Explore every episode of the podcast Dawn's Dirt
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Small Farms Are The Future of Food with Greg | EP 67 | 18 mars 2026 | 01:00:20 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Greg from Sunshine and Green Farms in Suffolk, England, and we get into what it really takes to build a profitable small-scale vegetable farm. We talk about growing food as a real business, not just a hobby, and why direct-to-consumer sales are giving farmers more power in a broken food system. Greg shares how he started with almost nothing, built a four-acre farm from the ground up, and created a model that works without depending on big retailers or government handouts. We also unpack why local food matters, how decentralized food systems create resilience, and why young farmers need to get back on the land. If you care about food freedom, profitable farming, and taking back control of what ends up on your plate, this conversation will light a fire under you.
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Episode Highlights: small-scale farming, profitable vegetable farming, local food systems, food freedom, direct-to-consumer sales, decentralized agriculture, young farmers, farm profitability, community-based food, breaking supermarket dependence, resilient farming models, sustainable local food
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sunshineandgreen/ Website | https://sunshineandgreen.co.uk/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SunshineandGreen/ ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| This "Traceability" Plan Could Wipe Out Small Ranchers with Lance Neilson EP 66 | 11 févr. 2026 | 00:58:22 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Alberta beef producer Lance Neilson of Nielsen Beef to talk about the CFIA's proposed cattle traceability changes and why so many ranchers are saying "absolutely not." Lance breaks down the current system (brands, manifests, RFID) and explains how the new proximity reporting would add a pile of cost, tech, and paperwork to cow-calf producers with zero clear economic upside. We get into how these rules could quietly push small operations out, scare folks away from 4-H and cattle shows, and speed up consolidation in rural Canada. Then Lance brings receipts from the UK, where similar systems have meant surprise inspections, more red tape, and yes, fewer small farmers. If you care about food freedom, farm-to-table beef, and keeping entry-level farming possible in Canada, this one's a must-listen.
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Episode Highlights: CFIA traceability changes explained, cow-calf producers vs feedlots impact, proximity reporting and the "wider net" problem, costs of tag readers and extra labor, risks to 4-H and cattle shows, rodeo paperwork burden, why "trade expansion" claims don't add up, boxed beef vs live cattle trade reality, BSE timeline and border closure truth, UK cattle passport cautionary tale, consolidation and loss of small farms, farm-to-table marketing through social media
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/neilsonbeef/ Website | https://albertabbqbox.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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| CFIA Forced 550 Deer Dead Then Zero Tested Positive with Jason Smith EP 65 | 04 févr. 2026 | 00:57:46 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Jason Smith, a farmer-rancher from Eckville, Alberta, who lived through the kind of CFIA nightmare you pray never lands on your gate. Jason shares how he built a deer operation from the late 90s, followed every rule, tracked every tag, double-fenced his farm, and still ended up forced to destroy his entire herd after CFIA claimed Chronic Wasting Disease was present. Here's the gut punch: after it was all done, every single animal tested negative. We also dig into what this means for cattle producers right now as new traceability rules push toward government databases, more paperwork, and more pressure on small, family farms. If you care about food freedom, farm-to-table, and keeping farmers on the land, you need to hear this one.
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Episode Highlights: CFIA enforcement, chronic wasting disease explained, deer farming and hunting industry, quarantine and compensation process, government overreach in agriculture, paperwork and expanding regulations, traceability vs control, small farms under pressure, big ag consolidation concerns, Alberta-led solutions, farm-to-table importance, rebuilding community and family connection
Takeaways:
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| How He Built a Profitable Market Garden From Scratch with Jared Reuben EP 64 | 31 janv. 2026 | 01:09:50 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Jared from Ruben's Roots, a market gardener just outside the Battlefords in Saskatchewan who basically said "no plan, full send" and built a real business anyway. We get into the messy truth of year one (weed seed bank hell, irrigation learning curves, growing what you think will sell vs what actually sells), and how he turned carrots from his worst crop into his top earner through smarter systems, succession planting, and a few key tools. Jared breaks down his 30-inch bed setup, drip irrigation, DIY farm tools, and how he's scaling while still working a full-time job. Then we go there on organic certification, food labels, and why "naturally grown" plus trust and transparency can beat bureaucracy. If you're starting from scratch, this one is pure practical gold.
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Episode Highlights: market gardening, small scale farming, growing food for profit, starting a market garden, farm to table, local food systems, sustainable farming, naturally grown produce, organic vs organic certified, succession planting, vegetable crop planning, DIY farm tools, bed system farming, small farm business, market garden success
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Jared's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/reubens.roots/ Jared's Website | https://www.reubensroots.ca/ ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| How to Build a Food System You Trust with Christie Green EP 63 | 07 janv. 2026 | 00:49:27 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm sitting down with Christie Green, a landscape architect in Santa Fe who's obsessed with food the same way I am, because food is never just food. We get into what it looks like to live in real relationship with what you eat, from gardening in tough desert conditions to hunting as a practice of presence, respect, and learning. Christie breaks down how to build soil that actually holds water, why "lazy gardening" is usually the smartest gardening, and how to start small without the Pinterest pressure. We also go deep on seasonality, calling out fake "farm-to-table," and why growing even one thing can flip a switch in your body and your brain. If you're craving food freedom, community, and a way back to what's real, this one's for you.
