Fair Hill Farmstead Life

Yes. Using light to solve for measuring nutrient density in food. Meet Dan Kittredge, man who coined the term Nutrient Density, founder of the Bionutrient Institute, Bionutrient Food Association, and a man on a mission to map how much nutrition is possible in food. Sure, our food situation serious. We are 3-4 generations into systemic malnutrition. But according to Dan, the good news is that massive improvement is possible, and any one of 8 different things you can do will cause it to be better. We can actually improve the system function pretty fast. Even more encouraging, it's really easy to do a much better job once we realize what we are doing. Now imagine if people had the ability to judge the quality of food in their hand before they buy it, by just bloop-bloop handheld light analysis. It could change the trajectory of humankind. That's *exactly* what he's doing in his 25 million dollar project. Dan explains how this device is the foundation for shifting incentive in our food system from volume-based to quality-rewarding. And the implications are seismic. www.bionutrient.org www.bionutrientfood.org www.dankittredge.com

Ed and Maya Skopal at I-TAL acres share their approach to what they call "fusion herbalism," drawing on Native American, Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Caribbean traditions, and explain why growing their own herbs from seed to tincture makes all the difference in potency. Whether you're a seasoned herbalist or just curious about what's growing in your own backyard, this conversation will change how you think about the healing power of plants. http://www.italacres.com http://www.instagram.com/italacres/ http://www.facebook.com/italacres/

Enjoy an engaging episode with Ralph Bianculli, CEO and Founder of Emerald Ecovations. Since 1997, Ralph has spearheaded the green movement, reducing waste and advancing sustainability via innovative products like Tree-Free™ towels and tissues, compostable tableware, and non-toxic cleaners—proving businesses can prosper while safeguarding the planet. In this interview, Ralph unveils how his material technology firm aggregates eco-friendly raw materials from U.S. farmland byproducts (bagasse, clay, cornstarch, wheat, miscanthus) and equips manufacturers with blueprints, licensing, marketing, and data. It's a blueprint for middle America to seize the middle market, thriving amid tariffs and the "Buy American" revival, with direct contracts prioritizing organic and regenerative farmers. Self-employed entrepreneurs and U.S. manufacturing enthusiasts—tune in for Ralph's actionable insights on forging a greener, resilient future.

What if the future of food wasn’t just sustainable, but regeneratively superior? Join us for an explosive deep dive with Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, Founder & Director, Ecdysis Foundation and owner of Blue Dasher Farm, a research foundation as well as training ground for future scientists and farmers. He is an Agroecologist, Farmer, Rancher, and Beekeeper the driving force behind the Thousand Farms Initiative. This isn’t just another farm study. This is the largest regenerative food nutritional analysis and ecological data-gathering effort in history spanning over 1,700 farms, 10+ ecoregions, and decades of soil, crop, and livestock data including the largest comprehensive nutritional nutritional analysis gathering data on over 16,000 phytonutrients alone. Dr. Lundgren tackles hard questions: What is healthy food? How much nutritional value do we have in our food today? How much should we have? How much is possible? Regenerative systems are handily outperforming conventional in nutrient density, pest control, and profitability and he's following thousands of farms and gathering before and after data when they are converting from conventional to regenerative methods. He's doing the hard work and proving it works. www.ecdysis.bio www.bluedasher.farm

Peter Byck is currently helping to lead a $10 million research project comparing Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing with conventional grazing; collaborating with 20 scientists and 10 farm families, focused on soil health & soil carbon storage, GHG cycling, microbial/bug/bird biodiversity & water cycling. The research also includes a new, 4-part docuseries called Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there), directed by Byck, which is all about the inventive farmers and maverick scientists building a path to solving climate change with hooves, heart and soil. View the trailer and CNN segment. Byck is a professor of practice at Arizona State University, in both the School of Sustainability and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, where he teaches students to make short documentary films about sustainability solutions. He is the director, producer and writer of carbon nation, a documentary film about climate change solutions. In 2020, Byck completed carbon cowboys, a 10-part documentary short film series, focused on regenerative grazing.

