In this special recap episode of the Modern Farming Podcast, we bring together two powerful conversations from our What Is and Isn’t in Your Food series to highlight one essential truth: you don’t have to be a farmer to care about agriculture. The health of our soil directly impacts the health of our food—and ultimately, the health of you.

Episode Highlights:

We revisit key insights from two groundbreaking episodes:

1. “What Your Food Is and Isn’t” with David R. Montgomery and Anne Bikle

This thought-provoking conversation explores how soil depletion affects crop quality, nutrient density, and public health. David and Anne walk us through how regenerative practices restore soil biology and why healthy soil isn’t just good for farms—it’s essential for long-term human well-being.

2. “Defining Nutrient Density” with Dan Kittredge

Dan breaks down the science behind nutrient-dense food—explaining why food grown in living, biologically active soil is more flavorful, more nourishing, and more resilient. Backed by ongoing research and field data from the Bionutrient Food Association, this episode showcases how soil health can be measured, improved, and made visible to consumers.

Why This Matters for Everyone—Not Just Farmers:

Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or someone simply trying to eat well, understanding what’s in your food—and how it got there—is key to your health. These episodes emphasize that support for healthy soil is support for your own body. And this isn’t just theory—it’s supported by real data showing how soil quality influences nutrient density and food system resilience.

What You’ll Learn in This Recap:

• Why healthy soil = healthy people

• How soil biology and regenerative practices are changing the game

• How new data and technology are making food quality measurable

• Why consumers have the power to shift the system—starting with knowledge

Tune in now for a deep dive into why what’s beneath your food matters just as much as what’s on your plate.

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Want more information? Check out the full episodes:

• “What Your Food Is and Isn’t” with Anne Bikle & David Montgomery - https://youtu.be/NQ-nXvE5eFI

• “What Is and Isn’t in Your Food: Defining Nutrient Density” with Dan Kittredge - https://youtu.be/mSoynEHEN-E

In this "What Is and Isn't In Your Food: Defining Nutrient Density" episode, we sit down with Dan Kittredge, a regenerative organic farmer and founder of the Bionutrient Food Association (BFA), to unpack a concept that’s changing the way we think about food: nutrient density.

Dan coined the term nutrient density back in 2007, and since then has dedicated his life to helping farmers and consumers understand what makes food truly nourishing. It’s not just about calories or labels—it’s about the flavor, aroma, and nutritive value of the food we grow and eat.

🔬 What You’ll Learn:

• What nutrient density really means, and why it matters for both human and planetary health.

• How nutrient-dense foods are:

• More flavorful and aromatic 🍓

• Healthier for consumers 💪

• More resilient to pests and diseases 🌾

• Cheaper to produce and better for farmers’ bottom lines 💰

• Linked to improved soil health, shelf life, and long-term sustainability 🌎

• Why enlightened self-interest from consumers can shift purchasing habits—and how a hand-held spectrometer (yes, a Bionutrient Meter!) could soon be integrated into your phone’s camera to measure nutrient density at the store.

• Holistic, systemic solutions emerge when we manage for nutrient-rich crops.

🧪 The Research:

Since 2016-17, Dan and his team at the Bionutrient Institute have been partnering with open-source science innovators like Our-Sci and FarmOS to:

• Measure nutrient density across diverse crops

• Understand the drivers of nutrient variation

• Build and deploy consumer-facing tech that can measure food quality on the spot

Their long-term vision? A food system where quality is transparent, regenerative practices are rewarded, and agriculture contributes to reversing both chronic disease and climate change.

🌍 About Dan Kittredge:

Dan grew up farming at Many Hands Organic Farm in Massachusetts and has spent over 30 years working on food and seed sovereignty globally. Through the BFA, he leads educational workshops, global speaking engagements, the annual Soil & Nutrition Conference, and is developing an online course to further spread knowledge about biological systems and nutrient-dense growing.

