Apple Podcasts | Spotify

If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the lack of nutrients in our food, this episode is for you. Regenerative farming can do absolute wonders for our planet, our food supply, the air we breathe, and so much more.

Today I’m joined by Brett Packer, executive director of Young Living Essential Oils Farms. We’re unpacking the revolutionary potential of regenerative agriculture and how it differs from industrial and organic farming practices. If you’re curious and you’ve never seen regenerative farming in action before, the movie “The Biggest Little Farm” is a great entry point. And so is Brett’s knowledge!

He sheds light on how thriving soil ecosystems not only enhance our food’s nutrient density but also mitigate the extensive environmental damage caused by industries like fast fashion. Industrial agriculture’s post-WWII shift has affected our soil, water, and health.

This episode also gives some really valuable insight into Young Living’s practices and why I only use their essential oils and work with them. Tune in to learn how integrating animals and cover crops into farming practices can regenerate soil, improve nutrient cycling, and increase resilience against climate change.

In This Episode:

• Military Industrial Complex
• Impact of Industrial Agriculture on Society
• Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture
• Regenerative Farming and Environmental Conservation
• Reimagining Farming for Sustainability
• Experience Regenerative Agriculture
• Partnering With Nature

Damage Caused by Big Ag

When you look at soils as living systems, the most vast network of life we have on the planet, biology is what makes minerals, nutrients, and micronutrients available. That system is completely broken. Discing and tilling, the act of cutting through soil, destroys habitats where all the bacteria, fungi, and other microbes live.

On top of that, things like glyphosate also destroy soil. If you took a soil analysis of conventional farmland, it’d be completely dormant. It’s just dust that requires added chemicals to grow anything. With that, you then have to look at the food that is grown there – there are no nutrients in it anymore because it’s getting pumped full of some synthetic fertilizers. All the micronutrients and true bioavailable nutrients aren’t in that food.

So the land gets destroyed, which ends up in the watershed and destroys the biology within it. It causes algae blooms and when we bring it in our GI tracts in the body, the glyphosate destroys the bacteria. It damages the shikimate pathways. It’s why they can claim it was harmless to humans because we don’t have shikimate pathways in our cells. But the bacteria in our GI tract that number our cells 10 to 1 all have shikimate pathways. You destroy all that positive bacteria and you lose your balance. Other things can thrive and take over, and cause all kinds of inflammation and terror on our systems. What happens to the soil, happens to us.

I think everybody is pretty smart on gut health and gut-brain access. Gut health is mental health. But I think the disconnect that people don’t realize is the way we farm is directly responsible for our gut health. I can think of a lot of reasons why we have gut issues. Toxic exposure is one of them, but the death of our soil in America is the main reason. 

Benefits of Regenerative Farming and Agriculture

Part of it is that you become a true steward of the land. You become a partner. Brett thinks many of us have heard that our existence is a negative thing and that our impact can only be minimized or reduced. The truth is we could be nature’s biggest partner. 

Agriculture turns into a form of conservation. You usually only see agriculture framed as having a negative impact. But with regenerative agriculture, our farms become massive air filtration systems.

We always hear of trying to reduce our carbon footprint. Carbon isn’t a pollution in any regard. It’s the building block of all life on earth. But the problem is, when you start discing and tilling, you break the carbon cycle. With carbon only being a minimal part of the atmosphere, it must get exchanged back into the soil. Plants capture carbon and secrete it into the soil to attract microbes. They have a level of communication that’s so advanced they can change the carbon sugar to attract the exact microbe they need to break down the nutrient they’re missing. 

Another amazing thing about these farms is they are all massive water filtration systems. Brett looks at farms and they have a net positive impact on their acreage, but it goes beyond. Farms with regenerative agriculture have virtually zero runoff of even organic fertilizers. They’re holding water and then also filtering it. By the time it leaves our farm and goes into the watershed, it’s been purified.

With regenerative farming, you’re just trying to mimic everything you can in nature and put nature’s cycle into production. 

The Young Living Difference

The more we can support the companies that farm regeneratively, the better. The reason why I work with and I am such an advocate for Young Living Essential Oils is this. As far as I know, Young Living is the only essential oil company that farms this way and takes great care of our land. They return the land to the way it’s supposed to be.

Companies are beginning to move into the regenerative space for growing food, but also for sourcing cotton for clothing and skincare ingredients. Support this way of life and business if you want to see these changes happening.

I’m never going to stop talking about this because I believe this is how we fix our climate problem. This is how we fix our water quality problem. This is how we fix our air quality problem. This is how we fix our food problem and our lack of nutrient problem. There are so many things that can be put back to the way it’s supposed to be just by supporting regenerative agriculture.

Companies that Source Regeneratively and Organically

• Young Living (Use Code SHAREYL to Save 10%)
• AIZOME Textiles (Use Code WENDY10 to Save 10%)
• Willow Moon Farm (Use Code WENDY10 to Save 10%)
• Evanhealy (Use Code WENDY15 to Save 15% off)
• Primally Pure (Use Code WENDYKATHRYN to Save 10%)
• Annmarie Skincare (Use Code WENDY20 to Save 20%)
• Blissoma Skincare

If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please:

• Leave a positive review or rating wherever you listen
• Shop toxin-free products on my Toxin Free Shopping Guide
• Download your free Tossing the Toxins Guide
• Post a screenshot of what you loved and tag me on Instagram @wendy_toxinfreeish
• Want to ask me a question to get answered on the podcast? Leave me a voice message here.

Related Episodes:

Episode 38: Exploring Gut Health, Raw Milk, Seed Oils & Regenerative Agriculture with Jane Z. from Farm to Future

Episode 61: Behind the Scenes of Farm-Made Skincare with Sara from Willow Moon Farm