Powerful antiviral and cellular health powerhouse Elderberry are surging in popularity... because it WORKS! Russell Carter is about more than crafting a cleaner elderberry syrup. He’s helping to open eyes to the reality that a majority of elderberry products on the market are cleverly watered down, and that sugar and preservatives have become the norm. Russell has built a regenerative farm model where his elderberries come from his own fields and every drop of honey is produced by hives his family tends, providing full transparency from plant to bottle. Indiana-based Heartland Elderberry Farms’ mission reflects a commitment to both land stewardship and consumer education. Russell is especially passionate about the idea that not all elderberry syrups are created equal and loves providing clarity for families who want to make more informed wellness decisions. He’s always eager to dive into what it takes to truly honor the land and support immune health the right way. https://www.heartlandelderberryfarms.com/

Evan Harrison, the visionary CEO of Kiss the Ground—a nonprofit powerhouse that's igniting the regenerative agriculture movement through storytelling. Evan unpacks the transformative power of regenerative agriculture, from boosting nutrient density in our food to fueling the farm-to-table movement that's reconnecting us with nature's bounty. We'll also explore the cultural ripple effects of Kiss the Ground's groundbreaking films: the award-winning film Kiss the Ground (narrated by Woody Harrelson), which has inspired millions and even influenced USDA policy with its call to regenerate soils for climate stability; and its even more impactful sequel documentary film Common Ground (featuring narrators Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, and Donald Glover), a Tribeca and Cinema for Peace winner exposing the politics behind our broken food system while spotlighting real-world solutions from regenerative farmers. With a background in digital media, Evan pioneered music platforms at iHeartRadio and AOL. Now Evan brings his passion for environmentalism (sparked by his lifelong love of surfing and board service at Surfrider Foundation) to lead the charge against climate, water, and health crises through soil regeneration. Donate to help convert land to regenerative practices at www.kisstheground.com Common Ground Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFIHqbStxpU&t=6

Keith Bearden, CEO of Alter Eco Foods, makes chocolate. REALLY GOOD chocolate. His company takes chocolate to a whole new level, for the whole ‘ecosystem’ from producer to manufacturing to finished product. We discuss growing, transportation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and more. You’ll walk away from this knowing a LOT more about chocolate and caring very much what’s in it, why, and where it came from. According to Keith, if you eat an Alter Eco bar you’re helping to improve the planet one chocolate bar at a time. https://www.alterecofoods.com/

Josh Dorfman is a climate entrepreneur, author, and media personality. As CEO and host of Supercool, he hosts the SUPERCOOL podcast spotlighting real-world climate solutions that cut carbon, boost the bottom line, and improve modern life. Previously, Josh co-founded and was CEO of Plantd a carbon-negative building materials manufacturer named to Fast Company’s 2024 list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Josh has founded two modern design sustainable furniture startups, launched and led Vine.com, an Amazon business for natural and organic products, and served as CEO of The Collider, the nation’s first innovation center for climate resilience and adaptation. Earlier in his career, Josh was executive producer and host of The Lazy Environmentalist, an award-winning media brand he developed into a Sundance Channel television series, a daily SiriusXM radio show, and two books.

Over 17,000 ranches fail annually, a trend persisting for 40 years. The average rancher is 58, with 89% of ranches under 100 cows (average herd: 22). Most are family-run, with off-farm jobs. For every retiring rancher, fewer than one replaces them, threatening agriculture’s future. Joel and the crew at Smoke River Ranch are experts in history, economics, and agriculture, are reversing this decline. Their proof-of-concept farm grew from 15 to over 400 head in three years, pioneering digital localism, community-building, ultra-high-density grazing, and advanced cattle genetics. https://www.smokeriverranch.com/ X: UntappedGrowth

A new and ancient story about perennial nut trees, our ecological role as humans, and the future of food. Feed Us with Trees is Elspeth's hopeful manifesto about a new and ancient food system centered on perennial nut trees: oaks, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. Elspeth is an Author, creator of the Local Food Report, and proponent of place-based living. Deeply immersed in her own local-food system, Elspeth’s work focuses on food, the environment, and the people, places, and ideas that feed us. www.elspethhay.com IG: Elspeth Hay (@elspethhay)

Louis de Jaeger is a permaculturist, author, and award-winning documentary filmmaker from Bruges, Belgium. He’s pro Team Humanity and deeply passionate about soil regeneration. He's on a mission to regenerate 550 million hectares of land through his work. Louis sees a path forward for our species as stewards on this Earth. We discussed his brand new critically acclaimed book "Save Our Soils." To quote Alan Savory on Louis' writing:"he puts his ego aside with humility to listen to what nature is saying, with the courage to challenge his own beliefs." https://louisdj.com/ linkedin.com/in/louisdejaeger

Sam Baker is a chemist who started a company with his friends while he was at University. Wrigglebrew is a unique little company solving fertilizer runoff, algal blooms, increasing nutrient density in foods, all by creating a shelf-stable organic fertilizer from earthworm manure tea. He tells his tale of Perionyx Excavatus earthworms, Teddy the worm guy, the magic of enzymes in natural processes, the great problems of growing 10x every year, and the latest project he is working on – his own discovered process using a series of worms to successfully ingest and consume nonrecyclable dirty polystyrene and related plastics and then making tea from it! www.wrigglebrew.com www.instragram.com/wrigglebrew www.Facebook.com/PRAGwrigglebrew https://x.com/llcprag www.linkedin.com/company/wrigglebrew https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPzJEBVwHWJzbmc15QN5TcQ

