The Regenaissance Podcast

Francine is a farmer, mom of four, and co-founder of the Mulberry Tree App - a farm-to-fork platform that lets consumers buy ingredients directly from local farms, with no listing fees, no middleman, and no data selling. She and her husband built it from scratch, self-funded, while navigating mold illness, alpha-gal syndrome in their family, and a bunch of scammers! They launched the app in January 2025.We talk through how the app works, why convenience is the real barrier between consumers and local farms, and what it actually takes to build something like this without outside funding or corporate backing. Enjoy :)What we talk about:- How the Mulberry Tree App works - farm-to-fork recipes, local farmer discovery, 24/7 farmers market- Why they don't charge farmers listing or marketing fees- Facebook censorship of farm products during COVID and why it pushed them to build their own platform- The grassroots marketing approach: vendor events, merchandise, one-on-one outreach- Alpha-gal syndrome - what it is, how misinformation is hurting people, and why the app has 300+ alpha-gal-safe recipes- Mold illness, raising four kids on a farm, and the tribulations behind building the business- The case for food sovereignty and why 77 farms closing per day is a national problemTimestamps:0:00 — Intro1:10 — What is the Mulberry Tree App?6:45 — How it handles the convenience problem for consumers12:00 — The origin story - a dream, a husband, and no coding experience18:30 — Facebook censorship and why decentralization matters26:00 — Grassroots marketing: vendor events, shirts, 400 downloads in two weeks32:00 — Consumer patterns and what makes the app experience different39:00 — The town square, courses, live animal listings, and cottage industry sellers47:00 — Growing up on farms, moving to Arkansas, raising kids outside the system54:00 — Mold illness, alpha-gal, and the year their son was on steroids1:04:00 — Why most businesses fail and why they didn't1:09:00 — Final thoughts: know your farmer, know your foodHow to Support Francine:Download the app via their website Connect with her via X

A walk-through tour of Wrick Ranches in western Colorado with rancher Jason Wrick, covering calf weaning, water systems, drought realities, regenerative grazing decisions, and how a working ranch stays financially viable through direct-to-consumer beef, on-farm retail, and diversified income streams.Key TopicsCalf weaning and animal welfare in real ranching conditionsWater rights, irrigation, and farming during long-term droughtHay reserves, soil fertility, and nutrient cycling through cattleRegenerative grazing within economic and regional constraintsDirect-to-consumer beef and building resilient rural businessesWhat You’ll LearnWhy calves must be weaned and how it’s managed responsiblyHow irrigation systems actually work on a western cattle ranchWhat drought means in practice for hay, water, and stocking ratesHow regenerative grazing must adapt to local climate and economicsWhy direct consumer support is critical for small ranch survivalConnect with Jason:WebsiteInstagramCheck out the farm tour episode on our YouTube Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction to Rick Ranches and the ranch tour 00:01:45 Calf weaning and animal welfare misconceptions 00:07:45 Irrigation systems and on-farm water infrastructure 00:12:30 Colorado water rights and drought realities 00:14:45 Hay management and nutrient cycling strategy 00:18:15 Regenerative agriculture and regional context 00:21:30 Consumer support and direct-to-consumer beef 00:31:00 Farm store, trust-based sales, and community 00:38:30 Weddings, rentals, and diversified ranch income 00:41:00 Grazing management and closing reflections

In this episode, we tour through Rucker Farm with Garrett Heydt to see how a large, leased regenerative operation actually works; covering hay, turkeys, water systems, minerals, and grazing decisions that shape animal health and land outcomes over time.Key Topics Rotational grazing on large, leased propertiesPasture-based turkey production and managementWater infrastructure, exclusion fencing, and environmental impactHay economics vs standing winter forageRegeneration as a long-term land ethicWhy You Should ListenClear explanation of rotational grazing at scale (30+ paddocks, leased land)Practical breakdown of hay vs standing forage economicsRare detail on pasture-raised turkey management and behaviorInsight into water systems, mineral strategy, and soil-and-water fundingA grounded philosophy of regeneration over sustainabilityConnect with Rucker FarmWebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTubeTimestamps 00:00 Hay production and second cutting 02:00 Pasture-raised turkeys and grazing behavior 05:00 Predators, electric netting, and night radio strategy 06:30 Raising turkeys: brooders, socialization, survivability 07:45 Turkey processing timelines and sizing 12:00 Mobile brooders and farming on leased land 16:30 Cattle water systems and exclusion fencing 23:00 Minerals, salt, and late-pregnancy cow health 29:30 Hay costs vs grazing saved forage 37:30 Regeneration vs sustainability and rebuilding soil 48:00 Leaving the city and choosing farm life

This live farm tour back in August 2025 was at J&L Green Farm in Virginia, where Jordan Green walks us through the operational heart of the farm. From on-farm poultry processing and cold storage to multi-species shelter design and silvopasture development, the conversation is delves into why certain farming infrastructures and layouts exist, how animals are rotated, on-farm problems with certain infrastructure, and how design iterations have helped him reduce labor, improved animal welfare, and increased land productivity.Key TopicsOn-farm poultry processing layout and cold-chain controlMulti-species shelter systems and labor efficiencyPasture poultry genetics, heat stress, and shelter designMulti-species grazing: pigs, cattle, poultry, and soil healthSilvopasture development and long-term land productivityWhy You Should ListenHear how a regenerative farm works in practice.Learn how J&L Green Farm designs systems to reduce labor and scale.Understand real-world multi-species grazing.Hear lessons learned through trial and error.Gain a clear view of resilient land management.WebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTubeTimestamps 00:00:00 – Arrival at J&L Green Farm and overview of the hub property 00:09:30 – Poultry processing setup, layout logic, and food safety flow 00:18:45 – Ice, chill-down, freezer capacity, and cold storage strategy 00:28:15 – Farm store setup, permits, and limited-hours retail model 00:37:45 – Customer ordering, fulfillment, shipping, and efficiency tradeoffs 00:47:00 – Brooder containers, chick cycles, and feed formulation 00:56:30 – Poultry genetics, growth rates, and pasture vs conventional models 01:06:00 – Mobile multi-species shelter system design and iteration process 01:15:30 – Heat management, airflow, labor efficiency, and daily moves 01:25:00 – Grazing rotation with poultry, cattle, and pigs on shared ground 01:34:30 – Silvopasture development, pigs as land-management tools 01:44:00 – Soil health outcomes, resilience, mistakes learned, and long-term vision

This on-the-ground episode explores Michael Grecos first-generation regenerative sheep operation, run entirely on leased land in New York’s Hudson Valley. We walk the pastures with Michael as he explains stocking strategy, grazing philosophy, shade management, lambing, predator protection, mineral systems, on-farm slaughter, and why sheep can make regenerative agriculture viable on smaller landscapes. Key TopicsWhy Michael chose sheep and how leased land shapes his operationDaily rotational grazing, density, rest periods, and pasture responseLambing, weaning, animal stress, shade, and heat managementGuardian dogs, predators, minerals, biochar, and health managementEthics, transparency, local food, and on-farm harvest philosophyWhat You’ll LearnWhy sheep economics differ from cattle and fit smaller northeastern landscapesHow paddock design, net fencing, and daily moves build soil and resiliencePractical realities of lambing, natural weaning, and dealing with rejection casesHow to think about ticks, rainfall, heat stress, shade, and pasture densityWhy buying local matters and why ranchers care deeply about animal welfareConnect with Michael:WebsiteInstagramFollow the tour on YouTubeTimestamps 00:00:00 – Meet Michael & the Hudson Valley Sheep Ranch 00:01:00 – Why Sheep? Cost, Scale, & Land Fit 00:03:00 – Leased Land & Grazing Philosophy 00:05:00 – Natural Weaning vs Forced Weaning 00:07:30 – Daily Moves, Density & Pasture Impact 00:10:00 – What a “Good” Grazed Paddock Looks Like 00:15:00 – Lamb Count, Losses & Culling Logic 00:17:30 – Guardian Dog & Predator Control 00:19:30 – Minerals, Biochar & Health Support 00:21:00 – Rumination & What Calm Sheep Look Like 00:23:00 – Lambing Timing & Spring Nutrition 00:28:00 – Shade, Heat Stress & Summer Management 00:30:30 – On-Farm Harvest & Ethics 00:36:00 – Visiting Farms & Transparency 00:37:30 – Rest Periods, Regrowth & Stockpiling 00:44:00 – Milkweed, Pollinators & “Poison Plant” Myth 00:47:00 – Mowing vs Not Mowing 00:48:00 – Scaling Plans & Future Growth