The Regenaissance Podcast

• Inside White Oak Pastures (Live Farm Tour Episode) - Will Harris | #96

  This episode comes from our recent farm tour at White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia, where Will Harris walked us through the land and the systems that support it. White Oak is a multigenerational operation that has shifted from conventional row-crop agriculture to a diverse, closed-loop ecosystem of grass-fed cattle, wildlife, and restored soils. Will explains how these relationships work in practice, the long-term effects of pesticides and monoculture, and why ecological cycles - not industrial extraction - determine the health and future of the land.Key topics:How birds, insects, and cattle interact in regenerative systemsThe long-term impacts of pesticides and monoculture farmingNature’s cycles vs. industrial extractionCarbon, organic matter, and lifecycle assessments at White Oak PasturesGrazing management, dung beetles, and nutrient cycling across the farmWhy You Should Listen:- Clear, firsthand explanations of how regenerative grazing works in practice- A breakdown of pesticides’ long-term effects on soil, trees, and ecosystem balance- Real-world insight into carbon cycles, nutrient cycling, and dung beetle activity- A grounded comparison between industrial beef systems and regenerative cattle operationsConnect With White Oak PasturesWebsiteInstagramTimestamps:00:00:00 Birds arriving on the farm and their symbiotic role with cattle 00:01:00 Seasonal patterns, migration, and fly pressure 00:02:00 What this land looked like 25 years ago 00:03:00 Monoculture, pesticides, and the mindset of killing “problems” 00:05:00 Pesticides’ short-term benefits and long-term ecological harm 00:07:00 Residual effects of crop-field chemicals on soil function 00:08:00 “Nature bats last” and long-term cycles of recovery 00:09:00 Abundance vs. extraction in modern agriculture 00:10:00 Passing land ethics to the next generation 00:12:00 Education, land-grant universities, and learning farming 00:14:00 Grass-fed timelines, weight, and national inventory reality 00:15:00 Why most ground beef tastes the way it does 00:18:00 Industrial supply chains vs. farm-level economics 00:19:00 Feedlots, methane, and lifecycle carbon science 00:20:00 Dung beetles, nutrient cycling, and soil structure 00:22:00 Daily cattle moves and grazing pattern 00:23:00 Agroforestry, thinning trees, and managing understory growth 00:24:00 Total herd size and the surrounding landscape

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• Pioneering a New Food Model Around Grass-Fed Cows - Hickory Nut Gap Farms (Live Farm Tour Episode) | #95

  Hickory Nut Gap is a century-old family farm in Western North Carolina, now run by Jamie and Amy, who shifted the operation toward grass-fed beef, pastured poultry, and regenerative grazing. Their model connects soil health, animal welfare, and community resilience - from rotational grazing that builds biodiversity to supplying local restaurants and retailers. This tour looks directly at how they raise animals, manage land, and keep farming viable in the Appalachian mountains.Key Topics How Hickory Nut Gap transitioned from an old dairy to a regenerative livestock operationRotational grazing, biodiversity, and carbon-building in mountain pasturesThe economics of grass-fed beef versus grain-fed systemsHow the farm navigated the 2023 Cane Creek flood and community recoveryWhole-animal butchery, pet food production, and reconnecting consumers with real foodWhy Listen To This EpisodeA real-time look at how a regenerative livestock farm actually operatesClear explanation of rotational grazing, pasture rest, and soil-buildingPractical insight into animal welfare, handling, and daily farm managementFirsthand account of flood recovery and community resilienceStraightforward breakdown of grass-fed vs grain-fed economics and tasteCuts through marketing claims by showing the real work behind regenerative agricultureWebsiteInstagramTimestamps00:00:00 — History of Hickory Nut Gap and returning to the family farm00:02:00 — Discovering direct-market pasture farming in the early 2000s00:04:00 — Grass-fed movement and building a farmer-supported food system00:06:00 — Taste, nutrition, and why fresh, local food matters00:10:00 — Flood impacts and land recovery after the Cane Creek disaster00:12:00 — Rotational grazing explained: density, rest, carbon, biodiversity00:15:00 — Grass-fed vs grain-fed: economics, animal health, taste00:17:00 — Talking with vegans and the ethics of reducing harm in ecosystems00:19:00 — Regrowth after grazing and how mountain pastures respond00:23:00 — Daily welfare checks: water, feed, injuries, antibiotics policy00:26:00 — Whole-animal use, pet food demand, and underrated cuts

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• Is Low-Intervention Wine Is Good For You? - Ben Justman | #94

  Ben Justman of Peony Lane Wine grew up on this Colorado orchard, returned in his mid-20s, taught himself winemaking, and now runs a small high-elevation Pinot Noir winery on his family’s land, built alongside his father. Key Topics Childhood on a self-sustaining orchard and returning to family landStarting Peony Lane Wine and producing high-elevation Pinot NoirWinemaking as farming: soil, climate, and placeDirect-to-consumer realities for small producersWhy Ben accepts Bitcoin and why he places importance on itWhy Listen Clear insight into how small wineries actually operateA grounded look at family land, legacy, and returning homePractical examples of direct-to-consumer sales for farmersRare details about high-elevation Pinot Noir productionHonest reflections on working with family while building a businessWebsiteInstagramX

