The Regenaissance Podcast

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 farm...

Will Harris is a sixth-generation cattleman and owner of White Oak Pastures, a 158-year-old family farm in Bluffton, Georgia. Since 1866, the Harris family has practiced land-based farming rooted in regeneration, humane animal husbandry, and zero-waste production. 

In this episode, Will reflects on the farm’s evolution from industrial cattle operations to a living ecosystem. He discusses soil, community, balance, symbiosis in an ecosstem, rural farming communities, stewardship, organic matter, his family history, and more. 

Key Topics

Ryan sits down with Joel Hollingsworth of Smoke River Ranch in Oklahoma, who lays out a clear, unflinching diagnosis of America’s decline. 

He then takes you through the solution, step by step, exactly whats required. In short, the miracle ahead has only one path, and that is a restored and vitalized rural America. 

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Why You Should Listen:

 - Learn how rural collapse happened.
 - See how fi...

When chronic illness left Cindy bedridden in her twenties, she began questioning everything she’d been taught about health - and later, about farming. What started as a search for healing led her and her husband to rebuild their land in Burneyville, Oklahoma, where TLC Ranch now stands: a regenerative bison ranch and certified organic pecan orchard rooted in living systems rather than chemicals. Through decades of trial, floods, and faith, Cindy discovered that the same principles that restore the body also restore the soil. This episode traces how her recovery became the land’s recovery - and what it r...

Caden and Patrick are first-generation farmers in North Carolina who started Cable Family Farm while still in high school. Together, they’ve built a small-scale regenerative farm focused on pasture-raised poultry and no-till market gardening, proving that young people can make a living from the land through hard work, curiosity, and faith.

Cable Family Farm practices regenerative farming focused on soil health, animal welfare, and local connection through small-scale, community-based food production.

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This episode is a little different: instead of a sit-down podcast, I join Justin Rhodes for a live tour around his North Carolina farm.

When you think of homesteaders, Justin Rhodes is the first person you think of. With over a million followers on YouTube and multiple successful books, Justin and his family have paved the way for new homesteaders through documenting their journey. A fourth-generation steward of his family’s land in North Carolina, Justin and his wife Rebecca raise their five children on it.

What we cover:

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...

In this episode, Jordan and I discuss the importance of economics, marketing, and storytelling in agriculture.

Follow the tour on YouTube

Jordan 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.

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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 o...

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...

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.

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Farm tour #6.

On today’s episode, I speak with Ben and Hannah Yoder of Savage Mountain Farm. Drawing on their Amish–Mennonite heritage and a commitment to natural farming, they share how they’ve built a livelihood that prioritizes culture, family, and the small farm way of life.

Ben and Hannah Yoder run Savage Mountain Farm, a 150-acre diversified, full-diet CSA on the Pennsylvania–Maryland line, rooted in Amish–Mennonite heritage and natural methods, raising produce, mushrooms, and pastured livestock while blending regenerative farming with homeschooling, community engagement, and a family-centered lifestyle.

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Farm tour #5 baby.

This one was really cool. Julie has great energy and speaks to some of most important issues surrounding regenerative farming. Enjoy!

Follow the tour live

Julie Friend is a first-generation farmer who left city life in Chicago to return to her family’s land in western Maryland and build a regenerative livestock operation from the ground up. Her journey began with a personal health shift and quickly evolved into a deep commitment to ecological farming and ethical animal care.

Wildom Farm raises grass-fed beef and lamb, forest-raised pork, pa...

Farm tour #4. Hoo Rah!

We enjoyed this one - Michael is a 1st gen farmer and quite literally started his operation boots on the ground. We get into it...

Follow the tour on YouTube

Michael Greco is the founder of Little O Ranch & Livestock, based in Saugerties, New York. A first-generation livestock producer, he leads a regenerative, holistic sheep operation in Hudson Valley. We unpack his philosophy, practices, and why he believes small-scale, community-connected farming is the future.

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Farm tour #3. Wow. This episode is a must, must listen. An incredible perspective on farming, legacy, and what it takes to keep a farm in today's day and age. Enjoy, and share with a friend if this impacted you as well.

Follow the tour on YouTube

Brad Wiley is a fifth-generation farmer at Otter Creek Farm in Pittstown, New York. He grew up working alongside his grandparents, parents, and sister, and today he stewards the land with a focus on diversification, sustainability, and family continuity. Brad is also a passionate local historian, with deep knowledge...

Elizabeth Collins is a first-generation farmer co-running Otter Creek Farm with Brad Wiley. Originally from Cincinnati, she moved from Lexington, KY, and now leads the farm’s livestock, regenerative operations, and Graceful Acres Farmstay.

Otter Creek Farm is a 440-acre multigenerational farm in Pittstown, NY, with 200 tillable acres, 100 pasture acres, and 140 woodland acres. A former dairy farm (1937–2018), it now raises pastured poultry, pigs, grass-fed cattle, and turkeys, and hosts a 20-acre chestnut orchard run by Breadtree Farms.

Alrighty, ranch 3!

Today we speak to Elizabeth Collins. Elizabeth has an amazing story of how...

Ranch tour #3.

Onto the 2nd ranch of our U.S Ranch and Farm Tour, where we are on a on a 6-month tour across America, we're visiting regenerative farms to podcast with ranchers, tour their land, document their work, and shake the hand that feeds us. Today's episode is with Maple Syrup rancher, Jacob Powsner. Jacob is great value. He absolutely loves maple syrup, which just makes the conversation that much better. He's living his dream. Alas, we do a total expose on everything Maple Syrup - super fascinating stuff.

Enjoy!

Jacob Baird...

We thought it would be silly whilst on Gunthorp Farms to not interview Greg's son, Evan, who is not only carrying the torch when it comes to regenerative farming for the next generation, he's driving the fire truck, saving the babies from balconies, and putting out the fires that conventional meat processing (meat arsonists) create every day. 

Evan's incredibly smart and I learnt a tonne in this hour. If you want to hear from one of the bright young ranchers thinking clearly on how to sustain & grow a regenerative farming culture in America, and the good bad a...

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Connect w Greg & Gunthorp Farms:

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Follow the tour on YouTube

Ann & Weldon Warren are regenerative ranchers and founders of Holy Cow Beef, a Texas-based operation producing 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef with a focus on clean food, animal welfare, and soil health.

They share their powerful journey from suburban Dallas and high-stress finance to a regenerative ranching life rooted in clean food, community, and faith. After a health crisis forced them to reevaluate everything, the Warrens rebuilt their life around ancestral practices—raising grass-finished cattle, stewarding land, and helping others reconnect with where their food comes from.

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Radius Butcher & Grocery is one of the most ambitious grocery experiments in America—blending beauty, transparency, and ethical sourcing into a bold new model for local food systems.

Kevin, the founder of Radius, joins me today to discuss transforming the grocery store experience by combining the abundance of farmers markets with everyday convenience. Radius sources locally from Texas farms, prioritizing nutrient-rich, flavorful, and sustainably produced foods.

I loved this episode, and learned a heap. Hope you all do to. 

We discuss on the podcast:

Daniel Spitzbergen of Sustainable Natural Foods joins me today to debunk myths around Wagyu beef, share the reality of ranch life, and reflect on faith, fatherhood, and food sovereignty. Based in Oregon, Sustainable Natural Foods is a family ranch raising full-blood Wagyu with a focus on land stewardship, animal welfare, and world-class genetics.

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Trevor Gibbs is a hunter, cook, and founder of Man Bar—a slow-fermented, high-fat meat stick made from regenerative bison and beef. In this episode, we unpack what hunting really is—beyond the stereotypes—and why it matters for food, land, and culture. Trevor shares how his views evolved from being vegan to harvesting his own meat, and what hunting taught him about responsibility, respect, and community.

Key Topics:

- Trevor’s first hunting experience and what went wrong

- The emotional weight of taking a life and doing it with respect

- How...

I sat down with cattle rancher Shad Sullivan to unpack the Maud family case—an explosive story of generational ranchers wrongly charged with land theft. Shad walks me through the full timeline, the grassroots fight to overturn it, and the deeper threat facing landowners, food freedom, and liberty across the West.

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A healthy nation is dependent upon healthy soil. This is what Eric and his family believe, a legacy that lives through Eric's work at Deep Roots Living Soil. From horse bedding to worm castings, Eric explains how thermophilic composting revives microbial life and how soil can be a tool for healing, sovereignty, and regeneration.

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Casey is a fifth-generation rancher in Northern Arizona whose family has worked the same land for over 120 years. In this conversation, he explains how large-scale solar projects are threatening local ranchers and reshaping the landscape. He shares stories from his family’s history, the role of trading posts with the Navajo and Hopi, and what it takes to keep ranching alive in tough country.

