Talkin' Dirt

In this episode of Talkin' Dirt, I sit down with Jay Hayward, owner of Hayward Garlic in Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Jay has built one of the country's leading seed garlic businesses, but his path into farming wasn't exactly a straight one. Jay shares how studying behavioral psychology, working in agricultural technology, and recruiting for manufacturing companies eventually led h...

This week on Talkin' Dirt, I sit down with Steve Jones of Colossal Orchards in Selah, Washington. Steve's journey into chestnuts began almost by accident when a friend suggested they give the crop a try. More than 35 years later, that small side project has grown into one of the Pacific Northwest's largest chestnut operations. Our conversation explores what it takes to build an orchard...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with David Bell from Just Living Farm on Yakama Nation land in the Yakima Valley of Washington. David and his wife originally came to the area in the late 1990s to run after school programs for local youth, but over time that work evolved into something much larger, a farm built around ideas of stewardship, justice, and living in a closer relationship wi...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Ellen from Frisky Girl Farm in Fall City, Washington. Ellen got her start in agriculture after a college class reshaped how she thought about the food system, which led her to work on farms across the country before eventually co-founding her own operation in the Seattle area. In this conversation, Ellen shares the story of building Frisky Girl Farm...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Jack from Farmer Jack’s Garden in the Yakima Valley. Jack has spent a lifetime around agriculture, starting on a cattle and grain farm in northeastern Washington and continuing that work through decades of growing his own food at home. In this conversation, Jack shares how gardening stayed with him through a full career in law enforcement, eventuall...

In this episode of Talkin' Dirt, I sit down with Andre Entermann. Andre runs Sunnyfield Farm with his wife out on Lopez Island, where they’ve been building a small-scale goat dairy focused on thoughtful, hands-on production. In this conversation, Andre shares how years of traveling and working on organic farms eventually led him to settle on Lopez and start farming for himself. We get into the...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Shawn Bruckman in Eagle, Colorado — a soil health specialist, worm farmer, and someone who has built a career around understanding what’s happening beneath our feet. Shawn shares her journey from studying environmental policy to becoming a local expert in soil biology, composting, and regenerative practices. The conversation explores her work with T...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Audrey and Michelle from Lucky Ewe Farm on Lopez Island in Washington’s San Juan Islands. They talk about how they got into sheep, what it’s like managing a small band on an island, and the role sheep play in their daily life. The conversation also gets into lambing season, working with dogs, and how sheep behavior can shift depending on the landsca...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Julie Hansmire of Campbell Hansmire Sheep, a Western sheep rancher running bands between eastern Utah and the mountains of central Colorado. We get into what a full year looks like for her sheep, from lambing season to trailing them into high country. Julie shares what it takes to manage not just thousands of animals, but the herders and guardian do...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Grace, the owner of Briscot Farm and Sanctuary here in Washington State. Briscot was recently hit hard by the historic floods that left their entire farm underwater, and Grace shares what that experience was like — from the immediate impact to the long road of recovery. When I visited to record, the farm was in the middle of a community cleanup day...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Taya Brown to unpack the hidden world behind one of the most familiar drinks on the planet - coffee. While Taya isn’t a coffee farmer herself, she has spent years working closely with smallholder coffee farmers in Central America, listening to their experiences and studying how global systems shape their livelihoods. We talk about coffee as a plant, an agricult...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with my longtime friend Richie Stephenson, who’s been growing a home garden for his family for the past several years. Richie isn’t a farmer by trade, but we talk about what first got him into gardening, what his early years looked like, and how long it took before things really started to click. He shares what he’s learned through trial and error, why...

In this episode I’m joined by Lake Cowart Jr. of Cowart Seafood Corporation, one of the largest oyster operations on the East Coast. We talk about how oysters are grown today, the role hatcheries and triploid oysters play in modern aquaculture, and how factors like salinity, weather, disease, and predators shape production in the Chesapeake Bay. Lake also shares his perspective on regulation, why...

