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The Ostrich Massacre & Government Overreach | EP 59
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I dig into the shocking reality of what small farmers are up against in Canada right now—from health inspectors threatening to shut down egg sales to the CFIA killing an entire flock of healthy ostriches simply because the rule book said so. I share real stories from my own farm, greenhouse, and markets to show how red tape, inconsistent regulations, and plain old government overreach are pushing everyday farmers out while turning food freedom into a maze designed to scare people away from getting started. But there's hope—and power—when you learn how to think creatively, build local networks, and reclaim your part in the food system. If you've ever wondered why farm-to-table feels "risky," or if you've felt called to grow food but fear the bureaucracy… this episode connects the dots you need to see. ______________________________________________ Episode Highlights: government overreach in farming, CFIA ostrich cull, ostrich massacre Canada, raw milk laws Canada, farm to table business, farmers market fraud, small farm regulations, Canadian food bureaucracy, egg regulations Alberta, local food systems, food freedom Canada, know your farmer ______________________________________________ Episode Highlights: raw milk Canada, farm to table business, CFIA overreach, ostrich farm culling, small farm regulations, Canada dairy quota, farmers market resellers, Health Canada cloned meat, food freedom, backyard chickens, local food systems, government bureaucracy in farming Takeaways: You don't have to let bureaucracy stop you from farming or selling food Knowing your local farmers is now a non-negotiable part of real food security Cheap grocery store food comes at the cost of small farms, quality and independence Creative thinking inside the rules can keep you compliant and still profitable Backyard gardens and chickens are powerful tools against food system control Supporting real farmers today is how you secure your family's options tomorrow You can turn almost any piece of land into a small farm-to-table business ______________________________________________ Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love! ______________________________________________ Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started! Book Your FREE Call Today! Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/ ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com
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44:36
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44:36
This Man Proves That Old School Farming Isn't Dead with Tristan Swartz EP 58
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with sixth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer Tristan Swartz, the man behind "Doing It Wrong Dairy," to talk about what right really looks like in farming. We go deep into old-school dairying, why he still milks in a stanchion barn with "outdated" equipment, and how leaving calves on their mamas actually improves health, production, and peace in the herd. Tristan shares how community used to work in rural life—neighbors just showing up with tractors when you were in trouble—and why he refuses to trade integrity for corporate convenience. We also pull back the curtain on raw milk laws, COVID butchering insanity, and how creative farmers are quietly outsmarting bureaucratic rules to keep families fed. If you're craving proof that small, scrappy, values-driven farms can feed a community and push back on a broken food system, this conversation will light a fire under you. ______________________________________________ Episode Highlights: farm childhood, old-school equipment, calves-with-mamas, community support, work ethic, side hustles, raw milk laws, food control, resilience, creativity, regenerative farming, food freedom Takeaways: Farming doesn't feel like work when it's who you are Old equipment and "doing it wrong" can still be profitable Leaving calves with their mothers can improve health and behavior Community support on the land is worth more than fancy machines Creativity lets farmers work within the rules without betraying their values Our food system is about control and dollars, not always health Real change starts when ordinary farmers and eaters simply say "no" ______________________________________________ Links & Resources Mentioned Tristan's Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/doitwrongdairy ______________________________________________ Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love! ______________________________________________ Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started! Book Your FREE Call Today! Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/ ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com
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1:10:46
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1:10:46
How an Alaskan Farmer Feeds Her Community with Kelli Foreman EP 57
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Kelli Foreman of Kodiak Goat Dairy, fifth-generation farmer on a storm-tossed Alaskan island,where one day you're milking A2/A2 cows and the next you're shaking a green bucket at a bear. We get real about building true food security when the boats don't come, finishing beef on kelp, running a micro raw-milk dairy the right way, and raising farm kids who can actually do hard things. We talk about community bartering over bureaucracy, making soil from manure on a literal rock, and why resilience isn't a slogan, it's a system you build at home with your neighbors. If you crave a life where food, family, and freedom actually mean something again, this one's your roadmap—with laughter, grit, and zero fluff. ______________________________________________ Episode Highlights: kodiak island, raw milk, a2/a2 dairy, goat dairy, food security, kelp-finished beef, farm kids, farmers market, compost soil, micro dairy, barter economy, community resilience Takeaways: Resilience starts local—feed your own community first Empty shelves are normal there; systems must assume storms Kelp and grass can finish beef beautifully Raw milk done right requires rigorous cleanliness Barter and relationships beat red tape Make soil, make food—close the loop Do it messy, then refine as you go ______________________________________________ Links & Resources Mentioned Kelli's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/kodiakgoatdairy/ Kelli's Website | https://www.thelastsmallfarm.com/ Kelli's YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@thelastsmallfarm ______________________________________________ Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love! ______________________________________________ Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started! Book Your FREE Call Today! Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/ ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com
