Ryan sits down with Joel Hollingsworth of Smoke River Ranch in Oklahoma, who lays out a clear, unflinching diagnosis of America’s decline. 

He then takes you through the solution, step by step, exactly whats required. In short, the miracle ahead has only one path, and that is a restored and vitalized rural America. 

Key Topics:

• Collapse and renewal of rural America
• Building culture through community and soil
• Regenerative ranching and total grazing
• Economic sovereignty and local production
• Reclaiming health and vitality

Why You Should Listen:

 - Learn how rural collapse happened.
 - See how financialization hollowed America.
 - Understand why soil and economy are linked.
 - Discover how regeneration rebuilds communities.
 - Hear a practical plan for renewal.

Resources mentioned:

Book: The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Book: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

Connect with Joel:

Smoke River Ranch Website
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00:00:00 – America’s decline and lost vitality
00:04:30 – Joel’s story and Smoke River Ranch
00:11:00 – Finance replacing real production
00:20:10 – Centralization and moral decay
00:29:40 – What regeneration means
00:38:25 – Soil as civilization’s base
00:46:50 – Rebuilding local economies
00:56:30 – Tech and virtual fencing
01:05:00 – The real economics of farming
01:16:15 – Decentralization and freedom
01:28:10 – Work, dignity, and meaning
01:38:40 – Food, health, and strength
01:52:20 – Cultural cost of disconnection
02:09:00 – Rural vitalism in action
02:27:15 – Rebuilding soil, rebuilding America

When chronic illness left Cindy bedridden in her twenties, she began questioning everything she’d been taught about health - and later, about farming. What started as a search for healing led her and her husband to rebuild their land in Burneyville, Oklahoma, where TLC Ranch now stands: a regenerative bison ranch and certified organic pecan orchard rooted in living systems rather than chemicals. Through decades of trial, floods, and faith, Cindy discovered that the same principles that restore the body also restore the soil. This episode traces how her recovery became the land’s recovery - and what it really means to live and farm in alignment with nature.

Key Topics

- Healing through food and faith
- From chemical sprays to organic farming
- Bison behavior and herd management
- The challenges of organic certification
- Health, medicine, and trusting intuition

Timestamps 

00:00:00 – Growing up outdoors and learning self-reliance
 00:04:00 – Linking diet and chronic illness in the 1980s
 00:08:00 – Healing through food and natural living
 00:12:00 – From chemical farming to organic awareness
 00:19:00 – Buying land and starting the ranch
 00:27:00 – Discovering bison and learning their behavior
 00:31:00 – Pecans as nutrient-dense local food
 00:44:00 – Challenges of organic certification
 00:53:00 – Replacing chemicals with biological inputs
 00:58:00 – Managing herd health and natural balance
 01:05:00 – Lessons from floods and renewal on the land

Website
Facebook
Instagram

Caden and Patrick are first-generation farmers in North Carolina who started Cable Family Farm while still in high school. Together, they’ve built a small-scale regenerative farm focused on pasture-raised poultry and no-till market gardening, proving that young people can make a living from the land through hard work, curiosity, and faith.

Cable Family Farm practices regenerative farming focused on soil health, animal welfare, and local connection through small-scale, community-based food production.

Key Topics

1. Starting a regenerative farm as teenagers
2. Learning and adapting through trial and error
3. Making small-scale farming sustainable
4. Sacrifice, purpose, and faith in farming
5. Inspiring young people to reconnect with food

Timestamps

00:00:00 – Discovering small-scale farming
00:02:45 – Launching Cable Family Farm in high school
00:06:00 – Rekindling friendship and building together
00:09:00 – Visiting Polyface Farm for inspiration
00:10:30 – Selling produce and entering markets
00:14:00 – Lessons from larger conventional farms
00:17:00 – Partnership, long hours, and learning curves
00:21:00 – Sacrifice and fulfillment on the land
00:25:00 – Bringing younger generations into farming
00:35:00 – Faith and stewardship of the land
00:40:00 – Balancing college with farm life
00:42:00 – Reflections on growth and purpose

Connect

Instagram
Facebook 

This episode is a little different: instead of a sit-down podcast, I join Justin Rhodes for a live tour around his North Carolina farm.

