Hands in the Soil

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we’re joined by four guests - Ian and Kristina, co-founders and co-executive directors of The Farmers Land Trust, and Julian and Alita, the visionaries behind the Earthen Heart Farmland Commons in Bangor, Michigan - to talk about a hopeful and replicable model in food systems work happening right now. The conversation that unfolds in this episode is a story ab...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Andrew Flachs, associate professor of anthropology at Purdue University and author of two books that ask some of the most clarifying questions in food systems discourse: Cultivating Knowledge: Biotechnology, Sustainability, and the Human Cost of Cotton Capitalism in India and his most recent, Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Greg Reese, first-generation farmer and farm manager at Fox Point Farms - a working agrihood community in Encinitas, California. Greg didn't grow up on a farm. He grew up in the suburbs, stumbled into organic food through a farm-to-table restaurant job in his mid-twenties, and spent the next decade piecing together an education from backya...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Chuck Samuelson, recovering chef, tribal member of the Assiniboine Nation, founder of Kitchens for Good, and founder of his current nonprofit, Heal the Earth. Chuck's path into food systems work started with a question he couldn't stop asking: why does perfectly good food get thrown away while people go hungry? That question followed h...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Hamid Pezeshkian, founder of FlameTree Farms, to explore what it looks like to find your way back to the land - sometimes unexpectedly. Hamid didn’t grow up in agriculture, but his earliest and most vivid childhood memories were rooted in time spent in nature, surrounded by fruit trees and family. Years later, after a career in the corporate w...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Michelle Bearmar of Black Mountain Farm, a diversified farm rooted in pasture-raised poultry, eggs, vegetables, and regenerative land stewardship. After years of raising chickens, gardening, and learning alongside her family, she found herself pulled deeper into small-scale agriculture through Wild Willow Farm’s Winter School and sustainable a...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we sit down with Alyssa Frutos, co-owner of Ranchito Milky Way, a small organic vegetable farm in Bonita, California. Ranchito Milky Way operates across multiple urban plots, growing seasonal produce and distributing it through a unique, farmstand-style CSA designed to bring people directly onto the land. Rooted in organic and regenerative practices, Alyssa an...

In this episode, we sit down with David Berning of Cardiff Tiny Farm for a return conversation, two years after his first appearance on the podcast. David shares what has unfolded since stepping fully into stewardship of the farm, and what it’s been like to grow not just food, but a business, a community space, and a deeper relationship with the land. What began as a small, uncertain venture has e...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, I’m joined by Hernan Cavazos, co-founder of Solidarity Farm and a longtime grower, mentor, and community builder in San Diego’s farming ecosystem. Hernan shares his journey into agriculture, which began with a desire to grow nourishing food for his family and evolved into over a decade of cultivating diversified crops, raising animals, and helping train the ne...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, I’m joined by Jessica Sanchez - an Earth Tender whose work is rooted in the understanding that the land holds the answers. Jessica shares how her journey into agriculture began with activism, and the winding road that brought her to Madre Sanctuary. What started as growing food has become something much deeper - cultivating spaces where people can reconnect wi...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we’re joined once again by farmer, mentor, and collaborator Cathryn Henning to introduce a project that has been months in the making: the Foundations in Land Stewardship Program, a hands-on farm school based in San Diego. We share the story behind how this program came to life, the gap it’s designed to fill, and why land-based education is more needed now tha...

In this episode, we take a moment to reflect on the importance of rest, both in our bodies and within the ecosystems we care for. As winter settles in, it’s vital to remember that this season naturally invites us to slow down, retreat inward, and regenerate, even as our culture encourages the opposite. Through the lens of gardening and seasonal wisdom, I examine how our industrial food system has...

In this episode, we explore one of the most common and complex questions I hear: Can organic agriculture really feed the world? With so much skepticism surrounding sustainable farming, we take a data-informed look at what this question really means, and what’s hidden between the lines. I break down why the data often appears skewed, how conventional yields decline over time, and why the conversati...

