In this episode, Jordan and I discuss the importance of economics, marketing, and storytelling in agriculture. Follow the tour on YouTube Jordan Green is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served multiple deployments before completing a five-year tour of duty in 2009 and transitioning into full-time farming with his wife, Laura. Together, Jordan and Laura founded J&L Green Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, where they raise pasture-based pork and poultry and 100% grass-fed beef on 500 acres, marketing their food directly to consumers. Key Topics Escaping the industrial poultry system and its impact on animals and farmers Apprenticeship at Polyface Farm and lessons from Joel Salatin Military service and how it shaped the decision to start J&L Green Farm The struggles of starting a farm business during the 2008 financial crisis Why marketing and storytelling matter as much as production in regenerative farming Timestamps: 00:00:00 Why cheap food threatens the survival of American farms 00:03:00 Inside poultry houses: dust, ammonia, and farmer servitude 00:08:00 Contracts, mortgages, and the trap of industrial poultry farming 00:17:00 Apprenticeship at Polyface and scaling pasture-based livestock 00:24:00 The reality of death and livestock farming behind the scenes 00:29:00 Joining the Marines and balancing military life with farm dreams 00:36:00 Starting J&L Green Farm with land, capital, and a Polyface contract 00:40:00 Surviving the 2008 housing crash while building a farm business 00:42:00 Why marketing is the hardest but most crucial part of farming 00:49:00 The clash between fast tech and slow ecology in food production 00:55:00 Building customer relationships, not flash sales 01:00:00 Why most farms aren’t welcoming to the public and how J&L differs Connect with Jordan, J&L Farm: Website Instagram Follow the tour on YouTube