When you think of homesteaders, Justin Rhodes is the first person you think of. With over a million followers on YouTube and multiple successful books, Justin and his family have paved the way for new homesteaders through documenting their journey. A fourth-generation steward of his family’s land in North Carolina, Justin and his wife Rebecca raise their five children on it.

What we cover:

• How rotational grazing restores pastures without seed or fertilizer
• The challenges and realities of homesteading versus farming for profit
• Balancing family life, children, and farm responsibilities
• Why many new homesteaders burn out and how to avoid it
• The generational legacy of farming the same land and what it means for the future

Timestamps:

00:01:30 — The breeds of cows on the farm and how milk is shared

00:03:00 — Family land history and what the farm cost in the 1930s

00:05:00 — Rotational grazing explained and why clover survives

00:09:00 — Homesteading vs farming: growing food for yourself or for sale

00:13:00 — Why most new homesteaders burn out and how to prepare

00:17:30 — Finding a deeper reason beyond money to keep farming

00:19:00 — Involving children in farm life and family teamwork

00:21:00 — The multi-generational connection to land and legacy

00:23:00 — Raw milk, safety, and family traditions

00:25:00 — Industrial milk history, swill dairies, and why pasteurization began

Justin's YouTube channel
Instagram
Farm Website

Josh and Jessica Guptill run Rehoboth Farm in Suffolk, Virginia, where they raise pastured chicken, pork, lamb, beef, eggs, and turkeys. Neither came from a farming family - Josh left the Coast Guard and Jessica is a doula - but together they built their farm from backyard beginnings, guided by faith and a belief in producing “healing food.” Their path is unique: from DIY chicken pluckers and bartering for land to scaling up during COVID, they’ve made transparency and education central to their work. Today they not only provide nutrient-dense food but also host workshops and farm visits, giving their community a firsthand connection to how food is grown.

This episode we discuss:

• What backyard chickens taught them about the realities of food production
• How different animals (chickens, pigs, sheep, cattle) work together to regenerate land
• Why transparency and on-farm visits build trust between farmers and eaters
• The role of farmers’ markets, and what separates thriving ones from failing ones
• How faith and community shape their vision of farming as a vocation

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Josh & Jessica’s backstory and first encounters with farming

00:07:00 Early challenges raising and butchering chickens

00:13:00 Deciding to leave the Coast Guard and pursue farming

00:19:00 Finding and moving onto their current Virginia farm

00:25:00 Scaling up chickens, pigs, and lamb during COVID

00:33:00 Why their farmers’ market works—and why others fail

00:40:00 Marketing, transparency, and building customer trust

00:48:00 The meaning behind the name “Rehoboth Farm”

00:53:00 Questions consumers should ask at farmers’ markets

01:00:00 Hosting on-farm classes and why visits matter

Website
Instagram
Facebook

In this episode, Jordan and I discuss the importance of economics, marketing, and storytelling in agriculture.

Follow the tour on YouTube

Jordan Green is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served multiple deployments before completing a five-year tour of duty in 2009 and transitioning into full-time farming with his wife, Laura.

Together, Jordan and Laura founded J&L Green Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, where they raise pasture-based pork and poultry and 100% grass-fed beef on 500 acres, marketing their food directly to consumers.