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• Losing My Farm, Being Outed From Dairy, And Lessons For Future Food - Jr Burdick | #93

  JR Burdick of Nourishing Family Farm explains how losing his family’s farm in the 1980s and later being forced out of his dairy co-op shaped his path toward raw milk, soil-based farming, and local food independence. His story exposes how modern agriculture breaks families and communities - and how rebuilding begins one farm at a time.Key TopicsThe 1980s farm crisis and its generational impactIndustrial agriculture’s false promisesLosing and rebuilding the family farmFounding Nourishing Family Farm and producing raw milkRedefining farming as care for soil, cows, and communityWhy ListenReveals how U.S. farm policy hollowed out rural AmericaShows how raw milk and local food rebuild trust and healthOffers a firsthand blueprint for regenerating the land and economyTraces 40 years of American farming through one family’s eyesEnds with a powerful redefinition of what it means to be a farmerConnect with JR:WebsiteXFacebook References:"The Jungle" (1906) by Upton SinclairTimestamps00:00:00 – JR’s 11-generation farming roots on the Michigan–Indiana border00:02:00 – The 1980s farm collapse and how his father lost everything00:06:00 – Interest-rate hikes, debt, and the domino effect across family farms00:10:00 – Starting over from scratch and lessons in resilience00:14:00 – University training, industrial ag mindset, and early GMO exposure00:25:00 – The Green Revolution, “feeding the world,” and the loss of nutrition00:33:00 – How regulation and consolidation centralized food control00:46:00 – Tornado destruction and the community that helped rebuild01:00:00 – Financial strain, insurance gaps, and rebuilding again01:15:00 – Family succession and generational challenges in agriculture01:30:00 – Co-op shutdown in 2022 and six months with no milk income01:45:00 – Ethanol policy, crop insurance, and systemic dependence02:03:00 – Life as a conventional dairyman and marketing realities02:10:00 – Returning to identity as a farmer and faith in the work02:30:00 – Founding Nourishing Family Farm: raw milk & heritage wheat02:45:00 – Food as medicine and healing through nutrient-dense food03:00:00 – Lessons in stewardship, soil, and community resilience03:10:00 – Redefining what it means to be a farmer in modern America

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• Why Most Farmers Don't Make It Full-Time - August Hortsmann | #92

  August Hortsmann is a first-generation Missouri cattleman and founder of Hortsmann Cattle Company, a regenerative ranch built on his family’s land near St. Louis. What began as a childhood passion grew into a full-time operation which, over the past eight years, has integrated adaptive grazing, direct-to-consumer beef sales, and long-term soil-focused practices. His education was established through years of study, observation, and trial. August spent countless seasons working ranch jobs integrating regenerative practices, allowing him studying grazing systems and testing various methods. Augusts story shares undertones of the uncertain, long road taken for each farmer to reach their dream of working full-time. For August, as you'll hear, he made it happen, but for 84% of farmers in America, they work other jobs. August shares his shift from conventional, university-trained agriculture to regenerative practice, the economic realities of running a small meat business, and his philosophy on scale, sustainability, and soil health.Key TopicsEarly life and the arduous path to founding Hortsmann Cattle CoTransition from conventional to regenerative grazingWhy multi-species farming can break a businessWhat adaptive grazing actually looks like on the ground'Breaking even' and the economic realities of cattle farmingScaling regenerative agriculture for the futureWhy You Should Listen- What the path to full-time farming really looks like- How farmers survive years before breaking even- Building a regenerative cattle business from nothing- Lessons from eight years of adaptive grazing- The hard economics of small-scale beefConnect with AugustInstagramWebsite Timestamps00:00:00 – Childhood roots and first memories on the family farm 00:03:00 – Starting Hortsmann Cattle Co in college 00:06:00 – University teachings vs. real-world economics 00:10:00 – Working off-farm while building a cattle business 00:13:00 – Discovering regenerative agriculture through Soil & Water 00:19:00 – Adding multi-species and the “death by diversity” lesson 00:29:00 – Burnout and the decision to simplify operations 00:31:00 – Quitting full-time work and going all-in on the farm 00:36:00 – Adaptive grazing and learning from nature’s rhythms 00:43:00 – Shifting from farmers’ markets to online direct sales 00:53:00 – Educating consumers on bulk buying and real costs 00:57:00 – Why small meat businesses struggle with margins 01:03:00 – Processing, scale, and the bottlenecks of small producers 01:09:00 – Is regenerative agriculture scalable? 01:13:00 – Advice for aspiring ranchers 01:17:00 – Social media, misinformation, and consumer trust 01:20:00 – Building a ranch that can sustain future generations

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