In this episode, Ryan sits down with Joel Hollingsworth of Smoke River Ranch for a clear-eyed diagnosis of what’s gone wrong in America, and what it will actually take to fix it.
Joel doesn’t sugarcoat the decline of rural America. He traces how financialization, centralization, and the loss of local production hollowed out communities, stripped work of dignity, and severed the link between land, economy, and culture.
But this conversation isn’t about despair, it’s about renewal.
We walk step by step through the alternative: regenerative ranching, total grazing management, decentralized economies, and rebuilding local food systems as the foundation for health, freedom, and resilience.
From soil as the base of civilization to the moral and cultural costs of disconnection, Joel lays out a practical, grounded vision for restoring vitality where it matters most.
Connect with Joel & Smoke River Ranch
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