Dawn's Dirt

• I Sold Him My Farm…Here’s Why with Pete EP 29

  In today’s episode of Dawn’s Dirt, I sit down with Pete—the new owner of my beloved former farm, Shirley’s Greenhouse—for a raw, emotional, and heartwarming conversation about what it really takes to run a farm. Pete shares his powerful journey from growing up in an agricultural region of India to buying a farm in Alberta with his wife and kids—no days off, no plan B, just passion and grit. We talk about burnout, the deep roots of family legacy, the hard realities of farming, and the deep soul satisfaction that comes from feeding your community. If you’ve ever wondered what farming actually looks like behind the scenes, this one’s for you. Pete’s honesty and humility will remind you what makes local food—and the people behind it—so damn important. ______________________________________________   Episode Highlights: legacy, greenhouse growing, family farming, food systems, burnout, community, work ethic, entrepreneurship, farmer’s markets, resilience, gratitude, growth Takeaways:  Farming is emotionally rewarding but financially challenging The legacy of a farm can live on through community Transparency and authenticity matter to customers Family farming builds deep generational bonds Community support is everything in agriculture Social media presence can make or break a small farm Owning your strengths and weaknesses is essential ______________________________________________   Links & Resources Mentioned   Visit Dawn’s Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/  Dawn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Pete’s Website: https://www.shirleysgreenhouse.com/  Pete’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shirleysgreenhouse/ ______________________________________________   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!   ______________________________________________   Have you ever started a garden that didn’t go as planned? Feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting gardening advice and unsure what’s right for you? Imagine having a personal guide to walk you through the process, helping you create a thriving garden no matter your space or experience level. That’s where I come in! With years of experience growing vegetables, I’ll help you understand your plants, tackle challenges, and find solutions tailored to your unique garden. Let’s talk about your gardening goals and how I can help you grow more food at home. Book a free call today using the link below, and let’s get growing together! https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online    ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

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• The Farmers Market LIE No One Talks About with Dawn Buschert EP 28

  In today’s episode of Dawn’s Dirt, I’m telling the raw, unfiltered truth about farmers markets and buckle up, because it’s not what you think. I spill the beans on what really goes on behind the booths: the politics, the lies, the reselling, and how it all contributed to the downfall of my farm. I take you through my journey as a second-generation farmer who went from thriving to surviving in a system that claimed to support farmers but did the opposite. This episode is for anyone who’s ever believed that farmers markets were sacred ground. It’s honest, emotional, and might ruffle some feathers but the truth deserves to be told. If you care about where your food comes from, you need to hear this.   ______________________________________________   Episode Highlights: farmers markets, food system corruption, farm to table truth, produce reselling, Alberta agriculture, market politics, supporting small farmers, direct-to-consumer sales, greenhouse growing, honest food labels, market bullying, knowing your farmer Takeaways:  Direct-to-consumer sales provide the highest margins for farmers Many vendors at farmers markets are resellers, not farmers Buyer beware: “farm fresh” doesn’t always mean farm-grown Bureaucracy often harms, not helps, small farmers Ask your farmer detailed questions—know who grew your food True farm-to-table means no middlemen or invoices Supporting small farmers requires conscious consumer action ______________________________________________   Links & Resources Mentioned   Visit Dawn’s Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/  Dawn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/   ______________________________________________   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!   ______________________________________________   Have you ever started a garden that didn’t go as planned? Feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting gardening advice and unsure what’s right for you? Imagine having a personal guide to walk you through the process, helping you create a thriving garden no matter your space or experience level. That’s where I come in! With years of experience growing vegetables, I’ll help you understand your plants, tackle challenges, and find solutions tailored to your unique garden. Let’s talk about your gardening goals and how I can help you grow more food at home. Book a free call today using the link below, and let’s get growing together! https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online  ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

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• Cancer, Chemo & Calling Bullsh*t with Wade Percy EP27

  In today’s episode of Dawn’s Dirt, I sit down with my fellow coach and absolute powerhouse of a human, Wade from Red Haven Coaching. This one’s real, raw, and tender in all the right ways. Wade shares the gut-wrenching story of supporting his wife through a surprise cancer diagnosis just after childbirth, navigating hospitals, chemo, and life as a brand-new dad with grace, grit, and unshakable commitment. We talk about the deep cracks in the medical system, how to hold compassion for healthcare workers and still advocate fiercely, and what it means to be a caregiver when your world is flipped upside down.    We also dive into the real-life homesteading they’re doing (hello, goat milk and 75-foot tomato plants!) and how their healing journey led them to ditch toxic food, chemicals, and even belief systems. This episode is a love letter to resilience, real food, human grace, and the often-overlooked warriors behind the scenes.    If you’re a caregiver, know one, or love a good story about rising strong — this one’s for you. ______________________________________________   Episode Highlights: caregiving, cancer survival, homesteading, real food, healthcare advocacy, childhood education, grace under pressure, hospital trauma, family resilience, clean living, medical mistrust, healing through lifestyle Takeaways:  Caregivers need just as much support as patients It’s okay to question the healthcare system respectfully Your kids can thrive with real-world education on a homestead Holding grace for human error doesn’t mean avoiding advocacy Nutrition and environment play a huge role in healing Sometimes the hardest battles happen in silence True strength is found in choosing love over anger   ______________________________________________   Links & Resources Mentioned   Visit Dawn’s Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/  Dawn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Wade’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redhavencoaching  Wade’s Website: https://linktr.ee/redhavencoaching?ltsid=93f2882a-a5d8-46b6-a74d-df936640bb11  ______________________________________________   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!   ______________________________________________   Have you ever started a garden that didn’t go as planned? Feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting gardening advice and unsure what’s right for you? Imagine having a personal guide to walk you through the process, helping you create a thriving garden no matter your space or experience level. That’s where I come in! With years of experience growing vegetables, I’ll help you understand your plants, tackle challenges, and find solutions tailored to your unique garden. Let’s talk about your gardening goals and how I can help you grow more food at home. Book a free call today using the link below, and let’s get growing together! https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

