The Agri-Tourist, My Journey Back to Agriculture

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt and deeply educational episode, I sit down with fruit tree expert, author, educator, and podcaster Susan Poizner to explore the surprising realities behind growing fruit trees — and why planting an orchard is far more than simply putting a tree in the ground. From launching a community orchard in Toronto with almost no horticultural experience, to becoming a lead...

Send us Fan Mail Every now and then, a conversation changes your life in ways you could never have predicted. That's exactly what happened when I first interviewed Pattie Baker about her WWOOFing journey across America. We connected instantly. What started as a podcast interview grew into a genuine friendship built on a shared love of farming, travel, learning, and embracing new adventures. S...

Send us Fan Mail There’s something deeply healing about stepping onto a farm — slowing down long enough to breathe fresh air, work with your hands, share a meal, connect with animals, and reconnect with nature in a way that modern life rarely allows. But what if those experiences are more than simply enjoyable? What if farms themselves are part of a much larger public health solution? In this incr...

Send us Fan Mail In bonus episode 3, I'm joined once again by Pattie Baker for a personal reflection on my journey to Nourse Farm in Westborough, Massachusetts. After years of building a life, career, and community on Long Island, I made the decision to step back into the world of agriculture—not by returning to something familiar, but by embracing an entirely new challenge. What began as an...

Send us Fan Mail Over the past few years on The Agri-Tourist Podcast, I’ve had the opportunity to explore so many different corners of agriculture—but this conversation brings us into a part of the food system that is both incredibly visible and often deeply misunderstood: beekeeping. In episode #101, I sit down with Evan Reseska of Boston Honey Company, a family-run business that has grown from a...

Send us Fan Mail In the 100th Episode of The Agri-Tourist Podcast , I take you back to Italy - specifically Tuscany -  for a conversation that really captures how something small can grow into something incredibly meaningful. I sit down with Arturo, who shares the story of his family’s rose farm—one that began not with a business plan, but with a moment. A scent that stopped his mother in her trac...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 99 of The Agri-Tourist Podcast , we’re continuing the conversation with Medway Community Farm—this time taking a deeper dive into one of the most unique and impactful parts of their operation: education . If you listened to Part 1 (episode 97) , you heard how this farm is rooted in community, food access, and connection. In this second part, we build on that foundation...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Agri-Tourist Podcast , I sit down with Peter Carlson of Wright Old School Chocolate to explore his journey from chocolate enthusiast to bean-to-bar maker. What began as a simple curiosity—sparked by family and a few eye-opening experiences—quickly evolved into something much deeper: a desire to truly understand chocolate at its source. There’s a quiet honest...

Send us Fan Mail Over the past few months on The Agri-Tourist Podcast , we’ve talked a lot about what it means to connect people to agriculture—but this conversation really brings that idea to life. In this episode, I sit down with Carol Collord and Haley Goulet of Medway Community Farm, a MA farm that is doing so much more than growing food. They’ve created something that sits right at the inters...

Send us Fan Mail In Farm Journal Episode 2 of The Agri-Tourist Podcast , I’m continuing the conversation—but shifting into a more real-time, behind-the-scenes look at what it actually means to build and evolve agritourism experiences. Coming off my time in Italy, where everything felt immersive and inspiring, I came back with a lot of ideas—but also a much clearer understanding of just how much de...

Send us Fan Mail This conversation brings us back to New Zealand and to a much bigger, global perspective of agritourism. In this episode, I reconnect with Marijke Dunselman of Agritourism New Zealand, who many of you may remember from Episode 14 . This is very much a catch-up conversation—an opportunity to revisit her work, see how things have evolved, and hear what’s happening now both in New Ze...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s conversation takes us to the heart of Tuscany, where history, agriculture, and innovation all intersect in the most beautiful and meaningful way. I’m joined by Cesare Majnoni of Fattoria Majnoni Guicciardini, a family estate rooted in generations of farming tradition, yet deeply focused on the future of how we grow and experience food. Sitting between Florence and Siena, w...

