Why This Dad Bet on Homesteading…and Won with Jason (Sow the Land) EP 49
Release Date: 09/17/2025
CFIA Forced 550 Deer Dead Then Zero Tested Positive with Jason Smith EP 65
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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How He Built a Profitable Market Garden From Scratch with Jared Reuben EP 64
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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How to Build a Food System You Trust with Christie Green EP 63
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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Why Knowing Your Farmer Matters More Than Labels with James Cornwell EP 62
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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”...
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The 5 Biggest Mistakes Vendors Make at a Farmers Market EP 61
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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Struggling to Make Farm-to-Table Profitable? Start Here with Sausha Davis EP 60
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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The Ostrich Massacre & Government Overreach EP 59
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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This Man Proves That Old School Farming Isn’t Dead with Tristan Swartz EP 58
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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....
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How an Alaskan Farmer Feeds Her Community with Kelli Foreman EP 57
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
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The Farm Hack That Cut Hours in Half with Trent Koehn EP 56
Dawn's Dirt Podcast
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...
info_outlineIn 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:
- Start where you are…front yard, borrowed yard, anywhere
- One tomato plant can change your life
- Go all in and learn fast from failure
- Say yes early to discover what you love
- Move animals often to heal soil and grow better meat
- Community and bartering make the lifestyle sustainable
- Fulfillment beats easy money every time
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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
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Visit Dawn’s Website: https://www.dawnsdirt.ca/
Dawn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawns_dirt/
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Want to turn your homestead into more than just a hobby? I’ve been there. As a former farmer, I built a profitable business from my land — selling out at local markets, preserving food through canning, and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from what I grew and raised. Now, I help others do the same. Whether it’s garden coaching, raising animals, selling eggs, or turning your harvest into income through canning, I’ll show you practical ways to bring real value from your homestead. Let’s talk about your goals and how we can make your land work for you. Book a free call today using the link below, let’s get started!
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Produced by Carley Butler Media – Helping podcasts elevate their voice and reach the world. Learn more at www.carleybutlermedia.com