Dawn's Dirt

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sat down with Abey Scaglione from Ruckle Heritage Farm and holy smokes, this one is a gem. Abey went from California vegetarian to regenerative meat and dairy farmer on Salt Spring Island. We got into everything, raw milk (yes, the illegal kind), orange-yolked eggs, pastured chickens, garden scraps, and how animals are vital to real sustainability. Abey shares...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sat down with Becky from Toby Way Farm and oh baby, did we go there. We're talking raw, real farm life: goat guts, chicken math, and why your organic ideology might be killing your animals (not to mention your wallet). Becky and I don't sugarcoat things because life on a homestead isn't Pinterest-perfect, it's dirty, hard, heartbreaking, and 100% worth it. We d...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Chef Mikey from Chef's Harvest Farm—a total character and an absolute legend in the urban farming world out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Y'all, this man turned his backyard into a full-blown vegetable empire and is making a six-figure living growing salad greens. From slinging veggies under his cubicle desk to supplying top-tier resorts and chefs, Mik...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm talking lettuce—but not just any lettuce. I sat down with the incredibly passionate and slightly wild Mackenzie Warford of Papa's Farm in Newfoundland, where he's growing top-tier romaine lettuce year-round using a hydroponic system that puts most operations to shame. We dive into his "hippie greenhouse," his geothermal setup, his zero-pesticide practices, an...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with my fellow podcast host and tiny farm queen, Mary Lewis, who proves that it's never too late to bite off more than you can chew and start homesteading. At 50, Mary and her husband left city life behind, bought a slice of land in Minnesota, and built a flourishing market garden, chicken coop, and a community around fresh food. We chat about her jour...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with 25-year-old firecracker farmer Brandie from Suni Bear Farms in Alabama—and y'all, this girl is the real deal. We talk all things chickens, goats, and building a homestead from scratch with nothing but grit, faith, and a heart for agriculture. Brandie's not just raising animals and veggies—she's raising awareness, kindness, and the next generation...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, it's just you, me, and 600 rowdy chickens. I'm giving you the full scoop on how I went from running a 36,000 square foot greenhouse empire to becoming the loud, sunburned, swearin'-in-a-bikini egg lady at the farmers market. We're talking laying hens, meat birds, DIY brooders, why I chose conventional feed, and how I'm clawing my way back into farm life one chick...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm bringing the heat (and the compost) with 10 powerful reasons why EVERYONE should be a homesteader—yes, even you, city girl with the balcony! I break down the myths, the mindset, and the magic of growing your own food no matter where you live. From the rebellious joy of backyard tomatoes to prepping like a boss for doomsday (or just rising food prices), I shar...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with the beautiful soul behind Moosterizers—Nina from A Thousand Hills—and we go deep on why this isn't just another skincare company. This is a back-to-the-roots, mama-led, God-honoring, eczema-healing, beef-fat-on-your-face kind of conversation that you don't want to miss. Nina shares how her son's health issues led her away from conventional medicin...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I get thrown into the hot seat by my friend Dana Maddeaux, a coach for widowed moms—and let me tell you, she didn't hold back! We dive deep into our shared Dutch roots, our childhood greenhouse memories, and why hard work is stitched into our DNA. Dana shares her powerful story of losing her husband with four tiny kids in tow and how she's now helping other widow...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm bringing you a solo-sode straight from the greenhouse—because today, it's all about TOMATOES. Yep, we're getting juicy. From being known as "The Tomato Lady" to running a 36,000 sq ft greenhouse and growing 9+ varieties, I'm sharing everything I've learned about growing sweet, candy-like tomatoes that people actually love. Whether you've got a backyard, a bal...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt I sat down with Holly Beck, a lupus coach, autoimmune warrior, and absolute firecracker of a woman, who shared her 20-year journey through chronic fatigue, a lupus diagnosis, and finding healing through food, farming, and fierce self-advocacy. This one's personal (my dad had lupus too) and it was powerful to talk about the truths nobody tells you about autoimmune...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm flipping the mic around and letting the magic woman behind this podcast—my editor, my podcast manager, and my dear friend Carley—put me in the hot seat. We go deep into the truth about organics (spoiler alert: it's not as pure as you think), the real reason food has become so disconnected from our communities, and why modern homesteading isn't all sourdough a...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Pete—the new owner of my beloved former farm, Shirley's Greenhouse—for a raw, emotional, and heartwarming conversation about what it really takes to run a farm. Pete shares his powerful journey from growing up in an agricultural region of India to buying a farm in Alberta with his wife and kids—no days off, no plan B, just passion and grit. We tal...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm telling the raw, unfiltered truth about farmers markets and buckle up, because it's not what you think. I spill the beans on what really goes on behind the booths: the politics, the lies, the reselling, and how it all contributed to the downfall of my farm. I take you through my journey as a second-generation farmer who went from thriving to surviving in a sy...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with my fellow coach and absolute powerhouse of a human, Wade from Red Haven Coaching. This one's real, raw, and tender in all the right ways. Wade shares the gut-wrenching story of supporting his wife through a surprise cancer diagnosis just after childbirth, navigating hospitals, chemo, and life as a brand-new dad with grace, grit, and unshakable com...

