JCP-S4-E1-What Regenerative Ag Really Looks Like—From the Farmers Living It

The Jill Clapperton Podcast (formerly Tasting Terroir)
Season 4, Episode 1

What Does Regenerative Agriculture Really Mean? Insights from the Front Lines

What is regenerative agriculture—and how can we tell when it’s really working? In this debut episode of the newly rebranded Jill Clapperton Podcast, we go deeper than buzzwords to explore the true meaning of regenerative through the voices of those living it every day.

We start with a rich, grounded conversation with Dr. Jill Clapperton—a soil scientist, educator, and global thought leader—who shares how she defines regenerative agriculture based on decades of working with farmers, researchers, and food system innovators.

Then, we hear directly from eight experienced farmers, researchers, and changemakers in Jill’s personal network—people she’s known and worked alongside for years. They each offer their take on what regenerative means in practice, from soil to plate.

If you're looking to better understand how regenerative principles show up in the real world—and want to learn from those who are doing it well—this episode is your starting point.

🎧 In This Episode

• How regenerative agriculture is about evolving systems—not restoring them

• Why biodiversity and community are essential to healthy soil and resilient farms

• The importance of transparency and individual pathways in regenerative practice

• How regenerative farming supports both ecological health and rural economies

• The need for innovation, incentives, and systemic change to scale regeneration

• Why regeneration offers a model for rethinking food, health, and community beyond agriculture

🔗 Featured Voices in This Episode

Meet the farmers, ranchers, authors, and innovators who share what regenerative means through their lived experience:

• DeAnna Lozensky (North Dakota, USA) – Farmer and owner of Guardian Grains, offering nutrient-rich flour products.

• Derek & Tannis Axten (Saskatchewan, Canada) – Regenerative grain farmers and founders of Axten Farms, producers of diverse, soil-friendly flours.

• Clint Brauer (Kansas, USA) – Farmer and founder of Greenfield Robotics, advancing chemical-free farming with robotic weeding.

• Craig Cameron (Alberta, Canada) – Rancher and owner of Peony Farms, raising grassfed Piedmontese beef on regenerative pastures.

• Dave Montgomery & Anne Biklé (USA) – Scientists and authors of What Your Food Ate, exploring the deep link between soil health and human health.

• Derek Azevedo (California, USA) – Farmer and EVP at Bowles Farming Company, a large-scale, regenerative-focused operation growing a wide range of fresh produce.

• Gail Fuller (Kansas, USA) – Regenerative pioneer and founder of Circle 7 Fuller Farms & The Fuller Field School, offering food and hands-on education for consumers and farmers alike.

• Carlton “Shorty” Fensky (Alberta, Canada) – Farmer and co-owner of C. Fensky Farms, producing regenerative grains and meats; active on LinkedIn.

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