Hands in the Soil

In this episode, we sit down with David Berning of Cardiff Tiny Farm for a return conversation, two years after his first appearance on the podcast.

David shares what has unfolded since stepping fully into stewardship of the farm, and what it’s been like to grow not just food, but a business, a community space, and a deeper relationship with the land. What began as a small, uncertain venture has evolved into a thriving micro-farm model - one that challenges assumptions about scale, profitability, and what’s possible on a tenth of an acre.

We explore the intersection of heart and business - what it means to hold integrity while also making something financially viable, and the realities of running a farm as both a livelihood and a calling.

David also opens up about the uncertainty of the farm’s future, as the land he’s stewarding is temporary. With the possibility of losing the space at any time, he shares how he’s approaching this season with intention, focusing on building community, expanding his CSA program, and creating something that can live beyond the land itself.

We also touch on Harmonize, a data-tracking tool David built to support farmers in the field, and his vision for how technology and agriculture can coexist in a more intentional, human-centered way.

More than anything, this episode is a reflection on what it means to devote yourself to something uncertain, and to choose to create beauty anyway.

In this episode, we talk about:

• David’s journey from tech into agriculture and the origins of Cardiff Tiny Farm
• What it looks like to run a farm as a real business
• The balance between integrity, community, and profitability
• The concept of “farming in public” and transparency in small farm economics
• How a 1/10 acre farm can feed a community
• The realities of scaling a small farm sustainably
• Navigating uncertainty and impermanence in land access
• Building a CSA model that goes beyond food into education and connection
• The importance of local food and its impact on personal and community wellbeing
• Harmonize: a tool for farmers to track data simply and efficiently
• Why creating beauty anywhere is meaningful work

Connect + Learn More: 

• Follow David on Instagram: ⁠@cardifftinyfarm
• Learn more about Cardiff Tiny Farm ⁠⁠https://www.cardifftinyfarm.com⁠⁠
• Try Harmonize (data tracking tool)⁠⁠ https://harmonize.one⁠⁠

• Connect with Hannah: ⁠@hannahkeitel ⁠

Foundations in Land Stewardship:

If you’ve been feeling called to deepen your relationship with land, food, and community, we are currently enrolling for Foundations in Land Stewardship - a 3-month in-person farm school here in San Diego.

This program is designed for aspiring farmers, land stewards, and anyone wanting to reconnect with food systems in a meaningful way.

• Saturdays from 9-2
• May 2nd through August 1st
• Full scholarships available

David will be one of our teachers throughout the program.

You can find more details and apply here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.handsinthesoil.farm/farmschool⁠d

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, I’m joined by Hernan Cavazos, co-founder of Solidarity Farm and a longtime grower, mentor, and community builder in San Diego’s farming ecosystem.

Hernan shares his journey into agriculture, which began with a desire to grow nourishing food for his family and evolved into over a decade of cultivating diversified crops, raising animals, and helping train the next generation of farmers. What started as a small project has grown into a place of learning, experimentation, and community.

We explore what human-scale farming means, why it matters, and how it offers a path toward more resilient, localized food systems. Hernan speaks to the importance of having many small farms working together, rather than relying on large-scale industrial systems, and the role that cooperation plays in building a sustainable future for agriculture.

This conversation also touches on tools, efficiency, and the realities of farming today. We talk about how small farms can thoughtfully use technology without losing connection to the land, and what tools actually make a difference in day-to-day operations.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Hernan’s journey into agriculture and the origins of Solidarity Farm
• What “small-scale” or “human-scale” farming really means
• Why localized, cooperative farming systems are key to resilience
• The role of tools and technology in small farm efficiency
• Favorite tools for small farms (including seeders, prep rakes, and two-wheel tractors)
• The current state of regenerative agriculture, and why it must remain farmer-led
• Challenges facing new farmers, especially in California
• The importance of mentorship, experience, and “playing the long game”
• The role of co-ops and collaboration in the future of farming

Connect + Learn More: 

• Follow Solidarity Farm on Instagram: @solidarityfarm
  

• Connect with Hannah: @hannahkeitel

Foundations in Land Stewardship:

If you’ve been feeling the call to get your hands in the soil and learn in community, we are hosting an in-person farm school program here in San Diego called Foundations in Land Stewardship.

This is a three-month immersive program for those looking to get into farming, land stewardship, or deepen their relationship with land and food systems.

We begin on May 2nd, and Hernan will be one of the farm teachers throughout the program, offering a rare opportunity to learn directly from his years of experience.

You can find more details and apply here: ⁠⁠https://www.handsinthesoil.farm/farmschool⁠

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, I’m joined by Jessica Sanchez - an Earth Tender whose work is rooted in the understanding that the land holds the answers.

Jessica shares how her journey into agriculture began with activism, and the winding road that brought her to Madre Sanctuary. What started as growing food has become something much deeper - cultivating spaces where people can reconnect with themselves, each other, and the land.

We talk about what it really means to steward land, especially land that has been shaped by industrial systems, and what it takes to transition it into something living, reciprocal, and regenerative. Jessica speaks to the patience required, the challenges of that process, and the deeper vision that continues to guide her work.

