Homesteaders of America

Most conversations about nutrition begin with what is on the plate. This one begins much farther upstream—with the soil, the grass, the animal, and the way our food is raised.
In this episode of the Homesteaders of America Podcast, Amy speaks with Julia Mitchell, MSc, CNS, LDN, a clinical nutritionist, grass-fed bison rancher, mother of two, and Lead Educator for Ancestral Supplements. Julia shares how a desire to become more capable and connected to her food led her from a regional food hub to bison ranching in southwestern Alberta—and how working with the land has reshaped her understanding of human nourishment.
Together, they discuss what nutrient density actually means, why the quality of our food begins in living soil, and how modern agriculture’s focus on yield can leave nutrition behind. Julia also explains why traditional cultures valued the whole animal, what liver and other organ meats can add to the family diet, and simple ways homesteaders can make those foods less intimidating—from blending liver into ground meat to using bones, marrow, connective tissue, and slow-cooked cuts.
The conversation also explores where whole-food supplements may serve as a practical bridge, what consumers should know about sourcing and third-party testing, and why no capsule can replace the deeper work of rebuilding food skills, supporting responsible farmers, and understanding where nourishment comes from.
This episode is an invitation to think more deeply about food—not merely as calories or protein, but as the product of healthy soil, careful stewardship, practical knowledge, and a resilient family culture.
In This Episode, We Discuss
How Julia moved from city life and a regional food hub into grass-fed bison ranching
What makes raising and handling bison different from raising cattle
Why nutrition begins with soil—and why food quality cannot be separated from land health
What “nutrient density” means beyond marketing language
How farming for yield can dilute the vitamins and minerals in food
Why organ meats fell out of favor and what was lost when they disappeared from the family table
How nose-to-tail eating honors the animal and broadens the nutrient profile of the diet
A simple way to ask your butcher to blend liver into ground meat
Why liver is so nutrient-dense and why it should not be misunderstood as a storage tank for toxins
Where food-first nutrition ends and whole-food supplementation may begin
How freeze-drying preserves organ meats for capsules or powders
What third-party testing and careful sourcing should address
Why practical food skills are essential to family resilience and self-sufficiency
Why bison ranchers are, at heart, grass farmers—and why protecting grasslands matters

About Julia Mitchell
Julia Mitchell, MSc, CNS, LDN, is a clinical nutritionist, bison rancher, mother of two, and Lead Educator for Ancestral Supplements. Her work sits at the intersection of functional nutrition, ancestral health, regenerative agriculture, and optimal health. Shaped by both her clinical nutrition work and her hands-on experience raising grass-fed bison on a regenerative ranch in southwestern Alberta, Julia is especially knowledgeable about nose-to-tail eating, organ meats, animal-based nutrition, and making nutrient-dense whole foods approachable for modern families.
Links and Resources Mentioned
Ancestral Supplements — ancestralsupplements.com
The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour
Savory Institute and holistic management principles — savory.global

VISIT HOA ONLINE at homesteadersofamerica.com

DISCLAIMER: This episode is for general educational purposes only and is not individualized medical or nutrition advice. Nutrient needs and supplement safety vary. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes or using concentrated supplements, especially during pregnancy, for children, when taking medications, or when managing a medical condition.

Garrett and Isabelle Heydt of Solstice Beef Company join Amy Fewell to share how their love of outdoor education, community, and real food grew into a thriving regenerative farm in Central Virginia—and why they eventually had to simplify it.
At their busiest, the Heydts were raising 3,200 broiler chickens, 50 pigs, 200 turkeys, and 40 beef cattle in a single season, all while raising young children. Then a succession of family health emergencies, backlogged orders, and one late-night breaking point forced them to ask a difficult question:
Is the farm working for our family, or are we working for the farm?
Garrett and Isabelle explain why they narrowed their operation to beef, made the painful decision to leave a multigenerational family farm, and began managing cattle across leased land. They also share how they have redefined success around faith, family culture, community, and stewardship rather than endless growth.
Isabelle opens up about her personal experience with rheumatoid arthritis, the elimination diet and lifestyle changes she credits with changing her health, and the connection she sees between healthy soil and a healthy gut. She also introduces Paced Healing and her four-module program, The Sovereign Step, which uses lessons from her Appalachian Trail thru-hike to help people approach major lifestyle changes one step at a time.

In this episode we talk about:
How Garrett and Isabelle went from climbing and outdoor education to farming
Starting a farm with broiler chickens on 12 acres
What happened when they tried to offer every product to every customer
The family emergency that exposed their breaking point
Why simplifying did not mean quitting
Leaving a multigenerational farm without abandoning their agricultural calling
Raising cattle and regenerating soil on leased land
The difference between a circle of influence and a circle of concern
Redefining success for a farm family
Isabelle’s personal rheumatoid arthritis and elimination-diet journey
The soil-gut connection and moving away from fear-based wellness
Why difficult choices can create the greatest opportunities
Choosing to see God’s plan as an opportunity rather than a burden

Resources Mentioned:

Solstice Beef Company:
https://solsticebeef.com/

Paced Healing:
www.pacedhealing.com⁠

Follow Homesteaders Of America Online:
Instagram ⁠@homesteadersofamerica⁠Facebook ⁠  / homesteadersofamerica⁠  Website ⁠https://homesteadersofamerica.com⁠

Follow Garrett & Isabelle Online:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/solsticebeefco/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/solsticebeef/

Podcast Sponsors:
Nutrimill: https://nutrimill.com/

AJ Richards is back, and this time he's taking us inside the room with the Secretary of Agriculture. He's not a lobbyist. Nobody's paying him to be there. He's a homesteader from Cody, Wyoming who got invited because he was loud about our failing food system, and he's telling us what's really going on with public land grazing, the regenerative agriculture executive order, and why country of origin labeling isn't as simple as everyone thinks.