Key Topics

• Escaping the industrial poultry system and its impact on animals and farmers
• Apprenticeship at Polyface Farm and lessons from Joel Salatin
• Military service and how it shaped the decision to start J&L Green Farm
• The struggles of starting a farm business during the 2008 financial crisis
• Why marketing and storytelling matter as much as production in regenerative farming

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Why cheap food threatens the survival of American farms

00:03:00 Inside poultry houses: dust, ammonia, and farmer servitude

00:08:00 Contracts, mortgages, and the trap of industrial poultry farming

00:17:00 Apprenticeship at Polyface and scaling pasture-based livestock

00:24:00 The reality of death and livestock farming behind the scenes

00:29:00 Joining the Marines and balancing military life with farm dreams

00:36:00 Starting J&L Green Farm with land, capital, and a Polyface contract

00:40:00 Surviving the 2008 housing crash while building a farm business

00:42:00 Why marketing is the hardest but most crucial part of farming

00:49:00 The clash between fast tech and slow ecology in food production

00:55:00 Building customer relationships, not flash sales

01:00:00 Why most farms aren’t welcoming to the public and how J&L differs

Connect with Jordan, J&L Farm:

Website
Instagram

Follow the tour on YouTube

The USDA has farmers by the balls. We all know it. Bryson felt it, and quickly chose to fight it. He found legit workarounds and today educates us on how other farmers can help stabilise and control their own futures. 

Bryson Lipscomb of Triple Oak farms - a military veteran turned first-generation farmer, who traded his 9-5 job to become a farmer and build his own life with his wife and then newborn son.

Bryson bring a refreshing & unique perspective on American farming, unfiltered for sure and very grounded. He shares the struggles and blessings of starting from scratch, the pretty messed realities of USDA processing (spoiler - it's way worse than you think), navigating regulations and the search for alternatives (such as the private membership association - PMA) that keep food sovereignty in the hands of the people.

This one certainly echoes faith, food, freedom in America, now and in the future. Enjoy.

Triple Oaks Farm is a family-run regenerative farm in Virginia, raising pastured pigs and other livestock with a focus on food sovereignty, stewardship, and community.

Key Topics

• COVID as a wake-up call for food independence
• The realities of raising animals on pasture
• Stewardship, resilience, and lessons from livestock
• Industrial processing vs. small farm alternatives
• Faith, freedom, and food sovereignty through PMAs

Timestamps

00:01:00 COVID meat shortages spark the leap into farming

00:04:00 First pigs, early mistakes, and discovering regenerative farming

00:09:00 Pig escapes and fencing failures — hard lessons in stewardship

00:18:00 From alcoholism to faith — how farming changed everything

00:31:00 Why small farms can’t compete with Smithfield

00:34:00 The hidden costs of USDA butchering

00:43:00 Dominion, faith, and the moral conflict of unjust laws

01:00:00 Mishandling, fraud, and corruption inside USDA plants

01:08:00 Final breaking point — walking away from USDA processors

01:13:00 Discovering the PMA model as a legal path forward

01:20:00 Building a farm rooted in faith, sovereignty, and community

01:30:00 Why resilience, stewardship, and sovereignty matter for everyone

01:40:00 Closing reflections on food freedom and the future of Triple Oaks

Connect With Triple Oaks

Website
Instagram

Follow the tour on YouTube

Farm tour #8.

Isabelle and Garrett Heydt, of Rucker Farm in Virginia share their journey from vastly different childhoods to building a thriving regenerative farm and raising three young children. They discuss how they started with just a handful of chickens, grew into pigs and cattle, built community through barter events and markets, and navigated the challenges of balancing family life with the demands of farming. Their story highlights both the struggles and rewards of choosing a life close to the land.

Rucker Farm is a regenerative family farm in Virginia raising pastured beef, pork, and poultry with full transparency and care for the land. They rotate animals daily, avoid confinement, and even invite the public to their on-farm harvests to reconnect people with real food.

Key Topics

• From contrasting childhoods to a shared farming path
• Starting with 50 chickens and scaling up
• Raising a family while running a farm
• Family, farming, and community at the center
• Regenerative vs. conventional cattle operations
• Marketing, markets, and authentic customer ties

Timestamps

00:02:00 – Isabelle’s upbringing on Rucker Farm and her family’s farming background
 00:07:00 – Garrett’s childhood in Baltimore and path into outdoor guiding
 00:12:00 – Meeting in West Virginia, homesteading, and renovating their first house
 00:20:00 – Moving back to Rucker Farm in 2020 during the pandemic
 00:23:00 – Why they started with chickens and how it scaled into pigs and cattle
 00:25:00 – Hosting barter tables and building community around food and farming
 00:33:00 – Partnerships, land access, and support from American Farmland Trust
 00:37:00 – Advice for new farmers on building relationships and opportunities
 00:39:00 – Isabelle’s approach to marketing, storytelling, and authenticity
 00:45:00 – The realities and challenges of farmers’ markets
 00:55:00 – Educating consumers on cooking grass-finished beef
 01:01:00 – Raising children on the farm and connecting them to nature

Connect with Rucker Farm

Website
Instagram

Follow the tour on YouTube

Farm tour #7.

Today we interview farmer Tony Eash, from Triple E farms.

Triple E Farms is a family-run raw dairy and livestock farm in West Virginia, operated by brothers Tony and Phil. Farming since childhood, they grew up raising animals on pasture and chose a regenerative path after the sudden loss of their father. Today they produce 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised, non-GMO beef, pork, poultry, and raw dairy, combining traditional practices with appropriate modern technology to provide pure, nutrient-dense food for their family and community.

Key topics

• Transition from conventional dairy to regenerative farming
• Community support and resilience after personal loss
• West Virginia’s raw milk laws and policy changes
• Working with Amish partners for poultry and turkey supply
• Advice for aspiring farmers entering regenerative agriculture

Timestamps

 00:00:00 Challenging perceptions of farmers and profitability
 00:01:00 From Amish roots to dairy farming in Virginia
 00:03:00 Turning away from commercial chicken houses
 00:04:00 Starting with broilers and expanding to pigs, beef, and dairy
 00:08:00 Growing up on a small hobby farm and making hay
 00:12:00 Losing his father and coping through work
 00:14:00 Mennonite community support after tragedy
 00:18:00 Building a raw milk customer base
 00:20:00 Raw milk laws in West Virginia
 00:26:00 Questions to ask when buying milk or visiting farms
 00:28:00 Testing, cleanliness, and raw vs. pasteurized costs
 00:32:00 Balancing full-time jobs with farm demands

Connect with Triple E

Website
Instagram

Follow the tour on YouTube

Farm tour #6.

On today’s episode, I speak with Ben and Hannah Yoder of Savage Mountain Farm. Drawing on their Amish–Mennonite heritage and a commitment to natural farming, they share how they’ve built a livelihood that prioritizes culture, family, and the small farm way of life.

Ben and Hannah Yoder run Savage Mountain Farm, a 150-acre diversified, full-diet CSA on the Pennsylvania–Maryland line, rooted in Amish–Mennonite heritage and natural methods, raising produce, mushrooms, and pastured livestock while blending regenerative farming with homeschooling, community engagement, and a family-centered lifestyle.

Key Topics:

• Reviving Amish–Mennonite farming heritage
• Building a full-diet CSA in a rural area
• Preserving small farm culture over profit
• Keeping unprofitable crops for their cultural value
• Homeschooling and raising kids through farm work

Timestamps:

00:01:00 Ben’s discovery of his Amish–Mennonite farming roots
 00:09:00 Early farming experiences, WWOOFing, and meeting Hannah
 00:11:00 Starting their farm on rented land and the move to their current site
 00:14:00 Designing a full-diet, full-choice CSA for a rural market
 00:22:00 Preserving small farm culture over the capitalist mindset
 00:26:00 Why they keep unprofitable crops for cultural and family reasons
 00:27:00 Children’s role in daily farm life
 00:35:00 Hannah’s path from urban gardening to sustainable agriculture
 00:49:00 Homeschooling philosophy and keeping kids engaged with life and work
 01:00:00 How farming builds autonomy, resilience, and life skills

Connect with Savage Mountain:

Website
Instagram

Follow the tour on YouTube