In today’s episode, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on 2024 and express my deep gratitude for the time you’ve spent alongside me over the last 33 episodes of Hands in the Soil. I also share some personal and professional updates, as I’m gearing up to close a chapter and beginning a new one. I look back on my growth-filled year working at the Farm Lab in Encinitas, and give you a glimpse into what’s next for me. And in 2025, I’ll be taking you on a behind the scenes journey to show you what it takes to start a farm!

Do you have any feedback or specific topics you’d like to learn about in future episodes? If so, I’d love to hear from you. You can fill out the feedback form here: https://forms.gle/VAGUhbw3V3CnTMS56

Thank you for listening, and see you in 2025!

Connect with Hannah:

Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In today’s mini episode, we’re exploring soil cultivation practices — what tilling is, the different methods of soil disturbance, and how they affect soil health. We’ll also look at no-till agriculture as an alternative, examining both its advantages and challenges.

Tune in to learn more about…

• What soil cultivation is and how it's commonly used in conventional farming

• The different types of soil disturbance practices, from intensive tillage to conservation tillage to no-till

• Why disturbing the soil can have negative consequences, including weed growth, compaction, and loss of organic matter

• The long-term impacts on carbon release, erosion, and nutrient loss

• What no-till farming looks like and how it benefits soil health

• The challenges of non-organic no-till practices, which often rely on herbicides

• Key soil health principles that align with no-till and regenerative agriculture

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 30: What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In today’s mini episode, I dive into the thing that’s on everyone’s mind this week - the election. More specifically, I focus on how the food system might be impacted by the new administration.

Tune in to learn more about…

• The policies that give me hope

• The ways that Donald Trump’s promises are in direct opposition to the platform that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran on

• How fossil fuel and immigration policies are all intrinsically connected to the health of our national food system

• What we can do to create the change we wish to see

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

In today’s mini episode, we dive into the topic of “regenerative agriculture.” If you’ve been listening to this podcast, you’ve heard us mention this several times - but what exactly are we talking about?

Tune in to learn more about…

• Why there isn’t a universal definition of regenerative agriculture
• The difference between “sustainable” versus “regenerative”
• Where the concept came from and why it’s growing in popularity
• The indigenous roots of regenerative agriculture
• What it means to farm in harmony with nature
• How cover cropping supports soil health and pollinators
• Why it’s important to create habitats for animals within the farm ecosystem
• How to be discerning when big corporations greenwash their products

• … And so much more!

  
  

  Connect with Hannah:

  • Instagram: @hannahkeitel

Rachael Cohen is a Nature based spiritual life coach, plant connector, intuitive medium and author. When her experiences as an environmental educator, wild animal specialist and mother left her anxious and distraught over society’s destruction of Nature, Rachael cultivated a creative relationship with plants that awakened her spiritual gifts and transformed her life. She first founded Infinite Succulent, specializing in plant art connections, and then Our Infinite Nature, for facilitating and growing spiritual connections with Nature.

We discuss the rampant eco-anxiety that many people face as the realities of climate change become more challenging to ignore. Rachael explains her approach to figuring out how to inspire more meaningful relationships with the planet in a way that’s not using fear as a motivator. We analyze how we got to a place where we’ve become so disconnected from nature, and she offers actionable steps for remedying the disconnect.

Tune in to learn more about:

• Strategies and tools for overcoming eco-anxiety

• Making art with nature

• Shifting our relationship with the planet to be a reciprocal one

• Letting go of the notion that “humans are a cancer to the planet”

• The nervous system and how it impacts our stress levels

• The science and data about forest bathing and its impact on our biology

• The antidepressant effects of soil

• Practices like nature journaling, meditating with plants,

• The evolutionary reason that listening to birds puts us at ease

• … And so much more!

  
  

Rachael’s Links and Resources:

• Visit her website: www.ourinfinitenature.co/ and see her upcoming events: https://www.ourinfinitenature.co/events

• Connect with her on Instagram: @ourinfinitenaturerachael

• Book: Self-Care for Eco-Anxiety: 52 Weekly Practices for Positive Personal Change Through the Power of Nature

• Book: Everyday Plant Magic: Change your Life through the Magical Energy of Nature

• Book: Infinite Succulent: Miniature Art to Keep or Share

Other Resources Mentioned:

• The Artist’s Way

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel
  

In today’s mini episode, we explore some fun facts about seeds! Each tiny seed holds within it the blueprint for life—whether it's a plant, a tree, or even an entire ecosystem— and I wanted to highlight some interesting information that I’ve learned over the years.

Tune in to learn more about…

• The shelf life of seeds and how “dormant seeds” work
• The story of the 2000-year-old date seed
• Why wildfires are ecologically important
• How seeds adapt to extreme climate factors
• The importance of seed saving
• The surprising truth about apples, coconuts, and potatoes
• ... And more!

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 18: Let’s Talk GMO’s

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

Many people want to make the switch from grocery store chains to local farmers markets, but experience some barriers that have prevented them from doing so. In today’s mini episode, we’ll be exploring tips for navigating your local market.

Tune in to learn more about…

• Normalizing the confusion that comes along with familiarizing yourself with the culture of farmers markets

• The feeling of distrust in what’s being sold

• Three key questions to ask the farmers that you’re interested in buying from

• Why not having organic certification doesn’t mean it’s not organic

• The truth about pesticides

• The importance of building community with people that grow food in your area

• Planning in advance for seasonal produce

  
  

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel

Laura Baum, a former clinical herbalist, is a holistic business development coach who works to strengthen holistic healthcare by strengthening holistic healthcare service-based businesses. She offers businesses a holistic lifestyle coaching framework to assist patients and clients get improved health results at home to enhance the benefits of practitioner services. Laura also helps these businesses market and sell this offer and step into thought leadership opportunities to strengthen the industry.

We discuss how a health crisis led Laura to discovering her passion for herbalism, and how her journey through connecting with plants in a new way transformed her health. She explains what it means to be a clinical herbalist, how the dominating medical systems work to disempower people, and the ways that alternative medicine can bridge the gaps.

Tune in to learn more about:

• How developing relationships with plants can teach us about ourselves

• The importance of empowering ourselves through our food and our daily habits

• How herbalism is directly addressing ecological balance and restoration

• What gets in the way of our ability to communicate with plants

• Changing our perspective to see plants as sentient beings

• The implications of “plant blindness” and the importance of learning the names of the things that grow around you

• The power of the garden and the transformative impact of immersing ourselves in nature

• … And so much more!

Laura’s Links and Resources:

• Laura's Botanicals Website

• Laura's Botanicals on Instagram

• Complimentary Course: Holistic Solutions to Improve Your Lifestyle

• YouTube Channel: Laura Baum Holistic Health Business Coach

• Facebook Group: "Braiding Sweetgrass" Study Group

• Facebook Group: Richmond Herbalism Guild

• Published Article on Plant Communication

Connect with Hannah:

• Instagram: @hannahkeitel