What if restoring the soil could help restore something in us?

In this episode of God of Dirt, Dana sits down with geologist and bestselling author David R. Montgomery, author of Growing a Revolution, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, and Regen: A New Future for Farming, Food, and Health.

David has spent years studying what happens when civilizations neglect the land that sustains them—and what becomes possible when we learn to work with nature instead of against it.

Together, we explore regenerative agriculture, soil health, farming, food systems, ecology, civilization, and our relationship with place. But underneath all of that is a bigger question:

What happens when we remember that the world beneath our feet is alive—and that we are part of it?

David shares the surprising story of how his wife, biologist Anne Biklé, transformed the lifeless soil in their own yard, changing his understanding of how quickly soil can be restored. We talk about the farmers who are rebuilding degraded land, why regenerative agriculture isn't a single formula, and why healthy soil may be one of the most important foundations for human flourishing.

We also venture into more unexpected territory: belonging, spirituality, awe, modern disconnection, and the future of civilization.

Because perhaps the revolution we need isn't simply agricultural.

Perhaps it's a revolution in the way we see our place in the world.

Books & resources mentioned:

• Growing a Revolution — David R. Montgomery
• Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations — David R. Montgomery
• The Hidden Half of Nature — David R. Montgomery & Anne Biklé
• What Your Food Ate — David R. Montgomery & Anne Biklé
• Regen: A New Future for Farming, Food, and Health — David R. Montgomery
• Elaine Ingham and the concept of the soil food web
• Dig2Grow — David Montgomery & Anne Biklé: dig2grow.com

If you've ever wondered what healthy soil has to do with healthy people, healthy communities, and the future of civilization, this conversation is for you.

Follow God of Dirt and join us as we remember how to belong—to people, to place, and to purpose.

What if some of the things that make us truly wealthy are the very things we've stopped knowing how to value?

Jo Nemeth has lived without money of her own for more than 11 years. But this conversation isn't simply about giving up money. It's about questioning the assumption that money is the primary way we exchange value.

Jo and I talk about the gift economy, relational capital, community, growing food, creativity, convenience, individualism, and what it means to build a life around reciprocity rather than transactions.

What if relationships aren't just something that makes life better—but something we actually need to survive?

What if the person who gives you their time, the food growing in your garden, the skills you share with a neighbor, and the community you build around you are all forms of wealth?

And what if becoming less dependent on large systems begins with very small things we can do right where we are?

Jo leaves us with a few simple questions:

Can I do this without money?

How can I do this without money?

Do I actually need this, or do I just want it?

Robin Wall Kimmerer

• Braiding Sweetgrass
• The Serviceberry

Robin Wall Kimmerer's website

Mark Boyle

• The Moneyless Man
• The Moneyless Manifesto

Moneyless.org

Artist as Family — Meg Ulman & Patrick Jones

Jo recommends their work for people who want to become less dependent on the monetary economy while still living within it, through growing food, bartering, sharing, and building community.

Artist as Family

Ethan Hughes & the Possibility Alliance

Jo describes Ethan Hughes and the Possibility Alliance as an inspiring example of deeply connected, low-consumption living.

Ethan Hughes & the Possibility Alliance

At God of Dirt, we're exploring what happens when we remember that we belong—to people, to place, and to something larger than ourselves.

Maybe the question isn't simply, “How do I get out of the system?”

Maybe it's:

“What can I build around me so I don't need the system to provide everything?”

Thanks for being part of the conversation.

Subscribe to God of Dirt and share this episode with someone who is questioning what a truly rich life looks like.

What if the life we've been taught to pursue is the very thing keeping us disconnected?

In this episode of God of Dirt, Dana sits down with Amber Alcoser, host of Feral Faith, for a thought-provoking conversation about the lost art of community and why modern Western culture has drifted so far from the way humans were designed to live.

Together they explore why loneliness has become so common, what communal cultures around the world can teach us, and how biology, faith, and even nature reveal that we were never meant to thrive alone.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why independence isn't always healthy
• What communal cultures do differently
• How Western life has reshaped the way we think
• The surprising connection between nature, faith, and human flourishing
• Practical ways to begin rebuilding meaningful community today

If you've ever felt like something is missing—even while doing everything "right"—this conversation may help explain why.

Keywords: community, loneliness, faith, culture, connection, homesteading, relationships, Western culture, intentional living, God of Dirt, communal living

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