In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Jennifer and Scott Beddard, former owners of Beddard Berry Farm in Washington’s Yakima Valley.

Jennifer and Scott share the story of building their berry farm from the ground up, learning as they went, raising a family alongside the farm, and eventually making the difficult decision to close the operation.

From there, we dive into a side of agriculture most people rarely get to see: commercial pollination. Jennifer and Scott spent years working with fruit growers throughout the region, collecting blossoms, extracting and testing pollen, and helping orchardists make sure their trees actually produced a crop. We talk about the surprisingly complicated science behind pollination, why different varieties of fruit trees depend on one another, and just how much can go wrong during the short window when an orchard is in bloom.

After selling their commercial pollination business, Jennifer and Scott found another way to put all of that experience to use. They started PollenPro, where they now provide small quantities of commercial-grade fruit tree pollen specifically for backyard growers. Toward the end of the episode, we talk about how that idea came together and how home growers can use supplemental pollen to help get fruit from trees that might otherwise struggle with pollination.

Learn more about PollenPro and their pollen for backyard fruit trees here:
https://www.pollenpro.com/

We also zoom out and talk about what Jennifer and Scott have witnessed happening in agriculture around the Yakima Valley; the challenges facing smaller farms, the increasing pressure from larger operations, and what it takes to make a living in farming today.

It’s a conversation about starting a small farm, walking away from it, finding a different place within agriculture, and seeing firsthand just how complicated the system behind our food really is.

If you enjoy Talkin’ Dirt, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with somebody who might enjoy it. Every little bit of support helps more people find these conversations.

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In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Pete Temrowski of Full Heart Farm, a one-acre farm in Carnation, Washington.

Pete’s path to farming took him from growing plants as a kid in Atlanta, to working in the cannabis industry, to eventually starting a farm of his own in the Snoqualmie Valley. Today, he’s building Full Heart slowly and intentionally, growing vegetables, herbs, flowers and perennial crops while experimenting with seed saving, composting, low-till practices and ways to improve the health of his soil.

We talk about what it actually takes to start a small farm with limited resources, the importance of community among local farmers, why Pete has become so interested in saving and adapting seeds, and the realities of trying to make a living on a one-acre operation.

Pete is refreshingly realistic about what he’s building. He’d love to farm full time someday, but he also recognizes that farming may always be something he does alongside other work. For him, it’s less about getting big and more about growing good food, feeding his family and community, and getting to spend his life working with plants.

This is a great conversation about small-scale farming, soil, seeds, community, and simply doing something because you love it.

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In this episode of Talkin' Dirt, I sit down with Graham Redfern, founder of Redfern Hemp, and Joe Domino, the company's research director. Graham's path into agriculture wasn't a traditional one. After careers in construction and banking, he became convinced that industrial hemp had the potential to transform everything from building materials and textiles to wellness products and sustainable manufacturing. What followed was years of farming, research, product development, and advocacy as Redfern Hemp grew into one of Virginia's leading hemp companies.

Our conversation begins with the story of how Redfern Hemp came to be but quickly expands into the complex regulatory landscape surrounding hemp production in the United States. Virgina's laws regarding hemp are changing on August 15th of this year. Graham and Joe explain how Virginia's changing hemp laws are reshaping their business, why full-spectrum hemp products have become the center of a growing legal debate, and what it's like trying to build a company when the rules governing your industry continue to evolve. Along the way, we discuss the promise of industrial hemp, the realities of running a vertically integrated agricultural business, and the practical challenges facing farmers trying to invest in an uncertain future.

More broadly, this conversation explores a question that reaches far beyond hemp: What happens when regulation becomes one of the defining forces shaping an agricultural industry? We talk about the relationship between public policy and innovation, the growing cost of regulatory compliance, and whether changing rules unintentionally make it harder for small producers to compete. Regardless of where you land on the issues discussed, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how agriculture, entrepreneurship, and government policy intersect—and why those conversations matter for the future of farming.

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In this episode of Talkin' Dirt, I sit down with Jay Hayward, owner of Hayward Garlic in Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Jay has built one of the country's leading seed garlic businesses, but his path into farming wasn't exactly a straight one.