Send us Fan Mail When I sat down to talk with Janice Wright of Rooted in NC, I knew it was going to be a fun conversation — anyone who shows up to farms in rhinestone boots is clearly not afraid to stand out. And honestly, those glittery boots are more than just a fashion statement. They’re symbolic of exactly who she is: bold, authentic, grounded in agriculture, but bringing her full personality...

Send us Fan Mail When I first interviewed Lisa Chase back in 2024 and episode 5 of the podcast, agritourism felt like an emerging conversation. Fast forward to today — over 90 episodes later — and it’s clear this isn’t just a niche sector. It’s a movement. Reconnecting with Lisa gave me the opportunity to step back and really reflect on how much has evolved — not just globally, but in how we’re al...

Send us Fan Mail When I sat down to talk with Michelle Johnson from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, I expected to learn more about seeds. What I didn’t expect was to walk away thinking about joy, legacy, and the future of food in an entirely different way. What started nearly three decades ago as 17-year-old Jere Gettle's handmade seed catalog has grown into a global movement — but at its heart,...

Send us Fan Mail This podcast started as my journey back to agriculture—and now, I’m actually living it. Over the past few years, I’ve been searching, learning, and having conversations with incredible people across this industry, trying to understand where I fit. And now, I’ve made the decision to step in—to take on a role at a farm, to move, and to fully immerse myself in this next chapter. I me...

Send us Fan Mail When I first interviewed Kara and Matt from Rutter's Ranch in Episode 62 , we talked about veteran farmers strengthening America’s food system. But in this follow-up conversation with Kara, what struck me most wasn’t just the growth of their programs — it was the depth of purpose behind everything they’re building. From Matt receiving the American Farm Bureau Veteran Farmer A...

Send us Fan Mail When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carried a weight that anyone connected t...

Send us Fan Mail When I first interviewed Giany Guedjo, the Executive Director of Carolina Human Reinvestment, in Episode 43 , we talked about faith, food security, and the early days of building a community garden rooted in purpose. In this catch-up conversation, I found something different — not just survival, but momentum. He joined me from his greenhouse on a cold morning, surrounded by vibran...

Send us Fan Mail Some conversations feel especially heartfelt because they highlight not just a business, but a person stepping fully into who they’re meant to be. That’s exactly how I felt talking with Amanda Portis, the heart behind Assunta’s Food Truck at Nourse Farm. Amanda’s journey back to her hometown and into food entrepreneurship is such a beautiful example of how passion, timing, and a l...

Send us Fan Mail There are some conversations that leave you thinking differently long after the recording ends — and my talk with Megan Neubauer was exactly that kind of conversation. I first interviewed Megan in episode # 6 , and her perspective stuck with me, so reconnecting with her felt like catching up with someone whose work — and impact — has continued to grow right alongside the movement...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s guest is someone who truly redefines what it means to travel with purpose. I was so inspired learning about the work Kimberly Haley-Coleman is doing through Globe Aware, creating opportunities for everyday people to step beyond traditional tourism and step into meaningful global service. Her journey started with a simple desire to give back while traveling — and it grew in...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s guest is someone very special to me — my longtime friend, Jeanine Davis. We met years ago through our businesses and a shared love of learning, creating, and doing things a little differently. Over the years, I’ve had a front-row seat to Jeanine’s journey from busy Long Island life to a more nature-centered life in Pennsylvania, and through it all, one thing has always sta...

Send us Fan Mail Eighteen months after our first conversation, we revisit Peacefield Farm Sanctuary with founders John and Emma Hoel to explore how this Florida sanctuary has grown not just in size, but in depth and purpose. In that time, Peacefield welcomed a new baby, new rescued animals, and even a multigenerational family dynamic as John’s parents relocated to the farm. What emerges is a pictu...

Send us Fan Mail I sat down with special education teacher Alanna O’Donnell to explore how urban farming, gardening, and raising chickens are transforming learning for students with significant disabilities at P177Q, the Robin Sue Ward School for Exceptional Children in Queens, New York. Alanna shares how her background in service and community work shaped a teaching philosophy rooted in empathy,...