AJ lives on seven and a half acres in Cody, Wyoming, but his family's roots go back to 1916, when they homesteaded the Arizona Strip as part of the Bundy Ranchers. He's also the founder of From The Farm, a platform built to connect consumers directly with producers.
Since last fall, he's been part of a small group the Secretary of Agriculture personally invited to Washington to represent Western ranchers who felt unheard. In this episode, he and I get into what's actually moving in DC right now, why some of the loudest online criticism misses the point entirely, and why he believes prayer and discernment matter as much as policy.

What You'll Learn
Why yelling at the Secretary of Agriculture over country of origin labeling might be aimed at the wrong person entirely
What a new memorandum of understanding between USDA and the Department of Interior means for ranchers grazing on public land, after decades of losing ground
The real story of how the regenerative agriculture executive order came together
Why AJ says “two things can be true at once” about the wins and the compromises coming out of this administration
What the Direct Act could mean for buying meat straight from a farmer online, even across state lines
Why taking a government grant, like NRCS fencing money, almost always comes with strings you didn't expect
How AJ's family history homesteading the Arizona Strip shapes the way he sees today's food fight
Why “empathy up” matters as much as empathy for the people below you
What AJ wishes Christians would post instead of tearing down leaders online

Resources Mentioned in This Episode
From The Farm: https://fromthefarm.org/
HOA 2026 Conference (10th Anniversary, October, Front Royal, Virginia): https://homesteadersofamerica.com

Instagram @a.j_richards
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/abenadi
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheFarmUSA
X @AJRichards

Facebook https://facebook.com/homesteadersofamerica
Website https://homesteadersofamerica.com

You don't need a lifetime of farming experience to build a successful farm.  Dana and Lauren Cavalea share how they went from corporate careers and zero agricultural background to growing a thriving direct-to-consumer meat business on more than 300 acres.  Along the way, they discuss the realities of raising livestock, selling beef, expanding a farm business, and why adaptability, strong marketing, and faith have been just as important as hard work.  If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to start farming from scratch, this conversation will encourage you to boldly take the first step!
In this episode, we cover:
- How two complete beginners unexpectedly became farmers on 130 acres
- Buying their first cattle, pigs, and chickens with no farming experience
- Learning hard lessons about livestock, butchering, and selling their first beef
- Growing from 130 acres to more than 300 through strategic land purchases
- Building a nationwide direct-to-consumer meat business
- Selling beef shares, meat boxes, and working with other local farmers
- The business skills every profitable farmer needs beyond raising livestock
- Beef shares vs. individual meat boxes: the pros and cons of each model
- What it really takes to ship frozen meat across the country
- Using authentic storytelling and social media to grow a loyal customer base
- Why flexibility, continual learning, and adapting have been key to their success
- Following God's leading, embracing new challenges, and encouraging others to simply get started
View full show notes and transcript on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
Thank you to our sponsors!
NutriMill.com | High-quality small kitchen appliance products that function well, are easy to use, and promote healthy eating
NewLightHealth.com | High-quality natural supplements and health products to simplify your wellness and support your family naturally
ShareHealthcare.com | A Christian-based, health-sharing community where members come together to cover medical needs
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Head over to Freedom Farms to see their full lineup of high-quality meat selections and more!
CONNECT
Dana & Lauren Cavalea | Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  
Homesteaders of America | Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest

America’s food system is changing, and the homesteading movement is playing a bigger role than you may realize.  In this conversation, Pete of Azure Standard shares the inspiring story behind the nationwide organic food company, their mission to strengthen regenerative agriculture and local food systems, and why more families are seeking clean, trustworthy food sources.  We also discuss supply chains, small farms, community resilience, and the growing movement toward rebuilding American agriculture from the ground up.  If you care about food freedom, regenerative farming, and creating a healthier future for the next generation, don’t miss this conversation!
In this episode, we cover:
- How a family health crisis led Azure’s founding family to embrace organic farming decades before it was mainstream
- The surprising story of one small Oregon farm growing into a nationwide food distribution network
- A behind-the-scenes look at Azure’s relationships with hundreds of small farms and family businesses
- How Azure keeps food distribution more resilient through privately owned trucks, warehouses, and logistics
- The challenges rising fuel costs and supply chain instability create for companies delivering food nationwide
- Why Azure is expanding with a major East Coast warehouse and what that means for the future of food access
- Why the homesteading movement is creating new opportunities for small farms, local food systems, and community
- How Azure is working directly with conventional farmers who want healthier soil and more sustainable farming methods
- Encouragement for families who want to be part of rebuilding a healthier, more trustworthy food culture
View full show notes and transcript on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Earthley.com | Clean, natural, and affordable herbal remedies and body care that support health and wellness naturally 
MittySupply.com | Portable milking machines designed for small and medium-sized farms to save you time and simplify your daily routine
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Find an Azure Standard drop near you!
CONNECT
Azure Standard | Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest | X 
Homesteaders of America | Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest