Today’s guest is Juan Whiting— President of the Hinterland Institute, fourth generation farmer and rancher, and Army Reserve Civil Affairs officer. Juan has a masters degree in international development and prior to the Hinterland Institute and Stray Acres, he spent eight years in East Africa working on a regenerative ag movement.

Today, Juan is on a mission to transform how we steward 26 million acres of Department of Defense land.

Juan isn’t just talking about giving veterans a hobby farm or a soft landing. As he puts it, “we don’t just need to bring young people into agriculture. You need to bring in young people that can actually get the job done.”

In this episode, you’ll hear how Juan and his team are building partnerships with base commanders, regenerative producers, and veterans to regenerate rangelands, feed troops from local installations, and develop the next generation of “regenerates” – veterans trained and equipped to manage the land regeneratively.

This is a bold vision for national security, rural revival, and veteran opportunity – all rolled into one.

Lets get into it!

Today’s guest is James Triplett—Army veteran, youth pastor, former diesel mechanic, and now co-lead of a dynamic regenerative farm in Mississippi.

James isn’t here to play it safe. He’s here to talk about what it really means to hit rock bottom—and climb back out with purpose. From surviving suicidal ideation to managing 800 acres of rotationally grazed livestock in Mississippi, his story is proof that healing can happen on the land—but only if you’re willing to do the work.

As James says:

“I’m not chasing my dreams. I’m walking in my purpose.”

In this episode, you’ll hear how James went from rock-bottom to running Etta Hills Farm alongside the son of regenerative ag specialist Dr. Allen Williams. We dig into soil, business, faith, and why teaching ag to kids might be one of the most powerful things we can do for the next generation.

Let’s get into it.

Today’s episode is the second and final part of our conversation with Allan Savory, founder of the Savory Institute and one of the most influential voices in holistic management.

In Part 1, we covered Allan’s military background, his early ecological work in Africa, and the institutional resistance he faced when challenging deeply held beliefs in both science and policy. Today, we pick up with the practical side of his life’s work—how livestock, when properly managed, can regenerate land, restore biodiversity, and stabilize food systems.

As Allan said in our conversation:

“If your toolbox is empty, what are you going to do? There is nothing else in the human toolbox to reverse desertification other than properly managed livestock.”

We’ll talk about what holistic management really means, why rewilding isn’t enough, and how large-scale land restoration is not only possible—it’s happening.

You’ll also hear Allan’s thoughts on how military veterans can play a pivotal role in this movement, and why institutions—military, academic, and environmental—need to be radically restructured to meet today’s ecological challenges.

Let’s get back into it—Part 2 with Allan Savory starts now.