We first met Ryland Engelhart and Finian Makepeace, co-founders of Kiss the Ground – a nonprofit raising awareness for regeneration through storytelling, education, and advocacy – at Natural Products Expo West in 2022. Since our initial meeting, we knew that we shared foundational values with these inspirational leaders, such as the importance of soil health and sustainable agriculture, sparking our interest to want to get to know them and the organization better.

We’re thrilled to release today’s episode featuring Ryland Engelhart, focused on the importance of farmers, supporting beneficial farming practices, and the task of creating balance where an imbalance has been.

Ryland and Thomas discuss Ryland’s path of becoming a soil evangelist, along with regenerative, organic, and biodynamic agriculture, what Kiss the Ground has been up to since releasing their groundbreaking film, and the power of storytelling. Ryland’s educational, inspirational, and solution-oriented interview has us feeling exponentially motivated and optimistic about supporting local farmers, organic agriculture practices, and continuing to spread these transformational messages.

Ryland Engelhart - Chief Mission Officer and Co-founder of Kiss the Ground

Ryland Engelhart co-founded Kiss the Ground in 2013 and plays a leadership role in the organization as the Chief Mission Officer; he is a producer of the Kiss the Ground film released on Netflix and host of the Kiss the Ground Podcast. As a 15-year entrepreneur, he is also the co-owner and prior Mission Fulfilment Officer of the nationally recognized plant-based restaurants Cafe Gratitude and Gracias Madre, located in Southern California, and co-creator of the documentary film, May I Be Frank. He is a passionate speaker on the topics of sacred commerce and regenerative agriculture, tools for building community, food is medicine, and the practice of love and gratitude. Ryland is also a dedicated husband and father and lives on a 17-acre regenerative organic farm in Fillmore, CA, where he is learning to practice what he preaches.

Watch the Farming in Service to Life short film here

Sign the petition to support regenerative agriculture here

Visit Kiss the Ground’s website here Visit Kiss the Ground on Instagram Visit Kiss the Ground on Facebook Visit Kiss the Ground on YouTube

 

Find local herbs growers here 

 

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