The Redeeming the Dirt Podcast

Noah Sanders
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Monthly

Do you love Jesus and love farming? Then this is the podcast for you! The host, Noah Sanders, is the author of Born-Again Dirt, Farming to the Glory of God. On this show he shares how we can connect faith and farming so that we can find purpose in glorifying God and serving others while excelling in land stewardship. As a market gardener and homesteader Noah shares stories from his own journey as well as interviews of other Christian Agrarians. Join us as we seek to Redeem the Dirt!

  1. Sep 1

    Government Handouts and the Homestead Act

    Send us Fan Mail Free land built a powerful American myth, but it also left a trail of failed farms, broken plans, and hard lessons that still matter today. We start with the Homestead Act and use it as a mirror for modern agriculture, asking a question that gets uncomfortable fast: when the government “helps” farmers through grants, loans, and farm subsidies, does it strengthen real farm viability or does it quietly make farmers more dependent and less free? We work through a biblical perspective on government and farming, including why taxation is not the same thing as redistribution, and why Christian generosity depends on private property and willing hearts. Then we get practical: how subsidy programs can distort market signals, nudge farm decisions toward the ideology of whoever controls the purse strings, and accelerate growth so fast that the school of hard knocks becomes fatal instead of educational. If you care about regenerative agriculture, small family farms, or farm business sustainability, you’ll recognize the tension between doing what’s permissible and doing what’s beneficial. We also dig into the unintended consequences of westward expansion incentives, including how “free” land removed a key economic warning sign and how railroad incentives shaped settlement patterns and shipping costs. The thread that ties it all together is a heart question: when farming gets hard, are we planning from trust in God’s provision or from a belief that government must fix our problems? Subscribe for more conversations on faith, farming, and policy, and if this challenged you, share it with a farmer or food-lover and leave a review. What do you think actually helps farmers thrive long term? Support the show

  2. Aug 28

    Government And Farming, God's Way?

    Send us Fan Mail A headline says the government wants to “advance regenerative agriculture” and suddenly every farmer has to decide what to celebrate, what to question, and what to refuse. I’m Noah Sanders, and I’m opening a new thread on a topic that sits right at the crossroads of faith, farming, and power: the proper role of civil government in agriculture, from grants and subsidies to food regulations and meat processing rules.  We start where Christians have to start, with Scripture. I read Romans 13 in context and talk through what it means to honor governing authorities as something God institutes to restrain evil and keep order, while remembering that submission is not the same thing as obeying every command when it conflicts with God’s word. That framework keeps us out of the easy ditches, whether that’s “all government is bad” or “if our side wins, everything will be fixed.”  From there, we zoom out to the big picture of sphere sovereignty: family, church, and state each have real responsibilities and real limits. When families and churches abdicate formation, charity, education, and community accountability, the state expands and local food systems get weaker. I also share why Christians should take local service seriously and how humility, careful listening, and learning from others can sharpen our thinking as we pursue God’s ways in regenerative farming and public life.  If this sparks questions for you, share the episode with a friend, subscribe so you don’t miss the follow-ups, and leave a review so more farmers and families can find the conversation. Support the show

  3. Jul 14

    Homeschooling On The Homestead

    Send us Fan Mail What does it look like to educate your children well when you're also milking cows, fixing tractors, and butchering chickens? In this episode, Noah sits down with Todd Smith — a former teacher and school administrator turned homeschooling, homesteading dad — to talk about integrating education and farm life instead of letting them compete. Todd shares the vision of "domestic monasticism" that led three families to co-own an 86-acre farm in East Tennessee, and why a life shaped by prayer, study, and labor forms children who are thoughtful, compassionate, and hardworking. In this episode: Why education is more formation than information — and what that frees you fromStarting with the end in mind: defining who you want your children to become before deciding what curriculum to useWriting a family vision statement (and why keeping the whole list in front of you is a recipe for discouragement)Charlotte Mason's simple daily framework: something to know, someone to love, something to doOral narration, commonplace notebooks, and copying Scripture — low-cost tools that actually build readers and writersA day in the life on St. Mary's FarmWhen the pigs get out and the tractor breaks: treating "distractions" as the curriculum, not interruptions to itAn honest conversation about family roles, complementarianism, and how Todd and his wife divide farm, income, and educationPractical first steps: choose one book, read it together, and make your child the resident expert on one part of the farmResources mentioned: Todd's packet of planning questions and skill lists for homesteading families The Monkhood of All Believers by Greg PetersThe Benedict Option and Live Not by Lies by Rod DreherCharlotte Mason's educational philosophyThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienConnect with Todd: Instagram: St. Mary's Farm TennesseeEmail: tsmith@fcsva.comUntil next time — be faithful, be humble, and keep redeeming the dirt. Support the show

