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Regeneration Rising is a podcast for beginning agrarians, about the trials, tribulations, and joys of a life in regenerative agriculture. Each episode will feature conversations with apprentices and other young agrarians, tidbits and tips from regenerative ag experts, job announcements, and more. Originally started by Shawna Burhans and Ariel Bobbett, two young agrarians, season two is now being led by Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian apprenticeship program. As we face the challenge of repopulating our fields and rangelands with a new generation, we’re building a community of ranchers and farmers who are working towards a thriving workforce for the future of food, agriculture, and working lands. They are our Regeneration Rising.
40 Episodes
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On this episode, host Taylor Muglia speaks with Will Vogl, owner and operator of Vogl Homestead Farm near Black Forest, Colorado. Will discusses the difficulty of accessing affordable grazing land on the front range and the development pressure his county is facing. While this can be a setback for many graziers, Will has used it as an opportunity to work with landowners and graze sheep on smaller parcels that cattle ranchers wouldn't consider. He talks about how he balances the operation with being a husband, father, and firefighter (who occasionally likes to take a vacation!), and how his skills in wildfire mitigation help him diversify land management services for landowners beyond just grazing.
In this episode of Regeneration Rising, host Taylor Muglia sits down with 2022 New Agrarian Program alumna Rachel Stoltzfus, who now works as a Herdsman at Herr Angus Farm in Nottingham, Pennsylvania. Rachel talks about lessons she took from her apprenticeship at Round River Resource Management, her process and decision to take a job at a cattle farm near her hometown, and learning curves she faces as she builds her career and life in land stewardship.
In this month's episode of Regeneration Rising, host Taylor Muglia speaks with Katie McInnes, Co-owner and Operator of The Dogs Run Farm near Clearwater, Manitoba, Canada. Katie talks about her journey from acting into farming and how community relationships and a bit of luck led her and her now husband Colin to securing land for farming. Katie also talks about what their farm looks like today, how they plan to grow, and how she integrates the farm with motherhood and mentorship through the Young Agrarians apprenticeship program.
On this episode of Regeneration Rising, our guest is Terrance Boyd, owner of Wild Boyd Farm in Matheson, Colorado. Terrance talks about his deep interest in being an active agent in his own food production, his journey into homesteading, and how he has turned the homestead into a ranch business that serves a variety of meat sales channels due to high demand for locally-raised meat in the Denver area. Terrance also talks about the complex cultural differences between rural/urban communities and challenges of equitable and affordable local food access.
Chase Hetler and Jessie Hook spent much of 2023 as Quivira Coalition interns through the Carbon Ranch Initiative, investigating the financial and ecological viability of compost application and erosion control structures on rangeland in the southwest. Host Taylor Muglia chats with both interns about their experiences and how their internships changed the way they see academia's role in ranching.
In this episode of Regeneration Rising, host Taylor Muglia chats with New Agrarian Program mentor Louis Martin, owner of Round River Resource Management near Rush, Colorado. They talk about Louis' background in agriculture and education, and how he found opportunities to access land and capital even though agriculture skipped a generation in his family. Louis has mentored over 60 apprentices; he explains what makes a great apprentice candidate, and how his ranch is specifically designed to support beginning ranchers.
Music attribution:
Wanderlust by Scott Buckley
In this episode, host Taylor Muglia sits down with current New Agrarian Program apprentices Ryan Koch and Samuel Moreno to talk about their experience in the past year. From applications and interviews to successes and struggles during the season to plans post-apprenticeship, this conversation has so many valuable lessons not only for future applicants, but anyone considering starting a career in agriculture.
Photo of Sam by Alexis Bonogofsky
You can find Sam online here and Ryan here.
In anticipation for the 2024 New Agrarian Program applications opening November 1st, we are spending some time today with mentor Layna Jansen, rancher and Beef Program Coordinator at the Home Ranch in Clark, Colorado. She shares details about her career path and what it takes to feel like you finally belong to a place after moving from Virginia to the Home Ranch as a young adult, and working her way up over almost 10 years. She shares her advice to folks considering apprenticeship and tips on how to create a positive work environment with a large team.
Find Layna on Facebook and Instagram.
Music attribution:
Wanderlust by Scott Buckley
In this episode, host Taylor Muglia dives into the details of a creative land access model with Poudre Valley Community Farms Executive Director Stacy Lishka and one of the program's lessees Evanne Caviness, who also happens to be the Western Organizing Manager for the National Young Farmers Coalition. The two guests talk about what can go right and wrong with cooperative land leasing, and share insights they've gained along the way. These insights can help beginning farmers and ranchers find hope for land access in extremely expensive parts of the West, and inform public and private land managers to think about leasing land with an equitable and holistic mindset.
Emily certainly didn't see herself coming back to her family potato and barley farm in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, but a husband, child, and global pandemic later, she finds herself learning how to farm from her parents, participating in succession conversations, and becoming an advocate within the ag community. In this episode of Regeneration Rising, host Taylor Muglia talks with Emily Brown about her fascinating story.
Find out more about Emily's work with Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and Annie's Project.
We're Hiring a Communications & Podcast Intern! Find out more here.
