Podcast Summary
Podcast: Katching Up With Katie
Host: Katie Van Slyke
Episode: They Did… Better Than I Thought!
Date: November 19, 2025
Episode Overview
In this relaxed and spontaneous episode, Katie Van Slyke and her friends (including Abigail, Matt, and Nate) gather on a cold, snowy Tennessee day to play a series of impromptu games. With little new farm news since the last recording, the group leans into humor, banter, and quick-thinking trivia about their farm lives, animals, and each other. The theme is camaraderie and fun, with moments reflecting the quirks, challenges, and warmth of running a working ranch and a family business.
The episode features:
- A trivia quiz focused on their animals and farm happenings
- Playful debates about answers and memories
- The “same word” guessing game that showcases their mind-meld moments (and failures)
- Plans for upcoming live events and the challenges of social media engagement
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Life Updates & Setting the Scene (00:00–02:26)
- Katie jokes about “being a hunting widow” as her husband is away (but reassures listeners he'll be back by the time the episode airs).
- Tennessee weather has suddenly turned wintry and “it is snowing” (00:17); everyone’s bundled up, with some discussion about wool vs. polyester clothing layers.
- Farm animals like Kimmy the chilly dog make cameo appearances—“This is Kimmy’s least favorite time of the year... she needs, like, a parka.” (02:00–02:16).
2. Impromptu Game Night—Farm Trivia (03:23–16:25)
Favorite Horse (03:32–04:57)
- The group tries to recall which horse is Abigail’s favorite.
- Katie: “Abigail has expressed who her favorite horse is on multiple occasions. One horse that she has always favored. Who is that horse?”
- After much hemming and hawing, the correct answer is Junie B. Jones.
- Matt: “I was literally like rewinding a tape record because we just had this conversation.” (04:42)
Baby Goats (05:26–07:30)
- Question: which of last summer’s baby goats did Abigail and Katie keep?
- Correct answers: Bean, Sprouts, Briar, and Blue.
- Only “Bean” is correctly named by the group; debate ensues about the others.
- “I thought you had Bean and Stalk! I could have never told you Brian [Briar].” —Nate (07:49)
How Many Foals in 2026? (08:14–11:01)
- Group guesses the number of foals expected next year.
- Correct: 12 (9 Standard + 3 Mini foals).
- Breakdown and confusion over breeding plans and the count is a recurring theme.
Name the Herd Bulls (11:20–13:57)
- The two herd bulls at Running Springs are Justice and Sugar Daddy.
- “Why was I saying Montgomery Gentry?” —Matt (13:42)
- Half-points awarded as not everyone gets both names.
Moo’s Middle Name (14:28–16:23)
- The farm’s famous mini cow, Moo, has a middle name.
- The actual answer is Louise (but it sometimes comes out as “Lewis”).
- Katie: “It’s Lewis. It’s Louise.” (16:09)
- “I hear Lucifer way more often, actually.” —Nate (16:23)
3. Mind Meld Game: Guess the Same Word (16:27–34:32)
- Groups pair off and try to match words by building off of previous answers.
- Highlight: Katie and Nate nail it in just two turns with “Pineapple” → “Paint” → “Yellow” (17:28–17:40).
Memorable Moments
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Extended (and hilarious) sequence as Katie and Matt spiral out from “laser” and “tape” all the way to “piglet,” taking 10 turns in total (18:34–24:21).
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Strategies develop ("Let’s go off the wall." / “I’m bailing on the concept.”)
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The group reflects on how easily you can get “stuck” after leaving the initial topic.
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The “Sound”/“Howl”/“Wolf” digression leads to confusion and laughter (29:36–30:03).
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“This is what I hate about this game though, is when you go too far and now you can’t get out.” —Matt (28:55)
Other Notable Rounds:
- Katie & Matt: “Frog” + “Wood” → “Pond” + “Forest” → “Nature” (32:19–32:41)
- Katie & Matt: “Fairy” + “Plain” leads to a brief mix-up over “ferry” (the boat) vs. “fairy” (the mythical being), showcasing the kind of light confusion that’s routine for the group (33:18–34:21).
4. Planning for Upcoming Events & Social Media (34:47–37:40)
- Katie previews their upcoming role at the World Show, as their brand sponsors the coffee cart (donuts included!)
- The idea of live-streaming or Q&A from the cart comes up, with some concern about participant awkwardness with cameras.
- “I do feel like people are going to be like… weirded out that there’s a camera there.” —Katie (35:40)
- Discussion about their recent YouTube live experience and the challenge of keeping up with viewers' questions.
- “If I do those, I either need an iPad and … moderators to then like text me questions or something.” —Katie (36:08)
- Announcement: Future lives will be on YouTube, especially as foaling season approaches.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants planning:
“We’re just flying by the seat of our pants. So the first one everyone has requested... A lot of people have wanted to see y’all answer questions again.” —Katie (01:12) -
On wool vs. polyester:
“I need some of that [merino wool]. I was looking at my stuff and it’s all polyester. And I’m not trying to wear that anymore, I don’t think.” —Nate (02:08) -
On naming goats:
“Bean is right... I’ll kept wanting to say stalk, but it was sprouts. I was like, it’s not beanstalk.” —Nate (07:27) -
On game struggles:
“I was gonna say bean, but I thought that was just my cat, and I was just making that up.” —Matt (07:39) -
On mind games (literally):
“The trick to this, I think... but I would never in a million years be able to put it into words to explain.” —Matt (19:06) -
On group dynamics:
“Are we about to see who the problem is?” —Katie (31:48)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Life updates, weather, pets: 00:00–02:26
- Farm trivia Q&A starts: 03:23
- Favorite horse guessing: 03:32–04:57
- Goats’ names challenge: 05:26–07:30
- Counting foals for 2026: 08:14–11:01
- Name the herd bulls: 11:20–13:57
- Moo’s middle name: 14:28–16:23
- Same word guessing game begins: 16:27
- Best round (pineapple/yellow): 17:27–17:40
- Longest mind-meld chain (laser/piglet): 18:34–24:21
- Word confusion/ferry-fairy: 33:18–34:21
- Coffee cart/world show plans: 34:47–35:38
- Live video/social media reflections: 35:55–37:21
- Episode close: 37:21–end
Episode Tone
This episode is playful, irreverent, and very “behind-the-scenes.” The group’s chemistry—and willingness to make fun of each other’s memory lapses—shines through. The farm-life details are woven into the games, and listeners get an authentic sense of the everyday camaraderie at Running Springs. The episode is full of farm humor, light trash-talk, and moments when everyone’s just trying to be “less smart,” as the rules of the games morph on the fly.
Takeaway
A feel-good, laughter-heavy episode that highlights the charms and challenges of rural life, family, and friendship—plus a glimpse at how social media outreach is evolving for Katie and the Running Springs crew. It’s not about having all the right answers; it’s about enjoying the process together.
Winner: Abigail takes the trivia crown, beating Nate by a narrow margin.
Next time: Anticipate a recap of Denver’s World Show—hopefully with success stories in tow!
For more episodes and info: www.katievanslyke.net