The Regenaissance Podcast

The Regenaissance
  • 4.7 (13)
  • Earth Sciences

Hosted by @Regenaisanceman with the mission of reconnecting us back to where our food is grown & exposing everything that is wrong with our broken food system. We are more disconnected from our food than we ever have been. I sit down with ranchers and farmers to give them a voice and hear their stories, helping paint a picture of what it really looks like to support humanity with food. I also will be talking to others involved in the agriculture space as there is a lot that goes into it all. My hope is that from hearing this podcast you will begin to question what you eat and where from.

  1. 6d ago

    America Has Perfect Soil for Garlic, So Why Is It All Imported? - Cottage Pastures #119

    Matthew runs Cottage Pastures on 26 acres in Switzerland County, Indiana, raising pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep alongside garlic and herbs - everything sold under the name is raised on the farm itself. He and his wife bought the property in 2022 and built it up from a homesteading project into a full working farm.  Our conversation centers on garlic: despite ideal growing conditions across the Midwest, most garlic sold in the U.S. is imported, and a soil-borne fungal disease can make land unable to grow garlic for 20 to 40 years once it takes hold. This is a risk Cottage Pastures is now soil-testing to get ahead of. We talk through how the farm accidentally ended up growing 20-plus garlic varieties, why the economics of commodity crops crowd out specialty ones like garlic, and what it costs to raise and ship chicken nationwide as a direct-to-consumer farm.  Matthew also gets into why pre-orders rather than outside financing keep the farm's cash flow working, how he decides what to raise or cut as the operation grows, and what it looks like to raise kids alongside farm work without compelling them to help. Key topics:- Why most U.S. garlic and herbs are imported despite favorable growing conditions- A soil-borne fungal disease that can end garlic production on a piece of land for decades- How Cottage Pastures accidentally became a 20-plus variety garlic farm- The real cost of raising and processing chicken for direct-to-consumer sale- Grass-fed and grass-finished labeling: domestic vs. imported- Deciding what to raise, expand, or cut as the farm scales- Raising kids on the farm without compelling their help- Plans for a 2027 regional farm-share model in Cincinnati/Louisville Timestamps0:00 – Intro + catch-up, farm rebrand to Cottage Pastures 2:30 – Why the family moved to Switzerland County, Indiana 15:00 – Daily schedule: full-time job plus farm work 19:00 – Garlic harvest race against incoming rain 27:00 – Cost of shipping meat nationwide 31:00 – Why most U.S. herbs and garlic are imported 44:00 – How the farm ended up with 20-plus garlic varieties 48:00 – Fungal disease risk and soil testing plans 58:00 – Real cost of raising and processing chicken 1:07:00 – Grass-fed and grass-finished: domestic vs. imported 1:12:00 – Deciding what to raise, expand, or cut 1:16:00 – Plans for a 2027 regional farm-share program 1:19:00 – Raising kids on the farm 1:26:00 – Closing thoughts on local food and staying hopeful Links:https://cottagepastures.com/about/https://www.instagram.com/cottagepastures/https://www.facebook.com/CottagePastures/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-6-interview-with-carissa-a-year-in-review/id1700604702?i=1000628016269 The Regenaissance Podcast explores the people, farms, and ideas rebuilding our food system from the ground up.

    America Has Perfect Soil for Garlic, So Why Is It All Imported? - Cottage Pastures #119

  2. Jul 21

    My Herd Shares Got State Subpoenaed: Why This Threatens Local Food - Joel Hollingsworth | #118

    Joel Hollinsworth runs Smoke River Ranch in Oklahoma, where he's built a herd-share community of about 40 families co-owning cattle together - a model that's taken his herd from 15 animals to 425 in four years. But, this could all be taken away, as he's fighting two subpoenas from the Oklahoma Department of Securities on claims his shares are unregistered financial securities. In this episode, Joel breaks down exactly how that herd-share structure works economically, and then walks through the legal fight he's currently in. He gets into why that claim doesn't hold up, who's helping him fight it (including USDA's Brooke Rollins' office and the American First Policy Institute), how they're fighting it, and what's at stake for other ranchers running similar models. Ultimately, this challenge threatens not only Joel's ranch, but the broader idea that people should be able to support and participate in local food systems without facing unnecessary regulatory burdens or government overreach. We also talk through the broader pattern of regulatory overreach in agriculture, and close with Joel's advice for young people looking to get into ranching - namely, don't try to do it alone. Key topics How the herd-share model works (co-ownership, calf splits, time horizons)The Oklahoma securities subpoenas and the case against themLegal support and path forward (Rollins' office, state legislation)Advice for young ranchers on doing this in communityTimestamps 0:00 – Intro + catch-up2:00 – Herd-share model origins5:00 – Scaling to 425 head + genetics program13:00 – First subpoena17:30 – Second subpoena, securities claim explained21:30 – Why it's not a security26:00 – Comparisons to other ag regulatory fights31:00 – Legal support and path forward47:30 – Herd-share financials + time horizons58:30 – Advice for young ranchers + close Connect with Joel Support Joel's GofundmeSmoke River Ranch WebsiteHerdsharesApply for HerdsharesXLast episode

    My Herd Shares Got State Subpoenaed: Why This Threatens Local Food - Joel Hollingsworth | #118

  3. Jun 24

    Meet Francine, The Farm Mom Building an App To Challenge Big Food - Francine | #117

    Francine is a farmer, mom of four, and co-founder of the Mulberry Tree App - a farm-to-fork platform that lets consumers buy ingredients directly from local farms, with no listing fees, no middleman, and no data selling. She and her husband built it from scratch, self-funded, while navigating mold illness, alpha-gal syndrome in their family, and a bunch of scammers! They launched the app in January 2025. We talk through how the app works, why convenience is the real barrier between consumers and local farms, and what it actually takes to build something like this without outside funding or corporate backing. Enjoy :) What we talk about: - How the Mulberry Tree App works - farm-to-fork recipes, local farmer discovery, 24/7 farmers market- Why they don't charge farmers listing or marketing fees- Facebook censorship of farm products during COVID and why it pushed them to build their own platform- The grassroots marketing approach: vendor events, merchandise, one-on-one outreach- Alpha-gal syndrome - what it is, how misinformation is hurting people, and why the app has 300+ alpha-gal-safe recipes- Mold illness, raising four kids on a farm, and the tribulations behind building the business- The case for food sovereignty and why 77 farms closing per day is a national problem Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro1:10 — What is the Mulberry Tree App?6:45 — How it handles the convenience problem for consumers12:00 — The origin story - a dream, a husband, and no coding experience18:30 — Facebook censorship and why decentralization matters26:00 — Grassroots marketing: vendor events, shirts, 400 downloads in two weeks32:00 — Consumer patterns and what makes the app experience different39:00 — The town square, courses, live animal listings, and cottage industry sellers47:00 — Growing up on farms, moving to Arkansas, raising kids outside the system54:00 — Mold illness, alpha-gal, and the year their son was on steroids1:04:00 — Why most businesses fail and why they didn't1:09:00 — Final thoughts: know your farmer, know your food How to Support Francine: Download the app via their website Connect with her via X

    Meet Francine, The Farm Mom Building an App To Challenge Big Food - Francine | #117

  4. Jun 17

    Polyunsaturated Fats, Metabolic Health, and Fixing The American Food System - Ash Armstrong | #116

    Ashley Armstrong is a first-generation regenerative farmer and co-founder of Strong Sistas, a health platform born out of her own autoimmune diagnosis. She built Angel Acres Farm in Southwest Michigan from the ground up, producing corn- and soy-free eggs, and went on to found Nourish Food Club - a cooperative network of small regenerative farms supplying clean, transparently raised food directly to families.What We Cover How Ashley went from graduate school to building a regenerative farm from scratchWhy conventional chicken and pork now have a fatty acid profile closer to seed oils than real meatThe 100-year shift in dietary fats and what it's doing to human metabolismHow Nourish Food Club is reviving the farm cooperative model to support small farmersThe bureaucratic bullying small farms face daily - and why the system is designed against themTimestamps 00:00 – Ashley's health crisis and path to farming 06:30 – Building Angel Acres from scratch 13:00 – Lessons from 12 years of competitive golf 18:45 – How Nourish Food Club works 26:00 – Why cheap and quality food can't coexist 33:30 – The 100-year shift away from saturated fat 42:00 – How corn and soy changed pork and chicken 49:30 – Phytonutrients in pasture-raised meat 56:00 – Why grocery labels are meaningless 01:03:00 – The problem with indoor farming 01:09:30 – Bureaucratic bullying and the jerky incident 01:17:00 – Why small farm costs are structurally higher 01:28:00 – Where consumers can start Links WebsiteInstagramYouTube Regenaissance YouTube Channel About The Podcast: The Regenaissance Podcast explores the people, farms, and ideas rebuilding our food system from the ground up.

    Polyunsaturated Fats, Metabolic Health, and Fixing The American Food System - Ash Armstrong | #116

  5. May 28

    How Maple Syrup Is Truly Made (Inside a 107-Year-Old Vermont Farm) - Baird Maple Farm Highlights

    Baird Maple Syrup Farm in Vermont has been producing maple syrup for over a century. I visit with farm managers and sugar makers, Jacob and Jenna Baird. Jenna is the fifth generation of her family to work this land. What We Cover How maple syrup is made (and why most people have it wrong).The modern sugar bush (100+ miles of tubing, vacuum systems, and leak-chasing).Reading labels (how to spot fake or blended "maple" products at the grocery store).The full production season why it's a 6-week sprint, what starts it, and what ends it).Farm succession and conservation (how the Baird family is transitioning a 107-year-old farm to the next generation). Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome to Baird Farm: 107 years of maple and dairy history 02:00 — Why it's so hard to keep a farm across generations 08:00 — Sap vs. syrup: what you're actually pulling from the tree 09:00 — How to read a maple syrup label (and spot the fakes) 11:00 — How vacuum tubing works and why it doubles production 17:00 — How tapping actually works: drilling, spouts, and tree health 21:00 — The production season: a 6-week window from February to April 34:00 — Farm succession: leasing to own and navigating family transitions 43:00 — Reverse osmosis and the sugar house: how sap becomes syrup 47:00 — Sugar maple vs. red maple: how to tell them apart in the bush Connect with Jason & Baird Farm: WebsiteInstagramFollow our Youtube Channel

  6. May 20

    Why I Feel Called To Manage Animals Responsibly | Bryson Lipscomb

    Farmer Stories pulls the best conversations from The Regenaissance archive - real voices from American farmers on the systems, economics, and communities shaping food and land in the US. 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. Timestamps: 00:00 – Biblical dominion and why he left USDA butchers 06:00 – PSE meat explained: what stress does to pork quality 09:00 – Electro stunning abuse and burn wounds on the meat 16:00 – USDA butcher threatens to ice him out as a customer 19:00 – The final straw: filthy shop, wrong pig returned, going full PMA Connect With Bryson: WebsiteInstagram Follow the tour on YouTube

    Why I Feel Called To Manage Animals Responsibly | Bryson Lipscomb

  7. May 13

    Why Farmers Need To Be Profitable, 3am Burnout, & Why Amish-Mennonite Community Still Works | Tony Eash

    Tony Eash runs Triple E Farms in West Virginia with his brother Phil - a raw dairy and pasture-raised operation built from bare land, rooted in regenerative principles and faith in community. Farmer Stories pulls the best conversations from The Regenaissance archive - real voices from American farmers on the systems, economics, and communities shaping food and land in the US. Timestamps: 0:00 — Why farmers not making money is everyone's problem 1:00 — What on-farm milk testing actually costs 2:00 — Building a farm from scratch while working full-time 5:00 — Quitting time: 10:30pm. Wake up: 3:30am 6:30 — Why they walked away from pigs and chickens 8:00 — How the Amish moving in changed everything Connect with Triple E WebsiteInstagramWatch full episode Follow the tour on YouTube

    Why Farmers Need To Be Profitable, 3am Burnout, & Why Amish-Mennonite Community Still Works | Tony Eash

  8. May 7

    A Danish Energy Giant (Ørsted) Is Coming After My Ranch - Casey Murph | #115

    Ørsted, a Danish renewable energy giant, is trying to lease 4,000 acres of Casey's state grazing land in Arizona to build an industrial solar array - land that he depends on for winter range, without which the ranch isn't viable. Casey believes productive grazing land shouldn't be touched when there's no shortage of barren desert, parking lots, and brownfields that could take solar instead - and the companies could do it if they wanted to, they just won't because it's cheaper and easier to go after open range. Casey Murph is a fifth-generation cattle rancher in northeastern Arizona. This episode covers that fight, and what's at stake for generational ranching in America. 5 Key Topics: How Ørsted is attempting to take Casey's winter range for industrial solarWhy solar should go on parking lots and brownfields, not productive grazing landØrsted's existing Arizona install powers a Meta data centre, not homesThe collapse of independent beef operations and what it's done to supply and priceCasey's strategy: state land pressure, political allies, and buying timeTimestamps: 00:00 - Casey intro02:00 - The Ørsted solar threat05:00 - Foreign-owned conglomerates09:00 - Urban disconnection from food11:00 - Where solar should go instead18:00 - Political strategy and allies19:00 - Ørsted's Pinal County install: homes promised, Meta data centre delivered28:00 - Beef supply consolidation31:00 - Feedlots and grass-finishing36:00 - Approval timeline and how to help Connect with Casey:X

    A Danish Energy Giant (Ørsted) Is Coming After My Ranch - Casey Murph | #115
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Hosted by @Regenaisanceman with the mission of reconnecting us back to where our food is grown & exposing everything that is wrong with our broken food system. We are more disconnected from our food than we ever have been. I sit down with ranchers and farmers to give them a voice and hear their stories, helping paint a picture of what it really looks like to support humanity with food. I also will be talking to others involved in the agriculture space as there is a lot that goes into it all. My hope is that from hearing this podcast you will begin to question what you eat and where from.

Information

  • Creator
    The Regenaissance
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    141
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Regenaissance
  • Show Website
    The Regenaissance Podcast

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