Josh and Jessica Guptill run Rehoboth Farm in Suffolk, Virginia, where they raise pastured chicken, pork, lamb, beef, eggs, and turkeys. Neither came from a farming family - Josh left the Coast Guard and Jessica is a doula - but together they built their farm from backyard beginnings, guided by faith and a belief in producing “healing food.” Their path is unique: from DIY chicken pluckers and bartering for land to scaling up during COVID, they’ve made transparency and education central to their work. Today they not only provide nutrient-dense food but also host workshops and farm visits, giving their community a firsthand connection to how food is grown. This episode we discuss: What backyard chickens taught them about the realities of food production How different animals (chickens, pigs, sheep, cattle) work together to regenerate land Why transparency and on-farm visits build trust between farmers and eaters The role of farmers’ markets, and what separates thriving ones from failing ones How faith and community shape their vision of farming as a vocation Timestamps: 00:00:00 Josh & Jessica’s backstory and first encounters with farming 00:07:00 Early challenges raising and butchering chickens 00:13:00 Deciding to leave the Coast Guard and pursue farming 00:19:00 Finding and moving onto their current Virginia farm 00:25:00 Scaling up chickens, pigs, and lamb during COVID 00:33:00 Why their farmers’ market works—and why others fail 00:40:00 Marketing, transparency, and building customer trust 00:48:00 The meaning behind the name “Rehoboth Farm” 00:53:00 Questions consumers should ask at farmers’ markets 01:00:00 Hosting on-farm classes and why visits matter Website Instagram Facebook
