Is there anything better than Christmas in a small town? To help you celebrate in small town style, we’ve put together a list of rural America’s best Christmas parades you won’t want to miss. Que the sleigh bells, lighted tractors, and hot chocolate — and let the holiday season begin!

This week on the podcast we’re in DeSoto, Iowa (pop. 1,050) with Jason and Nicole Smith of DreamDirt, a Midwestern-based farmland auction and real estate company where they are forging a new path for farm and machinery sales in the auction industry.

Red Oak Fabrication has been in the Fort family since 1913, and my brother Jacob and I are the fourth generation to continue in the business. Jacob and I were fortunate enough to grow up around the business and knew this is where we would end up.

My wife Traci and I are owners of the Five One 8 and longtime residents of Red Oak, Iowa. Traci is a behavioral health nurse and I manage a manufacturing plant, but music and art have always been a part of our lives.The Five One 8 is an attempt to bring something truly unique to our community.

As we all say, it takes a village to run our theatre. We are celebrating our 10-year anniversary of being completely run by volunteers! We draw people to our theatre from the entire county and beyond — even from other states.

My husband David and I live on a small acreage just outside of Red Oak with our three kids. In 2016 we expanded our garden knowledge and experimented by planting a few pumpkins mounds. We were so excited about the results, we knew we needed to do something that had an impact.

Whether you just want to visit, or you are thinking of thriving here permanently, Red Oak is less than an hour to the Omaha metro. We invite you to visit, but we know you will want to stay, where the heart of Southwest Iowa lives.

We’re in Red Oak, Iowa (pop. 5,415) this week on the podcast with Daric and Jill O’Neal of JMercantile and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture. We’re talking all things community revitalization and development - including expanding Daric’s architecture company from the city to a small town, and Jill getting to bring her dream of a design and home decor shop to life.

This week on the podcast we’re in Natoma, Kansas (pop. 334) with Adam and Dayna Kocinski of French Press Coffee, whose journey as entrepreneurs came to life when they decided to turn a literal dream that Adam had into reality. Now they’re serving the community more than just coffee — they’re creating a space where they can invest in people, make a space for local artists, and pay it forward.

Rural Revival presents this season’s best gifts - from leather to self care, home goods to apparel - all made in America by rural makers and creators.

This week on the podcast we’re in Lenox, Iowa (pop. 1,407) with Bonnie Ramsey of Ramsey’s Market and Ramsey’s Ace Hardware. Bonnie’s telling us all about how she and her husband Theo have turned a grocery store into an entertainment business, providing a unique, one-of-a-kind experience for their customers.

We’re in Cody, Wyoming (pop. 9,885) this week on the podcast with Maggie Haron of Iron & Pine Design. Today she’s sharing how what started out as a fun way to make some extra cash eventually turned into a dream that wouldn't quit — and a legit, full-time business!

We’re in Brimfield, Illinois (pop. 933) this week on the podcast with Mikaela Endress and Kami Stahl of Kamaela’s Kreamery. Mikaela is a student and Kami is a farmer, and together they have a pop up ice cream shop in a vintage trailer called Little Dipper, and can be found hitting up fun locations across Illinois all summer long.

This week on the podcast we’re in Underwood, Iowa (pop. 917) with sixth generation farmers Kevin and Sara Ross. We’re talking about Kevin and Sara’s important role in connecting with farmers and advocating for agriculture, including Kevin’s new role as President of the National Corn Growers Association.

This week on the podcast we’re in College Grove, Tennessee with Mary Morgan Gentry of Gentry’s Farm and Hatcher Family Dairy. From growing up on the farm in Franklin, Tennessee to working in several shops on Franklin’s historic Main Street, Mary Morgan has had a front row seat to the revival that’s happened here.

We’re celebrating FarmHers everywhere this week on the podcast, and we’re so excited to have founder Marji Guyler-Alaniz with us to share her story and how she has built the FarmHer brand.

I guess you could say I inherited the “junking” gene from my mom, as I spend many weekends as a kid going to garage sales looking for treasures. I started out having a space in a local shop with my mother when my kids were little. And then one day the historic train depot building came up for sale.

Mountain magic and valley bliss, long summer days, and deep fluffy winter months make Columbia Falls, Montana an outdoor enthusiast’s haven. Situated at the edge of the wilderness, hometown hospitality and original small town flare are the norm in this quaint community.

This week we’re in Columbia Falls, Montana (pop. 4,710) with Alyson Dorr of The Red Barn. Alyson is a fourth generation farmer who, with her husband Casey, is helping bring up the next generation of family farm kids.

This week on the podcast we’re in Pawhuska, Oklahoma (pop. 3,589) with Callie Lee of Osage Outfitters. Callie and her husband Joey moved to Pawhuska in 2013 to open their store, and since then have helped completely transform the town’s historic downtown and bring the best quality boots and highest end of western fashion in the area.