Dawn's Dirt

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with sixth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer Tristan Swartz, the man behind "Doing It Wrong Dairy," to talk about what right really looks like in farming. We go deep into old-school dairying, why he still milks in a stanchion barn with "outdated" equipment, and how leaving calves on their mamas actually improves health, production, and peace in the herd. Tristan shares how community used to work in rural life—neighbors just showing up with tractors when you were in trouble—and why he refuses to trade integrity for corporate convenience. We also pull back the curtain on raw milk laws, COVID butchering insanity, and how creative farmers are quietly outsmarting bureaucratic rules to keep families fed.

If you're craving proof that small, scrappy, values-driven farms can feed a community and push back on a broken food system, this conversation will light a fire under you.

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Episode Highlights: farm childhood, old-school equipment, calves-with-mamas, community support, work ethic, side hustles, raw milk laws, food control, resilience, creativity, regenerative farming, food freedom

Takeaways:

• Farming doesn't feel like work when it's who you are
• Old equipment and "doing it wrong" can still be profitable
• Leaving calves with their mothers can improve health and behavior
• Community support on the land is worth more than fancy machines
• Creativity lets farmers work within the rules without betraying their values
• Our food system is about control and dollars, not always health
• Real change starts when ordinary farmers and eaters simply say "no"

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Tristan's Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/doitwrongdairy

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Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/

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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Kelli Foreman of Kodiak Goat Dairy, fifth-generation farmer on a storm-tossed Alaskan island,where one day you're milking A2/A2 cows and the next you're shaking a green bucket at a bear. We get real about building true food security when the boats don't come, finishing beef on kelp, running a micro raw-milk dairy the right way, and raising farm kids who can actually do hard things. We talk about community bartering over bureaucracy, making soil from manure on a literal rock, and why resilience isn't a slogan, it's a system you build at home with your neighbors. If you crave a life where food, family, and freedom actually mean something again, this one's your roadmap—with laughter, grit, and zero fluff.

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Episode Highlights: kodiak island, raw milk, a2/a2 dairy, goat dairy, food security, kelp-finished beef, farm kids, farmers market, compost soil, micro dairy, barter economy, community resilience

Takeaways:

• Resilience starts local—feed your own community first
• Empty shelves are normal there; systems must assume storms
• Kelp and grass can finish beef beautifully
• Raw milk done right requires rigorous cleanliness
• Barter and relationships beat red tape
• Make soil, make food—close the loop
• Do it messy, then refine as you go

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Kelli's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/kodiakgoatdairy/

Kelli's Website | https://www.thelastsmallfarm.com/

Kelli's YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@thelastsmallfarm

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Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/

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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Trent Koehn from GreenEase to talk real farm business—how SOPs, culture, and faith turn chaos into profit, and how tiny, daily improvements can 3x your yields without selling your soul to the system. We get into lean farming, hiring right, and why problems should make you smile—because they're roadmaps to better processes, safer teams, and healthier greens. Trent shares how his family greenhouse bounced back after COVID restaurant drop-offs, why they now keep ~50¢ on the dollar, and the nerdy-but-sexy oxygen trick that crushes root rot in hydroponics. If you care about farm-to-table, small-scale profitability, servant leadership, and building tools that actually help farmers, this one's for you

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Episode Highlights: farm-to-table, hydroponic greenhouse, lean farming, SOPs, standard operating procedures, farm profitability, servant leadership, faith in business, dissolved oxygen, pythium/root rot, plug poppers & drop seeders, small-farm innovation

Takeaways:

• Tiny improvements compounded daily beat big swings
• SOPs create freedom, safety, and consistency
• Culture is a strategy when leaders lift people up
• Checklists first, then SOPs for complex tasks
• Track root causes, not people, to fix problems
• Oxygenation can solve hydroponic disease at the root
• Profitability follows focus, process, and servant leadership

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Trent's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/greenease.us/

Trent's Website | https://greenease.us/

Trent's YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@GreenEase

2 Second Lean by Paul Akers | https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/2-second-lean-play/id1503694993

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Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/

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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Abey from Ruckle Farm to dig into her new book, Radical Farm: Animals, Food, and Our Future. We get real about why well-sourced animal foods support human health, animal welfare, and the land, and how to bridge the "vegans vs. ranchers" divide with curiosity instead of name-calling. Abey shares her journey from teen vegetarian to animal farmer, the ethics behind "there is no deathless diet," and practical homesteading know-how—from raw milk and cheese making to raising chickens, sheep, and cattle. We talk Victory Gardens, kids' nutrition, the true cost of food, and rebuilding resilient local food systems. If you care about nutrient-dense meals, regenerative agriculture, and taking back your food sovereignty, this one's for you.