Jay shares how studying behavioral psychology, working in agricultural technology, and recruiting for manufacturing companies eventually led him back to the farm. We talk about what it takes to build a specialty crop business, the realities of marketing as a small farmer, garlic genetics, soil health, and what the label "organic" really means.

We also discuss hydroponics, consumer food choices, and some of the assumptions many of us have about modern agriculture. Toward the end of the conversation, Jay shares some of the research behind the book he's writing on the controversy surrounding cows and climate change and why he believes it's a conversation worth taking a closer look at.

This is a thoughtful conversation about farming, science, and questioning conventional wisdom.

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This week on Talkin' Dirt, I sit down with Steve Jones of Colossal Orchards in Selah, Washington. Steve's journey into chestnuts began almost by accident when a friend suggested they give the crop a try. More than 35 years later, that small side project has grown into one of the Pacific Northwest's largest chestnut operations.

Our conversation explores what it takes to build an orchard designed to last generations. Steve shares the challenges of establishing a crop that can take years to produce meaningful yields, the realities of marketing a niche product, and the long-term thinking required when planting trees that may outlive the person who planted them.

Along the way, we discuss the fascinating history of the American chestnut and the devastating blight that transformed forests across Appalachia. We also dive into some of the bigger forces shaping modern agriculture, including water rights in the American West, rising labor costs, agricultural consolidation, global commodity markets, and why one of the greatest strengths of American agriculture may also be one of its greatest challenges.

From chestnut orchards and pollination to drought, trade, and the future of farming, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at the complex systems that shape the food we eat and the people who produce it.

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In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with David Bell from Just Living Farm on Yakama Nation land in the Yakima Valley of Washington. David and his wife originally came to the area in the late 1990s to run after school programs for local youth, but over time that work evolved into something much larger, a farm built around ideas of stewardship, justice, and living in a closer relationship with the land.

In this conversation, David shares the story of how Just Living Farm came to be and how his perspective on agriculture changed over the years. We talk about raising grass fed cattle in a way that works in harmony with the land, the realities of industrial agriculture, and why he believes farming should be about more than just commodity production. He also explains why he prefers the term “harmonious farming” over “regenerative farming,” and how their operation is designed to sustain both the animals and the landscape naturally.

We also get into deeper conversations around land ownership, Yakama Nation history, water rights in the valley, and how modern society has become increasingly disconnected from food, nature, and rural life. David shares thoughtful perspectives on stewardship, community, and what it means to truly belong to a place rather than simply own it.

This was one of the more reflective and philosophical conversations I’ve had on the podcast, grounded in agriculture, but reaching far beyond it.

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In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Ellen from Frisky Girl Farm in Fall City, Washington. Ellen got her start in agriculture after a college class reshaped how she thought about the food system, which led her to work on farms across the country before eventually co-founding her own operation in the Seattle area.

In this conversation, Ellen shares the story of building Frisky Girl Farm from a half-acre urban farm into a five-acre production, and the challenges that came with it—losing infrastructure to wind, dealing with crop damage from wildlife, and ultimately making the decision to leave that land behind. We get into how those experiences shaped the next chapter of the farm and what it looks like to scale up through a merger with Steel Wheel Farm in the Snoqualmie Valley.

We also talk through their unique CSA model that gives customers more flexibility in what they receive each week, along with the realities of marketing and selling food as a small farm. Ellen shares insights on organic growing practices, year-round production in the Pacific Northwest, and the balance between collaboration and competition within the local farming community.

You can find out more about what Ellen and her team are putting together and how to sign up for their CSA box at Frisky Girl Farm: North Bend's finest vegetable & flower farm

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In this episode of Talkin’ Dirt, I sit down with Jack from Farmer Jack’s Garden in the Yakima Valley. Jack has spent a lifetime around agriculture, starting on a cattle and grain farm in northeastern Washington and continuing that work through decades of growing his own food at home.

In this conversation, Jack shares how gardening stayed with him through a full career in law enforcement, eventually turning into a small-scale operation where he and his wife Diann sold grapes, popcorn on the cob, and hundreds of pounds of beets each year directly to their community. We get into how that all came together and what it looks like to build something like that over time.

We also talk through soil health, natural growing methods, and the systems Jack has developed over the years to grow productive crops without relying on chemicals. He shares practical insights on irrigation, composting, pest management, and what it takes to consistently grow good food in a dry climate like the Yakima Valley.

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