Will Harris is a fourth-generation cattleman from Bluffton, Georgia, and the force behind White Oak Pastures—a farm his family has run since 1866. For decades, Will managed it under the conventional industrial model. But in the mid-90s, he made a radical pivot, transforming White Oak into one of the nation’s most respected regenerative farms. His work is about far more than food—it’s about healing land, water, and rural communities through farming that works with nature instead of against it.

In this episode, we talk about the century-long shift from small, local food systems to today’s industrial agriculture, and why Will believes reviving local “food sheds” is key to restoring both ecosystems and rural economies. We dig into how regenerative practices can rebuild soils, reduce runoff, and even revive dying watersheds downstream. Will also reflects on what it takes for consumers, communities, and policymakers to break Big Ag’s grip and reconnect farming to its natural cycles.

This conversation isn’t just about farming—it’s about rethinking how we feed ourselves, and what it will take to build a food system that sustains both people and the planet.

Order Will’s book, “A Bold Return to Giving a Damn” : https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/a-bold-return-to-giving-a-damn?srsltid=AfmBOorGzEzcxS0fFkWENnXSkKCupy_MPw6rM9cG-DBCA4vVsy_bMpWB

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