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Episode Highlights: faith-farming-freedom, ethical meat, raw milk, regenerative agriculture, Ruckle Farm, Salt Spring Island, nutrient-dense eating, homesteading 101, Victory Gardens, kids' real food, grocery labels vs. reality, farm-to-table sales

Takeaways:

• There is no deathless diet—own your choices
• Well-raised animal foods can benefit land, animals, and people
• Start small: herbs, a microgarden, or six backyard hens
• Victory Garden math still works for modern families
• Labels mislead—know your farmer and ask questions
• Budget by growing some food and prioritizing protein
• Curiosity builds bridges; outrage burns them

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Abey's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abeyonthefarm/

Ruckel Farm Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/rucklefarm/

Ruckle Farm Website | https://rucklefarmsaltspringisland.com/

Abey's TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@abeyonthefarm

Abey's Book | https://www.radicalfarmbook.com/

Abey's Substack | https://abeyonthefarm.substack.com/

______________________________________________

Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/

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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I get real about a hard question: if things go sideways, how are you feeding your family? I share what I learned selling farm boxes through 2020, why "I'll just come to your place" isn't a plan, and how small, steady action now (gardens, chickens, CSAs, real relationships with real farmers) builds food sovereignty fast. I talk backyard growing (even on a tiny lot), microgreens you can crank out in a spare corner all winter, and why supporting your farmer today is the best "insurance" for tomorrow. This isn't fear porn, it's love in work boots. I love people, and the most loving thing I can do is teach you to feed yourselves, your kids, and your neighbors. We the people have the power; let's use it with courage, community, and a shovel.

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Episode Highlights: food sovereignty, backyard gardens, microgreens at home, chickens in the city, CSA memberships, buying from real farmers, cutting out middlemen, building local community, preparing without panic, faith and responsibility, small-scale farm sales, proactive not reactive

Takeaways:

• Don't outsource your survival
• Start a garden now, not "someday"
• Microgreens can feed you year-round indoors
• Support actual farmers directly, not resellers
• Join or launch a CSA to strengthen ties
• Build real relationships with neighbours today
• Preparation is love in action

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Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/

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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Brittney Long from Faithful Farming to get real about raising kids, running cattle, holding full-time careers, and keeping Jesus at the center of it all. We talk high beef prices, why younger families struggle to enter agriculture, and how local, direct-to-consumer sales can rewrite the food system. Brittany shares the power of a strong village—Papa Day included—plus why teaching kids to "do dangerous things safely" builds grit and confidence. We dig into prayerful decision-making on buying land, the reality behind glossy homestead feeds, and why community, church, and farmers' markets are bringing food back home. If you care about faith, family, and food sovereignty, this one's for you.

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Episode Highlights: family farming, faith-led decisions, black angus cattle, mom guilt, village support, kids & machinery, work ethic, local food systems, direct marketing, beef market realities, prayer in business, farmers' markets

Takeaways:

• Build a village and use it
• Lead with faith when making business decisions
• Teach kids responsibility through real farm work
• Question the big food system and buy local
• Social media builds trust and repeat customers
• Routine beats overwhelm on busy family farms
• Ask mentors for help and start small

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Brittney's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithful_farming/

Brittney's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@faithful_farming?_t=ZT-8z1SBwHzrdV&_r=1

______________________________________________

Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land — selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

______________________________________________

Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm bringing you a powerhouse conversation with a farm-grown entrepreneur who's shaking up the food system in the best way possible. From her roots on a multi-generation farm in Northern Alberta to launching an app that's basically "Skip the Dishes for farmers," she's proof that innovation doesn't just live in Silicon Valley—it lives in the soil. She is the founder of Weat Local Market App. We talk about building a local food economy that actually serves both producers and consumers, how to cut out the middlemen and bureaucracy, and why hyper-local shopping is the future. Whether you're a farmer, homesteader, or a busy mama who wants fresh food without the grocery store games, this episode is going to light you up. Let's get real about how we buy food, who we support, and why healthier, fresher, local food is not just possible—it's necessary.

