small and cozy, the kind of night where the music feels personal and the stories land deeply. Chris filled the space with thoughtful, theologically rich songs that explore faith, redemption, longing, and the quiet beauty found in everyday life. With coffee and homemade treats ready, and the Black Willow food truck serving before the doors opened at 6:00, the room settled into the kind of shared stillness that makes these nights special. By the end of the evening, the songs had done what they do best: connected hearts, reminded us of the ache and hope of being human, and left people encouraged and refreshed.Even if you missed the live event, you can watch the whole thing right here.This concert captures exactly what we hope to cultivate with the Plain Values Podcast and our house concert series: telling stories that matter and bringing us closer together at the table.If this evening filled your coffee cup, we’d be grateful if you’d leave a thoughtful comment, hit Like, and Subscribe so more friends can find these gatherings. We’re always looking for more friends.Looking forward to the next one…

EP #53 - Grace, Storytelling & the God Who Still Writes | Plain Values

In this episode of the Plain Values Podcast, Marlin sits down with Chris Slaten (better known as Son of Laughter) a Chattanooga musician, English literature teacher, husband to Lindsay, and father of three. What unfolds is a rich, unhurried conversation about art, grace, storytelling, and the quiet work of faithfulness.Chris traces the origin of his stage name to Sally Lloyd-Jones’s Jesus Storybook Bible and the story of Isaac: the child born in spite of his parents’ cynical laughter, a pattern that runs throughout Scripture of God creating beauty and new life out of human doubt. That same tension fuels his music. Christian artists, he notes, get to work on the broadest possible palette… more cynical about the human condition than Quentin Tarantino, yet more hopeful than Walt Disney.The conversation ranges widely: the slow, repetitive craft of songwriting; the joy of discovering intricate patterns in literature (and in Genesis) with high-school students; the humility of realizing how little we know; and the invitation to rest in a God who sees us in secret. Chris shares about a long-gestating musical on the life of Jacob, a character whose depths and heights perfectly embody the complicated canvas of grace.Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, an artist, or simply someone carrying more than you can manage, this episode offers the steady reminder that the story is not over. The day’s demands are for bigger hands. The God who sings over His people is still writing, and still inviting us into the secret meeting under the blanket of His attention.Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

Minute with Marlin EP #17 – Snowflake Bentley

Have you ever heard the phrase “no two snowflakes are alike”?Marlin shares the fascinating story of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, a self-educated farmer from Jericho, Vermont.In 1885, Bentley became the first person to successfully photograph a single snow crystal. He went on to take thousands of photographs of individual snowflakes and never found two that were exactly the same.His work was published in magazines and universities around the world, and he became known as Snowflake Bentley.Marlin wonders: What beautiful things can we discover if we slow down and take a closer look at the world around us?These short, heartfelt Minutes with Marlin deliver quick moments of wisdom, faith, humility, and encouragement… perfect for busy homestead days when we need a gentle reminder of what really matters.Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com