Rural Lifestyle Dealer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at various aspects of the rural lifestyle market. Here is our favorite content from the past week:

Ariens Hits the Airways — Talks Manufacturing, Skills & The Green Bay Packers

Dan Ariens, Chairman and CEO of the Ariens Company Executive Board Member of the Green Bay Packers, joins the Tech Ed Podcast and shares how the company's investment in Brillion, education and lean manufacturing is what made them the global leader they are today. In this episode, Dan shares insights into lean manufacturing, Industry 4.0 technologies, the skills gap, what the Green Bay Packers organization can teach us about business, and the importance of investing in our ecosystem and sustaining natural resources.

Lean, Leadership and Learning: How a Small Town Manufacturer Became a Global Bran podcast

Georgia Southern University Invests in Autonomous Lawn Mower

Georgia Southern University purchase this week of an autonomous lawn mower that does not require an on-board operator may actually be the first retail purchase of a robotic mower in the entire nation, reports the Statesboro Herald. Bought from McKeithen’s True Value Hardware in Statesboro, the mower is expected not to replace employees, but to allow employees to better utilize their skills in other grounds keeping areas.

Staff from Georgia Southern University, McKeithen's True Value Hardware Store and Wright Manufacturing check out the autonomous lawnmower recently purchased by the university. (Photo Courtesy McKeithen's True Value Hardware Store)

What's the Right Size Tractor for the Customer?

Tractor Mike had a viewer question about whether to get a Deere 4044R or 4052R. My advice today would apply to all tractors not just John Deere. He says he always advises tractor shoppers to get the biggest tractor you can afford because, regardless of what size and horsepower you buy, it seems like you always want the next size bigger.

Behind the Scenes at Wright Headquarters

In this video, Ed Wright and Jeremiah Wright share how the WRIGHT Mowers are built in Frederick, Maryland. Come along as The Lawn Care Life in Mowssouri walks around the factory and listen to what these two guys have to say about the entire process from cutting out the parts, to bending and shaping parts, to welding, to painting the parts, to assembling and crating the machines.

That's One Way to Do Autonomy

Who says you need years and years of R&D and millions of dollars to make autonomous lawn mowers work. Just takes some good old fashion ingenuity! Check out the YouTube Short ... like the user says, worker smart not hard!

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