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Episode Highlights: food intimacy, hunting as ritual, composting basics, building soil in dry climates, sunken beds and bioswales, lazy gardener design, container gardening, perfectionism in gardening, seasonal eating, real farm-to-table accountability, food sovereignty, respectful dialogue across differences
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Christie's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/radiclelandscape/ Christie's Website | https://www.christiegreen.net/ Christie's Book | Moonlight Elk By Christie Green ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| Why Knowing Your Farmer Matters More Than Labels with James Cornwell EP 62 | 31 déc. 2025 | 01:08:25 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm sittin' down with James Cornwell of Nine Pines Farm — a farmer through and through who went from milking cows and smelling like silage to the Navy, then right back to the land where he belongs. We talk about what it really takes to build a profitable farm-to-table business without drowning in debt, why direct marketing beats begging at farmers markets, and how knowing your numbers is the difference between a farm and an expensive hobby. James breaks down pastured poultry, egg pricing, wholesale vs retail, and even the truth about "organic" chicken. We also get into faith, family, and the mindset shift that changed everything: it's not your farm… it's God's. If you want to feed people, build community, and make farming sustainable again, this one will light you up.
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Episode Highlights: farm-to-table, pastured poultry, food freedom, direct marketing, small-scale farming, pricing your products, chicken math, egg profitability, wholesale vs retail, farming without debt, faith-based farming, family farms
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Nine Pines Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Ninepinesfarm717 Nine Pines Website | https://ninepinesfarm.com/ Nine Pines Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Ninepinesfarm ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| The 5 Biggest Mistakes Vendors Make at a Farmers Market EP 61 | 10 déc. 2025 | 00:32:12 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm lighting a fire under your farmers market booth and walking you through the five biggest mistakes that are quietly killing your sales. I share stories from running a 36,000 sq ft greenhouse, 20 acres of vegetables, and a whole lot of market days to show you exactly why your pricing probably sucks, why your booth looks "fine" but isn't selling, and how your body language and phone habits are costing you real money. We dig into bundle pricing, display psychology, traffic flow, and how to turn simple "hello"s into long-term, loyal customers. If you're ready to treat your market table like a real business, charge what you're worth, and leave the market with a fuller till (and heart), this one's for you.
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Episode Highlights: farmers markets, pricing mistakes, bundle pricing, booth display, traffic flow, customer engagement, sales psychology, small business, vendor confidence, relationship-building, market strategy, product value
Takeaways:
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| Struggling to Make Farm-to-Table Profitable? Start Here with Sausha Davis EP 60 | 03 déc. 2025 | 00:52:55 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with ranch mama and Sales Mama School founder, Sausha Davis, to talk about what it really looks like to build a business when you've got kids, cows and a whole lot of chaos. We get into her leap from a miserable six-figure corporate job into coaching, how she structures her days on the ranch so she doesn't burn out, and why she believes every woman can create her own income stream—whether that's beef boxes, horses, or farm to table sales. Sausha breaks down her "people before profit" approach to sales, the four buyer personalities every farmer and maker needs to know, and why proof of concept matters more than perfect logos or pretty branding. If you're a farm girl, homesteader or side-hustling mama who's sick of waiting for permission, this episode will light a fire under your butt in the best way.
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Episode Highlights: women in agriculture, ranch mom entrepreneur, farm to table business, women in farming, rural business coaching, sales coaching for farmers, ranch life motherhood, homestead business tips, buyer personality types, small farm marketing, online business for moms, farm to consumer sales, mindset for women entrepreneurs, building confidence in business, sustainable ranching business strategies
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Sausha's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/salesmamaschool Sausha's Website | https://salesmama.biz/ Sausha's YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@salesmamaschool The Sales Mama Podcast | https://open.spotify.com/show/3kzoSWTu2sVbZDPSVD9Lfj?si=4284f21abbe846d5&nd=1&dlsi=fa2ec505bf054611 ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| The Ostrich Massacre & Government Overreach EP 59 | 26 nov. 2025 | 00:44:36 | |
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.
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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
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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:
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| This Man Proves That Old School Farming Isn't Dead with Tristan Swartz EP 58 | 19 nov. 2025 | 01:10:46 | |
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.
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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:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Tristan's Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/doitwrongdairy
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| How an Alaskan Farmer Feeds Her Community with Kelli Foreman EP 57 | 12 nov. 2025 | 00:48:15 | |
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.
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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:
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| The Farm Hack That Cut Hours in Half with Trent Koehn EP 56 | 05 nov. 2025 | 00:56:14 | |
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
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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:
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| Can Eating Animals Actually Save the Planet? with Abey Scaglione EP 55 | 29 oct. 2025 | 00:50:30 | |
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.
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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:
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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/
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| How to Prepare When Shit Hits the Fan EP 54 | 22 oct. 2025 | 00:27:22 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I get real about a hard question: if things go sideways, how are you feeding your family? I share what I learned selling farm boxes through 2020, why "I'll just come to your place" isn't a plan, and how small, steady action now (gardens, chickens, CSAs, real relationships with real farmers) builds food sovereignty fast. I talk backyard growing (even on a tiny lot), microgreens you can crank out in a spare corner all winter, and why supporting your farmer today is the best "insurance" for tomorrow. This isn't fear porn, it's love in work boots. I love people, and the most loving thing I can do is teach you to feed yourselves, your kids, and your neighbors. We the people have the power; let's use it with courage, community, and a shovel.
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Episode Highlights: food sovereignty, backyard gardens, microgreens at home, chickens in the city, CSA memberships, buying from real farmers, cutting out middlemen, building local community, preparing without panic, faith and responsibility, small-scale farm sales, proactive not reactive
Takeaways:
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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!