📲 Connect with BFA:

• Facebook: Bionutrient Food Association

• Instagram: @bionutrientfoodassociation

• YouTube: Bionutrient Channel

• LinkedIn: Bionutrient on LinkedIn

🔔 Subscribe to Modern Farming for more conversations that are shaping the future of food.

Have thoughts or questions about nutrient density? Tag us and Dan on social with #ModernFarmingPodcast!

n this episode of Modern Farming, What your Food Is and Isn't with Anne Bikle and David Montgomery, we dig into what’s really beneath our food—starting with the soil. Joined by husband-and-wife team David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé, we explore how both natural processes and human practices like conventional agriculture have contributed to widespread soil depletion, and what that means for the future of farming and our health.

David, a MacArthur Fellow and professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington, is a broad-minded geologist who studies how earth processes shape ecosystems and societies. Anne, a free-range biologist, science writer, and regenerative gardener with a serious case of “plant lust,” brings deep insight into how soil health connects to human health and nutrition. Together, they’ve authored several acclaimed books, including What Your Food Ate, which builds on their trilogy about soil, microbiomes, and sustainable farming.

We talk about why it’s difficult to get farmers to change practices that seem to be working—especially when peer-to-peer knowledge often carries more weight than supplier advice. But as David and Anne explain, regenerative methods that feed the soil not only work in practice—they can also improve profitability while reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint. The challenge lies in overcoming inertia, rethinking incentive structures, and showing the evidence that healthy soil produces more nutrient-dense food.

Topics Covered:

• How soil depletion affects crop quality and human health

• Feeding the soil vs. feeding the plant: why it matters

• Barriers to change: behavioral, informational, and economic

• How farming practices influence nutrient density in food

• Key nutritional factors tied to soil health: micronutrients, phytochemicals, fat balance, and microbial metabolites

• Microbiomes and their essential role in host biology—why a healthy microbiome matters for plant, animal, and human function

• Managing inflammation and health outcomes through better food system choices

• The ripple effect: healthy soil → healthy plants → healthy people

Key Takeaway:

How our food is farmed doesn’t just impact the environment—it shapes the nutrition on our plates and the health of future generations. With the right knowledge, practices, and incentives, we can shift toward a system where healthy soil means healthy people.

🎧 Tune in and rethink what your food is… and isn’t

Learn more at https://www.dig2grow.com/

Books Links:

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization

https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=dirt+erosion+of+civilizations

The Hidden Half of Nature

https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=the+hidden+half+of+nature

Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life

https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=Growing+a+Revolution

What Your Food Ate

https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=what+your+food+ate

In this recap of the Dirt to Dinner series, Brad and Nick reflect on their conversations with two trailblazers in regenerative agriculture—Dr. Jonathan Lundgren from Ecdysis Foundation and Will Harris of White Oak Pastures.

Brad shares firsthand insights from his time with Dr. Lundgren and his research team, who spent over a week in Florida gathering data on soil health, biodiversity, and regenerative farming practices. He highlights the depth of John’s research and the collaborative effort it takes to push agricultural science forward.

The conversation then shifts to White Oak Pastures, where Brad describes his visit as an almost spiritual experience—watching Will Harris’s cattle seamlessly rotate through pastures in a way that mimics nature’s design. Nick and Brad dive into the challenges both guests face in their mission to reshape the food system, emphasizing the passion and perseverance required to lead the regenerative movement.

As Dirt to Dinner comes to a close, Brad and Nick give a sneak peek at what’s next for Modern Farming. The upcoming episodes will shift toward the intersection of food and nutrition, featuring expert guests who will share valuable insights into how farming practices impact the quality of the food on our plates.

Don’t miss this episode as we wrap up a powerful series and gear up for more conversations that dig deep into the world that feeds us!