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48:15
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48:15
The Farm Hack That Cut Hours in Half with Trent Koehn EP 56
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Trent Koehn from GreenEase to talk real farm business—how SOPs, culture, and faith turn chaos into profit, and how tiny, daily improvements can 3x your yields without selling your soul to the system. We get into lean farming, hiring right, and why problems should make you smile—because they're roadmaps to better processes, safer teams, and healthier greens. Trent shares how his family greenhouse bounced back after COVID restaurant drop-offs, why they now keep ~50¢ on the dollar, and the nerdy-but-sexy oxygen trick that crushes root rot in hydroponics. If you care about farm-to-table, small-scale profitability, servant leadership, and building tools that actually help farmers, this one's for you ______________________________________________ Episode Highlights: farm-to-table, hydroponic greenhouse, lean farming, SOPs, standard operating procedures, farm profitability, servant leadership, faith in business, dissolved oxygen, pythium/root rot, plug poppers & drop seeders, small-farm innovation Takeaways: Tiny improvements compounded daily beat big swings SOPs create freedom, safety, and consistency Culture is a strategy when leaders lift people up Checklists first, then SOPs for complex tasks Track root causes, not people, to fix problems Oxygenation can solve hydroponic disease at the root Profitability follows focus, process, and servant leadership ______________________________________________ Links & Resources Mentioned Trent's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/greenease.us/ Trent's Website | https://greenease.us/ Trent's YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@GreenEase 2 Second Lean by Paul Akers | https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/2-second-lean-play/id1503694993 ______________________________________________ Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love! ______________________________________________ Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started! Book Your FREE Call Today! Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/ ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com
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56:14
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56:14
Can Eating Animals Actually Save the Planet? with Abey Scaglione EP 55
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Abey from Ruckle Farm to dig into her new book, Radical Farm: Animals, Food, and Our Future. We get real about why well-sourced animal foods support human health, animal welfare, and the land, and how to bridge the "vegans vs. ranchers" divide with curiosity instead of name-calling. Abey shares her journey from teen vegetarian to animal farmer, the ethics behind "there is no deathless diet," and practical homesteading know-how—from raw milk and cheese making to raising chickens, sheep, and cattle. We talk Victory Gardens, kids' nutrition, the true cost of food, and rebuilding resilient local food systems. If you care about nutrient-dense meals, regenerative agriculture, and taking back your food sovereignty, this one's for you. ______________________________________________ Episode Highlights: faith-farming-freedom, ethical meat, raw milk, regenerative agriculture, Ruckle Farm, Salt Spring Island, nutrient-dense eating, homesteading 101, Victory Gardens, kids' real food, grocery labels vs. reality, farm-to-table sales Takeaways: There is no deathless diet—own your choices Well-raised animal foods can benefit land, animals, and people Start small: herbs, a microgarden, or six backyard hens Victory Garden math still works for modern families Labels mislead—know your farmer and ask questions Budget by growing some food and prioritizing protein Curiosity builds bridges; outrage burns them ______________________________________________ Links & Resources Mentioned Abey's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abeyonthefarm/ Ruckel Farm Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/rucklefarm/ Ruckle Farm Website | https://rucklefarmsaltspringisland.com/ Abey's TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@abeyonthefarm Abey's Book | https://www.radicalfarmbook.com/ Abey's Substack | https://abeyonthefarm.substack.com/ ______________________________________________ Love what you're hearing on Dawn's Dirt? Don't keep it to yourself—help us grow! Share the show with your friends, like this episode, and leave a quick 5-star rating. Your support means the world and helps us keep bringing you the content you love! ______________________________________________ Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I've been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land, selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it's garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I'll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let's talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let's get started! Book Your FREE Call Today! Visit Dawn's Website | https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn Dirt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Dawn's Dirt Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dawnsdirtpodcast/ ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com
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50:30

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About Dawn's Dirt

In Dawn's Dirt Podcast, seasoned farmer-turned-coach Dawn brings you the raw, unfiltered truth about everything from the ground up. From soil science and homestead self-sufficiency to the complexities of food freedom, Dawn dives into every gritty detail to help you grow your own food and create a sustainable homestead that breaks free from the grocery store chains. Guided by the mantra "No Farmers, No Food," Dawn sheds light on why growing our own food and building a homestead lifestyle matters, connecting us to the earth—and each other. Join Dawn each week as she digs into conversations with farmers, homestead experts, wellness coaches, and voices from all walks of life. From gardening, homestead living, and sustainable practices to discussions on religion, politics, and society, no topic is off the table. Here, "dirt" goes beyond soil; it's about uncovering the deeper truths and resilience that come with homesteading and independent living. So roll up your sleeves, get your hands in the dirt, and let Dawn inspire you to reclaim your independence, one seed—and one homestead story—at a time.

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