24. Life as a Livestock Operator with Sequoia Williams

Sequoia was born in New Zealand and raised in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in California. She got her masters in Soil Science from UC Davis in the Gaudin Agroecology lab, and is currently a livestock operator in Petaluma, California, working with Coastal Land and Livestock, implementing targeted grazing with sheep and goats.

We start by discussing soil, from a detailed breakdown of what soil is made up of, to a discussion about why soil is a key component of our conversations about climate change. We talk about Sequoia’s experience as a livestock operator, and how targeted grazing with various animals impacts the health of the grazed land. We also explore a paper Sequoia is currently working on about how we can think about our food systems using a framework of power, motives, values, and relationality, and what a re-envisioned food system, backed by the principles of agroecology, might look like.

Tune in to learn more about: 

• A dive into the organic, mineral, and air components of soil compositions 

• Soil in the context of agriculture and food systems 

• Why soils end up being different colors 

• The role of microbial life in soil 

• How soil health impacts the nutritional profile the foods grown in it 

• The process of building relationships with animals that are slow to trust 

• Targeted grazing with small ruminants and why specific animals are chosen for it

• The necessity of making sure grazing animals get the nutrients they need

Connect with Sequoia: 

• Follow her on Instagram @sequoia.rw 

• Gaudin Agroecology Lab

Resources Mentioned:

• Sequoia's Paper: A knowledge creation framework for academia toward agroecological transformations of food systems

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel