Podcast Summary: “How Old Am I Really? We Are Going To New York!”

Podcast: Katching Up With Katie
Host: Katie Van Slyke
Air Date: October 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this laid-back, conversational episode, Katie Van Slyke and her friends (Matt, Abigail, and Matthew) gather at Running Springs to recap recent farm antics, the chaos of attending a cattle sale, share plans for an upcoming New York trip, and reflect on age, relationships, and behind-the-scenes realities of farm life. With a signature mix of humor and candor, they offer listeners a blend of barnyard tales, friendly banter, family dreams, and peeks into their lives as ranchers and content creators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Farm Happenings and Cattle Sale Mayhem

• Weaning and Calving Updates:

  • Ted and Huckleberry, two weaned foals, are leaving for their new homes.
  • Ongoing excitement about calving season; awaiting Wynonna’s baby.

• Cattle Sale Stories:

  • Katie describes the wild experience of attending a cattle auction, revealing that she bought far more cows than planned.
  • Quote:
    • “I may have purchased more than I thought I would.” – Katie (01:49)
  • Auctions move fast; sometimes accidents happen:
    • “So two of them were accidents. But we brought home 10 lots.” – Katie (04:45)
    • One purchase ended up as a “BOGO”—the cow came with a calf.
    • Katie ended up with 10 cows (technically 11 with the calf), including black cows—against her usual preference for red or blue roan.

• Accidental Bidding:

  • Katie recounts accidentally bidding on the wrong lots, sometimes confusing cows that looked alike.
  • Quote:
    • “I think I might have just thought I got the same cow. They look identical.” – Katie (05:01)

• Social Media Success:

  • The chaos was documented for TikTok and Facebook, garnering millions of views.
  • Quote:
    • “The video of all that content got six and a half million views on TikTok only.” – Katie (12:52)
    • “In totality, the video of bidding has over 10 million views. That’s crazy.” – Katie (13:42)

Timestamps:

• [00:20] – Weaning foals & calving
• [01:49–04:54] – Cattle sale mishaps and surprise purchases
• [12:52–14:00] – Social media viral moments

2. Expanding the Herd & Business Decisions

• The logic behind buying many cows: farm expansion, more available land, and a push to build both fall and spring herds.
• Equal business partnership for Running Springs going forward—Katie is now purchasing cattle for joint ownership with her family.
• Discussion of switching cows to improve breeding stock and ensure a better future for the farm.

3. Age, Generational Humor, & Identity

• Playful Banter about Age:
  • The friends tease each other about forgetting their ages, marking birthdays, and when you can stop saying “I’m in my 20s.”
  • Quote:
    • “The amount of 40 something year old women who have been like, ‘Oh well she’s our age.’ And I’m like whose age? I’m in my 20s.” – Katie (17:21)
  • Discussion about how humor changes with age and the experience of growing up together at the farm.
  • Abigail jokes about being a chameleon, adapting to people’s sense of humor.

Timestamps:

• [16:13–19:22] – Age confusion and playful banter
• [19:40–21:00] – Adapting humor and group dynamics

4. Life at Running Springs: Family, Community & Privacy

• Life on the Ranch:

  • Updates on Rebecca and her family temporarily staying in the property’s Airbnb after a flood.
  • Katie dreams aloud about a future “compound” where friends and family have their homes within horseback-riding distance.
  • Quote:
    • “I want her to want to live near me...but I don’t want to scare her off from my dream that isn’t even in existence.” – Katie (25:19)
  • Discussion of respecting boundaries and privacy as the farm sometimes becomes a communal space.

• Farm Characters:

  • Charles, a fixture of the farm, is described fondly; the group jokes about him being the “backbone” of Running Springs.
  • Quote:
    • “Charles, like, is the backbone of Running Springs.” – Katie (27:54)

Timestamps:

• [23:12–26:45] – Rebecca’s family, dreams of family compounds
• [26:45–29:35] – Charles and the personalities around the farm

5. Content Creation and “Reality TV” Aspirations

• The group muses about how dramatic farm life could be if captured uncensored for reality TV, but agree that the farm’s “dirty laundry” stays in-house.
• Snapchat offers a slightly looser, more behind-the-scenes window, but not the whole story.

6. Pop Culture, Movies, and Halloween Favorites

• Lighthearted group debate about the Adam Sandler movie “Hubie Halloween” and how Katie can’t recall most of the plot due to multitasking during movies.
• Quote:
  • “[Hubie] is a character, okay? He’s...no, he works at a little store.” – Katie (30:53)
• Quick discussion of Halloween traditions and movies, echoing the group’s playful, teasing tone.

7. Upcoming Trips: Congress and New York City

• Plans for Congress (Horse Show):

  • Excitement for attending Congress for the first time; coordinating travel and accommodations.

• Nervous Anticipation of New York City:

  • Katie expresses anxiety about navigating NYC without her husband, who’s her “safety net.”
  • Friends joke about sticking together, making a vlog, and squeezing in sightseeing and good food—bagels and pizza are a must!
  • Group brainstorms turning the trip into extra content/YouTube videos.
  • Sharing travel hacks and the importance of big city safety.

Timestamps:

• [32:56–35:50] – Upcoming travel to Congress and NYC
• [35:50–38:26] – NYC trip logistics, plans for food and fun

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Katie (About the Cattle Sale):
  “So two of them were accidents. But we brought home 10 lots.” [04:45]
• On Social Media Virality:
  “The video of all that content got six and a half million views on TikTok only.” [12:52]
• On Expanding the Farm:
  “With this expansion, it made sense that I be the one to purchase some head for the... head of cattle.” [07:01]
• Katie on Age Perception:
  “The amount of 40 something year old women who have been like, ‘Oh well she’s our age.’ And I’m like whose age? I’m in my 20s.” [17:21]
• Katie’s Dream Compound:
  “...my future, like what I envision the perfect scenario to be is that we all move onto a huge piece of land compound, and she and her little girls have their house, and we ride horses to one another.” [24:01]
• Katie on City Nerves:
  “I don’t know that there’s anything this year that’s happening that scares me more than going to a big city without my husband that...He’s like my safety net.” [33:32]
• Group Banter:
  “We’re just teenage girls going to go into New York. Drop your best safety tips for big city safety tips.” – Katie (37:54)

Humor & Podcast Tone

The episode is unscripted, humorous, and joyfully meandering. The friendly teasing and anecdotes paint a lively, authentic picture of farm life and friendship. Katie’s openness about mistakes (“I blacked out at the cattle sale...”) and dreams (like the family compound) foster listener connection. Group dynamics shine—everyone joins in ribbing, sharing stories, and building excitement for the NYC adventure.

Episode Highlights (with Timestamps)

• [01:49] Katie confesses to accidental cow purchases at the sale.
• [04:45] Announcement that 10 cattle (plus one calf) came home; details emerge.
• [12:52–14:00] TikTok cattle sale clip goes viral—over 10 million combined views.
• [17:21] Katie’s playful rant about people assuming her age.
• [24:01] Katie dreams of a collective family compound on expansive land.
• [27:54] Charles celebrated as the soul of Running Springs.
• [33:32] Katie nervously anticipates the upcoming New York trip.
• [37:54] Group asks listeners for “big city safety tips.”