🎧 Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform.

https://www.bluedasher.farm/

https://whiteoakpastures.com/

Guest: Will Harris, fourth-generation cattleman and owner of White Oak Pastures, a pioneering regenerative farm in Bluffton, Georgia.

Episode Overview:

In the final installment of Dirt to Dinner on the Modern Farming podcast, we sit down with Will Harris, a leader in regenerative agriculture who transformed his family’s farm from an industrialized cattle operation into a sustainable, pasture-based, vertically integrated farm. Will shares his journey of moving away from conventional farming methods and embracing humane animal husbandry, environmental sustainability, and rural community revitalization.

Topics Covered:

✔️ The History of White Oak Pastures – From industrialized cattle farming to regenerative agriculture.

✔️ Indicators of Land Health – Earthworms, plant diversity, soil organic matter, and more.

✔️ The Importance of Allowing Animals to Exhibit Natural Behaviors – How rotational grazing and multispecies farming contribute to ecosystem health.

✔️ Revitalizing Bluffton, Georgia – The economic and social impact of regenerative farming on a rural community.

✔️ The Challenges & Rewards of Regenerative Agriculture – Why it’s a high-risk, low-reward model in the short term but leads to long-term health, ecological, and rural revival benefits.

✔️ Farm Operations & Land Management – Managing 5,000 acres, moving cattle daily, and rotating species strategically.

✔️ Education & Outreach – White Oak Pastures’ 501(c)(3) nonprofit and internship programs for training the next generation of regenerative farmers.

✔️ The Three-Legged Stool of Farming Success – Balancing production, processing, and marketing to create a thriving farm business.

About White Oak Pastures:

A six-generation family farm dedicated to regenerative agriculture, White Oak Pastures raises 10 species of livestock, produces organic vegetables, and operates on-farm red meat and poultry abattoirs—one of the only farms in the U.S. to do so. With 155 employees, the farm is not just regenerating land but also rebuilding the rural community of Bluffton, Georgia.

🔗 Learn More: White Oak Pastures Website https://whiteoakpastures.com/

• White Oak Pastures Farm - ​​White Oak Pastures is a six-generation family farm in south Georgia, pasture-raising 10 species of livestock, eggs, organic vegetables, honey, and other things. We do this on almost 5,000 acres of land, in a radically traditional way. White Oak Pastures is Radically Traditional Farming. Every day, we butcher meat from animals raised in a regenerative manner using humane animal management practices. This is no easy task, but it is our passion. To operate our vertically integrated, zero-waste model, it takes 155 caring people working together to accomplish a common goal: taking care of our land and our livestock. We are one of the only farms in the United States that have both red meat and poultry abattoirs on our farm. The uniqueness of these two enormous investments demonstrates White Oak Pastures' commitment to regenerative agriculture. We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk. White Oak Pastures is rebuilding the Bluffton Community. Rural communities like our village of Bluffton, Georgia, had been the backbone of our culture. But, for the last two generations, they have been sinking into oblivion. This is because they were made irrelevant by the industrialized, centralized, and commoditized farming system. In the last ten years, the impact of our farm on this small town of 100 people has been dramatic. We now employ 155 good people who are eating, shopping, and living in Bluffton. Farming must not only be sustainable; it has to be regenerative. White Oak Pastures' system effectively captures soil carbon, offsetting a majority of the emissions related to...

In this second installment of the Dirt to Dinner series, we welcome agroecologist Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, Executive Director of Ecdysis Foundation and CEO of Blue Dasher Farm. Jon’s groundbreaking research is reshaping the future of agriculture, demonstrating how regenerative farming can restore ecosystems, improve farm profitability, and transform rural communities.

In this episode, Jon shares his journey into regenerative agriculture and the science behind it, focusing on the 1000 Farms Initiative, which studies food production across 35 crop systems and multiple livestock systems to gain an in-depth understanding of the nation’s food system.

