The Regenaissance Podcast

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Farm tour #5 baby.

This one was really cool. Julie has great energy and speaks to some of most important issues surrounding regenerative farming. Enjoy!

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Julie Friend is a first-generation farmer who left city life in Chicago to return to her family’s land in western Maryland and build a regenerative livestock operation from the ground up. Her journey began with a personal health shift and quickly evolved into a deep commitment to ecological farming and ethical animal care.

Wildom Farm raises grass-fed beef and lamb, forest-raised pork, pastured poultry, and produces small-batch lard-based skincare. Focused on land regeneration, nutrient-dense food, and whole-animal use, the farm serves its local community through direct sales, farm dinners, and hands-on education.

Key Topics:

• Julie’s transition from urban business to regenerative farming
• The emotional complexity of raising and processing animals
• Whole-animal use and on-farm value-adding (bone broth, lard, hides)
• The economics and realities of small-scale food production
• Why local sourcing and consumer education matter

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Why “normal” meat is expensive—and what feedlots distort
 00:06:30 Discovering regenerative agriculture through Whole30
 00:08:30 Leaving Chicago and returning to steward family land
 00:17:00 First animal slaughter and why it never gets easier
 00:21:00 Whole-animal use: skincare, hides, and broth
 00:27:00 The slow economics of beef and forecasting challenges
 00:35:00 How to talk to your local farmer and ask good questions
 00:43:00 The cost of organic feed vs. conventional operations
 00:52:00 Why lard is uniquely suited for skincare
 01:04:00 Advice for women in agriculture or looking to join
 01:08:00 The emotional toll of farming

Connect with Julie

Website
Lard
Regenerative Meat
Instagram

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Farm tour #4. Hoo Rah!

We enjoyed this one - Michael is a 1st gen farmer and quite literally started his operation boots on the ground. We get into it...

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Michael Greco is the founder of Little O Ranch & Livestock, based in Saugerties, New York. A first-generation livestock producer, he leads a regenerative, holistic sheep operation in Hudson Valley. We unpack his philosophy, practices, and why he believes small-scale, community-connected farming is the future.

Key Topics:

• Starting a first-gen livestock farm in the Hudson Valley
• Holistic grazing practices and land stewardship
• Raising sheep without grain, antibiotics, or chemical inputs
• Building a direct-to-consumer meat business
• Reconnecting people to land, food, and seasonal rhythms

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Michael’s background and how he got into farming
00:07:10 Starting Little O Ranch and farming in Saugerties
00:14:22 Why he raises sheep and how he manages them holistically
00:22:40 Grazing strategy and avoiding grain, antibiotics, and chemicals
00:30:18 What regenerative means to him on a practical level
00:36:47 The business model: lamb shares, community dinners, selling direct
00:44:35 The emotional and philosophical side of land stewardship
00:50:10 Lessons from farming alone and the importance of observation
00:57:23 Long-term vision and thoughts on food systems
01:04:00 Final reflections on connection, trust, and land care

Connect with Michael:
Website
Instagram

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Farm tour #3. Wow. This episode is a must, must listen. An incredible perspective on farming, legacy, and what it takes to keep a farm in today's day and age. Enjoy, and share with a friend if this impacted you as well.

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Brad Wiley is a fifth-generation farmer at Otter Creek Farm in Pittstown, New York. He grew up working alongside his grandparents, parents, and sister, and today he stewards the land with a focus on diversification, sustainability, and family continuity. Brad is also a passionate local historian, with deep knowledge of his family’s roots and the surrounding region.

Otter Creek Farm is a 440-acre multigenerational farm in Pittstown, NY, with 200 tillable acres, 100 pasture acres, and 140 woodland acres. A former dairy farm (1937–2018), it now raises pastured poultry, pigs, grass-fed cattle, and turkeys, and hosts a 20-acre chestnut orchard run by Breadtree Farms.

Key Topics:

• Brad’s early memories on the farm and changes across generations
• The decision to end dairy and shift toward grass-fed/regenerative
• Navigating family legacy, land succession, and identity
• The role of history, community, and storytelling in farm life
• The deeper “why” behind keeping Otter Creek alive and resilient

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Brad’s roots: five generations on Otter Creek
00:06:15 The end of dairy and what came after
00:11:45 Transitioning to diversified livestock and pasture
00:17:30 Navigating family dynamics and succession
00:31:40 Balancing conviction with economic reality
00:37:00 What stewardship means in practice
00:47:30 What drives him to keep farming
00:54:20 The daily grind: routine, rhythm, and responsibility
01:01:10 Supporting the next generation without control
01:10:40 Climate, weather, and shifting environmental patterns
01:18:30 What “regeneration” means—and doesn’t mean—to Brad
01:50:40 Final thoughts: continuity, hope, and what endures

Connect with Brad:

Website

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Elizabeth Collins is a first-generation farmer co-running Otter Creek Farm with Brad Wiley. Originally from Cincinnati, she moved from Lexington, KY, and now leads the farm’s livestock, regenerative operations, and Graceful Acres Farmstay.

