In this episode of the Soil Sisters Podcast, meet Jonah and Kendra Martin, the couple behind Holdfast Farmstead in Southwest Iowa. They unfold their transition from being ship captains to becoming homesteaders focused on regenerative agriculture. The conversation delves into establishing their 50-acre farm with rotational grazing practices, setting up a community-oriented farm store, and maintaining balance in their diversified income streams. The podcast explores their faith-driven approach to farming and discusses the philosophical connections between regenerative agriculture and spirituality. If you're curious what it's like to make a major life shift into regenerative farming and ranching, this podcast is for you. This conversation was recorded on Oct. 7, 2025.

MEET OUR GUESTS: Jonah and Kendra Martin farm 50 acres of hilly pasture and timber in SW Iowa. They focus on regenerative practices using rotational grazing. Their new farm store fosters community building and networking starting with clean foods. From their website they sell shelf-stable, nutrient dense foods and tallow products. Learn more at HoldfastFarmstead.com. 

TIME STAMPS:

00:00 Welcome to the Soil Sisters Podcast

00:41 Meet The Martins

01:17 From Ship Captains to Homesteaders

04:58 Challenges and Decisions in Farming

06:52 Building a Community Farm Store in Conventional Farming Country

08:52 Regenerative Practices and Sustainability

15:16 The Importance of Local and Clean Foods

22:43 Navigating the Business of Farming

31:52 Supporting Local Agriculture

39:36 Community and Local Organic Groceries

42:02 Farm Store Experimentation

48:55 Faith and Farming

01:01:11 Humanity and Empathy in Agriculture

01:17:04 Navigating Farming and Income

01:21:02 Balancing Multiple Ventures

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