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JR Burdick tells the story of how his family lost their dairy farm during the 1980s farm crisis—and how they eventually got back on the land. He shares what it was like growing up in the barn, watching his dad rebuild from nothing, and later taking over the operation himself. This episode dives into the realities of co-ops, milk pricing, and the shift from conventional to regenerative dairy.

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Agronomist Joe Ailts dives deep into the secrets of soil biology and regenerative practices that could revolutionize crop production, reduce chemical inputs, and restore land health.

Key topics discussed:

Ailts Agronomy X
Ailts Agronomy Website
Ailts Agronomy...

In this episode, I sit down with regenerative farmer Jason Mauck to explore how nature—not tech—is the true path to solving modern crises, reclaiming food, land, and life through design, experimentation, and reconnection.

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Jason Mauck X

Katie’s ostrich farm in British Columbia fights federal agencies seeking to cull 400 healthy ostriches in an effort to shut down groundbreaking research into natural antibodies and sustainable agriculture.

Key topics discussed:
- Ostrich antibodies for human health and disease prevention

- Partnership with Japan’s Dr. Sakamoto and global patents

- COVID-era suppression of immune-based research

- Government culling orders and legal pushback

- Threats to natural immunity, food sovereignty, and farm independence

Save Our Ostriches:

Website
Donate
Instagram
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R...

Trent Loos, a sixth-generation rancher, explores critical challenges and opportunities in agriculture today.

Key topics discussed:

Trent's Website
Trent's X
Trent's Podcast

Jeff Murphy, a fifth-generation Kansas farmer, shares his shift from industrial ag engineer to regenerative practitioner. From feedlot lagoons to heritage grains, he unpacks the true cost of “efficiency” and why rebuilding local, chemical-free food systems is the future. A raw, personal look at legacy, land, and doing things differently.

Murphy Generation Farms Website
Murphy Generation Farms Instagram

Today I talk with Jesse Konig about building a better fast food system—one without shortcuts, seed oils, or mystery meat. From pandemic pivots to CPG disruption, we try and explore what it really takes to bring integrity to fries and burgers.

Jesse & Ben's website
Jesse's Instagram
Jesse's X

Jack Zwart, known as Rust Belt Kid, is a regenerative farmer with deep roots in the industrial heartland. We talked about his journey returning to farming, the intersection of manufacturing and agriculture, and his passion for regenerative practices. It was inspiring to discuss how personal and regional histories shape our relationship with farming and the land.

Rust Belt Kid on X 

Greg Gunther is a farmer and processor who has navigated immense challenges and successes in agriculture. We talked about his journey through the hog market crash of the 90s, building a USDA-inspected processing plant on his farm, and the importance of small-scale processing and direct-to-consumer marketing. To speak with someone deeply experienced in farming and committed to inspiring future generations in agriculture was fascinating and insightful.

Gunthorp Farms Website
Gunthorp Farm's Instagram

I genuinely have loved every single episode that I have recorded thus far. That being said, this has been my favorite for a multitude of reasons, including:

- What orthomolecular farming is and why they chose this type of farming
- How their soy-free eggs allowed a 3 year old to consume eggs without going into septic shock like he normally would
- Beauty of raw milk
- Faith and farming
- Growing up on a farm and first butchering experience
- The need for a decentralized food system
- Much more...

Sam from Sweetwater Farm & Ranch Co returns for another episode where we talk about California Proposition 12, raising pigs in CAFOs (concentrated animal fedding operation) vs pasture raised, trying to sell to local restaurants, and what the future of raising pigs could look like in America where the industry is very centralized.

Sweetwater Website
Sweetwater IG

Hannah Gongola is a first-generation farmer and cheesemaker. We talked about what made her want to take the path she has taken, including some interesting stories of how her agricultural experiences have impacted her life. This was a fun one speaking with someone from the younger generations, especially given the average age of a farmer is nearly 60 years old.

Hannah's IG

Kenan alongside his brother, started Acorn Bluff Farms, where they raised an interesting and hairy breed of pig, Mangalica. 
We covered what this breed of pig is and why those chose it, the massive problems we face in the pig industry, and how they fit well into the farming ecosystem.

Acorn Bluff Farms Website
Acorn Bluff Farms IG
Acorn Bluff Farms Twitter

Mark McAfee of Raw Farm returns to the podcast to talk on what exactly happened that forced him to quarantine the farm and stop production for 6 weeks. We then what makes raw milk such liquid gold.

First episode with Mark
Raw Farm Website
Raw Farm IG