In this special milestone episode of Hands in the Soil, we celebrate 50 episodes of the podcast (and my birthday!) , and reflect on my journey through farming, community, and personal transformation. We’re joined by my best friend, Shannon, who steps in as guest interviewer.  Our conversation touches on identity, purpose, and the evolving meaning of sustainability. I share how getting my hands in...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we’re joined by Tommy Tickenoff, co-founder and self-proclaimed “Chief Nut” of Fresh Vintage Farms. Based in California’s Central Valley, Tommy and his wife Tara launched Fresh Vintage Farms in 2019 with a mission to craft premium, cold-pressed nut oils while reducing agricultural waste and redefining what quality looks like in a sustainable food system. Tommy...

In this episode of the show, we're joined by three incredible leaders working at the intersection of food justice, land access, and community empowerment: Kristina Villa of the Farmers Land Trust, and Femeika Elliott and Laila Malik of the Rooted East Knoxville Collective. Throughout this conversation, we explore the Farmland Commons model and Rooted East’s grassroots work to restore power to...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil , we sit down with Rachel Nafis, owner of Psalter Farm Flowers in San Diego, CA. Since 2019, Rachel and her team have been growing flowers for a 66-member CSA, local flower shops, and event florists across eight neighborhood gardens—all located right in her community. Rachel shares her journey into agriculture, including the transition from working as an RN to...

In today’s episode, I’m back with a short personal update with where I’m at now in my farming journey. I offer a window into my approach to starting a farm, and share what I’ve learned so far.  Tune in to learn more about: Navigating the back-end pieces of starting a farm, from infrastructure to business models  The barriers between young farmers and land access The world of land trusts and mutual...

In this short episode, we explore the tagline of this show - the intricate connection between humans and the planet. I share about my life-changing journey through traditional organic agriculture in India, Nepal, and Europe. I reflect on the insights gained during my travels, and share a poem that encapsulates my experiences and the wisdom of nature. Connect with Hannah: Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In today's episode, we dive into the rich world of permaculture, a holistic design system rooted in ecological principles and sustainable living. We’re joined by Josh Robinson: a father, partner, gardener, farmer, teacher, and ecological instigator with over 20 years of experience designing, installing, and teaching about ecologically abundant gardens, homes, farms, and businesses. Josh is rec...

In this solo episode, I encourage you to reimagine your relationship with weeds. Yep, those wild, inconvenient plants we pull from our gardens without a second thought. After a morning of weeding at the farm, I reflected on the resilience and overlooked brilliance of plants like dandelions. What if we saw these plants as the generous healers and soil restorers that they are? Perhaps we’ve forgotte...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, we speak with Claire Groebner, Associate Director at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, about the intersection of food justice, environmental realities, and grassroots solutions. Based in National City, California, Claire brings over a decade of experience in food systems work, resource organizing, and community-led advocacy. Claire shares her journey from...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil , we sit down with flower farmer and community visionary Cathryn Henning of Bee Worthy Farms for a deeply honest and hopeful conversation about what it really takes to make small-scale farming viable in today’s world. Now in her third year in business, and with nearly a decade of experience in non-profit farming, Cathryn is all about adapting her work in a shif...

In this solo episode of Hands in the Soil , we return to a commonly misunderstood topic in the food system: does certified organic mean pesticide-free? Building on a previous episode released a year ago, I dive deeper into the nuances of pesticide use in organic agriculture to clarify what the organic label really means—and what it doesn’t. I explain the difference between organic and synthetic pe...

In this episode of Hands in the Soil , we’re joined by Dr. Kaitlin Reed (Yurok/Hupa/Oneida), an enrolled member of the Yurok Tribe and associate professor of Native American Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt. Dr. Reed also serves as the Co-Director of the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute - the first lab of its kind in the California State University syst...