Otter Creek Farm is a 440-acre multigenerational farm in Pittstown, NY, with 200 tillable acres, 100 pasture acres, and 140 woodland acres. A former dairy farm (1937–2018), it now raises pastured poultry, pigs, grass-fed cattle, and turkeys, and hosts a 20-acre chestnut orchard run by Breadtree Farms.

Alrighty, ranch 3!

Today we speak to Elizabeth Collins. Elizabeth has an amazing story of how she battled the odds to become a farmer at age 40. We discuss:

• How Elizabeth became a farmer in her 40s after a life in business and food advocacy
• The role of grants and how they enable regenerative agriculture to survive
• Why she opposes USDA slaughter rules and advocates for humane, on-farm kills
• The legacy of Temple Grandin and how autism helped redesign slaughter systems
• Why she nearly became vegan—and how Cowspiracy gets regenerative farming wrong
• Are co-ops viable, and what lessons she learned from working with one
• What regenerative ranching really means to her, and how she's living it

Timestamps

00:00:00 Why Elizabeth rejects USDA slaughter and does on-farm kills
 00:00:30 Her awakening to food, fat, and the broken health narrative
 00:11:15 Selling a business and moving north: the midlife pivot
 00:15:30 Lessons from a failed co-op and how the system is broken
 00:19:40 The visceral moment she knew she needed to farm
 00:26:15 Interning at 40 and what the 22-year-olds taught her
 00:40:30 Grants as a lifeline for regenerative farms—and why they're vanishing
 00:45:00 Legal barriers and values behind her small-scale slaughter model
 00:50:40 Temple Grandin and the redesign of humane slaughter
 01:09:00 'Cowspiracy' and why it's irrelevant to regenerative farming
 01:20:30 Why she can’t legally sell her own meat in her farm store
 01:26:15 What regenerative ranching truly means to Elizabeth

Connect with Elizabeth!

Website
Come Stay At Otter Creek...
Instagram

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Ranch tour #3.

Onto the 2nd ranch of our U.S Ranch and Farm Tour, where we are on a on a 6-month tour across America, we're visiting regenerative farms to podcast with ranchers, tour their land, document their work, and shake the hand that feeds us. Today's episode is with Maple Syrup rancher, Jacob Powsner. Jacob is great value. He absolutely loves maple syrup, which just makes the conversation that much better. He's living his dream. Alas, we do a total expose on everything Maple Syrup - super fascinating stuff.

Enjoy!

Jacob Baird is part of the fourth generation running Baird Farm, a 560-acre maple syrup operation in Vermont. In this episode, Jacob and Ryan dive into the full story behind maple syrup—how it’s made, what separates the real from the fake, and why so many food labels today are built on confusion. From the misuse of terms like “natural” and “regenerative,” to the nutritional power of real syrup and the policies shaping food transparency, this is a candid conversation about what honest food really takes.

Key topics:

- How real maple syrup is made—from forest to sugarhouse

- The difference between real and fake maple products

- Why “natural,” “organic,” and “regenerative” labels often mislead

- The nutritional and environmental case for real maple syrup

- Small farms vs big food: marketing, policy, and system capture

Timestamps:

00:00:00 “When you eat good food, you connect to the land”
 00:03:30 The 100-year family history of Baird Farm and the shift from dairy to maple
 00:06:00 How 15,000 trees are tapped and managed across the Vermont woods
 00:09:00 What makes real maple syrup: process, purity, and organic practices
 00:12:30 The truth about fake syrup, flavoring loopholes, and deceptive labels
 00:16:00 The “natural flavors” problem and how big food co-opts language
 00:19:00 Why regenerative is at risk of being greenwashed
 00:22:00 Health benefits of real maple syrup: minerals, glycemic load, and antioxidants
 00:25:00 Why maple syrup protects land from development and deforestation
 00:28:00 How big players are consolidating the maple industry and what’s at stake
 00:31:00 Jacob’s vision for small, intentional growth and honest food systems

Connect with Jason & Baird Farm:

Website
Instagram

Follow the tour on YouTube