The Barn Philosopher

This is a good topic because there's something very relatable about realizing you don't have to finish a vacation just because you paid for it. I'd lean into the "cut your losses" idea, with a little humor around the vacation slowly becoming less fun.

1. When Vacation Stops Being a Vacation: Knowing When to Go Home

2. Cutting Your Losses: When It's Time to End the Vacation

3. Good Money After Bad: Knowing When to G...

Rita and Shelby decided to test their knowledge against a little trivia—and quickly discovered that confidence and correctness are two very different things.

It all started when Shelby came across some surprising statistics about tourism around the world, including how many people travel and how much money tourists spend. That sent the conversation down the road to a full-blown trivi...

Rita and Shelby start with a simple question: Why do we keep buying the next cool water bottle?

From the crazes of the 1990s to today's Owala cups and whatever comes next, they talk about the endless cycle of buying the thing everyone suddenly needs—until the next thing replaces it. But the conversation quickly grows into something much bigger: consumerism and our ability to buy thin...

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby and Rita talk about a grandkid sleepover that didn't exactly go according to plan.

Two of their grandkids came over for the night, but things quickly went south when one decided he wanted his mom. Before long, the second one followed suit. Shelby took on the role of protector and tried the tough-guy approach—even declaring that he and t...

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby sits down with his cousin and good friend Arthur for his first appearance on the show.

Just one year apart, Shelby and Arthur grew up sharing family, memories, and plenty of time at their grandparents' old farmhouse for sleepovers. They look back at growing up in Mansfield, Ohio, and how life in some parts of town gradually changed as they got older.

Arthur talks about being glad he e...

Ridge's wife didn't think he could do it. Three nights chaperoning a kids retreat, staying awake from 11 PM until 7 AM to make sure the kids weren't getting into trouble. Fresh off sinus surgery and already struggling to get enough sleep, Ridge probably didn't have the ideal qualifications for the job—but he accepted the challenge anyway.

And somehow... he won.

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Ridge tells Shelby about...

Ridge walks into the barn expecting a normal episode. Instead, Shelby has a surprise waiting for him: a roast beef sandwich showdown.

We're keeping the two sandwich chains a secret for now, but one is a familiar name you'll probably recognize immediately, while the other has become something of a rare bird. Shelby and Ridge put the two roast beef sandwiches head-to-head and run them through the same comparison process they've used ...

TJ is back in the barn, and this time the conversation isn't about running 100 miles—it's about driving something almost as intimidating: a full-size passenger van.

With TJ and Ridge both raising large families, they've graduated from ordinary vehicles to what some affectionately call "Yoder Totters"—big vans built to haul kids, luggage, groceries, and just about everything else. Along the way, they share stories of mou...

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby and Ridge welcome their friend TJ to the show for a conversation that covers everything from family life to running farther than most people drive in a day.

Ridge has known TJ since childhood, and after marrying Joan, they officially became family. Shelby knew of TJ growing up, though with the age difference, he jokes he was probably more likely to steal TJ's lunch money than become h...

Our Germany adventure has come to an end, and it's time to look back on everything that made the trip unforgettable.

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby and Rita recap their European road trip, sharing their favorite moments, biggest surprises, and the places that left the strongest impressions. Rita picks Munich as her favorite stop, while Shelby can't get over the beauty of the Alps and the unforgettable mountain road...

The 200th celebration isn't over yet!

In this special follow-up episode of The Barn Philosopher, Ridge challenges Shelby and Rita to a blind tasting of six bargain beers to see if they can actually tell one from another. The mission sounds simple... until the first sip.

As the guesses get wilder, one thing becomes clear: Rita has a much better nose for beer than Shelby. Her explanation? After smelling beer on Shelby often enough ov...

Two hundred episodes deserves something special... so naturally, Shelby and Ridge decided to eat a lot of pizza.

To celebrate this milestone episode of The Barn Philosopher, the guys gather five pizzas from different restaurants all from the small town of Galion, Ohio, and put them head-to-head in a blind taste test. Judging everything from crust and sauce to toppings, value, and overall flavor. Just when they think the competition...

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby and Ridge discuss a question that reaches far beyond one social media post: when are kids too young for adult environments?

The conversation begins after Ridge sees parents debating whether young children should attend the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival. While many people argue that kids should be exposed to everything and allowed to experience life alongside adults, Shelb...

In this special travel episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby and Rita record from the road as they wind their way through the breathtaking Alps of southern Germany.

With Rita behind the wheel and Shelby enjoying the view from the passenger seat, the conversation turns to what it's like driving some of Europe's narrow, winding mountain roads. They talk about sharing the road with motorcycles carving through the curves, the surpris...

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Ridge takes over hosting duties to interview Shelby's mom, Celia, and uncover the stories that helped shape the Robinson family.

Celia shares what life was like raising a family as a widowed single mother, the challenges she faced, and the strength she found through family, faith, and perseverance. Along the way, Ridge learns about her childhood growing up on a farm with a house full of sibl...

In this episode of The Barn Philosopher, Ridge puts Shelby's vocabulary—and confidence—to the test with a game of word association.

There's just one small problem: Shelby admits he has a fairly loose grasp on words in general. That doesn't stop him from confidently making connections, guessing meanings, and occasionally wandering into completely unexpected territory.

As Ridge throws out word after word, the game quickly...

Some people travel across Europe to review Michelin-starred restaurants. Shelby and Rita... stopped at McDonald's.

Recorded somewhere between Trier and Dinkelsbühl, Germany, this episode of The Barn Philosopher features what might be the world's first podcast review of German McDonald's—mostly because no one else thought it was worth doing.

While making their way across Germany, the two decide to try menu items they've never ...

In this special travel episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby and Rita record from a lively biergarten in Munich, Germany, with a pair of tall pilsners in hand and plenty of stories already collected.

After beginning the trip in Zurich, making a stop in Liechtenstein, traveling through Austria, and arriving in Munich, the two take a break to reflect on their first four days abroad....

In this special episode of The Barn Philosopher, Shelby welcomes a very important guest to the show for the first time—his mom.

The conversation begins with a recent lunch she shared with Shelby's son, Noah, where stories surfaced that Shelby either had never heard or had long since forgotten. Those memories lead to a deeper discussion about family, growing up, and how our understand...