54. The Land Holds the Answers: Jessica Sanchez on Earth Tending & Regeneration

In this episode of Hands in the Soil, I’m joined by Jessica Sanchez - an Earth Tender whose work is rooted in the understanding that the land holds the answers.Jessica shares how her journey into agriculture began with activism, and the winding road that brought her to Madre Sanctuary. What started as growing food has become something much deeper - cultivating spaces where people can reconnect with themselves, each other, and the land.We talk about what it really means to steward land, especially land that has been shaped by industrial systems, and what it takes to transition it into something living, reciprocal, and regenerative. Jessica speaks to the patience required, the challenges of that process, and the deeper vision that continues to guide her work.This conversation is also about identity, courage, and trust; about leaving behind more conventional paths and listening to what’s calling you forward. She speaks about embracing your uniqueness, and recognizing that the way you’re meant to contribute is already within you.Jessica’s work reminds us that tending the land is not separate from tending ourselves, and that when we begin to repair one, we begin to repair the other.In this episode, we talk about:How the Zapatista movement informed Jessica’s personal philosophyThe evolution from Terra Madre Gardens to Madre SanctuaryTransitioning land from industrial use to regenerative systemsWhat land stewardship really means in practiceThe role of patience, time, and relationship in regenerative workCultivating not just food, but culture, healing, and belongingLeaving conventional paths and trusting a different way forwardEmbracing your uniqueness as part of your contributionThe connection between tending land and tending selfConnect + Learn More:Madre Sanctuary / Terra Madre Gardens:https://www.terramadregardens.com/Follow Jessica on Instagram: @madresanctuary.healing.gardensApply for the Foundations in Land Stewardship Program: ⁠https://www.handsinthesoil.farm/farmschool⁠Follow Hannah on Instagram: ⁠@hannahkeitel