______________________________________________
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/
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| Your Farm Needs Prayer, Not Permission with Brittney Long EP 53 | 15 oct. 2025 | 00:44:20 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Brittney Long from Faithful Farming to get real about raising kids, running cattle, holding full-time careers, and keeping Jesus at the center of it all. We talk high beef prices, why younger families struggle to enter agriculture, and how local, direct-to-consumer sales can rewrite the food system. Brittany shares the power of a strong village—Papa Day included—plus why teaching kids to "do dangerous things safely" builds grit and confidence. We dig into prayerful decision-making on buying land, the reality behind glossy homestead feeds, and why community, church, and farmers' markets are bringing food back home. If you care about faith, family, and food sovereignty, this one's for you.
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Episode Highlights: family farming, faith-led decisions, black angus cattle, mom guilt, village support, kids & machinery, work ethic, local food systems, direct marketing, beef market realities, prayer in business, farmers' markets
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Brittney's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithful_farming/ Brittney's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@faithful_farming?_t=ZT-8z1SBwHzrdV&_r=1 ______________________________________________
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!
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| The App That Brings the Market to You with Weat Local Market EP 52 | 08 oct. 2025 | 00:42:58 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm bringing you a powerhouse conversation with a farm-grown entrepreneur who's shaking up the food system in the best way possible. From her roots on a multi-generation farm in Northern Alberta to launching an app that's basically "Skip the Dishes for farmers," she's proof that innovation doesn't just live in Silicon Valley—it lives in the soil. She is the founder of Weat Local Market App. We talk about building a local food economy that actually serves both producers and consumers, how to cut out the middlemen and bureaucracy, and why hyper-local shopping is the future. Whether you're a farmer, homesteader, or a busy mama who wants fresh food without the grocery store games, this episode is going to light you up. Let's get real about how we buy food, who we support, and why healthier, fresher, local food is not just possible—it's necessary.
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Episode Highlights: farm-to-table, food freedom, local economy, entrepreneurship, digital tools, farmers markets, hyperlocal shopping, bureaucracy, healthier food, producer empowerment, community building, farm innovation
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Weat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weat.local.market/ Weat Local Market Website: https://weat.ca/ 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!
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| Is EU Farming More Sustainable Than Canada? with Cole EP 51 | 01 oct. 2025 | 00:48:34 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with "Young Cole," a 21-year-old Alberta farm kid who took his grit overseas to learn regenerative farming in Finland. We jam on real-world soil health, cover crops, EU pesticide rules (yes, glyphosate is used, but differently), and what small, mixed farms can borrow from Europe without swallowing the red tape. Cole breaks down nitrogen-fixing legumes, why Finland's tiny, rocky fields shape their practices, and how government subsidies change farmer behavior—for better and worse. We also talk about food sovereignty, farm-to-table realities, and how a few chickens and a plan can change a family's future. It's practical, hopeful, and a little mouthy—just how we like it.
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Episode Highlights: young farmer grit, regenerative farming, cover crops, soil microbiome, nitrogen fixation, EU pesticide rules, government subsidies, small-scale profitability, mixed farming, farm-to-table, food sovereignty, Alberta vs Finland
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| The Best Business Advice I Was Ever Given EP 50 | 24 sept. 2025 | 00:28:11 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I celebrate EPISODE 50 with a big ol' thank-you and my heart on my sleeve. I share the best business advice I ever got and how handing my farm and this show back to the Lord lifted the weight and sharpened my mission. You'll hear my greenhouse-to-farmers-market journey, why I sold the farm, and how that pivot lit a fire to teach farm-to-table, build community, and put real food (and freedom) back in our own hands. We'll riff on productivity with purpose, sowing into people, and why small, local action beats top-down control every time. If you're carrying your business alone, this one will feel like a deep breath and a marching order.
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Episode Highlights: Episode 50, gratitude, faith-led business, talk to the Owner, selling the farm, 36k sq ft greenhouse, farmers markets, people over politics, food freedom, community building, teaching farm-to-table, productive on purpose
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| Why This Dad Bet on Homesteading…and Won with Jason (Sow the Land) EP 49 | 17 sept. 2025 | 00:49:35 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Jason from Sow the Land, a North Carolina homesteader who went from city cubicles to pasture life and brought his family, grit, and 300K YouTube subscribers along for the ride. We talk cancer wake-up calls, minimalist living, selling the couch to chase land, and why growing even one tomato can change your whole life. Jason shares how they scaled from a 1.5-acre starter homestead to 14 acres with turkeys, cooney cooney pigs, pasture poultry, workshops, and a thriving online education business. We get real about entrepreneurship, bartering with neighbors, moving animals daily, and choosing meaningful work over easy money. If you're itching to start where you are, even in a city backyard, this one lights a fire under your boots.
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Episode Highlights: homestead beginnings, cancer to catalyst, minimalist reset, leap of faith, starter homestead, 14-acre expansion, cooney cooney pigs, pasture poultry, turkey raising, hands-on workshops, YouTube education, community barter
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Jason's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sowtheland/ Jason's Website: https://sowtheland.com/ Sow the Land YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SowtheLand ______________________________________________
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!
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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| How Do You Turn a Farm Into a Business? with Brooke Vanderkley EP 48 | 10 sept. 2025 | 00:45:41 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Brooke Vanderkley from Vanderkley Valley Farm, a mama of four, farmer, and full-tilt entrepreneur about building a profitable, values-driven homestead without burning out. We jam on seasons over "balance," scaling from 30 to 600 meat birds, pricing eggs like a pro, pivoting after hail wipes you out, and turning a farm into a family-powered brand with agritourism, Airbnb and (yup) shampoo sales. If you're ready to stop dabbling and start designing a farm-to-table business that actually pays, this one's your marching orders.
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Episode Highlights: seasons not balance, scaling meat chickens, soy & corn free eggs, premium pricing, agritourism & glamping, 5am routines, serving over selling, involving kids, grocery-store marketing, pivoting after setbacks, renting land in town, team-first leadership
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Brook's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookevanderkley/ Brooke's Website: https://vanderkleyvalleyfarm.ca/ ______________________________________________
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!