This conversation is also about identity, courage, and trust; about leaving behind more conventional paths and listening to what’s calling you forward. She speaks about embracing your uniqueness, and recognizing that the way you’re meant to contribute is already within you.

Jessica’s work reminds us that tending the land is not separate from tending ourselves, and that when we begin to repair one, we begin to repair the other.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How the Zapatista movement informed Jessica’s personal philosophy
• The evolution from Terra Madre Gardens to Madre Sanctuary
• Transitioning land from industrial use to regenerative systems
• What land stewardship really means in practice
• The role of patience, time, and relationship in regenerative work
• Cultivating not just food, but culture, healing, and belonging
• Leaving conventional paths and trusting a different way forward
• Embracing your uniqueness as part of your contribution
• The connection between tending land and tending self

Connect + Learn More:

• Madre Sanctuary / Terra Madre Gardens:
  https://www.terramadregardens.com/
• Follow Jessica on Instagram: @madresanctuary.healing.gardens
  

• Apply for the Foundations in Land Stewardship Program: ⁠https://www.handsinthesoil.farm/farmschool⁠
• Follow Hannah on Instagram: ⁠@hannahkeitel

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we’re joined once again by farmer, mentor, and collaborator Cathryn Henning to introduce a project that has been months in the making: the Foundations in Land Stewardship Program, a hands-on farm school based in San Diego.

We share the story behind how this program came to life, the gap it’s designed to fill, and why land-based education is more needed now than ever. Drawing from our lived experiences as farmers, we explore what it truly means to steward land in a way that is reciprocal, values-driven, and rooted in community.

This conversation is both an invitation and ultimately a vision - one that extends beyond San Diego - calling in a new generation of farmers, land stewards, and engaged community members to participate in rebuilding our relationship with land and food systems.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Why there is a growing need for accessible, land-based education
• The inspiration behind creating a farm school in San Diego
• What it really takes to step into farming (beyond the romanticized version)
• The structure of the program, including hands-on learning, mentorship, and integration sessions
• How diverse farming practices and perspectives shape a more resilient food system
• The importance of building a shared language around land stewardship
• How community support can help farms (and farmers) truly thrive
• What it means to be in relationship with land through values like reciprocity and care

About the Program:
The Foundations in Land Stewardship Program is a three-month, in-person farm school designed to support those entering or deepening their relationship with land and food systems.

Students will:

• Visit multiple farms across San Diego County
• Learn directly from experienced farmers and land stewards
• Participate in hands-on activities and real-world applications
• Engage in integration sessions to process and apply what they’re learning
• Receive mentorship and support on a personal project
  

The program runs from May 2nd to August 1st, with classes held on Saturdays from 9am–2pm.
Applications are open, with limited scholarships available. 

Connect + Learn More:

• Apply for the Foundations in Land Stewardship Program: https://www.handsinthesoil.farm/farmschool
• Follow Hannah on Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In this episode, we take a moment to reflect on the importance of rest, both in our bodies and within the ecosystems we care for. As winter settles in, it’s vital to remember that this season naturally invites us to slow down, retreat inward, and regenerate, even as our culture encourages the opposite. Through the lens of gardening and seasonal wisdom, I examine how our industrial food system has all but eliminated rest, and what that teaches us about imbalance in ourselves. 

Whether you’re feeling stretched thin by holiday demands or simply craving permission to pause, this episode offers a gentle reminder that it’s okay to slow down.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Why winter invites us to slow down and go inward
• How cultural expectations clash with natural seasonal rhythms
• The value of rest in the garden, and why abundance depends on it
• What the industrial food system reveals about exhaustion and extraction
• Recognizing your body’s cues for rest
• Why I don’t celebrate the “new year” on January 1st
• How creating spaciousness nurtures creativity and clarity

And on that note, we’ll be taking a break from the podcast until January 2026. Happy holidays, and we'll see you on the other side! 

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel 

In this episode, we explore one of the most common and complex questions I hear: Can organic agriculture really feed the world?

With so much skepticism surrounding sustainable farming, we take a data-informed look at what this question really means, and what’s hidden between the lines. I break down why the data often appears skewed, how conventional yields decline over time, and why the conversation about global food supply must include issues of distribution, waste, and sovereignty.

I encourage you to expand your perspective beyond yield numbers to the deeper systems that determine how food is produced, valued, and shared. What kind of food are we really talking about when we ask whether organic agriculture can “feed the world”? And could it be that we already grow more than enough?

Tune in to learn more about:

• Why skepticism around organic agriculture persists
• How to read between the lines of agricultural data
• The difference between productivity and true sustainability
• Why conventional yields decline over time
• The importance of biodiversity and soil health
• The global reality of food waste and inequitable distribution
• How efficiency in the current system hides deep inefficiency

• What food sovereignty really means, and why it matters
• Why regenerative and organic agriculture aren’t just possible, but essential

... And so much more!