  4. Jul 1

    Faith, Farming, And The Real Cost Of Freedom

    Send us Fan Mail Freedom gets talked about like it’s a feeling, but it’s really a foundation, and foundations can crack. With the 250th anniversary of America’s independence on our minds, we slow down and look at what liberty actually costs, what keeps it strong, and what happens when a culture starts trading it away piece by piece. I share why I’m deeply grateful to live in the United States, not as blind optimism, but as a sober appreciation for a heritage built through sacrifice and shaped by faith.  We go to Scripture, especially Galatians 5, to separate real Christian freedom from the cheap version that means “do whatever I want.” Christ sets us free so we can live free, and that freedom is meant to produce self-control and love of neighbor, not indulgence. From there, we talk about self-governance, the role of government in restraining evil, and why a moral code matters if you want a society where free speech, private property, and true religious liberty can survive. I also tell a story from Africa that challenged me to see America’s Christian heritage with fresh eyes.  Then we get practical through the lens of faith and farming. Economic independence and local production helped early Americans resist tyranny, and the same principle applies today when consumerism, debt, and dependency quietly limit our choices. If we want to keep living out a biblical worldview in our work, our homes, and our land, we need the courage to sacrifice comfort for freedom. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with one takeaway you want to live out this week. Buy a copy of Henry and the Great Society from our friends at https://homeward.press/ Support the show

  5. Jun 26

    Is Your Farm Producing Fruit that Will Last?

    Send us Fan Mail Your garden can look amazing while your life quietly runs on empty, and that’s exactly why we wanted to hit pause and talk about “fruit that lasts.”  I’m Noah Sanders, and this is a catch-up from our family, our farm, and the work God keeps pressing on my heart: stop chasing what looks impressive and rebuild life from the roots up. If you care about Christian homesteading, faith-based farming, and land stewardship that actually holds together over time, this one is a needed reset. In this episode I share highlights from the Homestead Conference in Texas, including what I taught on thermal composting and why gardening in the Deep South feels like relearning everything. Pests, heat, red-clay soil, and year-round growth change the game for Alabama and the southeastern United States, and that’s part of why I’m working on a new book with my friend David the Good, focused on dependable Deep South survival gardening.  I also give an update on the Well-Watered Garden Project, a simple 20 foot by 20 foot training garden built on Foundations for Farming principles, designed to help Christians grow food while practicing humility, unselfishness, and faithfulness. Then we go deeper. John 15 doesn’t leave room for fake fruit: Jesus is the vine, we’re the branches, and real growth comes from abiding in Christ. We talk about pruning, limits, and why the smallest daily moments often reveal the truest state of our discipleship. If you feel stretched thin, this will help you rethink what obedience looks like right now. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who’s carrying too much, and leave a review so more homesteaders can find the show. What’s one commitment you need to prune this season? If you like this show, we have a new way you can support the cost of hosting and production through our new monthly support page. The Redeeming the Dirt Podcast (The Redeeming the Dirt Podcast Support) Thanks for being a part of the team! Support the show

  6. Feb 24

    Why A Family Farm Needs A Mission To Thrive

    Send us Fan Mail What if the real power of a homestead isn’t the lifestyle but the launchpad it creates for mission, discipleship, and community? We sit down with Brayden Waller to explore how a family can move from “getting the farm in order” to setting sail with a clear, others-first purpose—without losing the heart of home along the way. Brayden shares his family’s unexpected path: leaving a high-hour job for presence, homeschooling for formation, and relocating into an Amish community for simplicity and togetherness. He explains how refusing control while welcoming outside testimonies built trust, conviction, and unity on the big decisions. From there, the story widens. The Wallers served Jewish farmers in Israel and later launched Love and Purity, a ministry focused on worship and whole-life holiness. Out of that came Harp and Farm, an immersive program where young adults learn music, work the soil, and form daily patterns of prayer, responsibility, and teamwork. We dig into practical rhythms that make faith tangible: using farm work as a living classroom, handling conflict as a path to growth, and building a crew mentality that prepares a family to actually leave the harbor. Brayden offers a powerful testimony of a student who traded screens for strings and soil, rediscovered purpose, and experienced a 180-degree life change. We also talk about raising kids by their gifts—celebrating the evangelist, the musician, and the cow-milker—and why meaningful roles beat passive entertainment every time. This conversation is for homesteaders, ministry leaders, and anyone who wants their daily work to carry kingdom weight. If you’ve felt stuck perfecting the ship but never setting sail, you’ll find courage to aim beyond the fence line: farmers markets as ministry touchpoints, visiting the weak, building a local fellowship, and learning when to pause for repairs and when to catch the wind.  To learn more about the Waller's ministry and apply for their internship visit https://www.loveandpurity.com/harpandfarminternship Support the show

  7. 11/18/2025

    Is Jesus Knocking on the Door of our Church?

