EPISODE FOUR
The Messy Middle
When Jake Fritz moved back home at 19, four generations were trying to make a living off the same acres northwest of Chester, Montana. With no succession plan from the senior generation, Jake's mother Dena and her husband Jim were leasing land from Jake’s grandpa and great-grandma, giving away a quarter of their crop while carrying all the operating costs. This episode follows the Fritzes through an era of piecing their farm back together: buying land from relatives, absorbing sudden expenses when Grandpa Errol decided to sell, and slowly shifting authority to Jake. Their story captures what it looks like to work through the “messy middle” of succession to protect the future of a 115-year-old homestead.
Jake and Jimi Fritz with their children. Photo courtesy of the Fritz family.
Guests
Dena Fritz
Dena Fritz is a farmer, rancher, and co-owner of Fritz Auction Company on Montana’s Hi-Line. Raised on a small irrigated farm near Conrad, she grew up working alongside her father and grandfather, which shaped her identity and deepened her love for agriculture. After marrying into the Fritz family, she became part of a multigenerational operation rooted on the same land since 1909. Having witnessed the loss of her childhood farm due to a lack of planning, Dena is committed to charting a different course for her sons, Jake and Jack. Today she helps run the family’s diverse grain and cattle business, manages bookkeeping, and guides the family through an intentional succession transition.
Jake Fritz
Jake Fritz is a sixth-generation Montana farmer, rancher, and auctioneer. He returned home shortly after high school to buy his first head of cows and begin working alongside his parents and grandfather, becoming part of four generations earning a living on the same land. Jake farms and ranches north of U.S. Highway 2 near Chester, where he and his wife Jimi are raising their three young sons. In addition to managing his own herd and farm ground, Jake is a partner in Fritz Auction Company.