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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| Why Are We Letting Small Farms Die? EP 47 | 03 sept. 2025 | 00:34:44 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm pouring my heart out about food freedom, the farmer's mindset, and why small-scale agriculture just might save the world. We're talking grit, government overreach, and how the heck we got from homemade buns to preservative-filled grocery store shelves. I share wild stories from my farming days—broken bones, tornadoes, angry sheepdogs—you name it. But more importantly, I'm sounding the alarm (again!) that small farmers are being pushed out, and now is the time to rise. Whether you've got a backyard garden or a quarter section, you've got the power to feed your family, your community, and take back control. Let's get loud about local food, y'all.
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Episode Highlights: food freedom, small farmers, grocery store bureaucracy, Canada GAP certification, farm to table sales, farmer grit, government overreach, climate mandates, dairy quotas, big ag vs. small ag, debt-free farming, raising farm kids
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| Dawn's Hot Seat: The Hard Truth About Homesteading with Hayley EP 46 | 27 août 2025 | 00:46:45 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm in the hot seat and my friend Hayley is firing off the questions—no sugarcoating, just real dirt. We dig into the myths about homesteading (spoiler: those pretty colored eggs aren't paying the bills), why vegetables are the most overlooked cash crop, and the brutal truth about making your acreage profitable. I share how women can crush it in farm-based businesses, the one mindset shift hobby farmers must make to go pro, and why community is at the heart of everything I do. We talk failures, firing stories, black markets in Cuba, and my dream for more small farmers feeding their communities. This is raw, funny, a little fiery, and packed with the kind of farm truth you won't find on Pinterest. Whether you're dreaming of chickens or ready to scale your garden into a business, this episode will light a fire under your boots.
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Episode Highlights: colored egg myths, vegetable production profits, entrepreneurship on small acreage, women in farming, community over competition, Cuba's producer culture, hard truths of homesteading, profitable farm mindset, running it like a business, overcoming industry stereotypes, my dad's farming legacy, feeding people in tough times
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| Canning Secrets for Serious Money EP 45 | 20 août 2025 | 00:27:01 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm spilling my hard-earned secrets on turning canning into cold, hard cash. From humble beginnings as the "Pickle Partners" at age 15 to raking in $150K a year in canned goods, I'm breaking down exactly how you can turn extra zucchini, tomatoes, or fruit into high-value products your customers will line up for. I'll share the best low-risk items to start with, why beautiful displays sell more, and how to price for profit. We'll talk canning tips, smart marketing, navigating those pesky health regulations, and how even city-dwellers can run a homestead side hustle right from their kitchen. Whether you're sitting on a bumper crop or just want a sustainable income stream, this episode will light a fire under your entrepreneurial apron.
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Episode Highlights: canning for profit, value added farming, turning surplus produce into income, best-selling canned goods, pricing strategies for farmers markets, low-risk canning items, making products shelf-stable, marketing and display tips, sourcing ingredients, starting small and scaling, navigating food safety rules, building loyal customers
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Dawn's Hot Seat: Bird Flu, Bullshit, and Backyard Eggs with Jamie Stewart EP 44 | 06 août 2025 | 00:54:39 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I get grilled by none other than Jamie Stewart—the poop queen herself! Jamie flips the script and puts me in the hot seat with questions about pesticides, glyphosate, raw milk, GMOs, soil health, and the messed-up reality of food regulations. We talk about how farmers actually make decisions, what's realistic vs. ideological, and why the truth often lies somewhere in the muddy middle. We cover everything from butterfly worms in your cabbage to bird flu conspiracies, raw goat milk in my coffee, and why I'd never call the CFIA. If you've ever wondered what the heck is really going on with our food system, this one's for you. It's gritty, it's real, and there's a whole lotta dirt—pun intended.
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Episode Highlights: pesticides, soil health, food freedom, bureaucracy in farming, CSA support, bird flu, glyphosate truth, Roundup desiccation, raw milk benefits, backyard chickens, seed myths, regenerative farming, food system control
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Jessica's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constipationfixqueen/
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| The Backyard Garden Q&A That You NEED To Hear with Rebecca Croden EP 43 | 30 juil. 2025 | 00:42:45 | |
In this episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Rebecca Croden, a backyard gardening queen right in the heart of Toronto. We get into everything from shady yard solutions to tomato troubles and even how to use rabbit poop as plant food. Yes, you read that right. Whether you're a city slicker with a patch of grass or just garden-curious, this one's for you. Rebecca shares how her grandpa's farm sparked her passion and how growing a few heads of lettuce can lead to major satisfaction (and salad victories). We chat compost, crop choices, pests, and why you might want to grow microgreens in a tent all winter. This is real talk for anyone who wants to eat better, spend less, and grow something worth harvesting, even in the shade.
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Episode Highlights: backyard gardening, food cost savings, shady crop tips, composting basics, tomato pruning, pest control, rabbit deterrents, microgreens, crop rotation, organic sprays, permaculture, crochet business
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Rebecca's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccas.crochet.culture/ Rebecca's Website: https://crochetculture.ca/ ______________________________________________
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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Raw Milk, Orange Yolks & Ethical Meat with Abey Scaglione EP 42 | 23 juil. 2025 | 00:40:45 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sat down with Abey Scaglione from Ruckle Heritage Farm and holy smokes, this one is a gem. Abey went from California vegetarian to regenerative meat and dairy farmer on Salt Spring Island. We got into everything, raw milk (yes, the illegal kind), orange-yolked eggs, pastured chickens, garden scraps, and how animals are vital to real sustainability. Abey shares her full-circle story of reclaiming her health, getting back to the land, and raising animals with deep reverence. We dive into the real meaning of local, the illusion of grocery store "freshness," and why everyone should be a producer in some way. Whether you farm or just eat, this episode will challenge your beliefs and inspire your next bite.
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Episode Highlights: raw dairy, nutrient-dense food, pastured poultry, farm life, regenerative agriculture, reconnecting to your food, animal ethics, local food systems, agritourism, egg quality, food freedom, sustainable living
Takeaways:
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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 ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Real Homesteading is Messy as Hell w/ Becky Frame EP 41 | 16 juil. 2025 | 00:53:57 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sat down with Becky from Toby Way Farm and oh baby, did we go there. We're talking raw, real farm life: goat guts, chicken math, and why your organic ideology might be killing your animals (not to mention your wallet). Becky and I don't sugarcoat things because life on a homestead isn't Pinterest-perfect, it's dirty, hard, heartbreaking, and 100% worth it. We dig into goat parasites, feed decisions, farm math, and what it really means to be a modern homesteader with integrity. We even get into government overreach, raw milk laws, and why you can eat the Twinkie if you damn well want to. This episode is pure gold for anyone navigating the tension between doing it "right" and doing what actually works.
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Episode Highlights: goat math, raw milk, organic myths, animal loss, real farming, parasite management, farm-to-table realities, farm community, food freedom, government overreach, holistic animal care, starting small
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Becky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toby_way_farm/ Becky's Website: https://www.tobywayfarm.com/ Becky's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TobyWayFarm ______________________________________________
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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| How He Made $100K in His Backyard with Chef Mikey EP 40 | 09 juil. 2025 | 01:00:45 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with Chef Mikey from Chef's Harvest Farm—a total character and an absolute legend in the urban farming world out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Y'all, this man turned his backyard into a full-blown vegetable empire and is making a six-figure living growing salad greens. From slinging veggies under his cubicle desk to supplying top-tier resorts and chefs, Mikey breaks down exactly how he did it with grit, strategy, and heart. We talk community, soil, seasonal eating, and why lettuce from Peru just ain't it. This episode will light a fire under anyone with a backyard and a dream. Get ready to be inspired, laugh a little, and maybe cry (just a little) over celery. Let's get dirty!
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Episode Highlights: urban farming, backyard business, chef turned farmer, salad greens, seasonal eating, local food systems, food security, farm to table, farming burnout, hiring help, farming in the South, community over competition
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Chef Mikey's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefsharvestfarmllc/ Chef Mikey's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chefsharvestfarm ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| How Hydroponic Lettuce is Saving a Province with Mackenzie Warford aka Papa's Farm | EP 39 | 02 juil. 2025 | 00:58:39 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm talking lettuce—but not just any lettuce. I sat down with the incredibly passionate and slightly wild Mackenzie Warford of Papa's Farm in Newfoundland, where he's growing top-tier romaine lettuce year-round using a hydroponic system that puts most operations to shame. We dive into his "hippie greenhouse," his geothermal setup, his zero-pesticide practices, and why he's dead set on feeding his family and community the highest-quality food possible—without a dime of government funding. We go deep on why Canada's food system is broken and how local, small-scale farmers like Mackenzie are the solution. If you've ever doubted hydroponics, this episode will flip the script and maybe make you crave some crunchy romaine while you're at it.
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Episode Highlights: hydroponics, romaine lettuce, food sovereignty, small farm business, greenhouse growing, kids in agriculture, local food systems, nutrient density, Canadian farming, off-grid innovation, gut health, circular economy
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ MacKenzie's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PapasFarmHydroponics MacKenzie's Website: https://www.youtube.com/@papasfarm721 Canadian Hydroponics Association: https://www.can-hydro.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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| The Truth About Tiny Homesteading with Mary Lewis EP 38 | 25 juin 2025 | 00:46:59 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with my fellow podcast host and tiny farm queen, Mary Lewis, who proves that it's never too late to bite off more than you can chew and start homesteading. At 50, Mary and her husband left city life behind, bought a slice of land in Minnesota, and built a flourishing market garden, chicken coop, and a community around fresh food. We chat about her journey from a tenth of an acre to a full-blown mini farm, how farm life changes your soul (and your vocabulary), and why the best tomatoes are worth the wait. This episode is a love letter to seasonal eating, grit, community, and the deep magic of a yellow peony on a hard day. If you've ever doubted whether you can start growing food where you are—this one will light a fire under your boots.
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Episode Highlights: tiny farm dreams, chickens & tomatoes, moving at 50, seasonal eating, farmers market hustle, introvert homesteading, garden joy, loss on the farm, ISA Browns, community building, soil not ownership, small acts of kindness
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Mary's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.tiny.homestead?igsh=aGZpOWp1c2Vtcmtz Mary's Website: https://www.atinyhomestead.com/ Mary's Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-tiny-homestead/id1717248579 ______________________________________________
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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Why This 25-Year-Old Is Crushing Homesteading with Brandie Denard EP 37 | 18 juin 2025 | 00:36:16 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with 25-year-old firecracker farmer Brandie from Suni Bear Farms in Alabama—and y'all, this girl is the real deal. We talk all things chickens, goats, and building a homestead from scratch with nothing but grit, faith, and a heart for agriculture. Brandie's not just raising animals and veggies—she's raising awareness, kindness, and the next generation of farm-loving families through her kindness campaign and ag education classes. From selling eggs to starting a farmstand, she's doing it all with creativity and courage. Whether you're knee-deep in chickens or just dreaming of dirty boots and fresh food, this is one episode that'll light a fire under your overalls.
