
He Quit Corporate. Now He Runs One of America's Best BBQ Joints
Welcome back to Barn Talk! In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into the world of barbecue, entrepreneurship, and rural revival with special guests Garren and Kelly Kirkman of John G’s Barbecue in Peachland, North Carolina. Hosts Sawyer and Tork sit down with the Kirkmans to uncover their incredible journey from humble beginnings in cattle farming and hospital work, through the all-night pop-ups and food truck hustle, to national recognition as one of the best barbecue joints in the country. You’ll hear what it takes to master brisket, the power of community-driven business, and how to build resilience through every setback, including the pandemic. Along the way, we explore what it means to be a cornerstone business in rural America, how to elevate food quality above the industry norm, and why the American Dream is still alive and well, especially when there’s a little smoke in the air. So grab a plate, settle in, and let’s head to the barn for stories of hard work, delicious barbecue, and the faith it takes to make good things happen. JOIN THE BARN TALK NEWSLETTER & GET LIVE EVENT ACCESS: We're on a mission to get 10,000 subscribers, and once we do, we're hosting a live event at the barn! Sign up to get exclusive access to tickets and details.👇🏻 Help us get there: https://www.joinbarntalk.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ➱ https://bit.ly/3a7r3nR SUBSCRIBE TO THIS’LL DO FARM ➱ https://bit.ly/2X8g45c LISTEN ON: SPOTIFY ➱ https://open.spotify.com/show/3icVr4KWq4eUDl7Oy60YMY APPLE ➱ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barn-talk/id1574395049 Follow Behind The Scenes👇🏻 ● Barn Talk Instagram ➱ https://www.instagram.com/barntalkshow ● Barn Talk TikTok ➱ https://bit.ly/3qciekS ● Sawyer’s Instagram ➱ https://bit.ly/3BtX0n4 ● Tork’s Instagram ➱ https://bit.ly/3LGZJxS ● Sawyer’s X ➱ https://x.com/SawyerWhisler ● Tork’s X ➱ https://x.com/TorkWhisler 00:00 The show's audience support 10:52 Getting recognized by Texas Monthly 15:38 Iowa Corn Checkoff benefits 16:47 4th of July childhood memories 24:25 Grandma's brisket cooking attempt 31:28 Online debates and personal approach 37:06 Starting with a pop-up stand 42:08 Getting a food truck in 2018 48:26 Setting up the kitchen and food truck 49:46 Opening challenges with restaurant traffic 59:25 Offering à la carte barbecue 01:04:33 Managing Tuesday Invoice Orders 01:09:49 Pricing early catering jobs 01:14:41 Challenges for young cattle ranchers 01:16:17 Unexpected celebrity encounters 01:26:22 Supporting rural small town growth 01:28:19 Staying local in Peachland 01:36:17 Brisket cooking technique discussion 01:40:02 Building a consistent brand 01:45:31 Restaurant kitchen hood issues 01:49:50 Thanking Garren and Kelly ------------------------------- ⚠NO FINANCIAL ADVICE / DISCLAIMER⚠ The Information discussed and shared on Barn Talk is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or success for any particular purpose. The Information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The Information on this podcast and provided from or through our content is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional, professional broker or financial advisory. Understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through this website at your own risk. RISK STATEMENT– The trading of Bitcoins, alternative cryptocurrencies, NFTs, individual stocks, etc. has potential rewards, and it also has potential risks involved. Trading may not be suitable for all people. Anyone wishing to invest should seek his or her own independent financial or professional advice. #EP211 #iowacorn #landus #gateway Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


