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• Raw Dairy, Glyphosate & Other Uncomfortable Truths EP 26

  In today’s solo episode of Dawn’s Dirt, I’m diving headfirst into the gritty, messy, beautiful truth behind ideologies in farming, food systems, and homesteading. People love to tell farmers how to farm—but unless you’ve pulled a calf in a snowstorm or had your whole crop threatened by hail, maybe zip it. I get real about glyphosate, organics, raw dairy, and the bureaucratic nonsense that’s choking out small farms. I share my own journey from running a greenhouse and market business to selling it all to protect my legacy—and feed my kids. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by food choices, government rules, or the fight between “right” and “wrong” in agriculture, this episode is your breath of fresh air. It’s about freedom of choice, love for the land, and trusting people over systems. Whether you’re a homesteader, a grocery-store shopper, or somewhere in between, this one’s for you. ______________________________________________   Episode Highlights: farming ideologies, homesteading truth, food freedom, glyphosate debate, raw dairy advocacy, government overreach, organic vs conventional, regenerative agriculture, farmer’s markets reality, freedom of choice, small farm survival, bureaucracy in food systems Takeaways:  You can’t fix a broken system with the people who broke it Most farmers are doing their best with what they’ve got Regenerative agriculture is a long game, not a quick fix Bureaucracy is killing the small farm and the real farmer’s market Raw dairy can be safe when handled properly Freedom of choice must include all choices—even ones we wouldn’t personally make You can be the change by growing even a single plant   ______________________________________________   Links & Resources Mentioned   Visit Dawn’s Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/  Dawn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/   ______________________________________________   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!   ______________________________________________   Have you ever started a garden that didn’t go as planned? Feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting gardening advice and unsure what’s right for you? Imagine having a personal guide to walk you through the process, helping you create a thriving garden no matter your space or experience level. That’s where I come in! With years of experience growing vegetables, I’ll help you understand your plants, tackle challenges, and find solutions tailored to your unique garden. Let’s talk about your gardening goals and how I can help you grow more food at home. Book a free call today using the link below, and let’s get growing together! https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online   ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com

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• The Truth About “Pasture-Raised” Pork with Nicola Irving EP 25

  In today’s episode of Dawn’s Dirt, I sit down with Nicola Irving of Irving’s Farm, and y’all… if you’ve never had real, high-quality pork, get ready to have your mind blown. Nicola and her husband aren’t just pig farmers—they’re the real deal, raising heritage Berkshire pigs outdoors with love, care, and grit.  We talk about everything from what makes their pork so damn delicious to the crazy misconceptions around fat, “pasture-raised” buzzwords, and why knowing your farmer matters more than ever. This convo is for the foodies, the homesteaders, and everyone who gives a crap about where their food comes from. We talk genetic breeding (don’t worry, it’s not scary), the truth about commercial pork, and the wild reality of small-scale farming.  If you’ve ever questioned your bacon, this one’s for you. Get ready for truth bombs, farmer love, and bacon that actually ruined a kid’s Christmas—in the best way. ______________________________________________   Episode Highlights: heritage pork, small farming, Berkshire pigs, bacon differences, food quality, raising animals ethically, farm to table, real food, supporting local, animal care, consumer choice, behind the scenes farming Takeaways:  Fat is flavor, and old-school pork has it Heritage breeds like Berkshires offer superior taste and texture Commercial pork is lean for a reason—but it’s lost its soul Raising pigs outdoors improves their quality of life and meat Consumers drive the industry—know what you’re supporting Farm-to-table creates powerful human connection Small farms need your dollar to survive   ______________________________________________   Links & Resources Mentioned   Visit Dawn’s Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Nicola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irvings_farm/ Nicola’s Website: https://www.irvingsfarmfresh.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!   ______________________________________________   Have you ever started a garden that didn’t go as planned? Feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting gardening advice and unsure what’s right for you? Imagine having a personal guide to walk you through the process, helping you create a thriving garden no matter your space or experience level. That’s where I come in! With years of experience growing vegetables, I’ll help you understand your plants, tackle challenges, and find solutions tailored to your unique garden. Let’s talk about your gardening goals and how I can help you grow more food at home. Book a free call today using the link below, and let’s get growing together! https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online   ______________________________________________ Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com  

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