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Episode Highlights: young farmers, kindness campaign, farm-to-table, backyard chickens, egg pricing, agritourism, Alabama farming, farmer's market tips, homestead business, goat farming, vegetable gardening, faith and farming
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Brandie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunibearfarms/ Brandie Website: https://sunibearfarms.wixsite.com/suni-bearfarms Brandie's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DenardsGoatFarm?mibextid=LQQJ4d ______________________________________________
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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| How to Start a Chicken Farm From Scratch EP 36 | 11 juin 2025 | 00:41:48 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, it's just you, me, and 600 rowdy chickens. I'm giving you the full scoop on how I went from running a 36,000 square foot greenhouse empire to becoming the loud, sunburned, swearin'-in-a-bikini egg lady at the farmers market. We're talking laying hens, meat birds, DIY brooders, why I chose conventional feed, and how I'm clawing my way back into farm life one chicken shit-covered hand at a time. If you've ever dreamed of making money from your land—this is the real, raw, and ridiculously honest truth about what it takes. Spoiler: it's not pretty, but it's worth it. Let's build that next empire, baby.
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Episode Highlights: homesteading hustle, chickens vs. vegetables, meat bird breeds, egg yolk color myths, infrastructure hacks, farm failures, Joel Salatin inspo, selling eggs at farmers markets, honest farming, small space farming, figuring it out, farm to table tips
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| How to Outsmart the Food System in 2025 with Dawn EP 35 | 04 juin 2025 | 00:36:16 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm bringing the heat (and the compost) with 10 powerful reasons why EVERYONE should be a homesteader—yes, even you, city girl with the balcony! I break down the myths, the mindset, and the magic of growing your own food no matter where you live. From the rebellious joy of backyard tomatoes to prepping like a boss for doomsday (or just rising food prices), I share why homesteading is no longer a trend—it's a necessity. I've farmed it all: pigs, goats, hens, rabbits, and acres of produce. Now I'm scaling it down and showing YOU how to grow big freedom in small spaces. Whether it's a planter box or a backyard barnyard, this episode will light the fire in your freedom-loving soul.
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Episode Highlights: food freedom, generational knowledge, growing anywhere, mental health, self-reliance, kids in the garden, DIY food systems, backyard chickens, saving money, rebellion through gardening, starting small, food as currency
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| The Homesteader's Secret Weapon for Healing Skin with Nina Baker EP 34 | 28 mai 2025 | 00:52:22 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I sit down with the beautiful soul behind Moosterizers—Nina from A Thousand Hills—and we go deep on why this isn't just another skincare company. This is a back-to-the-roots, mama-led, God-honoring, eczema-healing, beef-fat-on-your-face kind of conversation that you don't want to miss. Nina shares how her son's health issues led her away from conventional medicine and into a wild journey of healing, homesteading, and launching a thriving tallow-based business—all while raising two boys and running farmers' markets with her family. We get real about the importance of knowing your source, the power of food and nature as medicine, and why our children are the ultimate WHY behind it all. This one is packed with truth bombs, inspiration, and that homegrown dirt we all need to hear. Get ready to be moved—because this convo might just be the nudge you need to start your own sovereignty story.
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Episode Highlights: tallow skincare, eczema healing, food as medicine, regenerative living, homesteading moms, farmers markets, entrepreneurship, faith in business, creating community, natural parenting, ancestral wisdom, local sourcing
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Nina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moosturizer.ab/
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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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Dawn's Hot Seat: Grow Food Anywhere with Dana Maddeaux EP 33 | 21 mai 2025 | 00:58:12 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I get thrown into the hot seat by my friend Dana Maddeaux, a coach for widowed moms—and let me tell you, she didn't hold back! We dive deep into our shared Dutch roots, our childhood greenhouse memories, and why hard work is stitched into our DNA. Dana shares her powerful story of losing her husband with four tiny kids in tow and how she's now helping other widows rise again. We also dig into the dirt of food freedom, backyard growing, raising entrepreneurial kids, and why real food and real connection matter more than ever. If you've ever felt like you "should be doing more" when it comes to homesteading or feeding your family, this episode is your permission slip to start small, do what you can, and let the guilt go. It's honest, heartfelt, and filled with all the rich soil of life's mess and beauty. You're gonna love it.
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Episode Highlights: widowhood, gardening tips, Dutch heritage, homesteading, grief and healing, food sovereignty, entrepreneurial kids, microgreens, work ethic, real food, canning and preserving, freedom of choice
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Dana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daynee_m/reels/
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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!
______________________________________________
https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Secrets to Growing Tomatoes EP 32 | 14 mai 2025 | 00:30:32 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm bringing you a solo-sode straight from the greenhouse—because today, it's all about TOMATOES. Yep, we're getting juicy. From being known as "The Tomato Lady" to running a 36,000 sq ft greenhouse and growing 9+ varieties, I'm sharing everything I've learned about growing sweet, candy-like tomatoes that people actually love. Whether you've got a backyard, a balcony, or a windowsill, I'll walk you through choosing the right varieties, preventing blossom end rot, pollinating like a pro, and even using black electrical tape to save a broken plant. If you want tomatoes that taste like sunshine and not cardboard, this one's for you. So let's get dirty—tomato dirty.
