Podcast Extra: Rooted in Organic Podcast - What AI in Ag Can Look Like with John Kempf
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Release Date: 07/23/2025
Episode 171: Turning Texas “Weeds” into Wellness with Abianne Falla
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Abianne Falla used to see the native holly shrub as a pesky invasive on her family’s Texas land, until the 2011 drought highlighted its resilience: it was the sole green survivor. Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) is North America's only caffeinated plant, though its roots as a ceremonial brew in Gulf Coast indigenous societies have been suppressed by colonial forces and lost to commercialization. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation, Abianne became interested in yaupon and crafted a variety of flavor profiles in her home roasting experiments, which she grew into her company, CatSpring Yaupon. ...
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Episode 170: Reviving Degraded Soils Through Biological Farming with Jake Neustadt and Morgan Twain-Peterson
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Morgan Twain-Peterson founded Bedrock Wine Company in 2007, growing from humble beginnings in a small outbuilding into a respected winery. Jake Neustadt joined Morgan in 2015, bringing his expertise in transitioning old vineyards to regenerative practices. Together they are focused on enhancing soil health, producing uniquely Californian wines, and preserving California’s historic vineyards, some of which date to the 19th Century. Morgan and Jake’s work at Bedrock Wine Company shows how regenerative agriculture can restore degraded vineyard soils, significantly increasing soil organic...
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Episode 169: Nourishing Body and Land with Hilda Gore
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Hilda Gore is a certified health coach and the host of the Wise Traditions podcast for the Weston A. Price Foundation. Born with a ventricular septal defect requiring open-heart surgery at age nine, she developed a passion for holistic health, emphasizing physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Through her global travels, Hilda has learned from indigenous communities about ancestral health practices, advocating for a return to traditional, nutrient-dense diets and lifestyles to foster generational health. In this episode, John and Hilda discuss: The importance of spiritual grounding for...
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Podcast Extra: Microbial Acceleration and Nutrient Release with Revenant Charge™
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
In this Podcast Extra episode, John Kempf introduces Revenant Charge™, a new true-liquid biostimulant from AEA. Revenant Charge™ was developed to address the rising costs of soil health products for row crops while maintaining the powerful results growers have come to expect from AEA’s Rejuvenate. Designed as a microbial accelerant, Revenant Charge™ stimulates soil biology and increases nutrient availability. In this episode, John discusses: The origin and purpose behind developing Revenant Charge™ and how it compares to Soil Primer and Rejuvenate. Early field trial data from...
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Podcast Short: Exploring Endophytes for Healthier Plants with Maizie Koentopp
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
This is the first time we’ve had a high schooler on the podcast! Maizie Koentopp, a 9th grader in Chicago, conducted a simple yet elegant experiment on buckwheat plants. Motivated by her father’s urban farming work and her own concern about climate change, Maizie wanted to test the effect of endophytic bacteria on plant development as an alternative to harmful agrochemicals. She compared seeds inoculated with AEA’s BioCoat Gold™ to a non-inoculated control, and found that inoculated seeds (in both sterilized and non-sterilized soil) grew faster, had higher survival rates, and...
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Episode 168: “Debunked by Nature” and Lessons from Farm Life with Mollie Engelhart
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
After growing up on a farm, Mollie Engelhart built a vegan restaurant empire in Los Angeles, which she planned to sell before COVID disrupted her plans. During the pandemic, she lost her income and spent time back on the farm, using nature’s lens to question societal constructs like veganism. These experiences inspired her book, Debunked by Nature, where she shares her shift to truth-seeking based on natural cycles. She now lives on a Texas ranch, advocating for authentic living through storytelling. Mollie experiments with regenerative techniques on her Texas ranch, like mulching to combat...
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Episode 167: Controlling Pests using Boron Instead of Insecticide with Jay Watts
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Jay Watte is a fourth-generation farmer from the Imperial Valley in Southern California, where he manages a family operation focused on seed production. Thanks to his pioneering practices, Jay hasn’t sprayed insecticides on his farm for nearly two years. Instead of pesticides, Jay uses nutrient management, particularly boron applications, to boost plant resilience and reduce pest pressure. His experiments with soil inoculations and cover crops, are yielding promising results, including healthier plants and higher seed quality. Jay’s approach emphasizes sustainable practices that prioritize...
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Episode 166: Redefining Farming Through Health, Taste, and Technology with Martin Crompton
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Martin Crompton believes farmers can win by focusing on nutrition and flavor. He encourages farmers to adopt marketing and business development to tap into the growing demand for healthier, nutrient-dense foods. Martin is operations director at Union Grove Farm in North Carolina, where he creates demand for their table grapes through a "pull" marketing strategy of storytelling and education. By leveraging AI and ag tech, Martin has found a way to optimize farming practices and enhance profitability for regenerative farmers. Martin is originally from England. He began working in agriculture...
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Episode 165: Epigenetic Seed Adaptation and No-Till Success with Brad McIntyre
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Brad McIntyre, a fourth-generation farmer in Caldwell, Idaho, has transformed his family’s operation along the Snake River Basin, scaling back from 3,000 to 1,000 acres due to urbanization and rising costs. Inspired by no-till pioneers, he now manages a diverse farm with seed production, grass-finished beef, pastured pork, poultry, and eggs; all non-GMO. Brad advances regenerative agriculture through no-till farming, diverse rotations, and cover crops, maintaining yields while cutting inputs. He produces locally adapted, high-quality seeds with strong germination for companies like Green...
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Episode 164: Navigating Economic Pressures in Tree Fruit with Sam Godwin
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Sam Godwin is a second-generation farmer operating a 300-acre organic orchard in north central Washington, primarily growing apples, pears, and cherries. His farm, which is small by industry standards, faces economic pressures in a market dominated by larger operations, and so has adopted organic practices since the early 2000s to differentiate and add value. Sam is in his second year of integrating practices to enhance soil health and reduce input costs, guided by consultants from Advancing Eco Agriculture. By using sap analysis and tools like compost, clover, and fish products, he has seen...
info_outlineIn this Podcast Extra, John Kempf joins the Rooted in Organic Podcast to discuss AI and agriculture.
The Rooted in Organic Podcast is dedicated to promoting organic living and sustainable agriculture. Through their podcast, they discuss time-honored techniques, like Amish farming, and explore modern solutions, like regenerative agriculture. With each conversation, they aim to empower their audience to take action toward a more eco-friendly and healthier food system.
In this episode of the Rooted in Organic Podcast, they discuss the development of a AEA's new AI tool called FieldLark. They also discuss how technology in ag can help or hurt, and where the idea for FieldLark started and some examples of where it has helped farmers fin- tune the questions they're looking to answer.
Additional Resources
To listen to more episodes of the Rooted in Organic Podcast, please visit: https://rootedinorganic.com/
About John Kempf
John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.
Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.
AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA’s science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.
AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.
Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.
Learn more about AEA’s regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com