JR Burdick of Nourishing Family Farm explains how losing his family’s farm in the 1980s and later being forced out of his dairy co-op shaped his path toward raw milk, soil-based farming, and local food independence. His story exposes how modern agriculture breaks families and communities - and how rebuilding begins one farm at a time.

Key Topics

The 1980s farm crisis and its generational impact
Industrial agriculture’s false promises
Losing and rebuilding the family farm
Founding Nourishing Family Farm and producing raw milk
Redefining farming as care for soil, cows, and community

Why Listen

Reveals how U.S. farm policy hollowed out rural America
Shows how raw milk and local food rebuild trust and health
Offers a firsthand blueprint for regenerating the land and economy
Traces 40 years of American farming through one family’s eyes
Ends with a powerful redefinition of what it means to be a farmer

Connect with JR:
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References:
"The Jungle" (1906) by Upton Sinclair

Timestamps

00:00:00 – JR’s 11-generation farming roots on the Michigan–Indiana border
00:02:00 – The 1980s farm collapse and how his father lost everything
00:06:00 – Interest-rate hikes, debt, and the domino effect across family farms
00:10:00 – Starting over from scratch and lessons in resilience
00:14:00 – University training, industrial ag mindset, and early GMO exposure
00:25:00 – The Green Revolution, “feeding the world,” and the loss of nutrition
00:33:00 – How regulation and consolidation centralized food control
00:46:00 – Tornado destruction and the community that helped rebuild
01:00:00 – Financial strain, insurance gaps, and rebuilding again
01:15:00 – Family succession and generational challenges in agriculture
01:30:00 – Co-op shutdown in 2022 and six months with no milk income
01:45:00 – Ethanol policy, crop insurance, and systemic dependence
02:03:00 – Life as a conventional dairyman and marketing realities
02:10:00 – Returning to identity as a farmer and faith in the work
02:30:00 – Founding Nourishing Family Farm: raw milk & heritage wheat
02:45:00 – Food as medicine and healing through nutrient-dense food
03:00:00 – Lessons in stewardship, soil, and community resilience
03:10:00 – Redefining what it means to be a farmer in modern America

the art of letting go

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