Skeptical of hydroponics claiming to be regenerative? Meet Connor Tidd CEO of Just Vertical. Right out of the gate Judith challenges Connor to make the case that hydroponics can indeed be regenerative and even the best option in certain places on earth where us humans live. Just Vertical is a small company out of Ontario Canada that's starting to get a lot of attention. www.justvertical.com and on IG: just.vertical

Van Carlson is the Founder & CEO of SRA 831(b) Admin and has over 25 years of experience within the risk management industry. In 2008, he saw the Great Recession hit his commercial business clients hard, and just like them, he was also affected by the sharp downturn in our economy. During this time, he realized there must be a better way to manage risk overall. From that desire to improve business operations for both himself and his clients, along with his extensive background in insurance, risk management, and finance, a mission to educate others about 831(b) Plans began. It continues today with his steadfast commitment to empowering trusted advisors and entrepreneurs through innovative risk solutions, Carlson has been a guest on more than 75 podcasts in a myriad of industries and has presented at conferences across the country. He also spearheaded SRA to new heights, earning a spot on the Inc 5000 among other prestigious awards. https://www.831b.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancarlson/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sra-831b/

Meet Andrew Millison, permaculture educator at Oregon State University, and owner of the largest permaculture channel on YouTube. He’s known for his instructional videos covering massive projects like greening the Sahara Desert and several different national level projects in India to restore entire watersheds and make rivers flow again. Andrew talks about a series of projects around the world he's covered, things he's learned and lessons for us all. Andrew seeks solutions and then highlights them to spark understanding and seeing the inner connection between the earth, food, health, and society… he finds the places where things are working and he studies them then elevates and shares these success stories, all across the globe. Youtube Channel: Andrew Millison

Meet Janelle Anderson, the striking tall iconic farmsteading milkmaid and cattle guru. She’s in lots of homesteading videos in her wide brimmed hat flashing her million dollar smile and sharing a TON of knowledge. She and her husband founded The Haven Farmstead in Tennessee where they live with their children. Janelle examines the critical importance of planning, mentors, support networks and community, touching on the differences between plans and the flow of life circumstances, and how to be both flexible and resilient in the face of unexpected events and setbacks. We also talk about biodiversity in pasture management, nerd out on native grasses. Janelle talks candidly about hard choices and the temptation of adding too much livestock, and touches on having a Plan B in case of adversity – and how she ended up using her own small crisis and turned it into a blessing for others. Her big heart and deep wisdom shines through. It’s no wonder that she’s gracing stages nationwide in homesteading circles. To take advantage of Janelle’s classes, workshops, livestock consulting and mentoring, and to learn about her upcoming book on beef cattle on the farmstead, visit www.TheHavenFarmstead.com IG: JanelleLynnAnderson

Billy Nelson, custom knifemaker and founder of ELEVEN KNIVES COMPANY – (soon to be XIRO knives). is a hard-charging craftsman, driven by his ambition, entrepreneurism, and relentless pursuit of quality. He creates knives from special-purpose American industrial steel that is being discarded, wooden waste materials, and a special proprietary process for making visually stunning handles in a regenerative process turning waste to heirlooms. He talks about the timeless resilient beauty of carbon steel heirloom cleavers and his bestselling vegetable workhorse – the timeless Japanese Nakiri. I’ve held his knives. Not only are they perfectly balanced and perfectly fashioned, but they are drop-dead GORGEOUS. Check out his stellar craftsmanship at http://www.elevenknives.com

Lindy Elston, owner of Lindy’s Designs and a 24-year old entrepreneur, specializing in upcycling items, adding Pendleton Wool patterns, and giving things a new life. She’s a 4th generation farmer in Pennsylvania sharing knowledge and experience with her own generation, Gen Z / Post Millennials, in today’s uncertain world. From Lindy’s designs upcycled items to Lindy’s Field Notes where she teaches canning, homesteading skills, hunting, gardening, and and old things new again. See her inspired designs, named after influential women in her life: www.Lindy-design.com and on instagram: _lindydesign_

From catching a wild swarm to horizontal hives, listen to how to shed the 'factory beekeeping' paradigms and raise super healthy bees, naturally, with minimal physical effort, happier bees, fewer stings, and zero chemical inputs. Adam lays it all out sequentially in this must-listen-to episode. Adam is the founder of http://www.beekept.com and the author of Bee Kept with Wild and Free Honeybees. Adam and his wife Leslie keep bees in Culleoka, Tennessee and build horizontal hives, give classes, run an online mentor-mentee beekeeping club, and much more.