Welcome to the first edition of Dinger From The Cab.

I spend a lot of my life behind the wheel, and the truck is where I do my best thinking. In these posts, I'll share my view from three places: the road ahead, the road behind, and a question to kickstart the conversation as we ride along.

Out the Windshield: Where Landoption Is Headed

Looking ahead, for Landoption and for the land we all care about.

Here's where Landoption is headed. We believe every acre in America should be worth more with good stewardship than without it. There are thousands of conservation, carbon, renewable energy, and cost-share programs available right now, and almost nobody working the land can name more than a few. Farm income is tight and getting tighter. Meanwhile, real money for cover crops, habitat, easements, clean energy, and more eludes them because the process is a maze. Our job is to fix that. We're building tools that match land to programs in minutes instead of months, and more importantly, a network of local advisors people already trust to put those tools to work. Our goal is 10 million acres by 2034.

The culture we build on the way matters as much as the destination. I want Landoption to be plain-talking and big-tent, full of people that care a lot about each other and do their job well because they care a lot about serving the people and places they get to work. Farmer or conservationist, hunter or hiker, there's room in the truck. I want us to be a company that takes ownership and operates with a faith over fear mindset. You'll see where that comes from in a second.

In the Rearview: The Lesson That Changed How I Think

Looking back at the people and lessons that shaped us.

The first rich person I ever really knew was a mentor of mine named Doc Plooster. Where I come from, rural South Dakota and Minnesota, most folks didn't travel the world hunting and fishing, golf at nice country clubs, or live in big beautiful homes. Doc did all three. But that's not what I'll remember about him.

One day we were walking down a street in Lincoln when Doc bent over and picked up a cup somebody had dropped on the sidewalk. It was maybe the fourth time I'd seen him do it in the year I'd known him. Here was the "rich guy" in my life, picking up other people's trash. When I finally asked him why, he said, "Because this is my city, this is my home. The problems I see are mine to solve. So I pick up the trash."

That quick little moment, backed by his example, permanently changed the way I think.

The Passenger Seat: How Much Is a Tree Worth?

In my family we play "the question game," as a fun way to get the conversation rolling.

How much is a tree worth?

Think about the tree that shades your deck, or the tree that breaks the wind at the ballpark. The tree standing in the middle of a forest vs. the one with your treestand in it. Pick a tree, ask somebody what it's worth, and see where the conversation goes.

See you down the road,

Eric