In this episode, I sit down with Glen, one of the founding members of Seattle’s Beacon Food Forest - a community-run, open forage garden built on public land with a mission rooted in food access, food sovereignty, and shared stewardship. Glen walks through how the project started, how they leveraged Seattle’s P-Patch program to get it off the ground, and how the Food Forest grew into a multi-layer...

In this episode, I visit the southern Oregon coast to sit down with Gavan, the young owner of Qualman Oyster Farm in Charleston. Since the recording he has renamed the operation to Augustin Ouster Farms. Gavan shares how he found his way into oyster farming and what it takes to operate inside the protected South Slough Estuary, where every oyster is hand-planted and every decision is shaped by tid...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Michael from Lost Coast Ranch, tucked out on one of the most remote and rugged stretches of Northern California. Michael’s lived an adventurous, humble life across the region, and we talk about the path that eventually led him to the Lost Coast and the land he now stewards. He walks me through how he keeps healthy grass in such a harsh environment,...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sat down with Sarah and Lee from Humboldt Grassfed Beef, a fourth-generation family ranch in Northern California. We talked about what it really takes to raise cattle the right way — from managing healthy pastures to producing high-quality, grass-finished beef. They walk me through the ranch’s evolution over the years, the day-to-day realities of running a herd,...

This week on Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Franck Carisey from Uluwehi Coffee Farm, tucked into the green, cloud-covered slopes just above Kona, Hawai‘i. Franck and his partner have built a small but mighty operation producing award-winning coffee that captures the true character of the island. We talk about how they found themselves running a coffee farm in Kona, what makes the region’s growing...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Dash from Starseed Ranch, a lush, coastal farm tucked into the northern side of Hawai‘i’s Big Island. What started years ago as a small coconut farm has grown into a thriving landscape that blends farming, education, and cultural restoration. We talk about the roots of Hip Agriculture, the nonprofit that now shares the land, and how their team is u...

This week on Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Troy and Vi from OK Farms — a 320-acre operation rooted in the heart of Hilo, Hawai‘i. We talk about what real sustainability looks like on the ground: restoring soil health, growing diverse crops through agroforestry, and navigating the challenges of farming in one of the most beautiful and unpredictable places on Earth. They share the story behind their...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Eva Lee, co-founder of Tea Hawai‘i, tucked into the Hawaiian jungle on the lush slopes of Mt. Kīlauea. Eva has been at the forefront of Hawai‘i’s tea movement for decades, helping transform the islands into an unexpected haven for high-elevation, small-batch teas. We talk about the art and science behind cultivating tea in volcanic soil, how elevat...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Stephen Yundt of Puna Gold Estate on Hawaiʻi’s Big Island. Stephen is not only a farmer cultivating a diverse food forest, but also a chocolate maker bringing out the best of cacao grown right in the islands. We talk about how he and his wife Liz have transformed three acres into a thriving mix of tropical crops, the journey from cacao pod to finis...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Nat Bletter, a PhD botanist, chocolate maker, and plant-grafting wizard in Honolulu. We dive into high-density urban farming, the art of grafting dozens of varieties onto a single tree, and the surprising ways food, science, and community come together in his garden. 🌱 Connect with Talkin’ Dirt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@Talkin. Dirt Website: ⁠⁠⁠TalkinD...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I sit down with Darren Story, the founder of Coastal Sun Farm in Watsonville, California. Coastal Sun is a regenerative cannabis and blueberry farm that uses living soil and biodiversity to grow in harmony with nature. Darren shares his vision for farming that goes beyond products, focusing on healing the land and raising the standard for the industry. 🌱 Connect...

In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt , I visit a Seattle farm that turned a simple idea into a thriving pumpkin patch. You’ll hear how a young entrepreneur’s dream grew into a community tradition, bringing families together each fall. From the challenges of starting out, to the joy of seeing kids pick their first pumpkins, this story is all about passion, perseverance, and a love for farming. 🌱 Connec...