The New Agrarian Program's Taylor Muglia sits down with Pork Rhyne "The Pork Evangelist" to talk about his career path as a young farmer and transition into public speaking and consulting, as well as lessons he's learned from helping clients build profitable livestock enterprises. You can follow Pork Rhyne by visiting the youtube channel Agro Educators International, or visiting their website.
Photo Credit: Pork Rhyne
New Agrarian Program (NAP) alumni Graham Holtrop guest-hosts this episode, interviewing his former mentor Jim Spinner (current NAP mentor at The Veebaray). Graham and Jim discuss what he loves about ranching, what it takes to be ranch manager, and advice for first generation ranchers who may pursue ranch management, as opposed to ownership. Jim talks about his challenges raising a family and navigating work/life balance. And if you needed any more evidence of how cool Jim really is, we also learn that he does indeed have a ski boat, he does indeed drive 3 hours each way to the nearest Montana lake, and he did indeed teach Graham how to knee board. Not sure knee boarding can go on the program skill checklist, but we'll accept it.
Find Jim on Instagram
Find Graham on LinkedIn
Hannah Breckbill, co-farmer at Humble Hands Harvest in Decorah, Iowa, felt a desire to own land originally because of a yearning to incorporate perennials into her vegetable and sheep operation. This can be a frustration for land renters who feel unsure of their longevity on a piece of land. In this episode, Hannah sits down with Taylor Muglia of the New Agrarian Program to talk about the process of working with a community-owned land-holding company that served as a "bank" to allow her to purchase land at a reasonable pace with no interest. Hannah also talks about weaving all owners and employees into the Humble Hands business model in a cooperative way, and how she has found a deeply meaningful community through creating the Queer Farmer Network.
Find Humble Hands Harvest on Instagram and Facebook.
New Agrarian Program (NAP) Alumna Natalie Berkman (Milton Ranch, 2020/2021) joined as a guest-host to interview Susan Elder (Charter Ranch, 2020/2021) for a conversation about their lives post-apprenticeship as managers of ranches in Montana and Kansas. The conversation highlights lessons learned from apprenticeship and challenges of the transition, with some good laughs sprinkled in about purple riding helmets and brie cheese.
Find Susan on Instagram @ferrellranch or @susandalt
Tony Vorster, Research Scientist at Colorado State University (CSU), Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory sits down with host Taylor Muglia to talk details of the new CSU Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship Program and options beginning agrarians might have for further education. They discuss the Summer Field Course, the importance of learning alongside peers of diverse specialties, and how to think about the "flavors" of grad school to choose the right path for you.
In this conversation, New Agrarian Program's Taylor Muglia has a powerful conversation with Ryan White, CEO and Founder of SnapLands LLC. Ryan talks about his winding road into agriculture, which is rooted deeply in his appreciation for nature which he has carried since childhood. Ryan discusses difficult career decisions he's faced in the industry of regenerative land management, expands upon "earning his meal ticket", and shares a few impactful pieces of advice for folks entering an industry that struggles to provide work/life balance, financial stability, mental health support, and amenities available to our counterparts outside of agriculture.
Quivira Coalition's Taylor Muglia sits down with Michelle Hughes, the Operations and Impact Director at National Young Farmers Coalition. Michelle speaks about her background in farming and livestock production and how she transitioned to advocacy work, then became staff at NYFC. She talks about the challenges and successes of weaving racial equity into an agricultural organization, and how accountability must be a part of that system. Michelle also speaks about her experience on the Equity Commission at USDA and how each young farmer can find their voice.
Instagram @youngfarmers
Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program Colorado Manager Taylor Muglia sits down with Akwese Mbendang Milene Majolie. Akwese was an intern this summer with Quivira's Carbon Ranch Initiative. Working remotely from Rwanda where she attended school at the African Leadership University Rwanda, she helped with biochar projects and educational guides, and expanded her knowledge of regenerative agriculture with Quivira staff located in New Mexico. Originally from Cameroon, Akwese is passionate about sharing regenerative techniques with smallholder farmers in her region and innovating ways to reduce post-harvest loss. In this episode, she shares her story and dreams for the future.
Find Akwese on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. And her project Chakula Poda on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) Land Advocacy Fellowship is a two-year advocacy and leadership fellowship for current and aspiring young farmers and ranchers. In this episode, host Taylor Muglia sits down with Benú Amun-Ra, Tanisha Diggs, and Óscar Vital, three Fellows from right here in Colorado. They talk about their land access goals, how it can be even harder for BIPOC to access agricultural land, capital, and resources, and they share their policy suggestions for the 2023 Farm Bill as a part of the One Million Acres for the Future Campaign—an initiative to ensure that land is equitably transitioned to the next generation of farmers.
Instagram - @youngfarmers
Facebook
youngfarmers.org
Land Advocacy Fellowship
NYFC National Survey Report
One Million Acres for the Future Campaign
Caroline Caldwell is a rancher, academic, traveller, Corgi-owner, and Quivira's very own Northern Plains Manager here at the New Agrarian Program. In this episode, we pick Caroline's brain about land transition and her work with American Farmland Trust, her perspective on how new agrarians can find success without inheriting land, and what qualities you can work on to become a great ranch manager.
Find Caroline on Instagram
Photo credits: Charles Sullivan, Ada Smith, Bart Morris
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