Key Topics Discussed:

🌱 How regenerative farming creates more nutritious food, better profits, and healthier ecosystems

🐞 Why pests aren’t the problem—they’re a symptom of deeper soil health issues

💰 The financial and environmental benefits of regenerative agriculture, including its potential to break cycles of farm debt

🌾 The importance of cover crops, biodiversity, and soil health in creating resilient, productive farms

📊 Data-backed evidence showing how regenerative practices improve biodiversity, rural community resilience, and food quality while also reducing health risks and increasing carbon sequestration

Jon challenges traditional agricultural mindsets, explaining why some growers are hesitant to embrace regenerative methods and how shifting to this approach could revolutionize farming for future generations.

🎧 Tune in for an insightful discussion on the power of regenerative agriculture and how it’s shaping the future of food!

🔜 Stay tuned for Part 3 of the Dirt to Dinner series, where we continue the discussion with Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures one of the largest pasture-raised livestock operations in the entire nation.

Welcome to the Modern Farming podcast's newest three-part series, Dirt to Dinner, exploring the connections between soil, farming practices, and the food we eat. In our Soil Special episode, Brad and Nick dig deeper into the foundations of regenerative agriculture and its role in modern farming. Is regenerative the new organic? And what does that mean for farmers and consumers alike?

Topics Covered:

🌱 The history of soil science—how long have we really understood soil health?

🌾 Regenerative farming—a centuries-old practice, first referenced in 1753.

🌿 What is humus? The role of organic matter in soil fertility.

🔬 Rhizophagy and soil biology—how microbes help plants grow.

🍎 Brix levels in food—why they matter for taste and nutrition.

🚜 The real challenge for growers—farming isn’t just labor-intensive; it requires expertise in soil health, plant science, and ecosystem management.

Brad shares insights on how increasing biological activity in soil can boost Brix levels, leading to healthier, more nutrient-dense crops. Join us for a deep dive into soil science as we set the table for the rest of the Dirt to Dinner series!

🔜 Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll be joined by Dr. Jonathan Lundgren—agroecologist, Executive Director of Ecdysis Foundation, and CEO of Blue Dasher Farm. Dr. Lundgren’s research is shaping the future of regenerative agriculture, focusing on how biodiversity strengthens agroecosystems and rural communities. In our next episode, we’ll explore how ecologically intensive farming practices can enhance resilience, productivity, and the long-term sustainability of our food system. Don’t miss this insightful conversation!

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Modern Farming, we’re diving into the fascinating world of pollination with special guest Helena Peterson! As an 18-year-old Agriculture Advocate, 4-H State Executive Board member, and one of Florida’s six Youth Pollinator Ambassadors, Helena is passionate about educating the next generation on the importance of pollinators and how we can protect them.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🐝 What is pollination? How plants rely on pollinators to reproduce and why this process is essential for food production.

🦇 Beyond bees! Discover how bats, hummingbirds, butterflies, and other creatures play a role in pollination.

🌸 Pollinator-friendly plants – What to plant in your garden to attract and support pollinators.

🌞 Timing matters – How the time of day affects which pollinators visit certain flowers.

🏡 Attracting pollinators at home – Simple ways to create a pollinator-friendly environment in your own backyard.

⚠️ Threats to pollinators – The biggest challenges facing pollinators today and how we can help.

🌿 The importance of native plants – Why choosing the right plants makes all the difference for local pollinator populations.

👩‍🌾 How young people can get involved – Opportunities in 4-H, school programs, and community initiatives to support pollinators and sustainable agriculture.

Join the Conversation!

Got questions about pollinators or sustainable farming? Reach out to us on social media or visit greenjeanfoundation.org to learn more!

🎧 Tune in now and let’s work together to protect the pollinators that help feed the world! 🌍🐝

Additional resource links:

About 4-H - https://4-h.org/about/benefits/

Find your 4-H office - https://florida4h.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/

About Pollinator Ambassadors - https://4-h.org/programs/pollinator-habitat-program/