What’s the Tea in Rural KC

This special episode deep dives on what Lafayette County voters will see on ballots Tuesday. Tune in, make an educated decision, and perform your civic duty to vote on November 3rd!

Today Kelsey interviews Sara Brundage with Branded Boutique. Branded Boutique has grown from offering Bulldog apparel to a wide range of homemade goodies, kids items, and a little bit of everything in between. Branded Boutique is located in Downtown Odessa next to the Broken Dollar Saloon.

SPILL THE TEA:

Ghoul's Night Out

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

Route 24 Farm Store

Today Kelsey interviews Zach Fisher with Fisher Furniture. Fisher Furniture is a family-owned and has served the community since 1963 by helping families create homes they love with quality furniture, mattresses, home décor, and gifts.

SPILL THE TEA:

Holiday Open House - weekend before Thanksgiving

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

Running Rabbit Antiques

Today Kelsey interviews Michelle Plattner, owner of Plattner Dentistry. Dr. Plattner graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry in 2015. She started her practice in 2017 and opened Higginsville’s location in 2021. She and her husband have 2 girls and enjoy spending time at the lake in the summer, being avid Chiefs fans, and traveling to new places. Dr. Plattner loves serving a small-town community, constantly learning about new technology and treatment modalities, and making a difference in her patients’ lives.

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

CANOE CLUB

Today Kelsey interviews Lauren Bondy, speaker and community builder. Lauren empowers rural-rooted individuals and teams to pursue big dreams while staying grounded in their roots. Together, through keynotes, workshops, and retreat-style sessions, she helps bridge the gap between where you are and where you’re called to be.

SPILL THE TEA:

A DAY FOR MORE RETREAT

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

WESTON, MO

TIN KITCHEN

HAPPY ENDINGS BOOKSHOP

AVALONE CAFE

Kelsey is without a guest this week so she's gabbing on the mic solo.

This week's guest is Attorney Brooke Harris. She is the go-to girl for estate planning at her firm, Barton Hall & Schnieders. Kelsey and Brooke discuss the importance of a power of attorney and durable medical directive as well as the difference in a will and trust.

Today Kelsey highlights Davis Theatre with owner, Erin Meyers. Davis Theater is a small town theatre with big city dreams! It's in the heart of Higginsville located at 2008 S. Main St. under the neon lights! It's known for a nostalgic atmosphere and for having the best popcorn around!

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET: HANNAH BANANAS

.Today Kelsey sits down with Sara Vandiver, owner of ⁠SV Accounting & More Through Functional Finance, SV Accounting & More looks at every person and business uniquely — because everyone is different. From monthly bookkeeping to long-term strategy, we tailor our guidance to you.

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

⁠HIGGINSVILLE LANES

Today Kelsey sits down with Morgan Paul, mastermind behind Old Soul Co. The page's description states: Just two old souls restoring one very old home — breathing new life into our historic 1839 Victorian and sharing the journey, one beautifully messy project at a time.

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

VAN TILL WINERY

SUNDANCE RANCE KC

BRASS ARMADILLO

RUNNING RABBIT ANTIQUES

This week, Kelsey discusses the August ballot measures with Lafayette County Retired School Personnel (LCRSP) President John Morgan. The two cover Amendment 4 & 5 as well as Odessa R-7's bond and levy; Amendment 1, 2, & 3; and the contested races at the Lafayette County level.

MISSOURI RETIRED TEACHERS AND EDUCATION EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

ODESSA R-7 BALLOT MEASURE PODCAST

We encourage each of you to express your civic right to vote on August 4th.

Today Kelsey sits down with Samantha Herrington, owner of Gen 3 IV Hydration and Wellness. Gen 3 IV helps patients explore root-cause patterns behind hormone, gut, metabolic, autoimmune-related, and energy-related symptoms through functional medicine, advanced testing, and personalized support.

*This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠The Hilltop⁠⁠, ⁠⁠The Olive Lodge⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Second Street Scoops⁠⁠. Did you know Odessa is home to The Hilltop, a romantic Kansas City wedding venue with hilltop views and sunset skies? Or what about Second Street Scoops, a mobile ice cream truck serving hand scooped ice cream, snow cones, classic floats, and other cool treats? Odessa’s newest venue is located in downtown Odessa, The Olive Lodge. This space hosting some really fun events this summer. The first Thursday of each month they are hosting ⁠⁠Two Step Thursdays⁠⁠ and I’m really excited to try out their ⁠⁠Girls Gone Mild⁠⁠ events – a monthly girls night designed to help you focus on time with friends, being yourself, and building your village. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for all the details. And thanks again to The Hilltop, The Olive Lodge, and Second Street Scoops for sponsoring today’s episode!

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

NEW LIFE CHURCH

Today Kelsey sits down with Abby Korff, mastermind and leader behind Rural America's Gym. If you’re hunting for workouts that work – the kind that build strength, muscle tone, endurance, stability, and athleticism for life out here – you’ve found that in AG.

*This episode is sponsored by ⁠The Hilltop⁠, ⁠The Olive Lodge⁠, and ⁠Second Street Scoops⁠. Did you know Odessa is home to The Hilltop, a romantic Kansas City wedding venue with hilltop views and sunset skies? Or what about Second Street Scoops, a mobile ice cream truck serving hand scooped ice cream, snow cones, classic floats, and other cool treats? Odessa’s newest venue is located in downtown Odessa, The Olive Lodge. This space hosting some really fun events this summer. The first Thursday of each month they are hosting ⁠Two Step Thursdays⁠ and I’m really excited to try out their ⁠Girls Gone Mild⁠ events – a monthly girls night designed to help you focus on time with friends, being yourself, and building your village. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for all the details. And thanks again to The Hilltop, The Olive Lodge, and Second Street Scoops for sponsoring today’s episode!

RURAL AMERICA'S GYM

SPILL THE TEA:

NORBORNE SOYBEAN FESTIVAL

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

RIVER BOTTOMS BREWING

FOLGER STREET INN & COFFEEHOUSE

ARCADIAN MOON

Today Kelsey sits down with Cody Jolliff, CEO of Powell Gardens. Established in 1988, Powell Gardens is a non-profit public garden. Powell Gardens maintains a vast acreage of lush, rolling hills and windswept meadows, with more than 175 acres and a large collection of plants open to the public for education, exploration, and recreation.

*This episode is sponsored by The Hilltop, The Olive Lodge, and Second Street Scoops. Did you know Odessa is home to The Hilltop, a romantic Kansas City wedding venue with hilltop views and sunset skies? Or what about Second Street Scoops, a mobile ice cream truck serving hand scooped ice cream, snow cones, classic floats, and other cool treats? Odessa’s newest venue is located in downtown Odessa, The Olive Lodge. This space hosting some really fun events this summer. The first Thursday of each month they are hosting Two Step Thursdays and I’m really excited to try out their Girls Gone Mild events – a monthly girls night designed to help you focus on time with friends, being yourself, and building your village. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for all the details. And thanks again to The Hilltop, The Olive Lodge, and Second Street Scoops for sponsoring today’s episode!

POWELL GARDENS

COLONIAL FARMS

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

THE FARMHOUSE

COTERIE THEATER

KC ZOO

LOVETT COFFEEHOUSE

KEY COFFEE CO.

Today Kelsey sits down with Katie Davis, owner of LIV Aesthetics & Wellness. LIV Aesthetics & Wellness opened in 2024 and has quickly grown into a top-choice med-spa in Lee’s Summit due to the welcoming environment and expert knowledge and care provided by the staff.

*This episode is sponsored by ⁠The Hilltop⁠, ⁠The Olive Lodge⁠, and ⁠Second Street Scoops⁠. Did you know Odessa is home to The Hilltop, a romantic Kansas City wedding venue with hilltop views and sunset skies? Or what about Second Street Scoops, a mobile ice cream truck serving hand scooped ice cream, snow cones, classic floats, and other cool treats? Odessa’s newest venue is located in downtown Odessa, The Olive Lodge. This space hosting some really fun events this summer. The first Thursday of each month they are hosting ⁠Two Step Thursdays⁠ and I’m really excited to try out their ⁠Girls Gone Mild⁠ events – a monthly girls night designed to help you focus on time with friends, being yourself, and building your village. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for all the details. And thanks again to The Hilltop, The Olive Lodge, and Second Street Scoops for sponsoring today’s episode!

LIV AESTHETICS & WELLNESS

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET:

LOVE COFFEE

WHISTLE STOP COFFEE

This week Kelsey sits down with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County's Executive Director, Dana Phelps. They discuss what it takes to become a Big, the time commitment, and how impactful this program has been for children in Johnson County.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF JOHNSON COUNTY

BECOME A LITTLE

BECOME A BIG

DONATE TO BBBSOJC

RURAL KC'S BEST KEPT SECRET

Raging Bull Steakhouse

Cafe Du Burg

DINNER IN A DASH

Sushi Bowls - Rice, Cucumber, Tuna (add fixings to make this extra fancy - EBTB Seasoning, Thai Chili Tuna, Sriracha Mayo, edamame, etc.)

Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook - pick a recipe a week to make out of a cookbook to get you out of your dinner rut!

This week Kelsey chats with Jamie DeBacker, Main Street Warrensburg's Executive Director. Jamie shares about her passion for helping Downtown Warrensburg thrive through outreach events, networking, and collaboration.

This week, Kelsey sits down with Amber Myers with Country Crossroads Counseling. Amber gives tangible methods to de-escalate situations with toddlers and how adults can better understand the growing minds of children.

This week, Kelsey sits down with Cara Riekhof. They talk about Cara's family's 5th generation farm, raising confident and successfully children, and what life really looks like growing up in the agriculture space.

On this episode of "What's the Tea in Rural KC," Kelsey sits down with mom, running friend, and animal lover, Audrey Badgley. The two discuss how Audrey grew and then lessened her bison herd and then dive into Audrey's journey to motherhood through IVF, domestic adoption, and embryo adoption.