In today's solo episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm diving headfirst into the gritty, messy, beautiful truth behind ideologies in farming, food systems, and homesteading. People love to tell farmers how to farm—but unless you've pulled a calf in a snowstorm or had your whole crop threatened by hail, maybe zip it. I get real about glyphosate, organics, raw dairy, and the bureaucratic nonsense that's chokin...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Nicola Irving of Irving's Farm, and y'all… if you've never had real, high-quality pork, get ready to have your mind blown. Nicola and her husband aren't just pig farmers—they're the real deal, raising heritage Berkshire pigs outdoors with love, care, and grit.  We talk about everything from what makes their pork so damn delicious to the crazy misc...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving into the raw, real, and often messy world of being a mom, an entrepreneur, and a human who's just trying to do it all without losing her damn mind. I'm joined by Britt Geleta, a badass coach helping entrepreneurial moms break free from burnout, mom guilt, and the suffocating expectations society dumps on us. We get into the real talk about why so man...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're digging into the realities of modern farming with Jason Jackson—fifth-generation farmer, part-time high school teacher, and full-time straight shooter. We're getting real about the bureaucratic mess that farmers have to wade through just to keep food on your plate. From the government's failure to fund plant breeding to the shady world of data ownership and...

In today's solo episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving into the gritty, glorious world of growing your own food—no matter how much space you have. I'm breaking down the real reasons why you need to get your hands in the dirt, from saving money to eating food that actually has flavor (because let's be real, grocery store tomatoes taste like disappointment). I also share my personal journey from runni...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving deep into the truth about food, sovereignty, and breaking free from the systems that want to control us. I'm joined by Shane, Kenisha, and Melissa—three absolute powerhouses who are reclaiming their independence through private membership associations, real food, and real community. We're talking about the war on farmers, why our food is making us si...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're talking about hard work, grit, and what it really takes to make it in farming. I've got two incredible young men, Ruben and Matt, who are just 20 years old and already breaking into the world of agriculture. These two aren't just sitting around waiting for opportunities—they're chasing them down with everything they've got. We dig into the brutal reality of...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm sitting down with my friend Lisa Szabon-Smith, the powerhouse behind Fearless Changemakers. We met at a barter pay event, hit it off instantly, and I knew I had to bring her on the podcast. Lisa is a former elite bobsledder turned gym owner turned unapologetic truth-teller who isn't afraid to challenge the system. We dive deep into the mess that is modern pol...

In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving headfirst into a topic most people would rather tiptoe around—porn and its impact on men, relationships, and society as a whole. I sit down with VJ Maharaj, an online coach helping men reclaim their lives from the grips of porn addiction and rediscover real, meaningful connection. We don't hold back in this conversation—VJ shares his personal story,...