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.🌱 Connect with Talkin’ Dirt

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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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