Field Work
Hosted by two commercial row-crop farmers and a dairy farmer, Field Work is a podcast that provides space for frank, realistic discussions about the benefits and challenges of sustainable agriculture. Hosts Zach Johnson, Mitchell Hora, and Tara Vander Dussen (who joined the team in season four) explore the successes and challenges farmers experience as they adopt new practices, while still getting into the weeds on the difficulties.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 41 minutes
- Episodes
- 71
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2022
What Mitchell Learned in Ohio
Instead of talking it up at Dave Brandt’s Field Day, host Mitchell Hora listened. That resulted in big thoughts, which Mitchell shares with his co-hosts. Zach and Tara aren’t shy about chiming in wit…
Adaptive Grazing on the Bruski Ranch
After attending college in Bismarck, North Dakota, Ryan Bruski returned to his family’s ranch in Ekalaka, Montana, with big ideas. He wanted to graze cows a new way. Instead of letting cattle roam fo…
The Accidental Rancher
Brad Buchanan didn't plan on owning a cattle ranch. He was a city guy who bought land a short drive from Denver, then bought some cows as "lawnmowers." Fifteen years later, he's the proud owner of th…
He's All About 'Net Profit Per Acre'
As a college professor, Allen Williams had a fancy degree and tenure. In 2000, he quit that job-for-life to become a farmer. But he knew he couldn’t do it the conventional way. So Allen minimized inp…
The Bristle Brothers Sure Do Experiment
Mitchell and Brad Bristle have made a lot of big decisions at a young age. Their father died when they were young, then the hired man running their Michigan farm quit. So at ages 21 and 19, the Brist…
With Ray Archuleta, It's All About the Soil
After a successful career at the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ray Archuleta began preaching about soil health. Mitchell caught up with “Ray the Soil Guy” inside an Ohio seed shed. T…
The Godfather of Soil Health
On this episode, Mitchell makes a pilgrimage to Fairfield County, Ohio, to chat with farmer Dave Brandt. Known as "The Godfather of Soil Health," Brandt began experimenting with no-till and cover cro…
Get Help When You Need It: Mental Health on the Farm
Farmers are independent people. But there are some things you don’t want to do alone. Like struggle with mental health. In this episode, we talk with soybean farmer Bob Worth about his experience wit…
America's First Regenerative Dairy
Stephanie and Blake Alexandre milk 9,000 cows on 9,000 acres in northern California. Their business — Alexandre Family Farms — is the nation's first certified regenerative dairy. On this episode, Ste…
Manuel Piñuela Has a Big Goal: Regenerating Land Equal to the Size of Texas, Twice
As CEO of Cultivo, Manuel Piñuela wants to regenerate carbon on 1% of the planet. That’s no easy task. In fact, achieving that goal would require signing up enough farm and forest acreage to cover Te…
The Tractor Robots Have Arrived
Is it Zach’s birthday? You might think so. Because on this episode of Field Work, Joe Liefer of John Deere joins Zach and Mitchell to talk about green tractors, a thing Zach loves. Liefer is an engin…
From Dirt to Soil: The Guys Get To Know Gabe Brown
Gabe Brown didn’t grow up on a farm. But today he’s way into regenerative agriculture. On his farm and ranch just outside of Bismarck, North Dakota, Gabe does no-till, cover crops, and a mini-version…
An Interview with USDA's Robert Bonnie
Robert Bonnie grew up on a Kentucky farm. Today, he’s one of the most powerful people in agriculture, serving as a top USDA official in the Biden administration. One of the initiatives he’s working o…
The Genius of Prairie Strips
Farmers in 14 states have planted more than 14,000 acres of prairie strips to ease soil erosion. On this episode, Lisa Schulte Moore of Iowa State University explains the science behind planting nati…
Why Kamal Bell Became a First-Generation Farmer
Food deserts are places with limited access to fruits and vegetables. When the topic popped up in one of his college classes, Kamal Bell decided to do more than just talk about it. Bell started Sanko…
The Hunger for Regenerative Ag Data
Lots of scientists give farmers advice. But not many of them have actually farmed. Jonathan Lundgren quit the USDA and started Blue Dasher Farms in South Dakota. In just a few years, he’s learned som…
New Mexico Milkmaid Shines in Field Work Debut
Tara Vander Dussen makes her Field Work debut at Zach Johnson’s Minnesota farm. In this episode, Tara tells Zach and Mitchell about the wonders of New Mexico: sand dunes, square roads, fainting goats…
Coming Soon: Field Work Season Four
Big changes are coming! Tara Vander Dussen, a New Mexico dairy farmer, will be joining Zach Johnson and Mitchell Hora as a Field Work co-host. Throughout Season 4, Zach, Mitchell and Tara will be eng…
The Episode Where the Chopper Arrives and Carbon Markets Are All Figured Out
According to the EPA, the agriculture sector of the economy causes 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, far behind energy, transportation, and industry. But there’s a lot of interest in how to red…
Rick Haney's Uncommon Sense
One of the most important resources for farmers interested in sustainable practices is a soil test commonly known as the Haney Test. In this episode, we talk to the developer of the test, Rick Haney,…