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Episode Highlights: greenhouse growing, tomato varieties, pollination tips, pruning techniques, preventing blossom end rot, consistent watering, compost and nutrients, saving broken plants, harvesting for flavor, tomato preservation, gardening with kids, balcony gardening
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Why I Ditched Vegetables to Heal Lupus with Holly Beck EP 31 | 07 mai 2025 | 00:57:01 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt I sat down with Holly Beck, a lupus coach, autoimmune warrior, and absolute firecracker of a woman, who shared her 20-year journey through chronic fatigue, a lupus diagnosis, and finding healing through food, farming, and fierce self-advocacy. This one's personal (my dad had lupus too) and it was powerful to talk about the truths nobody tells you about autoimmune disease. We dug into the carnivore diet, how food actually impacts our bodies, the problems with our grocery store system, and why CSA boxes and farm-raised meat might just be the cure we're all ignoring. We also had some real-deal talk about what it means to return to community, raise food the old-fashioned way, and find freedom in knowing your farmer. This episode is a must-listen if you've got autoimmune symptoms, care about food freedom, or just want to learn how to eat and live like your great-grandma did…with purpose, joy, and connection.
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Episode Highlights: autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, lupus diagnosis, carnivore diet, plant-based myths, farming, community supported agriculture, food system breakdown, homesteading, seasonal eating, meat as medicine, healing through nutrition
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Holly's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamhollybeck/ Holly's Podcast: The Health Bridge Podcast with Holly B ______________________________________________
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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Dawn's Hot Seat: Why Organic Isn't Always Better with Carley Butler EP 30 | 30 avr. 2025 | 00:51:41 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm flipping the mic around and letting the magic woman behind this podcast—my editor, my podcast manager, and my dear friend Carley—put me in the hot seat. We go deep into the truth about organics (spoiler alert: it's not as pure as you think), the real reason food has become so disconnected from our communities, and why modern homesteading isn't all sourdough and sunshine. I share the behind-the-scenes truth about farming, self-sufficiency, the BS of food labels, and how we take our power back one tomato plant or backyard chicken at a time. If you've ever felt overwhelmed about where to start or you've been romanticizing a life off-grid, this episode is your permission slip to start small and reclaim your power. It's time to get dirty—in the best way.
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Episode Highlights: organic myths, food freedom, self-sufficiency, local vs organic, farming debt, big ag corruption, seasonal eating, homesteading reality, raising chickens, empowering children, food frequency, community barter systems
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Carley's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carleybutlermedia/ Carley's Website: https://www.carleybutlermedia.com/ Carley's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16m2r5UiVE8PbQfZ4LtJ5P ______________________________________________
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!
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| I Sold Him My Farm…Here's Why with Pete EP 29 | 23 avr. 2025 | 00:50:49 | |
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.
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Episode Highlights: legacy, greenhouse growing, family farming, food systems, burnout, community, work ethic, entrepreneurship, farmer's markets, resilience, gratitude, growth
Takeaways:
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| The Farmers Market LIE No One Talks About with Dawn Buschert EP 28 | 16 avr. 2025 | 00:40:33 | |
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.
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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:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| Cancer, Chemo & Calling Bullsh*t with Wade Percy EP27 | 09 avr. 2025 | 01:01:43 | |
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.
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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:
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online ______________________________________________
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| Raw Dairy, Glyphosate & Other Uncomfortable Truths EP 26 | 02 avr. 2025 | 00:46:00 | |
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.
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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:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| The Truth About "Pasture-Raised" Pork with Nicola Irving EP 25 | 26 mars 2025 | 00:57:44 | |
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.
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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:
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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!
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| The Lie of the "Perfect" Homesteading Mom with Britt Geleta EP 24 | 19 mars 2025 | 00:52:28 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving into the raw, real, and often messy world of being a mom, an entrepreneur, and a human who's just trying to do it all without losing her damn mind. I'm joined by Britt Geleta, a badass coach helping entrepreneurial moms break free from burnout, mom guilt, and the suffocating expectations society dumps on us. We get into the real talk about why so many women feel like they have to do everything—and why that's complete bullshit.
Britt shares how she helps women cut through the noise, set boundaries, and actually prioritize themselves without the guilt trip. We talk about why self-care isn't selfish (it's a damn business strategy), how to rewire your mindset for thriving, and why perfectionism is a scam we're all done falling for. If you've ever felt like you're drowning in expectations, this one's for you. Get ready to ditch the guilt, take up space, and put yourself first for once.
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Episode Highlights: burnout, mom guilt, entrepreneurship, mindset shifts, self-care as a business strategy, perfectionism is a scam, setting boundaries, feminine vs. masculine energy, breaking generational conditioning, community over comparison, delegating without guilt, thriving over surviving
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Britt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbritt_geleta/ Britt's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mama-entrepreneurs-ignited ______________________________________________
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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Why Farmers Are Fighting Back with Jason Jackson EP 23 | 12 mars 2025 | 00:57:14 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're digging into the realities of modern farming with Jason Jackson—fifth-generation farmer, part-time high school teacher, and full-time straight shooter. We're getting real about the bureaucratic mess that farmers have to wade through just to keep food on your plate. From the government's failure to fund plant breeding to the shady world of data ownership and the infuriating fight for the right to repair farm equipment—this conversation is an education in what's really happening behind the scenes in agriculture.
If you think farming is just tractors and dirt, buckle up. Jason breaks down how policy decisions are making it harder for small and mid-sized farms to survive, how corporate greed is taking over seed and equipment markets, and why he's pushing back against regulations that make no damn sense. Whether you're a farmer, a food-lover, or just someone who doesn't trust the government (same), you need to hear this one. Let's get into the dirt.
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Episode Highlights: government policy, plant breeding, data ownership, right to repair, small farm struggles, corporate control, reducing emissions, farming economics, food security, seed laws, big vs. small farms, freedom in agriculture
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Why Your Garden Will Save You (and the World) EP 22 | 05 mars 2025 | 00:33:01 | |
In today's solo episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving into the gritty, glorious world of growing your own food—no matter how much space you have. I'm breaking down the real reasons why you need to get your hands in the dirt, from saving money to eating food that actually has flavor (because let's be real, grocery store tomatoes taste like disappointment). I also share my personal journey from running a 36,000-square-foot greenhouse to learning how to grow for joy, not just survival. If you've ever wondered how to make your garden work for you, whether you've got a quarter section of land or just a tiny balcony, this episode is for you. We talk about food security (hello, 2020 toilet paper crisis!), why store-bought produce is basically nutrient-dead, and how growing your own food is the ultimate act of self-sufficiency. Plus, I'm spilling my four easiest crops to grow—no green thumb required. Let's dig in!
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Episode Highlights: food security, small-scale farming, sustainable growing, self-sufficiency, flavor vs. store-bought, crop rotation, easiest vegetables to grow, pruning for better harvests, cost-saving gardening, mental health benefits, community food sharing, garden planning
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| Farmers Aren't the Problem...The System Is with Kenisha, Melissa & Shane EP 21 | 26 févr. 2025 | 00:52:21 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving deep into the truth about food, sovereignty, and breaking free from the systems that want to control us. I'm joined by Shane, Kenisha, and Melissa—three absolute powerhouses who are reclaiming their independence through private membership associations, real food, and real community. We're talking about the war on farmers, why our food is making us sick, and how government overreach is quietly slipping into every aspect of our lives.
If you've ever wondered why your food doesn't taste the way it used to, or why your kids are being taught that farms are the enemy, buckle up—this episode is for you. We expose the toxic middlemen who control our health, wealth, and freedom, and we lay out exactly how to take it back. Whether it's detoxing from the poisons in our food and water, learning how to grow your own, or simply waking up to the reality of our world—this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss.
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Episode Highlights: freedom, small business, finding strength, building community, food sovereignty, government overreach, detoxing, private membership associations, real medicine, critical thinking, homeschooling, self-determination
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ YYC Rocks Website: https://www.yycrocks.ca/ Cell Food Website: https://www.cellfood.ca/ ______________________________________________
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!
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https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/book-online
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| $7 an Hour & Zero Sleep: The Reality of Young Farmers with Ruben & Matt EP 20 | 19 févr. 2025 | 00:46:19 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're talking about hard work, grit, and what it really takes to make it in farming. I've got two incredible young men, Ruben and Matt, who are just 20 years old and already breaking into the world of agriculture. These two aren't just sitting around waiting for opportunities—they're chasing them down with everything they've got. We dig into the brutal reality of land prices, the cutthroat world of renting farmland, and why so many young farmers are being priced out by big corporations. But these guys? They refuse to back down. They're getting creative, working off-farm jobs to fund their dreams, and finding mentors in older farmers who believe in keeping agriculture alive.
If you've ever wanted to know what it really takes to build a farm from scratch in today's world—without rich parents or corporate backing—this episode is for you. Get ready for an honest, no-BS conversation about sacrifice, resilience, and chasing a dream most people wouldn't dare to touch.
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Episode Highlights: farming struggles, land prices, young farmers vs. corporations, off-farm income, entrepreneurship, agriculture legacy, direct marketing vs. traditional sales, mentorship in farming, risk-taking in agriculture, working for $7/hour, generational wisdom, making it work against all odds
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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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!
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| They Want Us Fighting—Here's Why We Shouldn't With Lisa Szabon-Smith EP 19 | 12 févr. 2025 | 00:51:42 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, I'm sitting down with my friend Lisa Szabon-Smith, the powerhouse behind Fearless Changemakers. We met at a barter pay event, hit it off instantly, and I knew I had to bring her on the podcast. Lisa is a former elite bobsledder turned gym owner turned unapologetic truth-teller who isn't afraid to challenge the system. We dive deep into the mess that is modern politics, how division is being used as a control tactic, and why people are too scared to ask the hard questions. We talk about leadership (or the lack of it), the dangers of living in political silos, and why real power is in the hands of the people—if we're willing to use it. This conversation is about building bridges instead of burning them, finding courage in the chaos, and remembering that we can disagree and still love each other. Buckle up, because this one's going to challenge you.
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Episode Highlights: conversation over division, political silos, fearless leadership, questioning narratives, true advocacy, leading with love, building bridges, rejecting fear-based decisions, power of community, redefining success, finding personal truth, creating positive change
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ Lisa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/szabon.com_/ Lisa's Website: https://www.szabon.com/? Lisa's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/fear-less-changemakers/id1629092907 ______________________________________________
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!
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| The Dark Truth About Porn Addiction with Vijay Jr. Maharaj EP 18 | 05 févr. 2025 | 00:48:24 | |
In today's episode of Dawn's Dirt, we're diving headfirst into a topic most people would rather tiptoe around—porn and its impact on men, relationships, and society as a whole. I sit down with VJ Maharaj, an online coach helping men reclaim their lives from the grips of porn addiction and rediscover real, meaningful connection. We don't hold back in this conversation—VJ shares his personal story, the shocking ways porn rewires the brain, and why he believes it's an epidemic stealing men's vitality. As someone who knows firsthand how porn can destroy a marriage, this topic hits home for me, and I know it does for so many others. We break down the hidden consequences of excessive porn use, how it's robbing relationships of true intimacy, and why men are struggling to connect with real women. This is one of the rawest, most important conversations I've had on Dawn's Dirt, and I promise—it's one you can't afford to miss.
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Episode Highlights: porn addiction, masculinity, real intimacy, relationships, personal transformation, breaking free from habits, healing childhood wounds, vulnerability in men, addiction recovery, the impact of technology, secrets in relationships, overcoming shame
Takeaways:
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Links & Resources Mentioned
Visit Dawn's Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/ Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/ VJ's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vijayjrmaharaj/
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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!
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