The Regenaissance Podcast

• Josh & Jessica Guptill - We Want To Know Our Customers... Then Educate Them | #86

  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 productionHow different animals (chickens, pigs, sheep, cattle) work together to regenerate landWhy transparency and on-farm visits build trust between farmers and eatersThe role of farmers’ markets, and what separates thriving ones from failing onesHow faith and community shape their vision of farming as a vocationTimestamps:00:00:00 Josh & Jessica’s backstory and first encounters with farming00:07:00 Early challenges raising and butchering chickens00:13:00 Deciding to leave the Coast Guard and pursue farming00:19:00 Finding and moving onto their current Virginia farm00:25:00 Scaling up chickens, pigs, and lamb during COVID00:33:00 Why their farmers’ market works—and why others fail00:40:00 Marketing, transparency, and building customer trust00:48:00 The meaning behind the name “Rehoboth Farm”00:53:00 Questions consumers should ask at farmers’ markets01:00:00 Hosting on-farm classes and why visits matterWebsiteInstagramFacebook

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• Jordan Green - Economics, Marketing, & Storytelling In Agriculture | #85

  In this episode, Jordan and I discuss the importance of economics, marketing, and storytelling in agriculture. Follow the tour on YouTubeJordan 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 TopicsEscaping the industrial poultry system and its impact on animals and farmersApprenticeship at Polyface Farm and lessons from Joel SalatinMilitary service and how it shaped the decision to start J&L Green FarmThe struggles of starting a farm business during the 2008 financial crisisWhy marketing and storytelling matter as much as production in regenerative farmingTimestamps:00:00:00 Why cheap food threatens the survival of American farms00:03:00 Inside poultry houses: dust, ammonia, and farmer servitude00:08:00 Contracts, mortgages, and the trap of industrial poultry farming00:17:00 Apprenticeship at Polyface and scaling pasture-based livestock00:24:00 The reality of death and livestock farming behind the scenes00:29:00 Joining the Marines and balancing military life with farm dreams00:36:00 Starting J&L Green Farm with land, capital, and a Polyface contract00:40:00 Surviving the 2008 housing crash while building a farm business00:42:00 Why marketing is the hardest but most crucial part of farming00:49:00 The clash between fast tech and slow ecology in food production00:55:00 Building customer relationships, not flash sales01:00:00 Why most farms aren’t welcoming to the public and how J&L differsConnect with Jordan, J&L Farm:WebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTube

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• Bryson Lipscomb - Worst USDA Butcher Experiences | #84

  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 TopicsCOVID as a wake-up call for food independenceThe realities of raising animals on pastureStewardship, resilience, and lessons from livestockIndustrial processing vs. small farm alternativesFaith, freedom, and food sovereignty through PMAsTimestamps00:01:00 COVID meat shortages spark the leap into farming00:04:00 First pigs, early mistakes, and discovering regenerative farming00:09:00 Pig escapes and fencing failures — hard lessons in stewardship00:18:00 From alcoholism to faith — how farming changed everything00:31:00 Why small farms can’t compete with Smithfield00:34:00 The hidden costs of USDA butchering00:43:00 Dominion, faith, and the moral conflict of unjust laws01:00:00 Mishandling, fraud, and corruption inside USDA plants01:08:00 Final breaking point — walking away from USDA processors01:13:00 Discovering the PMA model as a legal path forward01:20:00 Building a farm rooted in faith, sovereignty, and community01:30:00 Why resilience, stewardship, and sovereignty matter for everyone01:40:00 Closing reflections on food freedom and the future of Triple OaksConnect With Triple OaksWebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTube

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• Isabelle & Garrett Heydt - Building Community Around Food, Farming & Family | #83

  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 TopicsFrom contrasting childhoods to a shared farming pathStarting with 50 chickens and scaling upRaising a family while running a farmFamily, farming, and community at the centerRegenerative vs. conventional cattle operationsMarketing, markets, and authentic customer tiesTimestamps00:02:00 – 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 natureConnect with Rucker FarmWebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTube

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• Tony Eash - The Value In Mennonite Farming Today | #82

  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 topicsTransition from conventional dairy to regenerative farmingCommunity support and resilience after personal lossWest Virginia’s raw milk laws and policy changesWorking with Amish partners for poultry and turkey supplyAdvice for aspiring farmers entering regenerative agricultureTimestamps  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 demandsConnect with Triple EWebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTube

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