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Episode Highlights: farm-to-table, food freedom, local economy, entrepreneurship, digital tools, farmers markets, hyperlocal shopping, bureaucracy, healthier food, producer empowerment, community building, farm innovation

Takeaways:

• Farmers are the original entrepreneurs
• Local food can and should be as easy to buy as takeout
• Cutting out middlemen gives power back to producers
• Hyper-local shopping strengthens community economies
• Food loses nutrition the farther it travels
• Apps and tools can revolutionize farmers markets
• Supporting local food supports your own resilience

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Weat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weat.local.market/

Weat Local Market Website: https://weat.ca/

Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

______________________________________________

Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land — selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

______________________________________________

Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with "Young Cole," a 21-year-old Alberta farm kid who took his grit overseas to learn regenerative farming in Finland. We jam on real-world soil health, cover crops, EU pesticide rules (yes, glyphosate is used, but differently), and what small, mixed farms can borrow from Europe without swallowing the red tape. Cole breaks down nitrogen-fixing legumes, why Finland's tiny, rocky fields shape their practices, and how government subsidies change farmer behavior—for better and worse. We also talk about food sovereignty, farm-to-table realities, and how a few chickens and a plan can change a family's future. It's practical, hopeful, and a little mouthy—just how we like it.

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Episode Highlights: young farmer grit, regenerative farming, cover crops, soil microbiome, nitrogen fixation, EU pesticide rules, government subsidies, small-scale profitability, mixed farming, farm-to-table, food sovereignty, Alberta vs Finland

Takeaways:

• Regenerative ≠ organic; it's a long-game soil strategy
• Legumes fix nitrogen via root nodules to feed future crops
• EU allows glyphosate but not as a pre-harvest desiccant for human grain
• Subsidies shape behavior; control the money, control the farm
• Small fields, wet climate, and rocks drive Finnish methods
• Mixed farms can stack value by grazing and hay in rotation
• Start tiny (five chickens) and build consistent, direct relationships

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

______________________________________________

Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land — selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I celebrate EPISODE 50 with a big ol' thank-you and my heart on my sleeve. I share the best business advice I ever got and how handing my farm and this show back to the Lord lifted the weight and sharpened my mission. You'll hear my greenhouse-to-farmers-market journey, why I sold the farm, and how that pivot lit a fire to teach farm-to-table, build community, and put real food (and freedom) back in our own hands. We'll riff on productivity with purpose, sowing into people, and why small, local action beats top-down control every time. If you're carrying your business alone, this one will feel like a deep breath and a marching order.

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Episode Highlights: Episode 50, gratitude, faith-led business, talk to the Owner, selling the farm, 36k sq ft greenhouse, farmers markets, people over politics, food freedom, community building, teaching farm-to-table, productive on purpose

Takeaways:

• The most freeing CEO move is giving the business back to God
• When stuck, "talk to the Owner" and ask for marching orders
• Productivity means giving, producing, risking, and sowing into people
• Selling a chapter can be obedience, not failure
• Real food and real freedom grow locally, not bureaucratically
• Relationships are the real ROI of any business
• Teach others what you know so communities feed themselves

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

______________________________________________

Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land — selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

______________________________________________

Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Jason from Sow the Land, a North Carolina homesteader who went from city cubicles to pasture life and brought his family, grit, and 300K YouTube subscribers along for the ride. We talk cancer wake-up calls, minimalist living, selling the couch to chase land, and why growing even one tomato can change your whole life. Jason shares how they scaled from a 1.5-acre starter homestead to 14 acres with turkeys, cooney cooney pigs, pasture poultry, workshops, and a thriving online education business. We get real about entrepreneurship, bartering with neighbors, moving animals daily, and choosing meaningful work over easy money. If you're itching to start where you are, even in a city backyard, this one lights a fire under your boots.

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Episode Highlights: homestead beginnings, cancer to catalyst, minimalist reset, leap of faith, starter homestead, 14-acre expansion, cooney cooney pigs, pasture poultry, turkey raising, hands-on workshops, YouTube education, community barter

Takeaways:

• Start where you are…front yard, borrowed yard, anywhere
• One tomato plant can change your life
• Go all in and learn fast from failure
• Say yes early to discover what you love
• Move animals often to heal soil and grow better meat
• Community and bartering make the lifestyle sustainable
• Fulfillment beats easy money every time

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Links & Resources Mentioned

Jason's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sowtheland/

Jason's Website: https://sowtheland.com/

Sow the Land YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SowtheLand

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Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love!

Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/

Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/

______________________________________________

Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land — selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started!

Book Your FREE Call Today!

______________________________________________

Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com