    Send us Fan Mail A quiet country church. A knock on the side door. And a question that won’t leave us alone: what if Jesus is outside, patiently waiting to be invited in?  In this episode I share something a bit different; a guest sermon I gave at our church a few weeks ago to help fill in for our pastor. After a brief farm and family update, we will listen to my sermon on Revelation 3:14–22, the letter to Laodicea, to explore the uneasy distance between liking Jesus and actually following him. We unpack why Scripture calls lukewarm faith nauseating and why hot and cold are both images of usefulness—healing warmth and refreshing cool—while room temperature blends into its surroundings. With Laodicea’s banking, textiles, and eye salve as backdrop, we trace Jesus’ piercing diagnosis of self-satisfied religion and his generous prescription: gold refined by fire, white garments of righteousness, and salve for true sight. Along the way, we talk about real-life patterns that pull us toward comfort—people-pleasing, hurry, and performative faith—and simple, costly habits that reverse the drift: unhurried Scripture, honest prayer, confession, reconciling conversations, generous service, and witness that changes the room. The heart of the message is not shame but invitation. Those Jesus loves, he disciplines. He stands at the door and knocks, not with a battering ram, but with patient mercy, promising table fellowship to any who open, even if the whole room isn’t ready. We offer practical next steps to move from thermometer to thermostat, including one action this week that costs something and proves what we value. If you’ve felt “fine” yet fruitless, this conversation will help you trade comfort for a living, useful faith that leaves a holy mark on your family, church, and community. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and tell us: what door will you open to Jesus this week? Your story might encourage someone else to turn the knob. Send your thoughts and questions to noah@redeemingthedirt.com Support the show

  8. 10/08/2025

    Rethinking Success: Family, Freedom, and the Durable Trades

    Send us Fan Mail What if the most “successful” version of your life is the one that brings your faith and family back to the center? We sit down with author and homesteader Rory Groves to rethink success through the lens of calling, freedom, and the family economy. Rory shares how moving from a tech career to a 10-acre homestead reshaped his metrics—from income and scale to presence, purpose, and work his kids can inherit. We unpack insights from Durable Trades, the research behind family-centered vocations that have endured for centuries, and why chasing scale can quietly cost the very life we set out to build. The heart of the conversation is culture-making at home. We talk about forming a clear family vision, choosing vocations that fit that vision, and placing wise boundaries around technologies that promise convenience but often tax relationships. That sets the stage for Rory’s new season: launching a publishing house under Gather and Grow Ministries to get more accessible, story-driven resources into the world. First up is a revival of Henry and the Great Society, a short novel that follows a mid-century farming family as “progress” unravels their community. It’s a moving, practical tool—complete with an updated afterword and discussion guide—to help families and churches ask hard questions, draw lines with conviction, and take first steps toward a resilient, home-centered life. If you’ve wondered how to prepare your teens for meaningful work without debt, how to resist fragile, consumption-driven living, or how to bring your household into shared labor that forms character, this conversation is your map and motivation. Support the all-or-nothing Kickstarter for Henry and the Great Society (ends November 6), start a group discussion, and share this episode with a friend who needs a hopeful reset. If this resonates, follow, rate, and leave a review to help more families find their footing—and tell us: what does success look like for your home? Henry and The Great Society by Gather & Grow — Kickstarter Video Version of the Podcast Support the show

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5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Do you love Jesus and love farming? Then this is the podcast for you! The host, Noah Sanders, is the author of Born-Again Dirt, Farming to the Glory of God. On this show he shares how we can connect faith and farming so that we can find purpose in glorifying God and serving others while excelling in land stewardship. As a market gardener and homesteader Noah shares stories from his own journey as well as interviews of other Christian Agrarians. Join us as we seek to Redeem the Dirt!

Information

  • Creator
    Noah Sanders
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Redeeming the Dirt Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Redeeming the Dirt Podcast

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