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: ⁠@hannahkeitel

In this special milestone episode of Hands in the Soil, we celebrate 50 episodes of the podcast (and my birthday!), and reflect on my journey through farming, community, and personal transformation. We’re joined by my best friend, Shannon, who steps in as guest interviewer. 

Our conversation touches on identity, purpose, and the evolving meaning of sustainability. I share how getting my hands in the soil has shaped my worldview, the importance of building community through generosity, and why growing food is one of the most profound ways to reconnect with life itself. 

Whether you’re tuning in for the first time or if you’ve been here since the beginning, I want you to know how grateful I am for your support. Thank you for joining me! 

Tune in to learn more about:

• Reflections on 50 episodes and the journey of the Hands in the Soil podcast
• My connection to nature, and what farming has taught me
• Navigating imposter syndrome and self-doubt in the agricultural space
• The real meaning of sustainability, and how it’s often misunderstood
• How growing food transforms relationships with nourishment and self
• Building community through generosity and shared abundance
• Simple ways to start your own connection with the land

… And so much more!

Connect with Shannon:

• Website: https://www.shannonkeating.com/

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we’re joined by Tommy Tickenoff, co-founder and self-proclaimed “Chief Nut” of Fresh Vintage Farms. Based in California’s Central Valley, Tommy and his wife Tara launched Fresh Vintage Farms in 2019 with a mission to craft premium, cold-pressed nut oils while reducing agricultural waste and redefining what quality looks like in a sustainable food system.

Tommy brings humor and honesty to a nuanced conversation about the almond industry, which is one that’s often misunderstood and criticized for its water usage and impact on pollinators. We unpack the myths surrounding almond farming, explore how growers are adapting to new environmental challenges, and highlight the importance of transparency and consumer education in agriculture.

The discussion also touches on Fresh Vintage Farms’ innovative approach to upcycling and product development, including their small-batch almond oil mayonnaise and other cold-pressed creations made entirely from locally grown nuts. Through it all, Tommy emphasizes that sustainability in farming is a continuous process of learning, improving, and caring for the land.

Tune in to learn more about:

• What sustainability means within the almond industry
• Common myths and misconceptions about almond farming
• How California almond growers have reduced water use and improved efficiency
• The crucial role of bees and pollinator health in almond production
• The balance between organic certification and practical sustainability
• How consumer education builds trust and transparency in the food system
• The future of sustainable agriculture in California’s Central Valley

… And so much more!

Tommy’s Resources & Links:

• Website: freshvintagefarms.com
• Instagram: @fresh_vintage_farms
• LinkedIn: Fresh Vintage Farms

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In this episode of the show, we're joined by three incredible leaders working at the intersection of food justice, land access, and community empowerment: Kristina Villa of the Farmers Land Trust, and Femeika Elliott and Laila Malik of the Rooted East Knoxville Collective.

Throughout this conversation, we explore the Farmland Commons model and Rooted East’s grassroots work to restore power to East Knoxville residents through food, land, and housing justice. The conversation dives into the systemic barriers that marginalized communities face in accessing farmland and nourishing food, while also highlighting the innovative solutions that are already being implemented on the ground.

From food apartheid and land stewardship to storytelling, collaboration, and long-term commitment, this discussion underscores the importance of community sufficiency and the ways we can collectively create just and regenerative food systems.

Tune in to learn more about:

• The Farmers Land Trust and how the Farmland Commons model supports equitable land access

• Rooted East’s mission to address food apartheid and empower residents in East Knoxville

• The history of land, housing, and community challenges in East Tennessee

• Why community sufficiency is central to food justice

• The importance of collaboration among diverse organizations

• How storytelling preserves agricultural history and uplifts community voices

• The role of long-term commitment in building truly sustainable systems

• A vision for food, land, and housing justice rooted in solidarity

… And so much more!

Guest Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Rooted East Knoxville: linktr.ee/rootedeastknox
• Follow Rooted East: @rootedeastknox
• Follow The Farmers Land Trust: ⁠@thefarmerslandtrust

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Rachel Nafis, owner of Psalter Farm Flowers in San Diego, CA. Since 2019, Rachel and her team have been growing flowers for a 66-member CSA, local flower shops, and event florists across eight neighborhood gardens—all located right in her community.

Rachel shares her journey into agriculture, including the transition from working as an RN to managing a 40-acre vegetable ranch, and ultimately shifting into her innovative urban flower farming model. She offers an honest look at the pros and cons of growing in small, unconventional spaces, and why collaboration and creativity are essential to her farm’s success. We also explore the role of community in this model, how neighborhood gardens foster connection, and why flowers bring a unique kind of joy and meaning to her work.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Rachel’s journey from nursing to farming
• How Psalter Farm Flowers began and evolved into an urban model
• The pros and cons of urban flower farming
• Tips for efficiency and creativity in small growing spaces
• Why collaboration is central to her “flexible farming model”
• The role of community engagement and land literacy in urban agriculture
• Rachel’s favorite flowers to grow and why they inspire her
• Advice for aspiring urban farmers navigating challenges and opportunities

… And so much more!

Rachel’s Resources & Links:

• Website: psalterfarmflowers.com
• Instagram: @psalterfarmflowers

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel